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Human nature is amazing. We are surrounded by war, petulance, disease, doom, destruction and division, but we keep cooking, building cool shit, and heading to the latest event.

Brothers including Jason Mook from Deadwood Custom cycles and Ari from Law Tigers are building FXRs for a brothers’ build-off competition which might roll into the Donnie Smith Show for Donnie’s 80 Birthday Party.

Chris Callen, the Supreme Leader of Cycle Source Magazine is not in the competition but he’s building another stock frame FXR for the Donnie Smith Show.

From the Chopper World, Ryan McQuiston is finishing up Charlie’s bike. Charlie is the official Bikernet and 5-Ball Garage barber.

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.

MOTORCYCLE RIDERS FOUNDATION ALERT–NHTSA Overview of Motor Vehicle Crashes in 2020

On Wednesday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released its Overview of Motor Vehicle Crashes in 2020. This report provides a snapshot of crashes, fatalities, and injuries sustained on our nation’s roadways in 2020.

The statistics related to motorcyclists were troubling. In 2020, we saw an 11% increase in fatalities from the previous year. In 2019, 5,044 motorcyclists were killed on our roadways. In 2020 that number grew to 5,579. Thankfully, the number of injuries registered in the study dropped slightly from 83,814 in 2019 to 82,528 in 2020.

In total, 38,824 people died on U.S. roads in 2020. Motorcyclists made up 14% of that number. The loss of life is not contained to one area as motorcyclist fatalities in urban areas increased by 7.8 percent since 2019 and increased by 11 percent in rural areas.

What is perhaps most concerning is that total miles traveled by Americans dropped in 2020 by 11%, yet fatalities increased by 6.8%. Despite less miles being logged more people were killed. Obviously, 2020 was a unique year in which a global pandemic affected every facet of our lives. The data provided in this study can be useful but should be viewed with the understanding that 2020 was an unprecedented year.

Despite that, there is no question that reports like this will spur questions and ultimately action by policymakers in Washington, D.C. The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) is committed to ensuring motorcyclists have a voice when issues like safety are debated. Your support and commitment to giving the street rider a voice in our nation’s capital remains vital.

Thank you for supporting the MRF and as always Ride Safe and Ride Free.

To read more about the study and review risk factors and statistics regarding specific states you can click here to read the full report.

–MRF

VISIT AMA at Daytona Bike Week–
The AMA will be at Daytona Bike Week. If you are in town too, be sure to stop by our booth at the Daytona International Speedway to say hello, pick up a 2022 AMA Gypsy Tour Pin, or purchase a raffle ticket for the 1975 BMW. Plus, if you renew your membership at the event, you’ll get a free Daytona 200 t-shirt, commemorating 80 years of the race.

Don’t miss the AMA-sanctioned professional and amateur racing, including:

March 3-7: AMA Daytona Bike Week Flat Track Championship Series & AMA Vintage Flat Track National Championship Series: Rounds 1-3

March 4-6: AMA All-Star National Flat Track Series

March 5: Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship

March 5-6: Grand National Cross Country Series, Round 2

March 6-7: Ricky Carmichael Daytona Amateur Supercross

March 8: Daytona Vintage Motocross/AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series, Round 1

March 10: Alligator Sprint Enduro

March 10-12: MotoAmerica Daytona 200

March 10-11: Progressive Insurance American Flat Track, Volusia Half-Mile

BRING A TRAILER DEAL OF THE WEEK—The current bid is $8,300
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1941-harley-davidson-1941-wl/?utm_source=dm&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2022-03-02

This 1941 Harley-Davidson WL was acquired by the seller in 2017 and subsequently underwent a refurbishment that included repainting the bodywork red, re-chroming the accents, and rebuilding the 45ci flathead V-twin and hand-shifted three-speed transmission. Additional equipment includes a leather-covered solo saddle, front and rear guard bars, drum brakes, a springer fork, valanced fenders, a fishtail muffler, a rear stand, and a side stand. This 45 is offered with refurbishment records and a Massachusetts title in the seller’s name listing it as a 1940 model.

The fuel and oil tanks, fenders, and dash were refinished in red over a black frame. Chrome trim includes the fender strips, front fender light, and front and rear guards. Features include a brown leather saddle and a winged bar-and-shield electric horn mounted beneath a Cycleray headlamp in a black bucket, as well as a black teardrop toolbox, a hinged rear fender, a beehive taillight, footboards, a rear stand, and a side stand.

Wire-spoke 18? wheels with replacement rims and spokes and a rebuilt front star hub are wrapped in Coker Classic diamond-tread tires. Braking is from drums at both ends. Suspension consists of a springer fork with replacement springs, top nuts, and ride control as well as a spring in the saddle post.

ELECTRIC NEWS OF THE WEEK–Felicity Ace Sinks

A large cargo ship carrying nearly 4,000 Volkswagen Group luxury cars sank into the Atlantic Ocean yesterday after catching fire last month. The ship, Felicity Ace, went down about 220 miles from Portugal’s Azores Islands, officials said. A salvage crew had begun to tow the damaged ship to land when rough waters caused it to tilt and sink.

The 650-foot-long vessel was transporting electric and non-electric vehicles from Germany to Rhode Island when it caught fire Feb. 16. The 22 crew members were safely evacuated the same day. The cause of the blaze is still unclear, but reports suggest lithium-ion batteries in the electric vehicles fueled it.

The cargo was valued at more than $400M, and Volkswagen, Porsche, Audi, and Lamborghini could see at least $155M in losses.

Authorities fear the ship could pollute the ocean due to 2,200 tons each of fuel and oil on board. They are monitoring the situation.

BIKERNET FEATURE BIKE OF THE WEEK—By Kurumazakashita

–Sam Burns
Official Curator
Bikernet.com™

THE RISERS OF THE WEEK FROM BILTWELL–Murdock Pullback Risers 6″ 8″ 10″ 12″ – Chrome

Murdock risers for Harley big twins are available in straight and pullback models and a broad range of rises. Investment-cast clamps, TIG-welded chromoly uprights and CNC lathe-turned mounting bases create a handlebar riser with unrivaled stiffness and strength for aggressive, technical and high-speed riding.

$199.95

NEWS FROM THE LACONIA RALLY— FYI – see attached – met up with Charlie in Laconia yesterday before he headed out to Daytona . . .

Page 50 of 2022 Laconia Rally News – your name BUT “Bandit” incorrectly spelled – see attached –

And, we have Rogue coming up to ‘accept’ and be recognized . . . and Dave Uhl coming back out . . .

–PC in MA

How the hell can they misspell “Bandit?”…

–Bandit

LIFESTYLE CYCLES DEAL OF THE WEEK–2018 Harley FLSTN Softail Deluxe for $19,995.00

SEE IT HERE: https://www.lifestylecycles.com/default.asp?page=xPreOwnedInventoryDetail&id=11696604

2018 Blue Harley-Davidson SOFTAIL DELUXE FLSTN

ONLY 8602.00 Miles !!!!!

This bike is super clean Softail with lots of extras

Some of the features/Add-on’s on this bike

* 107c.i. Motor
* 6-Speed trans
* Fishtail exhaust
* 14 inch apes
* Chrome sissy bar
* Engine crash bar

Just $19,995.00

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

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

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

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

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

Call today (714) 490-0155.

**Open 7 days a week**

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

SUPPORT GOOD TIMES BODY SUIT—We couldn’t resist featuring it or her again.

Original Support Good Times Logo Bodysuit. Heavyweight shrink-free cotton spandex. (95% cotton and 5% spandex jersey)

NEXT RUN SHIPS MARCH 15 2022 (approximately)

MINNESOTA INTRODUCES BILL TO INCREASE ETHANOL IN GASOLINE—
DON’T DELAY! Please contact the members of the House Commerce Finance and Policy Committee immediately and request their opposition to H.F. 3520:

YOU MAY USE THE FOLLOWING POINTS IN YOUR MESSAGE:

H.F. 3520 increases the standard biofuel blend at Minnesota gas stations to 15% ethanol blend (E15). The current standard is 10%. No other state uses E15 as a standard blend.

H.F. 3520 ignores marketplace economics in favor of arbitrary government mandates.

H.F. 3520 disregards the fact that ethanol, especially in higher concentrations such as E15, can cause metal corrosion and dissolve certain plastics and rubbers in automobiles that were not constructed with ethanol-resistant materials. High-performance specialty parts, along with older cars and parts, may be most susceptible to such corrosion.

H.F. 3520 fails to provide adequate safeguards for vehicles whose life spans can be reduced by misfuelling and subsequent corrosion of integral vehicle and equipment parts. Anti-corrosion additives are available for each purchase of gasoline but can become expensive, burdensome and require consumer education.

H.F. 3520 does not acknowledge that ethanol has been shown to decrease fuel mileage.

Overview: Minnesota has introduced SAN-opposed legislation (H.F. 3520) to increase the standard biofuel blend to 15% ethanol. Currently there is a 10% state-wide standard, and there is an exemption in place for those selling or dispensing limited quantities of nonoxygenated gas for collector vehicles.

This legislation would create a similar exemption for vehicles not approved to use more than 10% biofuel, which includes all model year 2000 and older vehicles. There is also an exemption for retailers who sell less than 500,000 gallons of gasoline/biofuel per year who are not equipped to store and dispense E15. In recent years, the state has introduced similar bills which have failed to be approved by their respective committees.

The bill awaits consideration in the House Commerce Finance and Policy Committee.
–SEMA

AVAILABLE AT THE NATIONAL MOTORCYCLE MUSEUM–2003 Harley-Davidson Centennial CVO Screamin’ Eagle Road King

Almost 20 years ago now, Harley-Davidson celebrated 100 years of motorcycle manufacturing in 2003 and produced a variety of special edition bikes including CVO’s.

Originated in 1999, the Custom Vehicle Operations section at Harley-Davidson takes manufacturing to “a whole new level of customization, nearly impossible to duplicate on a standard bike, boasting accessories that can’t be purchased anywhere else,” according to Harley-Davidson literature. CVO’s used bigger engines, fancier wheels, more chrome and definitely special paint.

This bike is one of 3600 CVO Road Kings made, a model FLHRSEI, finished in Centennial Gold with Black and Burgundy accents. It’s one of just two styles of CVO’s made that year, the other being the Deuce. The spec sheet includes 50 special CVO items, many of which are 100th Anniversary related.

To many Harley enthusiasts, the Road King is the “core” American motorcycle with roots back to the late 1930’s Knucklehead. With bags and a windshield, it’s minimal, flexible, nimble, ready for about any ride anywhere. In 2003 all FL’s were powered by the Twin Cam 95 engine, but this CVO is bored and stroked to 103 cubic inches.

Bill Philbin, the original owner, and donor of the machine stated in 2014 when he gave the bike to the Museum, “The bike, though not that old, is beautiful and significant because it marks a milestone in the Motor Company’s first 100 years. It is almost 14 years into the next 100. As the years go by this century marker will be important and that is why I had to have it in the first place.”

Bill Philbin graciously donated his Anniversary CVO Road King in 2014, and you can check it out among a fine group of Harley big twins the next time you visit.

