by Steven Symes from https://www.msn.com/ Should they bow to the pressure? Whether you love or hate Indian Motorcycle, it’s likely you have an opinion about the brand’s name and logo. Actually, a lot of people who’ve never ridden a motorcycle in their life have hot takes on what should be done with Indian Motorcycle. It’s a topic which was dealt with back in the 90s before anyone had even heard of cancel culture, but that’s how long these types of sentiments have existed in society. For now this issue has sat on the backburner, relegated to smaller media outlets and not the big corporate broadcasters and newspapers. That could change in a flash as we’ve seen a thing not previously in the spotlight suddenly become public enemy number one. Some argue Indian Motorcycle is profiting off the name and imagery of indigenous people, which they say is exactly like when different tribes were forcibly kicked off their land by white settlers. That’s a huge logical leap, but it’s the argument being levied with a lot of emotion mixed in so you don’t pay too much attention to the lack of logic or the fact some Native Americans don’t agree with the sentiment. As mentioned before, there’s some turbulent history with the Indian Motorcycle brand, most notably a lawsuit in the 1990s after a deal to have a Native American tribe make the bikes fell apart. It’s a complicated legal case, but there was understandably a lot of bad blood from that deal gone sour. More recently, a few voices in the motorcycle world have decided the time is now for Indian to change its name and logo. I’ll let them explain in their own words. Canada MotoGuide ran an op-ed in March of this year where the author states, “As the world becomes more PC-friendly, I do think that the name and branding will do more harm than good, ultimately having a negative impact on sales in the future. I certainly don’t want to see the company fail, nor do I wish anything but the best for those who make their living and support their families working for the company. I merely think that supporting and perpetuating a certain pattern of cultural appropriation is best left in the past.” New Zealand motorcycle publication On Throttle ran a similar piece about this topic also in March, the author stating he didn’t want to attack the oldest motorcycle brand in America. However, he argued “while the company is not outwardly racist, there are problems with the brand that have not been addressed in regards to the cultural appropriation” More thoughtful dialog can be found on a 4-year-old Reddit post where the author asks if the name and logo for Indian Motorcycle is offensive. The top answer was succinct: “I have never owned one but do not feel anything negative about it. I used to run Native Net, 67 reservations, where we discussed problem areas and this was never brought up by any of the Native nations.” Another user pointed out that sometimes perceptions are off due to a lack of understanding, like how people think the gunmaker Savage Arms is racist because of the name combined with an Indian’s head in the logo. In that case, the founder’s last name was Savage and he traded with a chief who gave his permission to use his likeness, likely because he found it to be an honor and not mockery. Nothing from the history of Indian Motorcycle suggests a connection between the founders of the company and any Native American group. However, it seems they used names like Chief, Scout, and Chieftain to convey strength, not as mockery. Some take the usages as just the opposite. I grew up in a state where there were a lot of Native Americans. I had friends who were from different tribes or pueblos and others who were part Native American. I also attended college with many Native Americans and discussed cultural topics with some. I live right next to two reservations and have lived around Native Americans my entire life. From my own life experience, the one thing I can say with 100 percent certainty is that if anyone is trying to tell you all Native Americans feel or think a certain thing, they’re not being honest. Some hate things like Indian Motorcycles. Others think they’re cool and are proud owners of an Indian, others that they’re silly, and some have no opinion on the topic. In other words, trying to argue that the brand name and logo offends all Native Americans is simply untrue. For Polaris’ and Indian Motorcycle’s part, they seem to be sensitive to the potential controversy. While they continue to use legacy names, no new model names have even a hint of indigenous roots. They haven’t added any extra Indian-themed imagery to the motorcycles and you won’t find anything like that in dealerships, or at least that’s the direction the dealers have been given by Indian Motorcycles. There are plenty of reasons to not like Indian Motorcycle. Some have an issue with the parent company, Polaris. Others aren’t a fan of the bike designs or they don’t like how they ride. I know people who really hate the quality or reliability of Indians. But for now it seems like the effort to build pressure to cancel the brand name and logo isn’t exactly catching on in the motorcycle world and it may never.

Happy Holidays from Beta!

It’s been a BUSY last few weeks for Aptera. We’ve been hard at work building our first Beta vehicles and now we can gladly say the long hours have paid off. We achieved our goal of taking our first drive in Beta before year’s end and we cannot wait to share more footage with the entire Aptera family soon!

Over the last few weeks, we finished the assembly and fine tuning of our very first Beta, which includes impressive improvements in the front and rear suspension as well as neater cable routing of our in-wheel motors. This first Beta will be used for vehicle dynamics testing and for the validation of our suspension design.

WHO’S READY TO SEE IT ON THE TRACK?

Because of your incredible support of Aptera, this is just one of many milestones we hit in 2021. We now have over 150 employees, 15,000 future Aptera owners and over 8,000 Aptera shareholders from all over the world. We are so humbled by the support of so many people who share our commitment to building the world’s most efficient transportation.

We are stepping into the New Year with a lot to be grateful for and much excitement for the year ahead.

BEST WISHES TO YOU FROM THE ENTIRE APTERA FAMILY!

Still need a last minute holiday gift? You can get 50% off an Aptera pre-order reservation (a value of up to $50) for a loved one until the end of the year. Use promo code HOLIDAY50 at checkout to qualify. And don’t forget, our fundraising round will also be closing on December 31 at midnight.

WEBSITE : https://www.aptera.us/

“Hello, children. Would all of you who have been naughty please step forward?”

Join the Cantina for all the Fun, Merry, Joyous stuff – CLICK to Subscribe Today

Dear Close and Cherished Associate: Holiday Waves to you!

Well. It’s been quite a ride, hasn’t it? Whew! Are you staying safe? I know I’m doing
everything EYE can to stay safe. And not just for me! But for everyone else. I don’t think
I am going to take my mask off even when the pandemic has been conquered.

I am leaving it on until all diseases are eradicated. You might say that is very noble to which I would agree but you would maybe add “Will this happen in your lifetime?” It will if we all get on board with me! We can do this! Humanity is strong when united. And haven’t we seen enough divisiveness?

Agreement takes no effort. It’s easy to do. And isn’t that what Christmas is all about? Everyone liking everyone and agreeing to be in all things
together whenever the call goes out to all be in things together? I feel empowered just
writing this!

I have to admit, though, trying to understand what retail personnel, etc, are actually, saying to me from the other side of a Stay Safe Protectorant mask and a thick barrier of bullet proof glass and from 6 feet away has not been easy.

I have anger issues and stuff? That I try hard to keep under control and stuff? But I do confess I often am sorely tempted to scream “Take your fucking mask off, stand closer, and get rid of this fucking transparent blast-door between us you fucking germaphobic OCD Adrian-Monk -level imbecile. I have NO idea what the fuck you are saying!!”

But I don’t do that because I know they are ordered to stay safe by their bosses who are ordered to stay safe by their Medical Hierarchs in the government capitols of the world who are only concerned about caring for the people who are paying them under duress to provide more duress. I mean to keep us safe. And I have no problem with that because, hey, I’m 78. I could go at any second. I can ride this out. I feel sorry for the 10-year-olds.

‘Cause this ain’t ending any time soon. But can you put a time limit on safety? I am
going to say no to that! Fortunately, so is Doctor Faukey. So, we’re all on board! But I do
have to admit: being responsible for the health of the earth’s human population AND being responsible for the earth’s weather?…….It’s tough!

But we are strong, right? And we’re all in this together. So, sharing the load of responsibility is what comradeship is all about, right? I think so. Speaking of the weather, you know, the Apaches when they want to affect the upper atmosphere and stuff? – they do a very badly-choreographed dance to even worse non-melodic repetitive riffs….. and that works! So, what we need is a globally choreographed World Dance to stop global warming.

Hey, it works for the Hopi: New Mexico is now a tropical paradise and the corn that the Pueblo Indian Corn-Dance grows? It’s world famous. Singing and dancing in lieu of modern farming methods and harvest strategies adapted to incrementally variable whether anomalies works for them and it can work for us. Same with beans being rattled in a dried gourd. It’s been curing the Chiricahua for thousands of years. It can cure C-19. We just need to believe.

Which reminds me, Kim Jong Un has ordered everyone to not sing or drink alcohol during the Christmas, New Years holidays. Because his father and grandfather are dead. And they are all in this together sadnesswise, which I think is a beautiful thing. Because I would be afraid to say otherwise. And I would deserve the abuse! Because I would have weakened the collective. I do not want that on my shoulders. Especially if it becomes a crime.

