event: NHDRO Mid-Season Nationals presented by Green Bay Anodizing
when: August 27-29, 2021
where: U.S.131 Motorsports Park, Martin, Michigan,USA

It was a motorcycle drag racing family reunion as NHDRO set up at beautiful U.S.131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan, for the Mid-Season Nationals presented by Green Bay Anodizing on August 27-29.

NHDRO’s Shootout Friday kicked the party off, and at the end of the BB Racing Super Comp Shootout there was a familiar name on the $3300 Big Check in the winners circle—Tom Klemme.


And so it was on Friday as Klemme won the weekend’s biggest shootout, beating Robert “The” Mann in the all-Kawasaki dragbike final. Mann’s own Kawasaki is about a decade newer than Klemme’s and as sharply dressed as Z.Z. Top.

Kyron Drake’s wild rides to the Ryan Schnitz Racing Road Course win bode well for this class’s future as a racer and fan favorite. Riding a rough and ready, so old it had a MIRock sticker on the swingarm, all-black MSP Gen2 Suzuki Hayabusa, Drake started the excitement with an enormous dry hop wheelie in round 1. “Whoa! I didn’t see that coming!” said NHDRO’s Brian Welch, his eyes as wide as Worldwide Bearings.

Drake’s pass was just as exciting after the finishline as it was before the start, as he misjudged U.S.131’s shutdown area. As you approach the gate to enter U.S.131, there’s a sign that reads “Pavement Ends,” and the same sign might be used before the track’s uphill gravel trap. It was late in the game that Drake realized it, in fact, wasn’t pavement.
“He was sitting up on the tank trying to get it stopped!” laughed MSP builder/tuner Joe Marasco as he replaced the bike’s brake fluid. “Up on the tank like a stunt rider!”

“What? You don’t care about me!” mocked a shocked Drake.

NHDRO boss Welch added a new layer of competition to the class, involving a Street Outlaws-style list, side bets, guardians, challenges, etc. “I think this new stuff that Brian has added is going to really appeal to racers,” said Chicago area racer/promoter Mark Mueller. “They’re really gonna like it.”

Mueller was there to help Grothus Dragbikes/Klemme Performance Motorcycles Pro Ultra 4.60 racer Dan McCarten, and at one point asked this photographer “How come Dan’s picture never gets posted?”

“He’s gotta win the race,” was the reply, and the team must have taken that simple wisdom to heart. McCarten qualified number one and did, in fact, win the race.

McCarten won both ends of the final against Les Stimac, hitting the tree with a .005 and the stripe at 4.609.
“Going into U.S.131, I was on the heels of several losses in Iowa totaling less than a hundredth of a second,” said McCarten. “On the positive side, the entire combination of man and machine was on the edge of success without the sprinkles. Sprinkles are for winners, family rule.

“Unloading in Michigan with confidence that had taken a beating for two years, it all came together. A couple of test hits revealed a failing clutch which was swapped out before Q1. The result yielded a too-quick 4.56. A slight tune-up adjustment for Q2 dropped it on a tight 4.612 out the back door. Good enough for the top spot at the moment. Another minimal tweak yielded another 4.5999 for Q3. Who says you can’t do that two events in a row?

“When Brian Welch granted the class a Q4 shot it was game-on. Changing nothing but riding techniques for Q4 and some dumb luck, we dropped a 4.604 to seal the number one spot for the event. Step one complete.

“We finally got some damn sprinkles! It originally came fairly easy, then came a couple of years of struggles as the class took serious leaps in technology, commitment, and abilities across the board.
“I can’t thank my heart and soul Michelle Curtis enough for her faith in me to see it through when I’d had enough. For my go-to guy, Mark Mueller, for always having my back whenever he’s asked. And for the support and help from the Fast Time Motorsports family and Billy Vose for guidance with some critical areas.
Like McCarten in 4.60, Eric Yost won the start and the stripe in the M2.Shocks 8.70 Quick Street final. Neither number was stellar, but both enough to do the job. Yost’s .056 light gave him and his Kawasaki ZX14 a .009 advantage over Marty White at the start, and his 8.81 was .017 was closer to the 8.70 index.