Specifications:

Engine: Air-Cooled Twin, Four-Stroke
Type: Overhead Valves, Two Valves per Cylinder
Bore & Stroke: 3.87 Inches x 4.37 Inches
Displacement: 1690cc’s
Compression Ratio: 9.0 – 1
Ignition: Electronic
Carburetor: 45mm Fuel Injection
Starting: Electric
Torque: 100 Foot Pounds at 3500 RPM
Primary: Double Row Chain
Clutch: Wet, Multi-Plate
Final Drive: Gates Carbon Fiber Belt
Transmission: 5-Speed
Frame: Double Down Tube, Steel
Suspension: 41mm Hydraulic Fork / Swingarm, Dual Shocks
Brakes: Dual Piston 11.5? Dual Discs / 11.5? Disc
Wheelbase: 63.5 Inches
Wheels / Tires: MT90x16 / MT90x16
Weight: 745 Pounds
Top Speed: 108MPH

5-BALL GARAGE DEALS OF THE WEEK—We have new shirts and vests. We are working with Deadwood Custom Cycles on a Shop shirt sporting their logo embroidered on the back.

I’m bad at promoting my books. I enjoy writing and ignore the marketing. This was my first Chance Hogan book. He’s just a loner trying to find his way in a new town.

OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM URAL HEADQUARTERS IN RUSSIA—
We wish we wouldn’t have to update you under the circumstances we find ourselves in.

Questions and concerns inevitably come up about possible sanctions, availability of bikes and parts, support and so on. The short answer is that we are as ready as we can possibly be to address whatever challenges may come our way. Over the years we’ve learned to navigate ups and downs, to make plans B, C and D both strategically and on the fly. We’ve weathered storms that were very real and dealt with obstacles that were not so publicly known. The history of our brand shows that Ural always finds a way to move forward.

Our highest priorities have always been our employees, our partners and our customers. We still hope for people to remain human, value life and stand for living instead of fighting.

We pray for peace.
The Team at Ural

–DealerNews

WHEELS THROUGH TIME MUSEUM OPENING–We’re counting down the days until opening weekend, April 7-11!

Over the winter season, the crew has been hard at work in the museum, and we’re excited to announce our brand-new comprehensive exhibit detailing our founder Dale Walksler’s passion and vision.

The exhibit chronicles his life, from his youth and earliest days as a Harley-Davidson dealer to building and growing the collection, his prescient move to Maggie Valley, and both his and the museum’s rise to international status.

THE EVIL FACTORY NEWS–Some things never change. From The Denver Post:
“Rocky Mountain Harley-Davidson, the oldest family-owned Harley motorcycle dealership in Colorado, is shutting down at the end of the month.
The longtime business, founded in 1979 by owner Kathy Yevoli, who still serves as RMH-D president, has fallen victim to a corporate downsizing strategy, said Marina Yevoli, Kathy’s daughter and director of marketing at the Littleton motorcycle dealership.

The dealer sells new and pre-owned motorcycles, and the business also includes a service, parts, and merchandise departments.”

“We are closing, not by our choice,” Marina Yevoli said. “To be politically correct, they (Harley-Davidson) are condensing the market and independent dealers do not fit that mold. They are doing away with family-owned businesses.”

Remember all the family dealerships HD shut down- when- 20 years ago? I was more than alright with it when it looked like they were going under year before last. Once a rotten POS, always a rotten POS.

–Tom Johnson

What do you expect, they have some Euro sneaker pusher as prez and under him a few soccer mom non-biker types running the show and making snowflake decisions. Some things are not supposed to be run by woman, period.

–Geno

ROLAND SANDS ON THE EAST COAST–Daytona is looking to be beyond exciting for the Roland Sands Design x Indian Motorcycle race team. This season RSD will be fielding not one, but two Indian Challengers in Moto America’s 2022 King of the Baggers doubleheader, as well as two Indian FTR1200s and one Indian Chief, in the 2022 Roland Sands Design Super Hooligan National Championship doubleheader on the high banks of Daytona International Speedway. That’s 5 bikes in 10 races over two days. If it sounds like we’re crazy… we are starting to believe it too.

We are excited to introduce our partnership with the Sacramento Mile x SDI Racing with a new, S&S-built Indian Challenger entry, race-prepped by Roland Sands Design. The #50 Indian Challenger will be ridden by Superbike competitor Bobby Fong. Bobby is a dominator in road racing with his 2019 Moto America Supersport Championship earned with six wins and fourteen 2nd place finishes on the season.

He has proven that he knows his way around Daytona by qualifying on pole and a podium finish at the 2019 Daytona 200. He got a taste of riding the bagger in the preseason and has his sights set on the top of the King of the Bagger podium.

The #14 Indian Challenger is a Mission Foods sponsored RSD-built King of the Baggers entry, being ridden by the always popular KOTB podium finisher Frankie Garcia. The bike has gone through several changes over the off-season and, Indian along with S&S Cycle has supplied a new motor to help propel the Challenger into Daytona legend status.

RSD has two new 2022 Indian FTR1200 R Carbon model purpose-built asphalt-ready racers for the Super Hooligan class. After last year’s dip in the road racing pool at Laguna Seca, we started from scratch this year with two new FTRs fully prepped for road race duty with motor work by the crew at Lloydz Garage and Indian Motorcycle of Charlotte. KOTB race winner and top man Tyler O’Hara is slated to ride the #2 Indian FTR 1200 with fellow bagger racer and fast guy Frankie Garcia will be on the #14 Indian FTR1200.

Both riders will be doing double duty by racing both the King of the Baggers class and Super Hooligan class. You can guarantee they will be pushing hard to be at the top of both the KOTB and SHNC podiums.

The #33 Super Hooligan 2022 Indian Chief is being ridden by Australian top gun and 2019 Pikes Peak winner Rennie Scaysbrook, who will be battling for the Mission Foods Air-cooled American Twin Challenge title. A race within the Super Hooligan race will see both air-cooled Indians and Harleys battling bar to bar for the Mission Challenge bragging rights and a special purse.

Rennie’s got history on the Indian Chief taking a win during its first competition in the Big Twin class at the inaugural BRL race last season. He’s looking to lock in another win at Daytona and solidify his dominance as the only air-cooled Indian racing in the class.

[page break]

So anyway, can I get a word in? I went to the mall. Now, the mall itself had little teeny signs saying you could take your mask off if you had the three cell-altering shots that make you susceptible to airborne aids viruses as opposed to actually having to fuck the person whose life matters to get the disease.

I live in a Chinese city. All the Chinese had masks on. Only white people had their masks off. Now the mall itself was mask-free meaning everyone who walked the corridors of the mall today and didn’t have a mask on is now dead. Including me.

To get into Macy’s!……you needed to mask-up. Reason enough to stay out of Macy’s. Their signs went to a lot of bullshit-o-meter trouble to explain that they were following CDC “guidlines.” Meaning “Our CEO is a douche.”

So anyway, I didn’t even know you could go maskless but I kept seeing white people without masks so I went out of my way to get to a mall entrance and read the sign that said, if you could find it, that you could fail to have a mask on and nothing would happen. As long as you had the three!

Now Have Aids shots. Which I of course do. Off came the mask. This COULD be my last email. Which I don’t suppose anyone would mind, Pat Leahy’s the only one who liked them anyway. Now the big Korean store with no doors had no sign. I think you could go in there without a mask. But it was full of Koreans.

I have never seen a white person in there other than my ol’ lady. And me, if I pass a mirror. So, I put on a mask so as not to freak out the Koreans. I like Koreans. I cut them some slack.

Anyway, Cecily left her mask on the whole time. She WANTED to get upset at me but, hey, there was a sign outside that said if you had the shots, you could go mask free and Cecily knows as well as I do that the shots are a preventative for the unprecedented disease that had a global supply of vaccines for it within 20 minutes of the discovery of the disease.

NEW FROM NASH MOTORCYCLE COMPANY–A MOMOA X NASH “ON THE ROAM” COLLABORATION WITH PATHS™

Each Nash/On The Roam collaboration product includes a stamped natural leather Paths peer-collaboration invitation that is exclusive to owners.
NEW!!! The Knuckle Axe – Momoa x Nash Motor Co. (Preorder)
Regular price$379.99

Sheath Colors Available: Choose from Black, Brown, or Natural leather sheath options (included in price of axe) . These sheaths come with special stamping

THE KNUCKLE AXE (PREORDER)
The Knuckle Axe is the latest addition to our collection of collaborative pieces between Nash Motorcycle Co. and Jason Momoa’s, On The Roam. The bigger brother to the Knuckle Chopper and a perfect size, 24” long. The Knuckle Axe has an American grown hickory handle topped with a 4lb stainless steel head. Your choice of sheath.

Inspired by our mutual love for Harley’s first OHV motor, the iconic Knucklehead. First developed in 1936 this motor transcended the 2nd World War and developed a cult following from Harley enthusiasts and custom bike builders around the globe. The Knuckle Axe is also inspired by Jason’s passion for throwing hatchets, axes, and tomahawks. Cast in tool grade 420 Stainless Steel with an antique finish and polished Knuckle nuts. Handmade and fitted with a hickory wood handle from the good ol’ U.S.A. This one of a kind axe is built to handle anything that comes its way. Hand stamped with Jason’s “On The Roam” logo as well as the Nash Motor Co. logo.

Hatchet Specs: Weight -4 lbs. Length-24″ Hatchet head- 8″ long x 4.5″ blade length

While we banned plastic straws, Russia drilled and doubled nuclear energy production.

How has Vladimir Putin—a man ruling a country with an economy smaller than that of Texas, with an average life expectancy 10 years lower than that of France—managed to launch an unprovoked full-scale assault on Ukraine?

There is a deep psychological, political and almost civilizational answer to that question: He wants Ukraine to be part of Russia more than the West wants it to be free. He is willing to risk tremendous loss of life and treasure to get it. There are serious limits to how much the U.S. and Europe are willing to do militarily. And Putin knows it.

Missing from that explanation, though, is a story about material reality and basic economics—two things that Putin seems to understand far better than his counterparts in the free world and especially in Europe.

Putin knows that Europe produces 3.6 million barrels of oil a day but uses 15 million barrels of oil a day. Putin knows that Europe produces 230 billion cubic meters of natural gas a year but uses 560 billion cubic meters. He knows that Europe uses 950 million tons of coal a year but produces half that.

The former KGB agent knows Russia produces 11 million barrels of oil per day but only uses 3.4 million. He knows Russia now produces over 700 billion cubic meters of gas a year but only uses around 400 billion. Russia mines 800 million tons of coal each year but uses 300.

That’s how Russia ends up supplying about 20 percent of Europe’s oil, 40 percent of its gas, and 20 percent of its coal.

The math is simple. A child could do it.

The reason Europe didn’t have a muscular deterrent threat to prevent Russian aggression—and in fact prevented the U.S. from getting allies to do more—is that it needs Putin’s oil and gas.

The question is why.

How is it possible that European countries, Germany especially, allowed themselves to become so dependent on an authoritarian country over the 30 years since the end of the Cold War?

Here’s how: These countries are in the grips of a delusional ideology that makes them incapable of understanding the hard realities of energy production. Green ideology insists we don’t need nuclear and that we don’t need fracking. It insists that it’s just a matter of will and money to switch to all-renewables—and fast. It insists that we need“degrowth” of the economy, and that we face looming human “extinction.” (I would know. I myself was once a true believer.)

John Kerry, the United States’ climate envoy, perfectly captured the myopia of this view when he said, in the days before the war, that the Russian invasion of Ukraine “could have a profound negative impact on the climate, obviously. You have a war, and obviously you’re going to have massive emissions consequences to the war. But equally importantly, you’re going to lose people’s focus.”