So, yeah, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year but not too much merriment and not too much happiness, because, as Mr Biden’s “covid coordinator” said, me and my family and you and your family can, if you don’t get inoculated with whatever is being called a vaccine this week, that we all can look forward to a winter of sickness and death.

And that’s the Biden Christmas message: to look forward to a winter of sickness and death. Which USED to be called “the annual cold and flu season.” Talk about playing-down a wintertime catastrophe!!

Ha-ha! “The annual cold and flu season”!! Were we led down the garden path with THAT one!!!!
What’s next, calling climate change Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter??

So I’m going to do what he, our -until maybe tomorrow – President says because he is a whopping lot more smarter than me.

Welcome to Year Three. That’s the new calendar by the way. Screw this AD and BC crap. We are not heading into 2022 in the Year of our Lord. HELL no, screw all that historical hocus pocus, we are in Science-Year 3 of C-19! AND I LOVE IT!

Stay Safe!! Don’t let sickness and death ruin your reputation!!

Give people the best of what is within you and help others to awaken to their best self so that they too can live a life of abundance.

By Bandit, Wayfarer, Barry Green, J.J. Solari, Laura, Joe Smith, Bob T., Sam Burns, The Redhead, Rogue, El Waggs and the rest of the gang

Hey,

Another fascinating week in paradise. Folks write and text me about the weather in South Dakota constantly. It’s amazing, challenging and never dull.

I tell friends from California, “It’s not cold unless you go outside naked, goddammit.”

Have a terrific Christmas.

Ride fast and free forever,

–Bandit

CLICK HERE To Read the Weekly News on Bikernet.com

Get the Inside Scoop and Exclusive Coverage in the Cantina –

CLICK HERE to Subscribe Today

Hey,

Another fascinating week in paradise. Folks write and text me about the weather in South Dakota constantly. It’s amazing, challenging and never dull. I tell friends from California, “It’s not cold unless you go outside naked, goddammit.”

The Redhead watches the weather reports constantly. I watch for motorcycle parts and equipment for the new shop.

Just received three issues of Choppers Magazine, a subscription-only Chopper book designed by Beatnik the Magnificent, the former art director of Biker Magazine. It’s a sharp piece celebrating pure chopper freedom.

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.

FRANK BALL’S NEW SHIRT AND TILES—My grandson is cooking on all fronts. He’s rapidly becoming a master tattoo artist. He took over the 5-Ball leather line and is doing a helluva job.

He recently rode his Street Glide north to San Francisco for a Tattoo gathering and painted on some ceramic plates. He also created a new shirt for Bartels’ H-D.

“Doing a small run of these to see how they do,” Frank said. “20% smaller collar and a straight bottom waist with the adjustable snaps. Got a few request.”

He’s rocking out and building a chopper behind the master Domenic M. We’ll bring you reports in the near future.

–Bandit

THE MORAL CASE FOR FOSSIL FUELS REPORT–The greatest energy technology of all time

Last we discussed that for energy to be useful, it must be cheap, plentiful, and reliable, and to be cheap, plentiful, and reliable, every element of the process to create energy must also be cheap, plentiful, and reliable. We saw how this can be difficult to achieve with some alternative energy sources, such as solar.

It’s important to know this because if somebody tells you “Let’s replace the way we currently produce energy with this other way,” you have to be able to evaluate whether or not the process is really viable.

Fossil fuels: cheap, plentiful, reliable energy for billions

The subject of this email is that the hydrocarbon, or fossil fuel, industry is the only industry that can produce cheap, plentiful, reliable energy on a scale of billions. That means that without such an industry, we don’t have the amount of food we need, the amount of technology we want, the amount of anything we need or want.

The first thing to realize is that the vast majority of the world’s energy is in fact produced by the hydrocarbon industry. This was true back in 1980, and it’s also true in the present.

As you can see, there’s much more overall energy consumption now and the vast majority of that is still fossil fuel energy. What that means is that we’re using considerably more fossil fuels, not less.

There is currently no other industry that can match what the fossil fuel industry is producing and on the scale that it’s producing it.

Why? The reason is that the hydrocarbon industry has developed a highly resource efficient process to find, extract, and harness a naturally concentrated, plentiful, and stored source of energy. It’s the only industry that has come up with a process that is cheap, plentiful, and reliable.

To understand why that is, it’s important to understand what fossil fuels are and how to explain it to someone who doesn’t work in the fossil fuel energy. We’ll take that up next week.

–Alex Epstein

THE GRISSLY RETURNS–

I have been contributing for Biker magazine under the name Grizzly. I wrote for many other mags as well. I am now making the Chop, ride & party books ( www.choprideandparty.com ) and I am doing research.

I would like to know when did bobbers turn into choppers. I mean, the first modified motorcycles in the US were called bobbers. In my opinion bobbers are just heavy stock American bikes stripped of all unnecessary shit to make them go faster.

At a certain point people started calling those bobbers, choppers but my question is when? For a long time, I was under the impression it wasn’t until bikers started raking the frames. But I found out that long before that happened they already called their bike choppers.

For instance the Frisco chopper didn’t sport a raked frame but they certainly were not bobbers. So what made people call their bikes choppers? As soon as they started individualizing them? Or when they started making them pretty?

Or was it when they went from smaller gas tanks to bigger tanks. Many people tend to call choppers with a stock frontend and a big gas-tank bobbers, but when they see the same bike with a small gas tank they tend to call them choppers.

Was it when it was not only about stripping but started to become more about making things for them? Custom things like sissy-bars and seats and stuff?

I already asked many old biker guys who were around in the late ‘50s, early ‘60s. Many different opinions. Would like your take on it. Maybe even publish it if you don’t mind. Right now I am just collecting opinions and memories of different people. Can you help me out a bit?

–Beer
www.choprideandparty.com
chopper culture books

PS. I asked your friend Bob Tron as well. He suggested I should ask you

Hey Beer,

I will tell you the exact date and time of the first Chopper. I will tell you who the first builder was, how old he was and what he drank, snorted and smoked before creating the first chopper.

But this isn’t easy. This is a secret that only I know and one other Easyriders editor, Frank Kaisler. Of course J.J. Solari might know, but you can’t believe a word he says. First, I must get their permission, which is nearly impossible.

You are right about many of your statements. In my lifetime, I’ve watched Choppers die several times, but they always return. There are many threats against the Chopper Kingdom currently.

I will be glad to share this with the Chromed Gods and Bikernet Readers.

May the Twisted Steel Santa bless your holidays,

–Bandit

Jesus Christ, as usual Bandit is fulla shit. The answer is simple: When you bob something, you take shit off your bike for performance.

When you chop something, you modify it, like chopping the frame, chopping fenders or gas tanks, narrowing seats and modifying frontends. WTF, over?

–Renegade

WILD REPORT OF THE WEEK FROM SOUTH OF THE BORDER–Mexico’s Supreme Court says you can choose your own age

Think the ability to choose your own sex is the most amazing feature of the Depraved New World? Well, actually, it probably is. But now, at least in Mexico, you can also choose your own age!

That’s right, Mexico’s Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN) has affirmed that a “fundamental right to personal identity” includes the right to change one’s date of birth on government documents. The Court ruled that, under the Mexican Constitution’s recognition of individuals’ “right to identity,” a birth certificate should reflect how someone has “constantly identified himself in his private and public acts.” It added that identity is comprised of more than just “biological truth.”

Indeed it is. “My truth” and “your truth” supersede silly old “biological truth” any day. Our feelings don’t care about your facts. So there!

Just because I’ve been “assigned” a sex at birth doesn’t mean that’s my destiny. Doesn’t mean I have to live with it. Just because I happen to have a penis, scrotum and protruding Adam’s Apple doesn’t mean I am confined to being a male for life. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. I can be whatever gender I wish to be at any given moment in time.

Man! I feel like a woman!

–By American Thinker

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2021/12/mexicos_supreme_court_says_you_can_choose_your_own_age.html

And now, though I may have allegedly been “born” in 1946, I should also be able to alter my birth certificate to identify as whatever age I wish to be. (Tomorrow I’m going to be a coquettish young schoolgirl.)

But this doesn’t go far enough. It should also be everyone’s right to identify as whatever race they choose. For that matter, we all should be able to pick what species we wish to be. The right to pick one’s own sex, age, race, and species should be self-evident. I don’t know how Jefferson and the other Founders missed it. And what was God thinking? Anyway, next month I’m going to present as a seven-year-old female water buffalo! Bisexual, at that! Can’t wait!

Those of us who are allegedly nearing the end of our lifespans need only move to Mexico and have our birth dates changed on government documents. If we do this repeatedly over time, we will never die! Immortality!

I don’t know about you, but I feel better already.