“It was a long time coming, and its proof it takes a team to win!” said Yost. “My team is the best, they push and support me through everything on and off the track.

“I’d like to thank MedPro for the sponsorship; Rowe Racing—if you want to win you need them; Port-Tech for the engine setup; Dave Page for the rebuild; Matt Savage, my crew chief; Gina, Toni, and Maryann for keeping us racers fed; my mom, my biggest cheerleader; my uncle John watching over me from above with my dad; most of all my wife Karen. She lets me do what I need and spend what I want while she holds the fort down! So many more people I need to thank! Like I said, ‘team’ is what it takes to win!”

Yost beat number one qualifier Phillip Humphrey in round three.

Saturday night’s highlight was the Stock Wheelbase Shootout, another no-time class which saw Road Course winner Drake in another final on another MSP ‘Busa. His opponent was Indy racer Dustin “I used to be Naked Boy” Clark on a borrowed Kawasaki ZX14.
Clark was slow to launch, but Drake had to short-shift out of a wheelie in the first 60 feet and Clark was able to drive around for the win.

“I would like to thank RSR for loaning me a bike, Tim Hailey for giving us the best coverage, and Brian Welch for putting on the class,” said Clark. “I wish more people were into stock wheelbase racing so we could have a big turnout.”

Schnitz Racing Top Gas 8.20 racer “Kounselor” Kenny Schwartz will get to hold on to the $500 bonus he’s paying to the Top Gas winner, as it was one of two classes that didn’t finish when a sudden shower thoroughly soaked the track and knocked out power to the tower late Sunday afternoon.
Doug Fisher and David Bashera will run the Top Gas final when the NHDRO family gathers at Norwalk on September 17-19. Donnie Emerson was number one qualifier.

Hey Kenny, what’s the interest on $500 for three weeks?

Advanced Sleeve Dirty 30 9.30 is the other class that didn’t finish, and Joe Klemme and Rylan Rowe will also race that final in Norwalk. Jim Swanger was the Dirty 30 number one qualifier.

Joe Klemme was going a lot of rounds in many classes on Sunday. “He’s holding up the family honor,” quipped his brother Tom, whose success for the weekend was largely over after Friday

And when the tree came down for the BB Racing Super Comp 8.90 final with Greg Mallett, Joe’s chances were looking good. His .018 light bested Mallet’s .033, but a 9.08 wasn’t going to cut it against Mallett’s 8.99

Top Gas finalist Beshara was also the Super Comp number one qualifier. He lost to Jeremy Teasley in round two.

But Beshara wasn’t finished, and did ride his burnt orange “Frankenstein” ‘Busa to Saturday’s MPS Pro ET win. David’s.002 light vs. Jack Foster’s .049 pretty well sealed the deal in the final, finished off when he ran 8.91 on his 8.89 dial while Foster ran 9.13 on a 9.11.

“Let’s start by saying it was hot as hell this past weekend,” said Beshara. “I had my wife with me to help with the bikes and she did more then I thought was possible. She rode both bikes back all weekend as I pushed them back to the pit. She put fuel in both bikes and helped me stay cool in the staging lanes with an umbrella. Without her, I would have been lost.

“Friday’s Shootout didn’t go as planned. Second round I raced my teammate Jeremy Teasley. I had a bad light to Jeremy’s almost perfect light and lost.

“Now it’s Saturday and it’s a new race day. I made it to victory lane and it was great to have my wife at the track to take it all in. It takes a lot of work just to get to the race. She sees me out in the shop many nights between races working and preparing to go race and this is the first time for us to be in the winners circle together. That was worth all the hard work.