But it was the West’s focus on healing the planet with “soft energy” renewables, and moving away from natural gas and nuclear, that allowed Putin to gain a stranglehold over Europe’s energy supply.

As the West fell into a hypnotic trance about healing its relationship with nature, averting climate apocalypse and worshiping a teenager named Greta, Vladimir Putin made his moves.

While he expanded nuclear energy at home so Russia could export its precious oil and gas to Europe, Western governments spent their time and energy obsessing over “carbon footprints,” a term created by an advertising firm working for British Petroleum. They banned plastic straws because of a 9-year-old Canadian child’s science homework. They paid for hours of “climate anxiety” therapy.

While Putin expanded Russia’s oil production, expanded natural gas production, and then doubled nuclear energy production to allow more exports of its precious gas, Europe, led by Germany, shut down its nuclear power plants, closed gas fields, and refused to develop more through advanced methods like fracking.

The numbers tell the story best. In 2016, 30 percent of the natural gas consumed by the European Union came from Russia. In 2018, that figure jumped to 40 percent. By 2020, it was nearly 44 percent, and by early 2021, it was nearly 47 percent.

For all his fawning over Putin, Donald Trump, back in 2018, defied diplomatic protocol to call out Germany publicly for its dependence on Moscow. “Germany, as far as I’m concerned, is captive to Russia because it’s getting so much of its energy from Russia,” Trump said. This prompted Germany’s then-chancellor, Angela Merkel, who had been widely praised in polite circles for being the last serious leader in the West, to say that her country “can make our own policies and make our own decisions.”

The result has been the worst global energy crisis since 1973, driving prices for electricity and gasoline higher around the world. It is a crisis, fundamentally, of inadequate supply. But the scarcity is entirely manufactured…

Europeans—led by figures like Greta Thunberg and European Green Party leaders, and supported by Americans like John Kerry—believed that a healthy relationship with the Earth requires making energy scarce. By turning to renewables, they would show the world how to live without harming the planet. But this was a pipe dream. You can’t power a whole grid with solar and wind, because the sun and the wind are inconstant, and currently existing batteries aren’t even cheap enough to store large quantities of electricity overnight, much less across whole seasons…

–Michael Shellenberger
Environmental Progress

Read the entire report on Michael’s web site. –Bandit

RUNWAY’S ALL GIRLS ON GROUND–
Saturday, May 7th, 2022

“Runway’s All Girls On Ground” Ride & Black Girls Ride will be collaborating once again!

It’s that time again as we honor Runway’s Legacy Runway’s All Girls on Ground Ride…..Please join us as we ride to San Diego for International Female Ride Day!

Shirts will be available:
Purchase T-Shirt @L8dryder.shop

IMPORTANT RECALL NOTICE FROM BIKERNET INVESTIGATOR–NHTSA Recall ID Number :22T003
Synopsis :Continental Tire the Americas, LLC (Continental Tire) is recalling certain ContiScoot tires.

Cracks may develop in the tread grooves longer than 3/16 inch. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 119, “New Pneumatic Tires-Other Than Passenger Cars.” Please refer to the 573 report for specific tire size information. Cracks in the tread can lead to tread separation, increasing the risk of a crash. Continental Tire will notify owners and replace the affected tires, free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed March 28, 2022. Owners may contact Continental Tire customer service at 1-888-799-2168.

–Sam Burns
Certified Investigator
Bikernet.com™

Buell Unveiling World’s Fastest Touring Bike in Daytona—

Grand Rapids, MI – Buell Motorcycle is back and unveiling a future touring model at Daytona Bike Week 2022. On Saturday, March 5th at 12:30pm, Buell will pull the cover off their new SuperTouring 1190 prototype at their Destination Daytona booth. Built in America, the Buell SuperTouring 1190 will be the world’s fastest production touring bike.

“We’ve taken the Buell DNA customers know and love, and applied to the performance touring segment, developing a topline touring bike that will lead the American market in speed, handling and performance,” said Bill Melvin, CEO of Buell Motorcycle Co. adding, “the Buell SuperTouring 1190 is a next level touring bike with designs that will bring excitement back to American touring motorcycles! Plus, in spite of supply chain headwinds, it’s on target for production to start this fall!”

Buell’s entry into the Super Touring segment won’t go unnoticed by the competition. The model will harness the Buell 1190cc V-twin engine producing an industry-leading 185hp with 101 ft. lbs. of torque. The SuperTouring 1190 will retain Buell’s famous Fuel in Frame handling, but will exhibit a more upright riding position, variable mounting points for hard or soft bags, and room for rider customization with aftermarket touring accessories. Reservations for production slots for the SuperTouring 1190 model go live on March 5th. Suggested retail starts at $21,995 with production planned for Fall 2022.

Opportunities to reserve a production slot for the SuperTouring 1190 model will be available by placing a $25 reservation at www.BuellMotorcycle.com or by visiting the Daytona Bike Week Buell display at Destination Daytona from March 5 – 13th. You’ll receive a limited-edition Buell hat too!

Learn more about what the future has to offer from Buell at Daytona Bike Week 2022 with the unveiling of the new SuperTouring and Baja DR model prototypes on Saturday March 5th. Both motorcycles will be available for customers to view March 5th to 13that Destination Daytona in the booths 100 yards north of JP Cycles Superstore.

Buell is back and delivering excitement at every turn.

For future Buell updates, follow our news page on our website and our social media pages.

Website: www.BuellMotorcycle.com
Email for Information: Info@BuellMotorcycle.com

DIRECT FROM THE BIKERNET TEMPLE OF MEANING–For many years I have been on a search for the meaning of Life, through my experiences I have come to one conclusion. There is One Power, although we may call It many different names and use It in many different ways, there is only One. There is also One Universal Law of Cause and Effect.

I believe that this Power is impersonal and allows us to Live the Lives we choose it. This is the Science of Mind and it has been taught to us in many ways but with same meaning. Ford said it very simply “if you think you can, or if you think you can’t, your right”.

Ralph Waldo Emerson “What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you”.

Jesus “the Kingdom of Heaven is within You”. All of these teachers are saying that the Power is within you, but it is up to us and how we choose to use It.

There is a Science of Mind which Napoleon Hill wrote “what the Mind can conceive and believe it will achieve’.

Over the years I have proven this in many ways. I have proven when I hold thoughts in My Mind with Faith and Trust whether they are good or bad, I do manifest them. Our higher power, call it what you may acts through the law of cause and effect. The cause, what we hold to be our Truth, the effect, what we manifest in our Lives. This includes good and bad, health or sickness, poverty or prosperity, great relations or bad relations and so on.

Miracles can happen in our Lives by changing our Minds with unwavering Faith and Trust in our Higher Power to manifest them. We must have the same Faith and Trust that when we plant an acorn seed an Oak Tree will grow, that when we plant Great seeds in our Mind that greatness will manifest. Just like the acorn seed, we cannot open the ground to see if it is growing. We must remind ourselves that we are growing from the inside out and nurture your personal seeds with affirmations, prayers and meditation.

Today’s Affirmation: (by Ernest Holmes) Today I have Faith in my own affirmation. I Know that there is a Power flowing through me, taking form in my belief, acting upon, my acceptance, answering My Prayers, and fulfilling my affirmations. Therefore, I am calling upon myself for a deeper Faith, a broader conviction, a higher acceptance and a more complete realization. I affirm that everything good I do will prosper, every person I meet will be blessed, every situation I touch will be helped. Everywhere I go some subtle influence of Love and Joy and Peace will diffuse itself as a glow from the Eternal Light.

I am Grateful for clarity of this Truth, My Truth. I see this Truth in everyone I meet

And So It Is
Namaste’

–Yale Gelfant
Senior Monk
Yale Custom Cycles

NEWS FROM THE BUCKLEGUY–We’ve Teamed up with Corter Leather!
We are now working together with Corter Leather to spread education and community among leathercrafters.

Corter is a trusted resource for leathercraft how-to videos and knowledge guides on their YouTube Channel. We are excited to start working together to support them in helping leather workers improve their skills and share ideas on YouTube and beyond!

New Products

Copper & Brass Rivets w/ Burrs Now Available in Size #8 & #10

Buckleguy stocks a large range of solid copper rivets and burrs as well as solid brass rivets and burrs. Our brass and copper rivets come in a several post thicknesses that are labeled as #8, #9, #10, #12, and #14. Each post thickness comes in three post lengths: 1/2″, 3/4″ and 1″. These copper/brass rivets are great for leather, canvas, and other materials and are set with our copper/brass rivet setters.

2ND ANNUAL FLYING PISTON— Builders Breakfast Rolls into Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Harley-Davidson for Daytona Bike Week

IRONe Customs Will be Unveiled and Auctioned. Let’s get kids riding bikes!

Custom builders, industry celebs and riders in the know will be at Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Harley-Davidson on Sunday morning, March 6, 2022, for the Flying Piston Benefit Builders Breakfast. For the second year in a row, this stellar meet & greet brings the motorcycle industry together to kick off Daytona Bike Week and support new rider initiatives.

The signature feature of the Breakfast is the IRONe16 Build-Off presented by STACYC showcasing four professionally customized IRONe electric bikes, which will be unveiled and auctioned that morning.

“This Flying Piston Breakfast revives the builder breakfast events of the mid-2000’s when Bruce Rossmeyer himself welcomed us to gather the riding community in support of local charities,” said Marilyn Stemp, co-founder of Flying Piston Benefit. “We’re delighted that Shelly and Mandy Rossmeyer are carrying on the tradition, making a place for riders to meet legacy and emerging custom builders and to support the motorcycle community.”

The 2022 class of IRONe pro builders include:
Cory Ness of Arlen Ness Enterprises
Gina Woods of Open Road Radio & Jim Lynch of Revelations1 Concepts
Brian Schaffran of Skidmark Garage
NASCAR legend Rusty Wallace with his son Steven Wallace of SouthernCountry Customs.

The Skidmark Garage Build

Each builder customizes Harley-Davidson’s top-of-the-line model: the IRONe 12 Brushless and extended range lithium ion battery-powered electric balance bike.

“The first step to a motorcycle license is learning how to ride a bicycle,” said Mandy Rossmeyer, Director of Marketing & Events at Bruce Rossmeyer’s H-D. “We are excited to again bring the Flying Piston Builder’s Breakfast to Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Harley-Davidson at Destination Daytona and proud to support motorcycling in our local community by enabling an All Kids Bike training program at Ormond Beach Elementary School.”

Added STACYC’s Matt Schumann, “The team at STACYC are always excited to grow the next generation of riders. Supporting programs like the Flying Piston Builders Breakfast and the Rossmeyers are great ways to share the love of riding. We can’t wait to see the creativity these builders share.”

Can’t attend? Bidding will be available in North America via the digital auction app QTEGO.

The Builder Breakfast will be held at the Pavilion on the grounds of Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Harley-Davidson at Destination Daytona in Ormond Beach, FL. Only those holding tickets will enjoy exclusive entry to the Destination Daytona Pavilion, access to the builder community and, of course, breakfast. Parking is free and tickets are available in advance for $20 ($25 at the door) at shop.brucerossmeyer.com

Proceeds will establish an All Kids Bike program at Ormond Beach Elementary School. Major sponsors include Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona H-D, Sturgis Buffalo Chip, Rubenstein Law, STACYC, Steve’s Garage and Hot Leathers, with additional input from Strider, Kirsh Helmets, Klock Werks, Cometic Gasket, Mimi & Moto, Atomic Bob, Twisted Fork & Spoon, Bikernet, Cycle Source and Iron Trader News.