–Sam Burns

NEWS FROM CALIFORNIA HARLEY–Santa rides a Harley!!! and I know it is alot. That nice lady standing next to Santa with the long hair is Jodi, member of the staff.

The only thing lacking was the bourbon but that is just my preference. Those people over there not only live the life of the H-D legend, they love their jobs and love having satisfied customers

Merry Christmas!!!

–Gearhead

ANOTHER PROGRESSIVE FAILURE–Fentanyl Overdoses Become Leading Cause of Death in 18- to 45-Year-Olds

Fentanyl-related drug overdoses in 2020 became the top killer in adults aged 18 to 45—overtaking suicide, vehicle accidents, and gun violence, according to an analysis of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data by nonprofit group Families Against Fentanyl.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that’s 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, highly addictive, and deadly. Buyers may be unaware that the drugs they buy contain illicit fentanyl, a 2 milligram dose of which can be fatal.

The substance is most often manufactured in Mexico using chemicals supplied from China and trafficked across the southern border by Mexican drug cartels. Fentanyl is mixed with other narcotics to increase potency as well as pressed into counterfeit pain pills that are made to look like blue Oxycodone prescription pills and are commonly known as “Mexican oxys.”

Families Against Fentanyl is advocating for the U.S. government to designate fentanyl and its analogs as a weapon of mass destruction under federal statute.

The statute defines “weapon of mass destruction,” in part, as “any weapon that is designed or intended to cause death or serious bodily injury through the release, dissemination, or impact of toxin or poisonous chemicals, or their precursors.”

More than 100,000 Americans, a record amount, died of drug overdoses in the 12-month period ending in April, according to CDC data. Fentanyl was involved in almost two-thirds of those deaths.

During 2020, as lockdowns became prolonged and widespread as a response to the pandemic, overdose fatalities accelerated.

“This represents a worsening of the drug overdose epidemic in the United States,” the CDC stated in an emergency health advisory issued more than a year ago, on Dec. 17, 2020.

This year, as the southern border became more porous, record amounts of drugs have been seized by authorities.

During fiscal year 2021, which ended in September, Customs and Border Protection confiscated 11,200 pounds of fentanyl, up from 2,150 pounds the year prior.

In addition, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seized a record-breaking more than 20 million counterfeit pills containing fentanyl this year, according to Cheri Oz, DEA special agent in charge of the Phoenix field division.

Almost half of those were seized in Arizona, she said.

BY CHARLOTTE CUTHBERTSON

ALERT FROM THE WHITEHOUSE–Omicron Forces Wave of Closures Nationwide as White House Warns ‘Winter of Death’ Coming

The Omicron variant of the virus that causes COVID-19 has sparked a wave of closures across the United States in recent days, including schools and businesses, as the White House is warning of a “winter of severe illness and death” for individuals who are unvaccinated.

“For the unvaccinated, you’re looking at a winter of severe illness and death for yourselves, your families, and the hospitals you may soon overwhelm,” White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients said during a briefing. He then encouraged people to get vaccinated or receive boosters if they’re eligible.

So far, few Omicron-related deaths have been officially confirmed worldwide, and it’s not clear if any have been reported in the United States. The United Kingdom reported the first known death with Omicron, while the UK Health Security Agency, in a Dec. 18 update, reported seven deaths so far, although scant details have been provided.

–Jack Phillips
Epoch Times

Bikernet Covid Analysis:

I don’t know who Jeff Zients-rhymes-with-science is, but he’s broken new ground in “bureaucrats making fools of themselves.” Who knew there was still untraveled Stupid Territory in DC for an idiot Presidential spokesman to trod and explore?

Five days before Christmas his message to America is “You’re all going to die writhing screaming deaths if you don’t do what I say.” Not “Merry Christmas.” Not even Merry Xmas. I’da settled for THAT.

“Happy Goddamn Holidays” – even that would be better than “You are on the verge of killing a whole lotta people, including your loved ones and the heroes on the front lines scratching their fat lying nurses-unions asses in the hallways allegedly filled with the bodies of your parents.

This in on you, kids! You want Santa to bring you toys and you’re not vaccinated against the flu that’s not a flu?” There should be a whole new way to say Fuck You to this asshole.

–J.J. Solari

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE ACE CAFÉ–Enjoy your holidays and this cool little twist on a Christmas classic- biker style!

‘Twas the Ride Before Christmas

‘Twas the night before Christmas
and I went on a ride.
No creatures were stirring,
myself set aside.
The cold winter night
was crisp and was clear.
No cagers, road ragers,
or traffic to hear.

Just me and my bike,
and the road I was on.
I opened that throttle,
with a roar I was gone.
The moon was out full,
and the stars they were bright.
I picked some great pavement
for my ride on that night.

When all of the sudden,
what was that I just saw?
I stopped my bike hard
and just stood there in awe.
Sure enough, it was Santa.
He was clear, and not hazy.
This couldn’t be real.
This is so crazy!

The legit dude in red
rode a hog through the air!
I rubbed my eyes twice,
but still, he was there.

“HO HO!” he laughed loudly.
On the ground, I could hear,
“You see my new bike
instead of reindeer?
The elves made a point,
That the old way was lame.
Adding some horsepowerupped me and my game!”

“I have gifts for you, brother,”
he grinned as he said.
“Not toys, but I got you
some cool stuff instead.”
He parked down beside me,
and then with a smile,
Opened up his big bag
and dug around for awhile.

Then, in a flash,
he pulled out my loot.
An awesome new lid that
matched with my scoot!
“Wow, thank you Santa!”
It’s all I could say!
He gave me the wave
and went on his way.

I stood there in shock
for a little while more.
He rose in the air
and took off with a roar.
I heard his voice clear
as he flew out of town,
“Merry Christmas to all,
and dirty side down!”

–The RumbleOn Rider-Writers

Ace Cafe Orlando
100 W. Livingston St.
Orlando, FL 32801
P: 407-996-6686

HOLIDAY LIFESTYLE CYCLES DEAL OF THE WEEK-2011 Harley-Davidson® FLSTC – Heritage Softail Classic for $11.995.00

SEE IT HERE: https://www.lifestylecycles.com/default.asp?page=xPreOwnedInventoryDetail&id=9680675

This bike is nice Heritage with a cool paint job

ONLY 41837.00 Miles !!!!!

2011 Superior Blue Harley-Davidson HERITAGE SOFTAIL CLASSIC FLSTC

Some of the features/Add-ons on this bike

* 96 C.I. motor
* 6 Speed trans
* Leather saddle bags
* Detachable backrest
* Detachable windshield
* Mini apes

This bike has passed Lifestyle Cycles rigorous 101-point safety and mechanical inspection. Whether you’re looking to commute to work, ride the coast or take that dream vacation, this bike is ready to go!!!

EZ FINANCING-SHIPPING AVAILABLE!!!

Fill out an online application and ride today!!!

**Open 7 days a week**

Just $11,995.00 at Lifestyle Cycles (714) 490-0155

HOLIDAY Wisdom for the Season of Giving—

“Give people the best of what is within you and help others to awaken to their best self so that they too can live a life of abundance.”

“It is every man’s obligation to put back into the world at least the equivalent of what he takes out of it.” – Albert Einstein

“Think of giving not as a duty but as a privilege.” – John D. Rockefeller Jr.

“There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward.” – Khalil Gibran

“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” – Pablo Picasso

“We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” – Winston S. Churchill

“To do more for the world than the world does for you – that is success.” – Henry Ford

“Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.” – Dalai Lama

“If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.” – Meister Eckhart

–Professor Wayfarer
Monk in Training
Two-Wheeled Temple
Pillar Peak
Sturgis, South Dakota

EASYRIDERS COMPLETE DIGITIAL COLLECTION DELAYED AGAIN–The Latest from “Classic Easyriders” – below

The original launch & shipping was changed from August to September.

Now the website mentions it will be delivered to customers by December 15 which has not been updated since their below email.

On their website they have promised a free printed issue number 555 of December 2021 with the digital collection as loyalty bonus for pre-ordering the digital collection.

The digital collection continues to be on Pre-Sale at Classic Easyriders website and GIT Corp website.

At Classic Easyriders :
https://classiceasyriders.com/product/classic-easyriders-complete-digital-magazine-collection/

At GIT Corp :
https://gitcorp.online/shop/ols/products/classic-easyriders-complete-digital-magazine-collection

Dear Valued Customer,

As you may know, the shipment of your Classic Easyriders Digital Collection has been delayed due to the backup of freighters in Long Beach Harbor. We are awaiting the delivery of the shipment and have no control over when our products will be trucked from the docks. Because your order is extremely important to us, we want to offer you the entire Digital Collection online so that you can enjoy all 554 back issues of the original Easyriders magazine.