“By Sunday I was so over the heat and humidity, but as racers do we kept pushing. I lost to Mike Mullendore in the quarterfinals in Pro ET. Top Gas was a whole new experience for me this past weekend. I have been working on the new bike that was added just for Top Gas for the last two seasons. With last year being a shortened season due to COVID, I didn’t learn much about the new bike, outfitted with a Maxx ECU. We finally have a tune-up that works for Top Gas, and Doug Fisher and I will run the finals in Norwalk.”
After beating Beshara, Mullendore went on to beat Joe Klemme in Sunday’s Pro ET final—yet another final for Klemme.

The race started out close enough. Klemme left first with an .026, bested a bit by Mullendore’s .021. It was just as tight at the finish as well, with Klemme posting a 9.316 on a 9,30, and Mullendore lighting the winlight with an 8.906 on his 8.89.

“First and foremost, all the glory goes to God!” said Mullendore. “We had a great weekend at NHDRO. Brian and Niki Welch, I can’t thank you enough! You’ve always treated us very well, even if I was a little full of attitude. Sorry Brian!

“To all my family and friends that have helped, supported, and cheered for us, it means so very much!

“So many tough competitors to face and it feels awesome to know we can be competitive with the best of best!”

Mullendore then thanked a vast list, including but not limited to his mom, dad, sister and her family, Jay Eshbach and Team APE, Dustin Lee’ Hard Times Parts & Service, David Liguori, Tim Robinson and Robinson Industries, Carrillo Rods, MTC Engineering, Web Cams, Marcus McBain of M2.Shocks, Greg Mallett and the Mallett Magnet, and many, many more.

Life-long Hoosier Todd “Bounty Hunter” Smith expressed great pride last June when he was able to get to the U.S.131 winners circle against the NHDRO field. He did it again on Saturday night, beating one of the absolute best of the best— Kevin Adams—in the Kevin Dennis Insurance Street ET final.

Kevin’s unusually poor .073 light set the stage for Smith’s .020 to open up a win. Todd made it exciting, running a 9.26 on his 9.20 while Adams was only one number over with a 9.37 on a 9.36.
“At times I feel like I’m living a working man’s dream,” said Smith. “I’m totally grateful. My adult son had made the last-minute decision to come up and race, and that meant the world to me to have him in the winners’ circle. You live for the short moments in life. The pictures and memories of this past weekend will never be forgotten. Thank you to the Brian Welch family for working so hard and putting on a great event.

“And thanks to Kevin Dennis Insurance for sponsoring the class. Kevin’s been my insurance man for 15 years and also sponsored a Little League team I coached.”

Leaving first, Justin Blackford had a better reaction time (.024) vs. Jeremy Teasley’s .046 in Sunday’s Street ET final. But OH! Blackford broke out with a 9.31 on his 9.33 dial while Teasley ran an easy 8.97 on his 8.94.

“It was a HOT but great race by NHDRO. Brian, and Niki,” said Teasley.

“For the first time my bike wasn’t fast enough. Never had to turn it up that much. Was really focused on Top Gas and Super Comp, got in Street ET just to get some laps and somehow won!

“Then Saturday I had a grudge race with Alex Schnitz with scooters he beat up on me! Looking forward to Norwalk, haven’t been there in a few years.”

Skylar Bremer won Hard Times Parts & Service Jr. Dragster over Eli Edwards, and “Rowdy” Rhonda Jones won the Scooter race over Steve “Uzzi” Uzl.
VooDoo Grudge saw some wild, freeform action in between all the Shootouts and late-night bracket racing.

by Shakti Nath Jha from https://www.financialexpress.com

New Triumph Tiger 900 Bond Edition Revealed; Limited to just 250 units globally
Triumph Motorcycles has revealed the ultra-exclusive Bond Edition of the Triumph Tiger 900. Only 250 units of the new Tiger 900 Bond Edition will be available worldwide.