Media, Sponsors and Participants: The Flying Piston Charity Breakfasts are produced by Marilyn Stemp and Jeff Najar. For sponsor information or to donate auction items contact: Marilyn Stemp, 828-205-8482, marilynstemp@gmail.com.

More at: www.flyingpistonbenefit.com or www.Facebook.com/The-Flying-Piston

For more information, please visit BruceRossmeyer.com

About The Flying Piston: Flying Piston Charity Events are produced by Marilyn Stemp of Iron Trader News and Jeff Najar of Horsepower Marketing to assist in raising awareness and funds for non-profits and individuals in the motorcycle community.

Contact: Marilyn Stemp, 828-205-8482 or marilynstemp@gmail.com

Event Hashtags:
#daytonaharley
#FlyingPistonBenefit
#PerformanceArt
#DaytonaBikeWeek
#BuildersBreakfast

Vance & Hines Has Big Plans for Daytona Bike Week—

The team at Vance & Hines goes full throttle into Daytona Bike Week in 2022, with a fleet of trucks rolling in to support the company’s racing and customer activities, and a few tuxedos loaded on board as well, for the ultimate honor from the Motorsports Hall of Fame.

One of the highlights of Bike Week 2022 will be the induction of Terry Vance and Byron Hines, founders of Vance & Hines, into the Daytona-based Motorsports Hall of Fame. In the words of the Hall of Fame press release, “Few rider/tuner pairings have dominated like Terry Vance and Byron Hines. From the early ‘70s until Vance retired from riding in 1988, they captured 14 Pro Stock and Top Fuel titles. Their popularity prompted NHRA to add motorcycle racing to its national series. Since 1979, they’ve made Vance & Hines a world-leading aftermarket parts supplier.” Other members of the class of 2022 include Jack Roush, Helio Castreneves, and the founders of Harley-Davidson Motor Company.

“For all of us at Vance & Hines, going to Daytona for Bike Week is like celebrating New Years in Times Square. All of our riders are on the track, our team is working with customers and the sound of Vance & Hines-powered Harleys is in the air, no matter where you go,” said Vance & Hines President Mike Kennedy. “What could be better?”

Dominating the streets is part of the company’s winning formula, so Vance & Hines will have teams of employees at the Daytona Speedway and at Daytona Harley-Davidson to help customers design the perfect performance setup for their Harley-Davidson, BMW or metric motorcycles. The display trucks will be open daily from March 3 through March 12.

Unlike its competitors, Vance & Hines has a full slate of racing activities taking place during Bike Week, with all six of their factory riders on the track in American Flat Track (AFT), MotoAmerica’s King of the Baggers road racing and NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle drag racing. The company that was born on a race track continues its racing legacy when all three programs kick off their season in Florida.

In AFT, the company fields a team of two riders, Jesse Janisch will race in the Production Twins class on a Harley-Davidson XG750 and Brandon Kitchen will go after the Singles wins on a Husqvarna FC450. The season kicks off with two races at the Volusia County Raceway.

In MotoAmerica’s King of the Baggers road racing, James Rispoli and Taylor Knapp will ride Harley-Davidson Road Glides in the class created for motorcycles with full fairings, windshields and saddlebags. The series proved to be a fan favorite in 2021 and was expanded this year to include six races.

The Vance & Hines/Mission/Suzuki Pro Stock Team rolls into Gainesville, Florida for the GatorNationals, which is the debut of NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle racing in 2022. The team includes the winningest woman in motorsports, Angelle Sampey, and four-time champion Eddie Krawiec riding for Crew Chief and six-time champion, Andrew Hines.

In addition, in 2022 Vance & Hines is offering contingency support for riders in four different racing series valued at nearly $200,000.

TRIKES OF THE WEEK—We are constantly searching trike customs of various configurations.

Send your trike images to Bandit@Bikernet.com

–Sam Burns
Senior Trike Editor
Bikernet.com™

AN INVASION OF REALITY–
Obviously, our top item this week is Ukraine. But we aren’t going to post a Ukrainian flag or display some simpering #virtuesignal, because we’re not newcomers to this battle. Russia’s aggression was enabled to a shocking degree by disastrous Western energy policies driven by a childish obsession with climate alarmism, and anyone genuinely concerned with protecting western democracy would have spent the last decade in the trenches trying to fight against it and stop the unilateral western dismantling of our energy production capabilities.

If you look around your home you will not find much that is made in Russia, unless you are an elderly social science professor with a Lada that hasn’t worked in … OK, it never did. But here we are in a world in which oil-rich Canada can’t get a pipeline built so we import Russian crude while European nations, especially Germany, have wrapped Russian natural gas pipelines around their own throats. On purpose.

By shutting down not just coal plants but even nuclear ones, dancing to the tune of the wackiest, most unrealistic of green extremists. Now that reality is back, in the grim form of Kipling’s Gods of the Copybook Headings, let’s invite it to stay in the form of rational energy policy based on rational science.

–Climate Discussion Nexus

[page break]

NEWS FROM THE MASTER OF LIGHT–Update – the response to this second Bounty Hunter has been phenomenal!

On the 24×24 size, we are now placing new clients (or those who don’t have the first Bounty Hunter) on a wait list until we hear back from those who do have the first one.

We’ll be setting up the gallery here in Daytona this morning. This piece will undoubtedly be one of the stars of the show.

If you do have the first Bounty Hunter, please let us know either way on this new one. If you’d like to be placed on the wait list for the 24×24, or if you want to purchase the 30×30 or 36×36, those are still available in limited quantities.

On a final note, since we have the original oil here in Daytona, prints will not be delivered until after the event ends on March 13th.

We’re excited to announce the worldwide release of David Uhl’s second piece in his Bounty Hunter series.

“Bounty Hunter – Dead Man Walking” is the second of three pieces which will complete the collection of this fusion of his Steampunk and Lone Ranger themes. The first piece “The Bounty Hunter” is still available in very limited quantities. If you want to obtain both pieces to get in on this series, please let me know ASAP.

“Bounty Hunter – Dead Man Walking”
David Uhl 2022

The print edition will be the same as with “The Bounty Hunter”.

I will slot people in as orders are confirmed. Those who already have “The Bounty Hunter” will be given first right of refusal for their matching edition number on this second one.

I anticipate being very busy with this one today, so your best bet is to send a reply email to this one. That will timestamp your confirmation and I’ll get back with you for any needed information.

Each canvas print will come hand-signed by David and numbered with accompanying Certificate of Authenticity.

** Image size 24 x 24, edition of 55 plus 5 Artist Proofs and 4 Hors d’ Commerce – $1,295 framed

** Image size 30 x 30, edition of 60 plus 5 Artist Proofs and 4 Hors d’ Commerce – $1,895 framed

** Image size 36 x 36, edition of 12 plus 2 Artist Proofs and 2 Hors d’ Commerce – $2,895 framed
We will have this original oil in the gallery in Daytona starting on Wednesday this week, so please stop by if you’re in the area!

–Greg Rhodes
International Sales Director
David Uhl Fine Art
Uhl Studios
303-913-4840

www.uhlstudios.com

The BAKER GrudgeBox Overdrive 6-Speed– Our GrudgeBox was designed for big engine applications and engineered with a focus on excessive torque capacity and crisp shifting.

The power-robbing nature of the stock helical gears (left, above) were replaced with straight-cut spur gears (right, above) for minimal parasitic losses associated with gear-to-gear torque transfer. Circumferential tooth thickness is 100% thicker than stock and the width is 40% thicker than stock for no excuses on strength and durability. Fits 2006-2017 Dyna, 2007-up Softail & Touring.

BRAND New Bikernet Reader Comment!–Typhoon Twist Billet Carburetor from Carl’s Speed Shop

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

Hi David Heckman,

Very interested in your Carl’s typhoon carburetor! I’m looking for some parts, overhaul kit, anything you might have for sale?

My email is , konacoffee123@gmail.com

–Guy Camacho
konacoffee123@gmail.com
Captain Cook , HI

HARLEY-DAVIDSON FACTORY TEAM READY TO DEFEND MOTOAMERICA MISSION KING OF THE BAGGERS CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE–Defending Champ Kyle Wyman and Brother Travis Wyman to Race Road Glide Bikes Powered by Screamin’ Eagle Milwaukee-Eight 131 Crate Engines

The Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle factory racing team will return to the track in 2022 to defend its MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers road racing series championship. The team will field returning riders Kyle Wyman (#1), the 2021 Mission King of the Baggers champion, and his brother Travis Wyman (#10) aboard race-prepared Harley-Davidson Road Glide motorcycles powered by race modified Screamin’ Eagle Milwaukee-Eight 131 Performance Crate Engines.

The MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers series features American V-Twin touring motorcycles prepared for competition and equipped with a fairing/windscreen and saddlebags. The seven-race series, with each round held in conjunction with the MotoAmerica Superbike Series, opens with a doubleheader on the high banks of Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, March 10-12.

“The MotoAmerica King of the Baggers race series provides exciting racing on motorcycles everyone can relate to,” said Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, President and CEO, Harley-Davidson. “For Harley-Davidson, King of the Baggers is also an opportunity to demonstrate the championship winning capabilities of our industry-leading performance baggers and to showcase our Screamin’ Eagle performance products and engineering capabilities. The lessons we learn on the track benefit the performance parts we develop for Harley-Davidson customers around the world.”

In addition to competing in the series, the H-D Screamin’ Eagle team is happy to announce they are working directly with MotoAmerica to promote the series by supporting all Harley-Davison competitors. Select performance products developed for the 2021 championship bike are now available to all qualified racers. Teams should reach out directly to their local Harley-Davidson dealership for availability and pricing.

Fast Brothers

Kyle and Travis Wyman are the sons of Kim Wyman, owner of Harv’s Harley-Davidson in Macedon, N.Y. and grew up around Harley-Davidson and flat track racing.

Veteran road racer Kyle Wyman, 32, scored two wins and a second-place finish in the three-race 2021 Mission King of the Baggers series, notching 70 points to lead scoring by 25 points.

Wyman began racing professionally in flat track aboard a Harley-Davidson XR750 and formed Kyle Wyman Racing at the age of 21 to compete at the highest level of professional road racing in the United States. He won the Daytona 200 in 2019 and in addition to winning the Mission King of the Baggers crown, placed ninth in the 2021 HONOS Superbike series. In 2022 Wyman will not compete in Superbike and will focus his full attention on defending his King of the Baggers championship title with the Factory Harley-Davidson team.

“I’m really eager to be defending this championship with the Harley-Davidson Factory Team,” said Kyle Wyman. “The longer season is going to require us to be prepared to be consistent and for the bikes to be durable and reliable, because it’s still a short enough schedule that one bad result can be very significant in the points race.

“Starting the season with a doubleheader at Daytona will be a special challenge because we’ve never raced these bikes on the high banks, which requires such an extended run at sustained high RPM,” said Kyle.

Travis Wyman is the owner of Travis Wyman Racing, based in Las Vegas. The 30-year-old racer finished the 2021 MotoAmerica season in second place in the Stock 1000 series, and fifth place in the Mission King of the Baggers series after scoring second and fourth-place finishes in only two attempts, and 11th place in the HONOS Superbike series.