We would also like to make up for this delay by offering you the first issue of the all-new Classic Easyriders December issue that is soon to be a rare “collector’s edition”, most have you may have already received it. You will receive an email from us in a few days that will explain how you can access the entire Digital Collection online as well as the digital version of our December issue.

The email will provide a link to the Digital Collection of Easyriders online and will give you a special password so you can register to grant you full access and enjoy the product. If for any reason you decide that you’d rather have a refund, simply respond to this email and we will refund your money in full.

We are very sorry for this delay in shipping and thank you for your continued patience.

Ride Easy and Happy Holidays,

–Russell Brown
Chief Marketing Officer
Classic Easyriders a Division of GIT Corp
212-220-3651 x703 Office
516-316-6781 Mobile
russ@classiceasyriders.com
www.classiceasyriders.com

[page break]

BIKERNET BOOK OF THE WEEK CLUB—It has never been shown that human emissions of the gas of life drive global warming. Large bodies of science that don’t fit the narrative have been ignored by IPCC, COP and self-interested scientists paid by taxpayers.

A huge, subsidized industry of intermittent unreliable wind and solar electricity has been created based on unsubstantiated science. The same hucksters now want subsidized hydrogen, costly inefficient EVs, subsidized mega-batteries and other horribly expensive tried and failed schemes to impoverish people, create unemployment, transfer wealth and enrich China.

Germany, Texas, California and the UK had a glimpse of Net Zero with blackouts, astronomically high electricity costs and hundreds of deaths. We once had reliable cheap electricity and now that governments have gone green, we are heading for hard economic times.

In this book I charge the greens with murder. They murder humans who are kept in eternal poverty without coal-fired electricity. They support slavery and early deaths of black child miners. They murder forests and their wildlife by clear felling for mining and wind turbines. They murder forests and wildlife with their bushfire policies. They murder economies producing unemployment, hopelessness, collapse of communities, disrupted social cohesion and suicide.

They murder free speech and freedoms and their takeover of the education system has ended up in the murdering of the intellectual and economic future of young people. They terrify children into mental illness with their apocalyptic death cult lies and exaggerations. They try to divide a nation. They are hypocrites and such angry ignorant people should never touch other people’s money.

The greens are guilty of murder. The sentence is life with no parole in a cave in the bush enjoying the benefits of Net Zero.

https://www.climatedepot.com/2021/12/20/geologist-dr-ian-plimer-on-his-new-book-green-murder-a-life-sentence-of-net-zero-with-no-parole-ive-had-a-gut-full-of-the-greens-telling-lies-frightening-children/

Official Bikernet Review:

Every bureaucrat on earth knows all this environmental crap is just another gateway to forcing civilization back to a point to where government can’t be blamed for “infrastructure problems.” We for some reason put bureaucrats in charge of utilities and transportation, and they can’t fucking keep up. They dont know how! All they know how to do is STOP things. CAUSE THEY’RE FUCKING MORONS!

There are now too many people to service with SERVICE forget about quality of service. We got a light bill that’s so fucking high….we actually have to cut back. Blackouts from the government and now blackouts from the victims of government. and stupid citizens give them the most important jobs in civilization: gas, electricity, transportation. and communication. I mean the game is rigged from the instant people decide they need “to be represented.” Who the FUCK started THAT! Ok: don’t get me started.

–J.J. Solari
Certified Book Review Expert
Bikernet.com™

ART Deal of the Day— “Indian” Canvas Giclee’, Signed, Numbered, 20 x 30, for $600.00 / Frt. Normally $850.00.

An early Indian with one of the coolest Gas Tanks ever! Practical engineering. Notch the gas tank so you can change plugs. Not in todays world. A simplistic painting that makes a powerful statement hanging on a wall.

TEXAS WEATHER REPORT–Christmas weather hasn’t seen New Year’s Day yet. Baring monsoons, I always ride New Year’s Day to start the year off right!

I thought this ring broke. Second oldest ring I have, but it is so thin I don’t even know what it caught on?

Anyway, I think I might have to purchase a 3rd wallet since ‘70 something? The cover flap staring to look like it’s gonna break off. Chain, loop and key hook are all diesel mechanic upgrades ‘70s upgrades.

Merry Christmas! I’ll be waiting for my coal from Santa Clause!

–RFR

TRUCK SHIPPING NEWS–In 2021 we had three shipping rate increases from our domestic carriers. In 2022 the average increase is 5.9% on the rate card but the actual impact of the 2022 rates with the increases in surcharges, fees and new terms that were added meant that the actual rate increase is 10.25%. This hits auto/truck parts, furniture, home goods, and the sporting goods sectors harder than everyone else.

We have worked hard at keeping prices down, but we need to raise our shipping charges and move to zone charging based on our increases.

New Zone Shipping Charges will go into effect on January 6th, 2022. The chart below represents the new zone pricing.

–LMC Truck

Milwaukee, WI (Wednesday, December 22, 2021) – Royal Enfield, the world’s oldest motorcycle brand in continuous production since 1901, has tested the endurance of man and machine time and again, and last week, it made history once again by successfully completing the 90° SOUTH Expedition, the quest for the South Pole on the Royal Enfield Himalayan.

This extraordinary endeavor is a tribute to the brand’s 120-year commitment to pure motorcycling, and to the courage and resilience of countless riders and explorers who have made history on two wheels.

On December 16, 2021, two riders Santhosh Vijay Kumar and Dean Coxson reached the geographic South Pole in 15 days, making the ambitious attempt a reality.

The Royal Enfield Himalayans and crew arrived at the geographic South Pole on December 16, 2021. (The team is in communication via satellite phone, hence the low-resolution image.)

The team arrived at Novo in Antarctica from Cape Town for four days of acclimatization, loading of supplies, checking equipment and the motorcycles. From Novo, the team covered an overland distance of 3200 km (1988 miles) over the next 9 days braving extreme weather conditions with temperatures between -30° to -25°C (-22° to -13°F) and wind speed of 60 km/h (37 mph), towards Ross Ice Shelf.

The Ross Ice Shelf was the designated start point for the riders, however, an unexpected blizzard forced the team to alter their course. Instead of starting the ride from 86 South, the team started the 400-km (250-mile) ride from 87 degrees South. Despite a few initial roadblocks and a slight detour, the expedition team completed the quest by reaching the South Pole on December 16, 2021.

For this expedition, two Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycles were modified in-house, with functional upgrades to be able to navigate snow and ice, and function under extreme conditions in Antarctica. The motorcycles were ridden on a compacted snow track from the Ross Ice Shelf to the South Pole, to reduce motorcycle drag and limit emissions to an absolute minimum.

Royal Enfield is consciously ensuring no footprint is left behind by the expedition team except wheel tracks that will be quickly lost to snow drift. In line with our #LeaveEveryPlaceBetter initiative, the team is ensuring all waste including human waste is brought back for appropriate disposal.

The team is currently heading towards the western part of Antarctica, Union Glacier, from where they will fly out to Punta Arenas, Chile.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – As Helping A Hero has already awarded over 150 homes to veterans across 24 states, Johnny Morris, founder of Bass Pro Shops, issued the 100 Homes Challenge to help fund the next 100 homes. As part of the challenge, Lee Greenwood and Paula Deen will serve as hosts of the Helping A Hero Telethon, which will premiere on Monday, December 27, at 8e/7c PM on RFD-TV, The Cowboy Channel, and One America Network.

Music performances by Crystal Gayle, Debby Boone, The Oak Ridge Boys, The Frontmen, John Conlee, The Gatlin Brothers, Home Free, Darryl Worley, and a finale with Sam Moore and T. Graham Brown with special guests Janie Fricke, Lee Brice, Michael Ray, Tim Rushlow, and Darryl Worley will highlight the one hour program.

The goal of the telethon is to raise awareness and money to fund the remaining seventy-five percent of the 100 Homes Challenge, initiated by Morris, who is funding the initial twenty-five percent (25%) of the total cost of the homes.

“I am thankful for the friendships that I have nurtured over the years with so many fellow artists that when I simply asked for their help in performing for this telethon event, so many quickly agreed,” says Greenwood. “This program is going to be something fans of country music will enjoy and I am hopeful that we raise lots of money to help fund these homes for our veterans.”

The Helping A Hero Telethon is executive produced by Kim Greenwood and Lee Greenwood.

INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP TO THE SEMA ACTION NETWORK IS NOW OPEN–Now YOU Can Be Part Of Our SEMA Community And Protect Your Automotive Freedoms.

As part of the SAN community, you understand the importance of working together to protect the future of our hobby.

For the first time ever, SEMA is opening up a unique opportunity for individuals to support the organization in its uphill battle to preserve and grow the aftermarket. The SEMA Individual Membership program will give YOU the power to help make change for the automotive community as a whole and get access to unique benefits and cool merchandise along the way. For more information, click the link below and stay tuned for updates as the program gains momentum.

BURMA SHAVE SLOGAN OF THE WEEK–I drempt we took a road trip /
and I gave my tongue a callus /
because I licked your pussy /
from San Berdoo to Dallas /
Burma Shave

–J.J. Solari

DIME BAG LEATHERS MEETS SONS OF SPEED— Adam Croft is making a custom leather seat for Billy Lane’s Sons of Speed Racing coming up in Daytona Beach, Florida. Stay tuned for more and the completion of this seat. The brilliant blue on brown leather is solid.

Follow, like and share Billy Lane’s @choppers.inc on Instagram for more Sons of Speed and choppers

–Dime Bag Leathers

NEW FROM LOWBROW–The gas tank you like won’t bolt on to your bike?

No problem.

There are a number of ways you can mount a custom gas tank to your motorcycle. And here at Lowbrow we make tons of fabricator bungs, tabs and parts to make the job easier.

Check out their 30-minute video and see one way you can mount a gas tank using straight-forward methods and basic tools!

PS – We have a wide array of gas tanks and fenders, many of which are not available anywhere else in the world! We also have a custom fender mounting how-to video that you may find useful.

–LowBrow Crew

BIDEN EPA Introduces New Regulations To Force Electric Vehicle Transition

The Biden administration rolled out a series of new emissions regulations for passenger vehicles and light trucks that it said would “unlock” $190 billion in benefits for American consumers.

The regulations will be enforced beginning with 2023 car models and will be revised with more stringent standards in 2027, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced. The EPA said the new emissions standards would ultimately quicken the transition from traditional engine vehicles to zero-emission cars.

“This day is truly historic,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said during an event on Monday.

“At EPA, our priority is to protect public health, especially in overburdened communities, while responding to the President’s ambitious climate agenda,” Regan said in a statement prior to the event. “Today we take a giant step forward in delivering on those goals, while paving the way toward an all-electric, zero-emissions transportation future.”

The standards are the “most ambitious” rules of their kind ever put into place, the EPA said. They are projected to cut car emissions by 3 billion tons over the next three decades, the equivalent of half the carbon dioxide emitted in the U.S. per year.

The rule announced Monday will also lead to 15% less gasoline consumption nationwide, according to the agency.

“Today’s action is a tremendous step in the right direction in our fight against the climate crisis,” House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone said in a statement. “Paired with the investments in the bipartisan infrastructure law, this action will accelerate the process of transforming our transportation sector to the benefit of public health and the environment.”

–Thomas Catenacci
Climate Depot

BRAND New Bikernet Reader Comment!–CHOPPER CHRONICLES Episode 1

https://www.bikernet.com/pages/CHOPPER_CHRONICLES_Episode_1.aspx

I love the first chapter. Everything in life centered on the next move.

–Koz Mraz
Sedona, AZ

FIRST CLASSIC EASYRIDERS SWEEPSTAKES 2022—
Classic Easyriders has a Sweepstakes to Win accurate replica of Captain America Chopper built by Bikernet.com Sponsor Ron Paugh of Paughco with Mondo Porras of Denver’s Choppers.

https://classiceasyriders.com/sweepstakes/

To Win the chopper all one has to do is Subscribe to Classic Easyriders Magazine and the Winner will get this replica at Buffalo Chip Campgrounds during Sturgis Bike Week 2022.

–Wayfarer

SHOULD THE BICYCLE BIKELASH BE OVER–Even before the pandemic, bike lanes were springing up all over the country in cities large and small. Most motorists weren’t happy, mainly because fewer travel lanes typically translated into longer trips through congested traffic. During the pandemic, the rate of cities building bike lanes and banning cars on streets rose dramatically. The anti-car crowd used every trick in the advocacy playbook to make this happen.

The Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail recently posted an opinion piece entitled: Is the War against Bike Lanes Finally Over? The writer proclaims:

“Bike lanes, in Vancouver and across Canada, have grown from political flashpoints—and ideological signifiers—to standard-issue civic infrastructure. They’re being built everywhere.”

The article pointed out that the critical element is that many bike lanes in Canada are protected and not just white lines drawn at the side of the street. The paper’s editorial board even used the term ‘induced demand’—build it, and they will ride it. A cited Boston study used “causal inference,” i.e., an educated guess, to suggest that protected bike lanes increase bike traffic by 80 percent.

The problem with protected bike lanes is that cities generally put them on arterial roads, taking out parking and narrowing the driving lanes. Gridlock generally ensues for drivers who can no longer drive the speed limit. As evidenced along Venice Blvd. in Los Angeles, those protected bike lanes are inconsistent from block-to-block. Intersections are a complete mess. Compounding the confusion, bicyclists emboldened by Vision Zero often use an Idaho stop—stop signs mean yield, and stoplights are stop signs—which drivers and pedestrians don’t always anticipate.

Narrowed lanes are more difficult for first responders to move through during an emergency. If there are protected bike lanes at the side, drivers have nowhere to pull over to let police, ambulances, and fire trucks through. Not only that, when protected bike lanes are built in areas susceptible to forest fires, they can become death traps, as happened to 85 people trying to flee Paradise, CA, during the Camp Fire in 2018.

The anti-car media loves to tout their goal of eliminating private car ownership as we know it. Groups are becoming more emboldened than ever before. In early November 2021, for example, the Los Angeles-based Streets for All announced its 25×25 Challenge. The group wants city leaders to endorse giving 25 percent of street space back to the people by 2025. If implemented, this program would expand bus and bike lanes, pedestrian spaces, green space, outdoor dining areas, plazas, and what some folks call ‘slow streets.’ Los Angeles has 55,360 acres of streets with 61,358 intersections. However, most residents still drive to work, and one of the most congested cities in the world will likely become even more so.

NYC Streets for All has a similar 25×25 campaign. New York City just elected Eric Adams, already being touted as ‘the bike mayor.’ He might be the kind of elected official to push the 25×25 project through.

UK’s The Guardian newspaper recently posted a piece about the bikelash paradox. Even though bike lanes are opposed by many, public officials who endorse them win votes. This is especially true in many European cities, Australia, and Canada.

In America, mayors can also get elected on the promise of adding bike lanes. During his campaign, the aforementioned Eric Adams promised to build 300 miles of new bike lanes in the city that never sleeps.

Motor City Mayor Mike Duggan easily won reelection in November. In 2018, he released his four-year, 82-step plan that focused on Detroit’s traffic flow, transit options, protected bike lanes, speed bumps, and even lowered the speed limits. He recently saw the most extensive one-year buildout of protected bike lanes in the US.

As protected bike lane infrastructure is built, resistance to using the 85th percentile rule to determine proper speed limits is often a byproduct. Motorists get hit with a double whammy, dealing with longer trip times caused by increased traffic congestion while watching lightly used bike lanes absorb their tax dollars.

So, the emphatic answer to our own question of whether bikelash, the organized opposition to the building of bike lanes at the expense of drivers and driving, should be over is NO!

THE BILL MAY REPORT–This is the son of my old pal Dave Ruth. He didn’t look so dorky 11 years ago when he and his mother worked at a casino on the north east side of Deadwood. I been looking at this stuff of maps. I think it had to be the first gold casino. I see there is a Cadillac Jacks up there too. My crazy stepdaughter worked at the midnight star in the ‘90s. She should have stayed.

Dave Ruth Sr. playing at Rochford during bike week 2010. I played a few Steve Earle tunes there too. He was a true brother. It is warmer there now than Nashville is. Amazing. Love the girl pics but prefer saggy real tits to those huge plastic ones. Ride on brother.

–Bill May

MERRY CHRISTMAS—I’m making all sorts of progress on Bandit’s Knucklesled. Shortly, I’ll bring you a report on the VL frame being rebuilt and modified by Irish Rich of Shamrock’s Customs. He’s a master with frames and just moved to the Badlands.

I was hunting for a Knuckle driveline and Steve suggested a flathead 74 or 80, which intrigued me. Then this Flathead 80 complete scooter popped up at a great deal, so I jumped on it. So, I’m back to looking for a Knucklehead driveline for the VL frame.

My son is kicking ass in Austin Texas, downtown tattoo parlors.

This bike built in 1970 by Paul Wheeler was an inspiration to me, although I ran into some handling issues with super-stretched scooters.