“Having joined the Harley-Davidson Factory Team mid-season last year and with limited seat time, I was a little behind the curve,” said Travis Wyman. “Now I’ve had a chance to gel with the team and I understand how to go fast on this bike, and this year I expect to be racing with Kyle for the championship. With the expanded schedule I’ll also have a chance to race on some tracks I’ve done well at in the past, including Daytona and Road Atlanta. It should be an exciting season.”

Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle VIP Package

Harley-Davidson riders and fans can join defending champion Kyle Wyman, Travis Wyman, and the Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle race team as they kick off the King of the Baggers season on the high banks of Daytona International Speedway during Daytona Bike Week.

The Harley-Davidson VIP Ticket Package includes a seat to see all of the action along with exclusive Harley-Davidson perks including premium parking and the unique opportunity to ride your Harley-Davidson motorcycle on the legendary Daytona International Speedway.

The Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle VIP Ticket Package includes:

3-Day Pass: Admission to all of the MotoAmerica racing including Mission King of the Baggers and the 80th running of the Daytona 200. See practice runs, qualifiers, and all of the races.

Exclusive Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Parking: Access premium parking reserved for Harley-Davidson motorcycles on all three days of the event.

Harley-Davidson Track Walk: Get up-close and personal with the legendary banks of Daytona with a track walk and guided tour provided by the Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle King of the Baggers race team.

Harley-Davidson Parade Lap: Strap on your helmet, and ride two laps around Daytona International Speedway on your Harley-Davidson motorcycle with fellow H-D enthusiasts.

Putin’s first Burma Shave Biker Ditty!!

“There being no quiet when we come to town! / Badness is our thing to do! / Watch out women of puberty time! / Breeding is our plan for you! /Time for the saying of Burma Shave!”

____Sincerely, Rootin’ Tootin’ Putin

BIKERNET BLOG NEWS–Bikernet is consistently rated in the Top 100 Motorcycle Blogs on the internet – and even in the February 2022 ranking it is in the Top 25 Blogs on the world wide web for motorcycle enthusiasts as well as professionals – delivering a comprehensive coverage for all aspects of motorcycling – including customers, custom builders, dealerships, aftermarket parts, corporate news, industry and market news, motorsports, off-road, tech & tips, events, reviews, accessories, changes in laws, and most importantly the fun & joy of two-wheels.

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

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

SX GLOBAL Unveils Plans for FIM Supercross World Championship Series—

Global Series Promises to Elevate the Sport & Expand Global Fanbase, Offering Unprecedented Financial Support for Teams & Riders, Along with the Sport’s Richest Prize Purses

Queensland, Australia (March 1st, 2022) – SX Global, the Australian company that recently earned the exclusive rights to manage and promote the FIM Supercross World Championship, today unveiled plans for the comprehensive global championship series. Featuring an independent team-ownership model, unprecedented financial support for teams and riders, expanded opportunities for global and local sponsors and innovations to elevate the broadcast and in-stadium experience; the FIM Supercross World Championship represent the most progressive and ambitious platform to elevate the sport and expand its appeal across the world.

The series will feature a highly exclusive structure, with only 10 team licenses available to independent owners, and an unparalleled level of financial support for teams, including seed funding for every team entering the series, appearance fees at every event, and logistics and freight support throughout the series. In total, more than $50 million has been designated specifically for team and rider support over five years. In addition, the independent ownership model opens the door for significant sponsorship opportunities on global and local-event levels.

The global series will feature the richest prize purses in the sport’s history, with a total of $250,000 up for grabs at each event. The FIM Supercross World Championship will follow the established two-class format, with each team fielding four riders – two in the WSX (450cc) class, and two in the SX2 (250cc) class. Furthermore, every event will allow for two wild card entries in each class, providing opportunities for local riders and sponsor-driven exemptions and round out the 22-rider field. SX Global also plans to deliver an elevated experience for fans, through unique race formats, broadcast innovations, and in-stadium attractions that elevate the overall entertainment experience.

Plans for the global Championship series were underscored today by the news of Mubadala Capital’s investment in SX Global, bringing an unprecedented level of financial support and development resources on behalf of the FIM Supercross World Championship. Mubadala Capital, the asset management arm of Mubadala Investment Company, a sovereign investor with $243 billion in assets under management, brings a wealth of experience in funding the development of global business and sports ventures.

The FIM Supercross World Championship will annually take place in the second half of the year. With plans for five events from September through November, 2022 will serve as a “pilot” season, allowing the series to establish itself and build momentum. 2023, and subsequent years, will see the series expand annually between June and November.

While professional supercross has seen success in the United States for decades, there has yet to be a definitive global series to lay claim to a true FIM-sanctioned World Championship. Highly successful events are held throughout Europe and Australia every year, normally around September–December. However, these events are not currently linked by any official FIM ‘championship’ status, and this remains a significant untapped opportunity for the sport’s ongoing credibility and evolution, as well as a significant opportunity for riders and teams to expand their influence and financial prospects.

SX Global brings a team of highly qualified motorsports and entertainment executives, armed with the experience to successfully deliver a series of this magnitude. SX Global President, Tony Cochrane, spearheaded the development and success of V8 Supercars, an Australian-based auto racing series that became one of Australia’s most successful motorsports, eventually expanding with events in Shanghai, the United States, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi and New Zealand. In addition, proven supercross event veterans Adam Bailey and Ryan Sanderson have been the driving force behind Australia’s highest-profile supercross offering, the AUS-X open. The duo has promoted five years of consecutive sold out AUS-X Open events in Sydney (2015-2018) and Melbourne (2019), along with successful events in Auckland, New Zealand in 2018 and 2019.

“Our entire careers have been driven by a passion for motorsport and entertainment, and our motivations are as pure as they come – to continue to evolve and elevate our sport and its incredible athletes to new levels of global relevance and success,” said Ryan Sanderson, managing director, Commercial, for SX Global “Our aim is to take the amazing sport of supercross global and reveal its greatness to millions of new fans all over the world.”

NEW FROM THE TOWN OF KLOCKWERKS– NEW FRONT FENDER FOR HARLEYS

SHOW SOME WHEEL…

La Ventana means “Window” and this fender is perfect for adding some mystique to the front end of your Road Glide, Street Glide or Electra Glide Ultra Limited. This fender cut is the latest addition to the Tire Hugger Fender Series and is made with the same superior quality all Klock Werks Fenders are known for. Available for 2014+ FLH and 2015+ FLTR models with 16”-19” and 21” wheels.

Snow Outlaws snowmobile drag racing series pre-race report–Snow Outlaws Weenie Roast World Finals, March 4-5, 2022

The pace of innovation and platform diversity at Snow Outlaws snowmobile drag races is as relentless as the on-track competition. And with only three action-packed races this season, the Weenie Roast World Finals on March 4-5 at Lakewoods Resort in Cable, Wisconsin, promises to be a hell-bent battle for snow superiority and big check glory.

The opening round of the Pro Outlaw class at Rice Lake saw the debut win of a brand new combination—the screw-supercharged, nitro-powered “The Grinch” designed and assembled by Craig Campton of Hypersports, tuned by Howard Haack and Jeff Ratzlaff (also the owner), and ridden by Mike Allen.

Riding the “traditional” turbo-methanol HRC-4 Eagle 1 sled, Dominic Ernst won next time out at Long Lake.

Both these winners will have to face a new threat this weekend, the nitro “Harley” V-Twin Samson Exhaust/Hammer Down Racing “Hate Tank.” Built and tuned by Jack Romine, and ridden and owned by Matt Musselman, this throbbing, flame-belching beast will be sure to thrill fans and competitors alike as it threatens to melt ice, snow and faces.

But don’t count out Jeremy Teasley on Chris Connelly’s Jeremy Hannen-tuned, turbo-alcohol HRC-4 “Problem Solver,” Rice Lake wheelie sensation Matt Luke, Kelly Shilts on the Chad and Jenny Nyhus-owned ProCharged, nitro “John Deere” sled, Alec Gibas riding the “Spiderman”HRC-4, R. Dustin with Hogan Racing, or Aaron Casler.

The weenies won’t need a grill to roast with all of this high octane, pressurized horsepower pounding the Lakewoods snow.

Rice Lake Pro Xtreme 55 winner Gibas and Long Lake winner Casey Ausloos may or may not have the upper hand in the championship battle, as Corey Sullivan runner-upped at both events and is aching for a Snow Outlaws winners’ Big Check in the 55mm turbo class. Defending class champ Brian Sullivan is poised for a comeback.

Will Snow Outlaws kingpin Chad Nyhus be too busy running the nation’s hottest snowmobile drag racing organization at the Finals to ride? Nyhus won the Long Lake event on his “Dirty Allis” sled, while fourth generation racer Kyle Shilts was the Rice Lake winner on his “Thumper #2.” Josh Bormann and Geoff Mapstone have runner-upped so far this season.

Chad and Jenny Nyhus, and the Snow Outlaws staff and family, stand ready to deliver the finest racing surface and most exciting show on snow.

Racer registration is Friday from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, with a mandatory drivers’ meeting at 4:30. Qualifying and testing runs under the lights at 6:00 pm, 7:00 pm and 8:00 pm.

Saturday registration is from 9:00 to 10:00 am, drivers’ meeting at 10:00, eliminations at noon sharp.

Spectators get in free!

Visit the Snow Outlaws Facebook page

HANG ON FOR LOWBROW MARCH DEALS–What IS March Radness, you may be asking yourself?

Every Tuesday this month we select a best selling product and add a DEEP discount, so these are going to go fast!
Sale pricing applies while supplies last, as they say.. don’t snooze on this!

QUOTE OF THE DAY–I have never needed a test to know if I have the flu. Amazing.

–J.J.Solari
Senior investigator
Bikernet.com

DO US A BIG FAVOR—Sign up for our weekly email blasts. It’s free, we won’t bug you, you’ll keep up on all the Bikernet Content and industry updates. Again, it’s no sweat, FREE and you won’t be badgered by pop-ups. I swear.

–Bandit

Pirelli to Compete in First-Ever MotoAmerica Event and Returns as Multi-Time Daytona 200 Defending Champions–Impressive Team and Rider Lineup will Rely on the Performance of Pirelli’s DIABLO™ Superbike Range

Pirelli Tire North America is set to compete in its first-ever MotoAmerica event as racers prepare for the 2022 Daytona 200 at Daytona International Speedway in Florida. Pirelli returns to the 80th running of America’s most historic motorcycle race as two-time defending champions, and for 2022, MotoAmerica who is home of the AMA Superbike Championship has partnered with Daytona to host the iconic race. Pirelli will once again bring its complete DIABLO™ Superbike range to the grid as the brand looks to make it a three-peat.

“The Daytona 200 is an iconic event where Pirelli has experienced great success and it’s one that our brand looks forward to each year,” said Oscar Solis, senior racing manager, Pirelli. “Having won the Daytona 200 in both 2019 and 2021, the goal is to keep the momentum rolling and try to put a Pirelli rider on each step of the podium. We’re excited to have Brandon Paasch back to defend his title as well as bring in some new faces such as the current AMA Superbike Champion Jake Gagne who is able to choose the tire of his choice thanks to the open-spec rule.”

Pirelli’s long history of success in Daytona includes winning the 2019 Daytona 200 with Kyle Wyman (no race held in 2020) and the 2021 Daytona 200 with Brandon Paasch. Leading Pirelli’s stacked lineup of riders and teams will be the defending champion Paasch competing for TOBC Racing and joined by teammate Danny Eslick. MotoAmerica’s defending AMA Superbike Champion Jake Gagne will also be competing with DIABLO Superbike slicks aboard his Attack Performance Yamaha and joined by South African newcomer Cameron Peterson.