Check out this feature, from Dangerous Dave, celebrating Wounded Warriors.

We are making progress on the shop yesterday and today. Can’t wait. In the meantime have a terrific Christmas.

Ride fast and free forever,

–Bandit

U.S. traffic deaths soared in the first six months of 2021, making for the most deadly 6-month period ever recorded. An estimated 20,160 people died in motor vehicle crashes on U.S. roads, an 18.4% increase from the same period in 2020, announced the U.S. Department of Transportation’s NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration).

Traffic deaths surged after Coronavirus lockdowns ended in 2020 as more drivers engaged in unsafe behavior like speeding and lack of seatbelt use, according to NHTSA behavioral research findings. That made for the largest six-month increase ever recorded in the Fatality Analysis Reporting System’s history, which has been in use since 1975.

As U.S. roads became less crowded, some motorists perceived police were less likely to issue tickets because of CoViD-19, experts said. Incidents of road rage and driving under the influence were also found to be higher than before the pandemic. Travel on U.S. roads was up 13% in the first half compared to a year earlier.

“This is a crisis,” noted Pete Buttigieg, the transportation secretary, adding that the rising traffic deaths left “countless loved ones behind,” he said. “We cannot and should not accept these fatalities as simply a part of everyday life in America.”

Buttigieg announced the Department’s first-ever National Roadway Safety Strategy to launch in January with a comprehensive set of actions to reverse the current trend.

BBB AND ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLES
It’s not law yet, and many political insiders don’t believe it ever will be in its present form, but the Biden Administration’s “Build Back Better Act” as currently written includes a tax credit toward the purchase of qualifying two- or three-wheeled electric vehicles, of 30% of the purchase price, up to a credit of $7,500.

What kinds of bikes qualify for this credit; you may wonder? For starters, only motorcycles made “for use on public streets, roads, and highways” make the grade. Additionally, qualifying vehicles must be capable of achieving speeds of at least 45 miles per hour, and be powered by a 2.5kWh or greater battery.

Unfortunately, that also means that low-speed electric motorbikes (and scooters), often used for urban transport, do not meet the criteria for this credit. Additionally, while a $7,500 tax credit sounds like a sweet incentive, your electric motorbike purchase must cost at least $25,000 to hit that ceiling.

Various criteria, such as a taxpayer’s modified adjusted gross income, can also affect the available tax credit offered. If married, taxpayers paying jointly make over $500,000 in a year, or $250,000 if filing as single taxpayers, the credit goes away completely.

In America, with its wide-open spaces, one of the biggest hurdles to EV adoption is range anxiety, and while cars manufacturers have made great strides in addressing this issue, electric bike OEMs still face an uphill ride due to size and shape limitations. Still, all EVs traversing American roads could stand to gain if the National Electric Highway Coalition has its way.

Simply stated, the NEHC wants to provide DC fast charging infrastructure along “major U.S. travel corridors” by the end of 2023. With current projections estimating that around 22 million EVs will take to U.S. roads by 2030, the Edison Electric Institute estimates the need for around 100,000 EV fast charging ports readily available from coast to coast.

That’s a tall order, considering the U.S. Department of Energy current lists a total of 5,644 DC fast chargers across the entire United States. By the EEI’s own estimates, that’s nowhere near enough.

A total of 53 separate energy companies across the U.S. formed this NEHC power company coalition, with most being investor-owned energy companies from whom many of us receive our electric bills every month.

EUROPEAN MOTORCYCLE MANUFACTURER ASSOCIATION REVEALS FUTURE GOALS
Despite the growth and development in the electric mobility sector, the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) wants to go much further by 2030. On November 17, 2021, ACEM held an online conference to introduce its Vision 2030+. The strategic documents lay out a roadmap for the European motorcycle industry to continue development in conjunction with regional decarbonization goals. European Parliament and European Commission policy-makers were in attendance as well as industry leaders.

“The Vision 2030+ that we are presenting today is the result of a long-term reflection at the highest levels of the European motorcycle industry,” said ACEM Vice-President and Head of BMW Motorcycles Dr. Markus Schramm. “Vision 2030+ is about the future of mobility but also about the valuable contribution our industry can make to help Europe achieve its goals in areas such as industrial policy, decarbonization, and road safety.”

The presenters stressed the importance of cooperation among manufacturers such as the Swappable Batteries Consortium, but also noted that alternative fuels play a major role in meeting future goals. New proposals like the Fit for 55 package and alternative fuel deployment initiatives are all aimed at achieving the objectives set forth by the European Green Deal and the European Climate Law. Under the two bills, the E.U. is expected to reduce emissions by 55% by 2030.

AI BEING DEVELOPED TO PREDICT AND AVOID COLLISIONS
Honda has announced that they will be embarking on an ambitious program to help make our streets safer by incorporating predictive Artificial Intelligence technology into driving and riding Honda automobiles and motorcycles.

“Honda will strive for zero traffic collision fatalities involving Honda motorcycles and automobiles globally by 2050,” said Honda CEO, Toshihiro Mibe. Mibe also added that to eliminate motorcycle collision fatalities especially in emerging countries, Honda will “continue to strengthen research on safety technologies that enable motorcycles and automobiles to safely coexist and lead the way in realizing a collision-free society.”

With Honda’s “Safe and Sound Technology,” information about potential risks in the traffic environment, which are detected based on information obtained from roadside cameras, onboard cameras and smartphones, will be aggregated in the server to reproduce that traffic environment in the virtual space. In that virtual space, in consideration of the conditions and characteristics of each individual road user, the system predicts/simulates the behaviors of road users at high risk of a collision. Then, the system derives the most appropriate support information to help the road users avoid such risks.

Such support information will be communicated intuitively to automobile drivers, motorcycle riders, and pedestrians through “cooperative risk HMI (human-machine interface),” which will make it possible for the system to encourage road users to take action to avoid a collision before it happens.

According to Honda, the company is targeting the testing and effectiveness of the system within the next few years, while standardization with industry-wide private-public collaboration will commence after 5 years. Honda also hopes to deploy the technology for “real world” applications sometime after 2030.

MOTORCYCLE EVENTS ONCE AGAIN CANCELED DUE TO CHINA VIRUS
Just as we thought the world was beginning to return to some semblance of normalcy, the global pandemic seems to be striking back with a vengeance, especially as majority of the Northern Hemisphere is right in the thick of winter. Several countries have seen massive increases in Coronavirus cases, particularly worrisome mutations, which unfortunately spells disaster for numerous motorcycling events — be it indoors or outside — such as The Elephant Rally, iconic IMOT, and high-adrenaline Supercross Dortmund, as biker gatherings across Europe are being postponed or have gotten the axe.

The racing scene, too, is not left without its casualties, as the Dortmund 2022 motocross series has also been canceled.

OF CONCERN; 4 OUT OF 5 KINDERGARTNERS CAN’T RIDE A BICYCLE
Ryan McFarland, the founder of Strider kids bicycles, told his motorcycle industry audience at the Orange County IMS Outdoors event that today only one in five kindergartners know how to ride a bicycle.

Similarly, most young drivers today have never learned to use a clutch to drive a car with a manual transmission.

Most motorcycles require both balance and use of a clutch, and in the past one could assume that new motorcycle customers would already be familiar with both.

Not-so-much today, but the motorcycle industry is aware of both of these challenges, and are developing new rider programs, power assist bicycles, and new technologies such as clutchless shifting and continuously variable transmissions, as well as more affordable rides.

No, today we can’t count on as many kids riding bicycles or teens learning to drive a stick, but the motorcycle industry is working hard in other ways to attract new riders.

THEFT ALERT: THIEVES USING APPLE TECH TO TRACK VEHICLES OF INTEREST
Apple created AirTags to help users find commonly misplaced items like keys or luggage. When paired to an Apple device via Bluetooth, each AirTag allows the owner to track the item’s whereabouts. Hidden AirTags have even been used to track down stolen vehicles, including motorcycles.

However, AirTags don’t just let the user track their belongings, they also allow thieves to track other people’s property. Authorities have discovered that crooks are stashing AirTags on luxury vehicles, out of the owner’s sight. Once the thief tracks the automobile (or motorcycle) to the owner’s residence, they can steal it once out of the public’s eye.

QUOTABLE QUOTE:

“Those who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside.”
~ John F. Kennedy (1917-63) 35th President of the United States

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

THE AIM / NCOM MOTORCYCLE E-NEWS SERVICE is brought to you by Aid to Injured Motorcyclists (A.I.M.) and the National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM), and is sponsored by the Law Offices of Richard M. Lester. If you’ve been involved in any kind of accident, call us at 1-(800) ON-A-BIKE or visit www.ON-A-BIKE.com.