“I’m super excited to return to Daytona as the defending champion,” said Paasch. “I have a great opportunity in front of me and I am looking forward to another great result. I can’t thank Pirelli enough for the support and keeping me on-board for another year, which is really going to benefit my riding after spending so much time on the DIABLO Superbike slicks all last season in the British Championship. I look forward to seeing everyone soon at the speedway!”

Additional riders and teams include Vision Wheel M4 Ecstar Suzuki’s Geoff May, Syntainics/Penz13’s Sheridan Morais, TSE with British Superbike Championship brothers Matt Truelove and Harry Truelove, and several additional racers.

Photos: Brian J. Nelson

Despite winning the 2019 and 2021 Daytona 200, Pirelli continues to research and develop tires designed to tackle the one-of-a-kind racetrack. In 2021, Paasch’s Yamaha YZF-R6 relied on Pirelli’s DIABLO Superbike SC1 front in a 120/70R17 and DIABLO Superbike Daytona rear in 190/60R17 to handle the challenges of the high-banked 3.51-mile course. Pirelli racers will once again use a standard 120/70R17 DIABLO Superbike front and 190/60R17 Daytona-specific compound rear as a starting point.

Pirelli’s local trackside racing vendor, Mark Tenn Motorsports, will once again be offering a first-place contingency prize to any rider who wins on Pirelli tires. For complete details and eligibility, contact Mark Tenn Motorsports.

Greetings Bikers of the Internet Biking Internet Place! I am Czar Putin and I am high falootin! Is that how you say? As you of the Net Of Biking know, I too am, as like yourselves, the assbad biker! Many of times I and the bros of my club had entered the quiet townships here as of similar to the California incident at Hollister! Of which we much admire. You should praise me for now my bros have entered a whole nation!! We are the most wacky of clubs now, we are Hollister in an advanced way!

We set off bombs and we drank beer. There was much hijinx. It is the land of Ukraine. Was. Now it is the land of ME. Me and my bros are the Ruffian Types MC! We will now have a hearty party. Will we use nukes? No. We are not good with nukes. We nuked ourselves recently at Chernobyl. Too much of beer drinking. Who knew that was even in the possibility of doing?

How will our conquest of the Ukraine Whateveritis be manifesting itself? First thing is we will be creating many ice rinks. We have an ice skating coach who has a gift for creating obedience and champions. As long as they don’t take drug testings. Ballet academies will be the next item of business. I am hearing the Ukrainians are clumsy poltroons. I will fix that. It will be a nation of Nijinskys when I am done.

As for the day-to-day?…..Vodka. Period. I am biker. Be telling all of your American bikers on the Net of Bikers site that Putin is total bro!!! Wild times for all. Plus, of course, violin lessons and piano lessons. There will of course be the draft: two mandatory years of orchestra job in the symphony academies. Guns down (temporarily) violins up. Great for the posture!

Oh, and one more thing:…..When is the gathering of the Sturgeons? I want to attend!! I am hearing that every summer in the South of the Dakotas there is a gathering of sturgeons! The Sturgeons Rally! Where caviar is king!!

I love America already!! I will be buying many Sturgeon tourist items! T-shirts with fish! We hear all of the time of the Sturgeon Rally: where bikers – like as me and my bros are – come from all around to avoid wearing masks and to praise the leader of the State and to gather abuse from the straights who are totally squared and have no hips, which is lacking in coolness.

I am a cool daddy. I will be at the Sturgeons Biker Assembly and I will drink the beers that are available with many plates of caviar. I love America so much now! I will be hep to the jiving. I am bro! Long live Sturgeons!!____

Sincerely, Rootin’ Tootin’ Putin

–J.J. Solari
Official Interrupter
Bikernet.com™

MAKING PROGRESS—Wow, progress all around.

Christie finished our front door, stained-glass window in magnificent form and precision. One problem, I didn’t measure the space properly. I was forced to make a frame that fit the new window and fit in the door space. It was tight, but I found some cast brass T-Bar from Online Metals. It was a job, but what the hell, it worked.

I started to look for a shop lathe and ran into a series of 3-in-1 lathes, and then ran into the Smithy brand at Deadwood Custom Cycles. They are still designed and sorta made in America. I like it when a company tries to keep their product as American as possible. These are basically bench lathes, but also drill presses and milling machines.

The shop is coming together, and the floor will be poured next week. Almost all the siding is up. We even got to slip in a porthole.

A propane tank was added to the mix for the Reznor heater in the shop. Then the Redhead wanted something with a flame in the kitchen and we ordered a LG stove at Lowes. The delivery guys dropped it off and didn’t know how to hook it up or if it came with a set of propane jets. That’s when shit went into high gear. What bullshit. We started the search.

Calling Lowes can drive you out of your mind. A brother Adrian had some jets left over from a project and gave them to us, but they weren’t the correct configuration. We reached out directly to LG and ordered a set. They call them orifices. WTF?

My Flathead chopper Sportster gas tank is in the expert hands of Greg Robley in Spearfish getting worked over I’m itching to get the bike up on a lift.

Hang on for the next week. You know it’s not going to be dull.

Ride free, forever or die trying…

–Bandit

MUBADALA CAPITAL BACKS SX GLOBAL
TO LAUNCH NEW FIM SUPERCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Queensland, Australia (March 1st, 2022) — Mubadala Capital, the asset management subsidiary of Mubadala Investment Company, one of the world’s leading sovereign investors with US$243 billion of assets under management, today announced its investment in SX Global, an Australian company established to develop, promote, and commercialize the FIM Supercross World Championship.

Mubadala Capital has established a track record of successfully investing in category leaders across sports, media, and entertainment—including EMI Music Publishing, Endeavor Group Holdings, Reigning Champs, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and the Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network (YES Network), among others—and this investment continues its history of backing world-class management teams in building differentiated global sports, media and entertainment businesses.

Mubadala Capital’s investment will support SX Global’s expansion plans for supercross and its efforts to capitalize on the exclusive rights it has secured from the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) to manage and promote the new FIM Supercross World Championship, bringing the exciting sport of off-road motorbike racing to fans across the globe in a new competitive format.

“Our commitment to SX Global and the FIM Supercross World Championship builds on our strategy and track record of selectively investing in premier content properties with strong global appeal,” said Adib Martin Mattar, Head of Private Equity at Mubadala Capital. “We expect that our investment in SX Global will introduce the exciting sport of professional supercross to a global audience and build lasting value by delivering an authentic, exciting and fan-centric experience.”

SX Global’s President, Tony Cochrane, added, “We’re proud to partner with Mubadala Capital, a company that shares our vision and global aspirations for the FIM Supercross World Championship. With the international reach, resources, and business building experience of Mubadala Capital alongside us, we’re looking forward to establishing FIM Supercross World Championship as a leading global motorsport and entertainment property.”

Representing Mubadala Capital on the SX Global Board of Directors will be Matt Kim and Russ Pillar, who collectively bring decades of experience backing and leading global sports, media, and entertainment companies. They will be joining Tony Cochrane, SX Global’s President; Adam Bailey, SX Global’s Managing Director (Motorsport); Ryan Sanderson, SX Global’s Managing Director (Commercial); Tom Potter, Rush Sport & Entertainment; and Tavo Hellmund, Founder, Event Partners Marketing, on SX Global’s Board of Directors.

In December 2021, the FIM awarded SX Global the exclusive organisational and commercial rights to stage, manage and promote the FIM Supercross World Championship. Under the leadership of the SX Global Team, and with the financial backing and support of Mubadala Capital, Supercross will become a true global sports property, competing on a legitimate international platform for the first time in history. The FIM Supercross World Championship will commence in late 2022.

For more information on the FIM Supercross World Championship visit https://fimworldsx.com/
For more information on SX Global visit https://sxglobal.com/
[ For Mubadala Capital interview requests, please contact Salam Kitmitto (sakitmitto@mubadala.ae) ]
[ For SX Global interview requests, please contact Gus Burrows (gus@amemanagement.com.au) ]

Mubadala Capital

Mubadala Capital is a wholly owned asset management subsidiary of Mubadala Investment Company, a leading global sovereign investor headquartered in Abu Dhabi. In addition to managing its own balance sheet investments, Mubadala Capital manages over $10 billion of third-party capital on behalf of institutional investors in all its businesses, including three private equity funds, two early-stage venture funds, a public fund, and two funds in Brazil focused on special situations.

Mubadala Capital and its affiliated entities have a long track record of owning and/or operating globally recognized sports, media, entertainment and premium content and services properties including EMI Music Publishing, Endeavor Group Holdings, Reigning Champs, Ultimate Fighting Championship, and the Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network.

SX GLOBAL – BOARD

Matt Kim – Non-Executive Board Member
• Matt Kim is a Senior Principal at Mubadala Capital and leads the team’s sports, media and entertainment investment activities. He possesses over a decade of investment experience, and prior to joining Mubadala Capital, Mr. Kim was an investment professional at Bank of America Capital Advisors, where he focused on evaluating private equity investment opportunities globally.
Mr. Kim graduated from Boston University with a B.S. in Business Administration with concentrations in Finance and Entrepreneurship and is a CFA charter holder.

Russ Pillar – Chairperson
• Russ Pillar is a Senior Advisor and Operating Partner of Mubadala Capital where he initiates, evaluates, and manages investment opportunities globally. He is a tenured sports/media/consumer CEO, with executive roles across the Virgin Entertainment Group, Prodigy Internet, the CBS Internet Group, the Viacom Media Group, the Los Angeles Marathon, and Reigning Champs, among others.
Mr. Pillar previously held directorship roles for more than three dozen private and publicly traded sports, media, retail, entertainment, and technology/tech services companies. A Phi Beta Kappa cum laude graduate of Brown University with an A.B. in East Asian Studies, he also is a Henry Crown Fellow at The Aspen Institute and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.

Tony Cochrane AM – President
• Tony Cochrane’s passion and experience forge a formidable combination and have ultimately resulted in some unforgettable milestones in entertainment and sport generally over the past 45 years both in Australia and on the global stage.

Over the past 45 years with partners and solo, Tony has produced and promoted over 400 sporting and entertainment events throughout the world, sold in excess of 25,000,000 tickets with gross sales exceeding two billion dollars, and written nearly $250,000,000 in sponsorship sales.

In his time as Executive Chairman of V8 Supercars, Tony Cochrane was considered the founding father of the ‘modern’ era of motor racing in Australia, the touring car category that was arguably amongst the world’s best. During this period, V8 Supercars had an extraordinary rise to the top of sport within Australia and on the world motorsport scene. It became a multi-million dollar industry under his strong leadership. His credits and performance in world motorsport are uniquely recognised both in Australia and overseas. He holds an FIA acknowledgement and an Order of Australia for his contributions.

Adam Bailey – Managing Director – Motorsport
• Adam’s experience in Supercross began as a competitor in the early 90s. He established an athlete and event management agency in 2005 that represented some of the most respected athletes and brands in this space. These networks led to valuable and unique international industry relationships.

Launching AME Management with Ryan Sanderson in 2012, the duo combined their experience to establish a boutique sports marketing agency in Australia and launched AUS SX Holdings and the AUS-X Open event in 2015. The events went on to achieve sell-out crowds annually for five years including the successful creation and expansion of the FIM Oceania Supercross Championship into New Zealand in 2018 and 2019. Adam leads key aspects of brand creative strategy, content, industry partnerships, international talent and operations.