Following extension after extension, deferring action for more than a year, the so-called infrastructure bill, or highway bill to reauthorize highway funding projects, passed on November 12, 2021 after the U.S. House of Representatives agreed to the Senate’s version and passed a 5-year, $1.2 trillion highway funding bill, dubbed the INVEST ACT.

Unfortunately for bikers who have lobbied Congress extensively on various transportation issues contained in the House measure, after all this time there’s scant little to celebrate. The Senate version does include reestablishment of the Motorcyclist Advisory Council (MAC) to advise the U.S. Department of Transportation on motorcycle matters, and allocates increased Section 405 grant funds dedicated for motorcycle safety.

BUILD BACK BATTERY
Now that President Biden’s scaled back $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill is law, Democrats are setting their sights on his Build Back Better Act, furthering the administration’s electric vehicle agenda, including tax incentives of up to $12,500 per vehicle to spur consumer demand for EVs and establishing a network of 500,000 EV chargers nationwide by 2030.

Transportation officials are touting the Build Back Better as a key part of Biden’s plan along with the new infrastructure package to help achieve the president’s EV sales goal of having half of all new vehicles sold by 2030 to be electric.

On November 19, after months of negotiations including hijacking the infrastructure bill until this “human infrastructure” measure could be acted upon, House Democrats passed the Build Back Better with no Republican support.

Included in $495 billion worth of climate initiatives, there’s proposed refundable electric vehicle tax credits, not just for new cars, but up to $4,000 for used electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles, and also includes incentives for buying electric motorcycles and three-wheeled vehicles which would be eligible for up to $7,500 or half the vehicle’s price.

MOTORCYCLING IS LESS DANGEROUS THAN HORSE RIDING AND SKIING
It turns out that horse riding and skiing are more likely to land you in the hospital needing medical treatment than getting out on your motorcycle, according to a new study that reveals motorcycling actually isn’t as dangerous as other less regulated pastimes.

A study on a decade’s worth of data from the U.S. National Trauma Data Bank has grouped the reasons as to why Americans have landed in the hospital to be treated for injuries. It found that motorcycling isn’t as dangerous statistically as other activities that don’t require so much training.

Motorcycling injuries accounted for 0.14 out of 1000 hours of riding. By contrast, horse riding has 0.49 injuries during that timeframe, with 37% of those requiring care for trauma to the thoracic region (chest and upper back area) and a fifth suffering a head injury.

A quarter of those would go on to require intensive care, plus one in ten needing surgery.

NEW HEADS-UP HELMET DISPLAY TECH HAS ALMOST LIMITLESS POTENTIAL
Swiss firm Aegis Rider AG is using augmented reality to create a helmet that seamlessly integrates information into the view ahead. It’s an idea with virtually limitless potential, from providing real-time hazard warnings by highlighting threats as they emerge, to coaching the rider with suggested speeds and cornering lines, or presenting safety instructions superimposed on the road itself.

Already undergoing tests as a third-generation prototype, the system features on-bike cameras and a central computing unit allied to sensors monitoring speed and lean angle as well as GPS data to locate the bike. This gets cross-referenced with detailed maps that include info about speed limits and road characteristics.

Although it would be possible to display such warnings on a traditional dashboard, there’s a risk that this would take the rider’s eye off the road, so the system is integrated with an augmented reality helmet with heads-up display in the visor.

The system also monitors the helmet’s precise position and orientation in relation to the bike, so the warnings can be superimposed at just the right spot. Aegis Rider is supported by ETH Zurich university where company founder Simon Hecker was awarded his PhD for research on autonomous driving systems.

He said: “I ride a motorcycle myself, so I’m aware of the large gap between the safety systems of modern cars and motorcycles.”

Initially, Aegis Rider want to have a version targeting tech-savvy early-adopters in production by next summer, with later developments leading to more affordable, mainstream versions in the future.

SMART MOTORWAY U-TURN
After investing £6 billion ($8 billion USD) into the smart motorway project since its inception, British Transport Secretary Grant Schapps is reportedly having second thoughts following a report by a national UK newspaper.

The report, compiled by the Mail, raises questions specifically around All Lane Running (ALR) roads, meaning the removal of the hard shoulder to create an extra lane of travel. After reading it, Sec. Schapps is said to have claimed he is not totally against ceasing further construction of the roads.

It is also reported that a former senior transport official claimed that the roads had not improved journey times and that quite the opposite, they could be hurting the economy.

You’d expect the government’s math and economic foresight to be sound, but DfT scientist David Metz has been quoted as saying that ‘biased’ economic modeling was used and that much of the motorway network will have a negative benefit economically; “If better economic modeling and analysis had been done, we wouldn’t have been investing so much money in these roads… So to a degree, this money has been wasted.”

He went on to say, “Consultants like to please their clients so there’s a bias to provide the kind of outcomes expected.”

BIKE MODIFICATIONS THAT EFFECT EMISSIONS ‘LIKELY TO BE OUTLAWED’ IN U.K
The Department for Transport (DfT) in the United Kingdom has clarified its position on the anti-tampering proposals it revealed recently in a meeting with the National Motorcyclists Council (NMC).

The wording of the original document made it seem that any modification from a motorbike’s OEM parts would become illegal, sparking uproar in the biking community. And while the DfT has now made it clear that this is not the case for all parts of your bike, exhaust systems remain firmly in the crosshairs.

The proposals are aimed at ensuring the motorcycles can no longer be legally modified to generate more pollution, which would rule out many performance exhaust systems and power commanders. The proposals have also been designed to stamp out the practice of modifying electric bicycles and e-scooters to make them faster and more powerful.

“Although we are pleased to learn that riders will not be banned from modifying their bikes if this does not reduce environmental performance or increase speeds beyond a particular motorcycle’s design specification, this leaves several areas where legitimate reasons to modify could still be denied,” said Craig Carey-Clinch from the NMC. “There is also a large question mark about how the proposals will affect older motorcycles.

‘DUTCH REACH’ IS THE LAW IN THE NEW BRITISH HIGHWAY CODE
The new rule in the Highway Code is aimed at protecting cyclists, those on motorcycles and vulnerable road users, when drivers are getting out of cars.

If someone was to say ‘don’t forget to use the Dutch Reach’ what would you immediately think of? AMRoadsmart surveyed 10,000 motorists, and found that 85% of those asked had no idea what a Dutch Reach was, instead perhaps wondering why they were being offered something so lewd.

Under new rules in the updated Highway Code, the Dutch Reach is primarily a method aimed at protecting cyclists by simply using your furthest hand to open the car door as you exit your car, naturally making your body turn towards the door and increase your chances of spotting an approaching person/motorcycle/cycle.

Despite being termed as an aide to cyclists, this newly introduced law will also benefit motorcyclists and scooterists who are filtering past – and now recognized as vulnerable road users in the newly updated rules.

Implemented under Rule 239 of the ‘Waiting and Parking’ chapter, the new rule will read:

“You should open the door using your hand on the opposite side to the door you are opening, e.g. use your left hand to open a door on your right-hand side.

“This will make you turn your head to look over your shoulder. You are then more likely to avoid causing injury to cyclists or motorcyclists passing you on the road, or to people on the pavement.”

QUOTABLE QUOTE:

“The people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country.”

~ Hermann Göring (1893-1946), Nazi military leader

 

 

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

THE AIM / NCOM MOTORCYCLE E-NEWS SERVICE is brought to you by Aid to Injured Motorcyclists (A.I.M.) and the National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM), and is sponsored by the Law Offices of Richard M. Lester. If you’ve been involved in any kind of accident, call us at 1-(800) ON-A-BIKE or visit www.ON-A-BIKE.com.

Built by Richie Russolello, Story and Photos by Dangerous Dave – Earl’s Garage

Richie Russolello was working in Kansas and meet with some Veterans building a memorial with no support.

As he talked to them, he made a promise to help them, and their mission to honor veterans and wounded warriors.

He has been working on airplanes, trains, and all the associated support equipment.

He worked for Continental, Colorado Railroad and now Signature Flight Support, and he is licensed to work on A&P aircraft and Qualified Maintenance Personnel (QMP) for trains.

This year he was elevated to judge at the Mountain Regions largest motorcycle event, Colorado Motorcycle Expo going strong for 43 years.

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Richie Russolello was working in Kansas and meet with some Veterans building a memorial with no support. As he talked to them, he made a promise to help them, and their mission to honor veterans and wounded warriors who came home and needed a helping hand.