A creative marketer, many of Adam’s unique PR, marketing and content strategies have helped see the events become recognised and respected, globally.

Ryan Sanderson – Managing Director – Commercial
• Ryan spent five years at V8 Supercars Australia under Tony Cochrane’s reign. In Ryan’s tenure as Sponsorship Manager, he serviced some of Australia’s largest sponsorship properties, managing over 20 V8 Supercars Championship partners, with over $22M in annual spend.
Ryan and Adam launched AME, a sports marketing agency together in 2012 and then sold-out Supercross events in Australia & New Zealand from 2015 – 2019.

Ryan secured major commercial partnerships for both AUS-X Open & S-X Open Auckland Supercross events including Monster Energy, Australian Tourism & State Government funding, Boost Mobile, Michelin, Komatsu, Castrol & Repco/NAPA. Ryan developed leading entertainment, fan engagement and innovative commercial experiences, as well as international TV broadcast distribution including IMG, Seven Network, Fox Sports Australia, CBS, Eurosport & Fox Asia to over 382 million homes.

Ryan brings a unique skillset to SX Global and has extensive international broadcast, promoter and commercial partnership networks globally.

Tom Potter – Non-executive Director | Europe
• Tom is a former racing driver, and a commercial veteran of the McLaren and Williams F1 Teams. Tom founded Rush Sport & Entertainment in 2010 which has grown internationally to become one of the most successful businesses in motorsport sponsorship and marketing services whilst also delivering record-breaking deals for other major entertainment properties such as The Rolling Stones. Rush is responsible for placing over $700million sponsorship of F1, Formula E and IndyCar properties since 2016 alone. Rush has helped identify, structure, negotiate, activate and measure sponsorship investments for brands including Petrobras, Mercedes-Benz, Prudential, IHG, Marriott, Avis, Renesas, Adecco (Modis), Progressive and Saudi Aramco.

Few can boast the level of energy, insight and understanding of global motorsports’ commercial landscape and entertainment value. Tom is an expert at leveraging sports marketing and the sports business environment to create value and accelerate growth.

Tavo Hellmund – Non-executive Director | North America
• Tavo Hellmund was the founder of the FIA Formula-1 United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, the co-founder of the FIA Formula-1 Mexican Grand Prix and a co- founder of the Circuit of the Americas race track in Austin, Texas. Tavo Hellmund has been the founder and President/Managing Partner of Full Throttle Productions, LP, Event Partners Marketing, LLC, Grand Prix Partners, LLC and Tavo Hellmund Inc. since 1994.

These companies manage and provide event project management, day of event oversight, staffing/volunteer services, venue planning, consulting and logistics support, marketing, sales, sponsorship, public relations and consultation services for sporting and special events around the world. Tavo Hellmund’s global event production experience includes brokering, sanctioning, producing or promoting over 150 sporting and entertainment events, which have generated more than 1.5 billion dollars in sales.

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What are the Differences?

by Isabella Brown

When most people think about tires, they think about the rubber that sits underneath their car or motorcycle.

They might not give a lot of thought to the different types of tires available on the market, but there are a lot of options out there for both cars and motorcycles.

What are differences in design, traction, tread life, price, maintenance that make it ideal for particular vehicle or motorcycle?

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Have you ever wondered what the difference between motorcycle and car tires is and why you can’t just use them interchangeably? Do you want to know more about them?

When most people think about tires, they think about the rubber that sits underneath their car or motorcycle. They might not give a lot of thought to the different types of tires available on the market, but there are a lot of options out there for both cars and motorcycles.

In this post, we’re going to take a look at some of the differences between motorcycle and car tires. Stay tuned!

Design

Researchers say that by far the most important difference between a motorcycle tire and a car tire is the design. There are distinct differences between the two different types of tires that are suited to each type of vehicle and mode of transportation to make it as safe but also as efficient as possible.

Cars and motorcycles handle tires differently and therefore need to have different tires in place. There is a big difference in the suspension and the handling for each tire and it must be designed to work with the vehicle not just to be a part of it.

Additionally, motorcycle rims have less tread on them than car rims, since motorcycles don’t need as much traction in wet conditions.

Motorcycle tires are designed with riding motorcycles kept in mind and the fact that they will need to learn when going around corners stops completely opposing this car tires are considered to have a square profile and will not be able to lean like motorcycle tires.

Traction

Next up on our list, we have traction. traction is another very important part when it comes to looking at tires and choosing the right one for your vehicle. When it comes to comparing motorcycle tires to car tires something you will notice is that they both provide a very different kind of traction to each other motorcycles typically go at much higher speeds than cars do and therefore need to have more traction, especially when it comes to starting or stopping. They are also lighter vehicles and don’t have as much weight on them.

Cars are much heavier than motorcycles and therefore don’t need as much traction on their tires to get going or to move fast as the weight helps with this.

Tread Life

Tread is one of the most important aspects of any tire and something that you need to keep an eye on when you have a call or a motorcycle. When it comes to comparing motorcycle tires to car tires while looking at the trade you will notice that car tires typically have a much more resistance and a much deeper trade which makes them far more durable than that motorcycle tires which are not as resistant and are a bit shallower.

Price

Looking at the price of a motorcycle versus car tires you would think that car tires would be more expensive because they are typically much bulkier and more durable however this is not the case.

When looking at the tires you will notice that motorcycle tires are a little bit more expensive, and this is because of supply and demand. There are fewer motorcycles on the road than they are cause meaning that motorcycle tires are more expensive since they make fewer of them.

Maintenance

Last but not least we have the maintenance of cars versus motorcycles. This one is something that may seem obvious and it is a lot easier to keep up with the maintenance of a motorcycle as opposed to a car because it is much smaller and requires a lot less maintenance due to having fewer parts.

Maintaining a car can be more difficult and often you have to take it into a shop to get fixed or even wait for ordered parts from overseas which can make it more expensive and just overall more tricky

by Jack Baruth from Hagerty.com

BMW R18 meets Indian Challenger and Harley Heritage Classic

The slightly ridiculous 1800cc, two-cylinder, leather-saddlebag, CHiPs-windshielded cruiser I’m trying to force through six stopped lanes of Los Angeles traffic can’t be taken as anything but an admission on the part of the Bayerische Motoren Werke that Harley-Davidson knows

a) what boys like;
b) what men want …

in America, anyway.

CLICK HERE To Read a comprehensive Road Test & Review of the cruiser models from the 3 motorcycle brands.

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Alright. Maybe she wasn’t a great business leader—who saw that coming?—but the slightly ridiculous 1800cc, two-cylinder, leather-saddlebag, CHiPs-windshielded cruiser I’m trying to force through six stopped lanes of Los Angeles traffic can’t be taken as anything but an admission on the part of the Bayerische Motoren Werke that Harley-Davidson knows

a) what boys like;
b) what guys want …

… here in America, anyway. The press release says that the BMW R18 is a throwback/retro take on the company’s pre-WWII R5, and if you just look at the photos it almost seems plausible, but five minutes behind the bars of the new one will put the lie to any claims about mining BMW’s own past for inspiration. This massive motorcycle channels Milwaukee the same way the last few steroidal and ridiculous generations of BMW’s M3 resemble a Pontiac Trans Am far more than they do any svelte four-cylinder touring-sedan racer of the Eighties.

Now here’s the problem: Germans love Harley-Davidson, to the point that the “Eaglerider” bike-rental operations in Las Vegas and elsewhere often have bilingual employees whose second tongue is Deutsch, not Spanish. Formula One champion Michael Schumacher spent a dozen summers riding the American West on Harleys, owned a vintage Indian Chief, and even designed his own “bobber” around a Harley-Davidson engine. Every year more than thirty thousand bar-and-shield bikes are sold in Europe, the vast majority of those to Germany. BMW’s last attempt at building a “cruiser”-style bike, the funky R1200C seen beneath Pierce Brosnan and Michelle Yeoh in Tomorrow Never Dies, was a flop both here and and in Europe. So what makes BMW think that American buyers will ride a Bavarian pretzel, when even the German riders clearly prefer the real deal from Wisconsin?

The market for American-style cruisers is so massive nowadays that it supports a second large-scale American manufacturer. After years of trying to make their house-brand bikes resonate with customers, Polaris has finally decided to go all-in on the Indian marque, and the results have been impressive. Not only are the modern Indians very good, they’ve also forced Harley to drastically accelerate the pace of innovation in their own lineup.

“Serious” motorcyclists laughed at the cruiser market for a solid four decades, but in the end Harley and the potato-potato won, just like Elizabeth Holmes predicted. (I think.) If you want to make money in the American motorcycle game, you need something that competes directly with Harley. But it can’t be just a metric-scale copy of a Harley; the Japanese tried that and failed. Your Harley competitor needs to have some kind of independent “hook” on which to hang its raison-d’etre hat.

Owning an R18 will let him do all the cruiser stuff while still feeling superior to his Harley buddies. And here’s the best part: the BMW is actually cheaper than its American equivalent. (Nobody has to know that.) It’s hard to option an R18 up to $20,000. And it’s ten grand cheaper to start than the $28,499 Indian Challenger Dark Horse that we’ve also taken on this Palm Desert motorcycle adventure, another alt-universe cruiser that uses an oddly-shaped fairing and a truly magnificent powertrain to stake out a different kind of difference from the Harleys, so to speak.

Since it would be a bit churlish to ride a couple of Harley substitutes without including the real thing, we’ve brought The Motor Company’s own alt-Harley along. The Heritage Classic splits the price difference between the Beemer and Indian, at just under twenty-three grand plus accessories, and it’s powered by a slightly heretical Harley engine: the 114-ci “Milwaukee-Eight” V-Twin, which drives four valves per cylinder with a single cam and pushrod valvetrain.

BMW R18
“This thing rides like fake patina looks.” Leave it to young Kyle Smith to sum up the R18 in a single cutting simile. He’s not wrong; although our test took place in the mountains above Palm Desert, CA, it was my job to shuttle the big Beemer to and from Los Angeles for said test and I never warmed up to it. Not even a little bit. There was never a moment of the ride when I would not have rather been on the Indian, or possibly on my old 2014 Honda CB1100. Our other Smith, yclept Sam, is similarly unsympathetic: “Reminds me of the McDonald’s in the Frankfurt airport.”

Alright, so the R18 isn’t charming, and there’s a slightly unpleasant air of what pro wrestlers call “kayfabe,” meaning fake, about the whole thing. Even the real-deal mechanical aspects of the motorcycle, such as the violent right-side rock that accompanies every start and every quick rev of the massive Boxer twin, feel contrived somehow. But it’s not a bad bike. Some parts of it are very well thought out. “The gearbox is a brainless delight,” Sam noted, dialing back the snark a little. “Fit and finish put the other bikes on the trailer, especially in plating and plastics/switchgear. Handling and damping easily outclass the others; it’s far more adjustable in the midcorner, and far more confidence-inspiring over lumpy stuff. Also far more fun to ride fast, if you give it the right ingredients. But you have to work at it. It rewards and seems to want a trained rider, where the other two make you feel good no matter what you do.”