When he was young, Richie wanted to join the service and fly F14 Tom Cats, but because of physical reasons he could not fly. However, he moved forward working on airplanes, trains, and all the associated support equipment. He worked for Continental, Colorado Railroad and now Signature Flight Support, and he is license to work on A&P aircraft and Qualified Maintenance Personnel (QMP) for trains.

He learned and perfected all of his fabrication skills, welding, metal fabrication and built motorcycles. He has shown many of his custom bikes, and like most builders he enjoys the design and build as much or more than riding. This year he was elevated to judge at the Mountain Regions largest motorcycle event, Colorado Motorcycle Expo going strong for 43 years.

“We want to get the people to talk,” Richie said, “To see if we get them to come on board with us, support and donate to the Wounded Warrior Project. You know, there’s a lot of military charities out there, they’re all good but the way I feel is that you gotta fix the soldier first. We could get them houses, we could get them jobs, we get them finances, but we gotta fix them. We got to fix him and his family and the only way we’re gonna do that, is through the Wounded Warrior Project.”

“They handle all the medical. They handle the mental and physical rehabilitation. They even have programs to get them back into the workforce. ‘Cuz these guys and girls are coming back seriously messed up. So, what do we do? We gotta get them back into life. That’s why this whole program came about. We’re doing it for them. We’re doing it for the veterans. We wanted to say thank you to the veterans by building this bike, but we also wanted to use it for our project supporting Wounded Warriors.”

The Wounded Warrior is designed to provide tribute to all branches of the service, Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. Not to look like a show bike all bright and shiny, but the tools they used coming back from years of service fighting for what they stand for.

Richie started this bike by modifying an older chassis to for a Pro Street frame. He chopped it up and made it his own design. The backbone was lowered to bring in the shape of a fighter plane. With help from a friend, who owns a machine shop in Florida, he designed the custom swing arm. He fabricated it as two pieces and performed the finished welding. He installed an Avon 300 tire in the back and a 21-inch tire in the front.

From there he stripped all the chrome off components for a more of a military finish. The bike looks like it just came back from the battlefield. That’s what he was looking for. Not looking for the pretty stuff. He finished the frame and did all the welding, trying to keep the welding as careful as he could. But he liked a little bit of the roughness in some welds. He duplicated the look of something you see from an airfield or a battlefield. If something breaks, they’re gonna stick it back together and send it right back out. That is what this bike represents.

The tank was a prefab, but it didn’t end up that way. He redesigned and finished it. It was just a tank with a ton of welds, so he had to cut the back off, shape it and then finish everything. It is the military shark that you see on all the fighter jets. It is equipped with a gas cap resembling a gun turret, He took a taxi light off an aircraft, the glass top and made it look like the gun turret from a B-17. It has two cannons and is glass top and there’s a guy inside that they used a 3D printer to make. The gas cap closes perfectly with the guns facing forward. He said they had a blast with that.

The seat was all handmade. A friend, Aaron did the work on that. Richie designed it all and Aaron cut the leather and did all the custom tooling displaying the five military branches. You see all five branches of the military cut right into the leather. That came out cool.

The front fender was just a fenders, Richie cut it up to the design that he wanted. It has an eagle’s head proudly on it. The is a lot of design to capture everything as real as he could. The rear fender is the tails from an F-14, Tom Cat with the engines as lights. They actually light up and flicker when it’s starting, the taillights are bullets. He had to bring that Tom Cat to the bike.

The engine is a 96 inch. He wanted to keep it down. Anything over 96, you get to the 110’s and better, it is gonna shake itself apart. This bike isn’t built for that, its built to cruise and enjoy. So, he stayed with the 96, it’s got a different piston, and it has a different cam so it’s got a great sound and is running great. The carb is typical, just a stock carb, nothing racy about it.

The primary color he started with was a block of metal, black aluminum and then went with a true military green.

The air cleaner is a bomb. He wanted it to resemble the old fighter aircraft where they put the pin-up girl with her name on it. The pin-up is on the bomb and she’s called Belladonna.

This is all hand fab; everything came from nothing. The chin spoiler is a f117 Nighthawk that was a nightmare, but we got it by hammering every day, and throwing it away. Like that bike is two years of accidents. He kept trying and trying and trying to get it right and made a big old sheet metal pile. And then looking through the pile he found the perfect one at the bottom.

Another thing, he’s proud of the exhaust system. He hand fabricated the each element. Starting with a wide pipe, he cut it and made his own single tube and then made a machine gun. It’s called a GAU-17, which is the same as an M-134D. It’s a military Gatling gun, still in service today. They shoot 3,000 rounds a minute, 50 rounds a second. It’s got the Gatling tubes. There are six of them, 50 millimeter in size. There’s even the toggle switch that you throw, when you start firing.

The chopper sports the actual Marine logo. He also mounted the K-bar, which is the weapon that the Marines get, when their training hand-to-hand combat. It’s the most important weapon a Marine has. He was asked by a friend, a Marine, to include it.

Everything accessory was Military related, artillery, ordinance, you name it, it came from the military.

Another biggie is the headlight. He struggled with the Coast Guard. He didn’t know what might represent them. He decided to make a rescue spotlight. The only thing he found was a housing and then he machined the rest of it. It’s a search and rescue spotlight now. “It came out so good,” Richie said. “I’m not bragging at all, just – when something turns out sharp, it’s wow, look at that.” It’s equipped with Morse Code fins. It also has working night vision.

The final piece on it is a true GPS speedometer, built inside a housing complimenting the front forks. The speedometer is inside. A pure GPS, so there are no wires, just an antenna.

Isaac “Izzy” Reyes is phenomenal with an airbrush. “I didn’t want a green bike with a white star on it, “Richie said, “I need it to look real.” Izzy turned all the sheet metal into riveted sheet metal, with an airbrush.

“When I showed the fender to my wife Donna, “Richie said, “she touched it, she wanted to feel the rivets. There ain’t no rivets there.”

Izzy completed the shark artwork and also put a Red Cross on the top of the tank. Looking like it came straight from M*A*S*H. Then he applied age into it. That’s what topped it all off. He mastered wear and age on every part of the bike, even the red star, the Red Cross. It looks like it’s been on the battlefield 20 years. He pulled the whole bike together.

For those who were prisoners, Richie added a POW license plate. He weathered it to show the pain for those who endured that fate.

“My two sons and daughter, Michael, Ricky, Jessica, did all the 3-D printing for me,” Richie said. “A big guy I must thank is the owner of Metal Supply and Machine, Del Rey Beach, Florida. He’s a buddy of mine from when I used to live in New York. He opened up a machine shop, and when he found out what I was doing, his whole family military family stepped up.”

He said, “Rich, you need something done, you tell me, and I’ll get it done.”

“I owe this guy everything,” Richie said. “All my thoughts and all my pictures, he turned into reality.”

“So, it all came together, a bunch of good people that helped me put it together and especially my wife. She supported me, even though she thought I was crazy. She was okay with doing the whole Wounded Warrior thing.”

This whole project is for those who served, to thank them for what they did. Richie has permission to use the Wounded Warrior organizations name and logos and the funds raised will go to them.

If you would like to help Richie and the team support Wounded Warriors, visit them at Facebook https://www.facebook.com/donate/1818049438379057/3039319403062923/

Prostreet Frame with shortened down tube and lowered backbone with 48-degree rake
S&S 96-inch Engine
Ultima 6-spd transmission
BDL open primary
Avon 21 front and 300 rear tires
Custom built handle bars
Prostreet tank finished and lowered
DNA 66mm inverted front end
Harley controls
One off B-17 Gun turret Gas cap
Custom seat by Kruger Customs
One off F117 Nighthawk Chin spoiler
Custom Primary cover machined to M-4 Army Tank
War Medal “All Gave Some, Some Gave All” in 24 Karat gold plating
One off shift rod “Freedom isn’t free” in 24 Karat gold plating
Custom designed Coast Guard Search and Rescue Headlight
Custom Military service pistol foot pegs
One off custom exhaust as a M134D/Gua-17 Mini Gun

Custom designed front and rear fenders with F-14 Tails and Nacelles
Custom bullet style taillights and turn signals
PM brakes front and rear
Custom Bomb Air cleaner assembly
One off custom blend Black Olive Matte paint
Custom Marine Kabar with sheath
Airbrushing by Issaic “IZZY” Reyes

Thanks to Marc from Metal Supply and Machining Inc. and his team. Matt Dominguez as the events coordinator and transporter. To Richie’s children Jessica, Ricky, and Mike for help and support with paint, leather work, and 3D printing. A special thanks to his wife, Donna for letting him complete his vision and putting up with a crazy bike builder with a dream.