As the slowest and least graceful rider of our trio, I was always trailing Kyle and Sam by some distance in the mountains, but the R18 extended that gap significantly. Bereft of both the Indian’s massive power and the Harley’s comfortingly flexible chassis, I always felt that I was about to drag the cylinder heads on the ground in the corners, and when the road straightened out I had no ability to catch back up. The ride back to Los Angeles was miserable, with freezing rain and vicious crosswinds as we passed the famous Cabazon Dinosaurs, and I found myself unable to maintain highway speed in the worst of it. More than four hours’ worth of lane-splitting on the approach to LA pointed out another R18 drawback: that wide engine is a nightmare for getting between Cayennes and Suburbans on the 405. Time and time again I would make a move that felt absolutely death-defying, watching the running boards of a pickup truck pass the cylinder heads with a Bible-page’s worth of gap, only to look up and see Kyle impatiently tailgating me on the far narrower, and much more traffic-adept, Harley.

Let’s be cynical for a moment: if you want to attend cruiser-bike events in your neighborhood but despise the idea of riding an American anything, the R18 is just the ticket. It’s not expensive, it’s built well, and it looks the part. But there’s a sad irony in the way BMW imitates Harley-Davidson here. They started with their existing boxer-twin product, the world’s most comfortable and competent bike for Aerostitch-wearing grownups, then punished the thing until it felt crude and dopey enough to match their idea of what a cruiser was. Harley-Davidson, meanwhile, entered the modern bike market with a swap-meet budget and technology from the Twenties but have busted their humps since then to improve their products in every aspect from peak horsepower to iPhone connectivity.

Indian Challenger Dark Horse
“So well-sorted, it makes the other two look and feel like comic-book answers.” Hard to disagree with Sam Smith here. If the R18 is defined by what it subtracts from the experience, the Challenger is a creature of addition. Take the stereotypical cruiser—and add:

• An astoundingly stout-hearted engine that can summon warp speed at any place on the tach or speedo;
• A goofy space-age fairing that nevertheless works perfectly at isolating the rider from the unpleasantries of the open road while effortlessly allowing the joy of it;
• Good-enough brakes;
• All the technology/nav/phone-integration you could want;
• An ethereal combination of soft springs and road grip, kind of like the best Caterham road cars;
• Good, solid luggage that is just a missing quick-release feature away from perfection.

Indian has a particular control language, for lack of a better phrase; everything you touch is big, sturdy, high-effort, unbreakable-feeling. For short rides, it’s an annoyance. After five hundred tired miles, you appreciate being able to stomp and punch the bike along like a strong-willed but eventually-obedient mule. Like its Roadmaster and Chieftain stablemates, this is a massive and unconscionably heavy motorcycle, and feels far more droppable than either the Beemer or the Harley, but that same unapologetic mass lets it run at triple digits on the cruise control in absolute S-Class-on-the-Autobahn confidence.

This is the most expensive bike in our test, and you never forget that, not for a single moment. Because it’s worth it. The most fascinating part of the new-generation Indians, for your humble author at least, is how fragile and insubstantial a Harley feels in comparison. Like BMW, the nice people at Polaris have leaned-in on an interpretation of “cruiser” that isn’t strictly drawn from reality. The difference is that the Challenger feels designed to exceed the Harley, not dumb down to it.

Harley Heritage Classic
Could this be the worst gearbox in modern motorcycling? If it isn’t, I can’t imagine what could beat it for the title. Sam Smith: “Neutral is nonexistent. Next to impossible to find when hot, and simply not in the gearbox when cold. Every one of us sat there going 2-1-2-1-2-1 over and over again, trying to find it.”

Kyle Smith: “The throw of the shifter is long even into first, and the thwack of the gears gnashing together … cracks. It’s not the sound of cracking off a home run, or even line drive. It’s not an intentional sound. It’s … haphazard.” Our experience with the Harley’s transmission was so bad that I’m going to find another Heritage Classic as soon as I can, just to see if “they all do that.” Regardless, this is one motorcycle that requires a test ride before purchase, just to see if you can live with the powertrain.

The rest of it, happily, requires no such resigned accommodation. The Milwaukee-Eight didn’t impress my young Smiths very much but as a veteran of many long miles on previous-generation Harley engines I found it charming, particularly in its eagerness to rev. There’s no engineered-in drama like you have with the R18 or Challenger, both of which have pixelated “character” added by some multi-million-dollar CAD-aided crankshaft calculations. This is just a classic V-twin doing its best to offer adequate power down low and an extended redline up top. It’s not the Honda S2000 of cruisers; that was probably the old Harley V-Rod. It’s like the Integra GS-R of cruisers. More space at the top of the tach than you’d expect, and cheerful about getting there.

Sam notes that “It somehow manages to feel more calculated than the Indian and less cynical than the BMW. It’s just a company doing one thing, the way it has always done it, and trying to maintain that idea against the winds of progress.” I disagree; to me this is an ambitious effort, from the powertrain to the electronics. But if you’re not in the culture, I can see how it doesn’t look particularly progressive.

Where Sam and I agree, however, is regarding the friendly and (literally) flexible road demeanor of the thing. “The bars are awfully flexible—they visibly bend without a lot of effort. It’s noticeable while pushing the bike around in a lot, or lifting yourself out of the seat at speed for a moment to relieve spine pain. Have to assume this impacts how the steering feels and reacts, and yet the thing tracks arrow-straight under most conditions, and bends into a corner consistently.” I personally felt most comfortable in the mountains on the Harley. It reminded me of a titanium-framed road bicycle; you see a fast bend, you start pressing down on the bars, and the frame conforms to the maximum safe speed. How odd, for a Harley to be the corner-carver of the group!

Some of the traditional Harley aesthetics rubbed all of us the wrong way; in particular, the turn signals and instrumentation seem designed for nothing more serious than a cruise-in at the local Sonic. This is so clearly a modern engineering effort that it seems incongruous to have it behave like a 1995 Softail in this regard. Oh well. If you want something that wears its modernity on its sleeve, try the Indian Challenger.

The conclusion, in which nothing is concluded

Dice Magazine x Harley-Davidson – Mama Tried Show 2021 Recap

Checkout the 2021 Mama Tried Show recap video by Dice Magazine in partnership with Harley-Davidson.

Grand Rapids, MI – Buell Motorcycle is back and unveiling yet another future model at Daytona Bike Week 2022. On Saturday March 5th at high noon, Buell will unveil the new Baja DR (Dune Racer) test prototype in their booth at Destination Daytona. The Buell Baja DR will be the world’s fastest production dirt bike, built right here in America.

“This is a pivotal moment for American motorcycles and really puts Buell on the map. We are on track to build the world’s fastest and solely American-built production off road bike,” said Bill Melvin, CEO of Buell Motorcycle Co. adding, “less than 1% of the world is covered with pavement, the Buell Baja DR is designed to dominate the other 99.7%. It will give riders the freedom to go anywhere in the world, faster and with more power, harnessing our 1190 engine. The Buell Baja DR is a beast, elevating the brand to even greater heights, and will bring passion back for American-built motorcycles.”

Buell’s entry into the off-road segment won’t go unnoticed by the competition. The Buell Baja DR takes its design inspiration from Buell’s success on the American Hillclimb racing circuit with 2X World Champion Logan Cipala on board. Buell has posted videos of the race prototype on their Instagram page. The 1190 flies through the air, while racing in only first gear!

The production Baja DR model specs and features are: 175hp liquid cooled, 72-degree V-twin engine with 101 ft lbs. of torque, trellis frame, adjustable swing arm for a 66” to 70” wheelbase, and industry standard 37” seat height with 26.75 degree rake. The Buell Baja DR will be unmatched at the top of the market for speed and performance, while clearly signaling the New Buell will not be strictly on-road any longer but going off-road too.

Reservations for production slots for the Baja DR model will go live on March 5th at 12pm EST (noon) and cost just $25. Estimated retail for the model will start at $19,995 with production planned for 2023.

Learn more about what the future has to offer from Buell at Daytona Bike Week 2022 with the unveiling of the new Baja DR and SuperTouring model prototypes on Saturday March 5th. Both motorcycles will be available for customers to view March 5th to 13that Destination Daytona in the booths 100 yards north of JP Cycles Superstore.

Buell is back and unveiling the future while delivering excitement at every turn.

For future Buell updates, follow our news page on our website and our social media pages.

Website: www.BuellMotorcycle.com

Email for Information: Info@BuellMotorcycle.com

Upgrades include the latest Bluetooth technology, smaller size, upgraded app and tuning capability for new Harley-Davidson models

Santa Fe Springs CA – February 25, 2022 – Vance & Hines today announced the FP4, the next generation of its industry-leading engine control module (ECM) flash tuning products. The FP4 features an all-new circuit board, case, firmware and mobile app, all of which were designed and manufactured in Santa Fe Springs, California. The FP4 brings greater control and optimum performance tuning to Harley-Davidson Touring and Softail models because it’s the only app-driven tuner in the market.

“We know riders want the best setup for their Harley-Davidson, just like we do for our race bikes,” said Vance & Hines President Mike Kennedy. “Think about it, the bike’s stock ECM is set for a stock exhaust and factory air intake. When you make changes, like adding a different exhaust or air intake, you need the right tune to get the full performance potential out of your engine.”

The heart of the Vance & Hines FP4 is the ability to dial-in the motorcycle’s ECM tune to match the performance upgrades that a rider adds to their motorcycle, such as an aftermarket exhaust system and a high flow air intake. Owners of the FP4 may choose from a vast library of Vance & Hines maps created in the company’s dyno-tuning lab in California. Vance & Hines maps are model-specific and are created using actual parts on real motorcycles, not projections made from previous tests. Owners can further develop those maps with a number of customization options found in the FP4 app.

The Vance & Hines FP4 unit has a slimmer and smaller case and a longer wiring harness than its predecessor, Fuelpak FP3, allowing more options for locating the hardware on the motorcycle. It features simplified LEDs on the unit, which display the communication between the unit and the bike. The FP4 also uses the new red OBD II connector, which is now standard on 2021 and 2022 Harley-Davidson Touring and Softail models.

The Vance & Hines FP4’s smartphone app is one of the significantly upgraded features of the device. It has a new look, is easier to use and is faster than ever before. The user experience is vastly improved with a redesigned navigation bar, giving easy access to the FP4’s core tuning functions. The Live Data capability of the app includes a new gauge layout and delivers more data to the rider than any other ECM tuner on the market.

The new Performance Data feature is a data logger that allows users to go for a ride, then study the data collected from that ride. This feature also uses the built-in GPS from the rider’s phone to map out and store the ride route, allowing riders to analyze and compare the data collected to the actual road and highway situations at the time.

Support for users of the Vance & Hines FP4 takes customer service to a whole new level. Riders can use the app to directly upload their map to the FP4 customer service website to receive hands-on technical support, while speaking to a representative on the phone, email or chat. This support for owners is unheard of in the powersports industry.

“With FP4, it’s as simple as connect, tune, ride. That’s the mantra that guided us in developing the next generation of our industry-leading ECM tuner,” Kennedy continued. “The FP4 is the most intuitive, easy to understand, rider friendly tuner in the market, and we’re really proud of that.”

The Vance & Hines FP4 is compatible with 2021 and 2022 model year Harley-Davidson Touring and Softail motorcycles. Suggested Retail is $459.99.

Join the Vance & Hines Team for a live look a the New FP4 on Facebook Live 9:00 AM PST.
https://www.facebook.com/54025481105/posts/10158273647811106/

Visit Vance & Hines website at: https://vanceandhines.com/