Triumph Motorcycles has officially revealed the new ultra-exclusive Bond Edition of the Triumph Tiger 900. The company has introduced the Tiger 900 Bond Edition to celebrate the iconic British partnership between James Bond and Triumph. The new Triumph Tiger 900 Bond Edition is inspired by the incredible Tiger 900 Rally Pro, which features in amazing stunt sequences in the upcoming 25th ‘007’ James Bond movie, ‘No Time To Die’.

This new limited edition motorcycle from Triumph is based on the top-spec Rally Pro variant of the Tiger 900. Triumph Motorcycles has revealed that only 250 units of the new Tiger 900 Bond Edition will be available globally. Each of these limited edition motorcycles will be individually numbered on the handlebar clamp with a signed certificate of authenticity. The Tiger 900 Bond edition will be finished in a unique Matt Sapphire Black paint scheme and it will feature exclusive ‘007’ graphics with blacked-out inserts to make this good-looking ADV even more appealing.

The new Triumph Tiger 900 Bond Edition gets exclusive features such as the ‘007’ TFT start-up screen animation, heated rider and pillion seat along with Bond Edition branding on the saddle, a set of high-specification Michelin Anakee wild off-road tyres for advanced off-road capabilities, etc. The new Tiger 900 Bond Edition is the second limited-edition motorcycle from Triumph to be built in collaboration with the Bond franchise.

Last year, this British two-wheeler manufacturer launched the Bond Edition of the Scrambler 1200. However, in terms of mechanicals, the Tiger 900 Bond Edition remains the same as the Tiger 900 Rally Pro.

The new Triumph Tiger 900 Bond Edition is powered by a BS6-compliant 888cc, liquid-cooled, inline 3-cylinder engine. This motor churns out 95 PS of maximum power at 8750 RPM and 87 Nm of peak torque at 7250 RPM. The engine comes mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox and it gets six different riding modes. They are – Rain, Road, Sport, Off-Road, Rider-configurable, and Off-Road Pro. As already mentioned before, only 250 units of the Tiger 900 Bond Edition will be available globally.

Triumph unveils new limited-edition Tiger based on bike that stars in new James Bond film No Time to Die

Two Triumph models star in the latest Bond blockbuster

by Enda Mullen from https://www.coventrytelegraph.net

Triumph Motorcycles has followed in the footsteps of Coventry car maker Jaguar Land Rover by playing a starring role in the latest James Bond film No Time To Die

The Hinckley-based motorcycle maker is an official partner in the James Bond film franchise for the first time, with two models used in stunts in the 25th Bond Blockbuster.

Not only that but the company has created a new limited-edition model inspired by one of the models used in the film.

The Tiger 900 Bond Edition takes direct influence from the Tiger 900 used in a series of action sequences in the new 007 movie.

Tiger 900 and Scrambler 1200 motorcycles feature in stunt scenes in the film, following a partnership between Triumph Motorcycles and EON Productions announced in December 2019.

No Time To Die was filmed in 2019 in several locations including Jamaica, Norway, Italy and the UK, and Triumph is the only motorcycle partner in the movie.

It joins other 007 vehicle partners including Jaguar Land Rover.

The James Bond stunt team required high performance bikes for some key action sequences.

For months, the Triumph design workshop team collaborated behind closed doors with the stunt team to configure several feature motorcycles for the movie, including special preparations of Tiger 900 and Scrambler 1200 models to handle the extreme and dynamic action sequences – and the film’s stunt riders – demanded.

Lee Morrison, No Time To Die stunt coordinator, said: “First and foremost, as a stunt coordinator I have to be sure that we can achieve the action on that motorcycle.

“Is it agile and powerful enough for the stunt riders to achieve what I want them to? And also, crucially, does it fit the story of the film in a way that’s credible onscreen.”

He added: ““We loved the look of the Scrambler 1200, and we already knew we would use those in No Time To Die, but then Triumph offered us several prototypes of a bike that hadn’t yet been launched at that time, and that was the Tiger 900.

“The whole stunt team realised very quickly that these were amazing bikes.

“We spent a long time on the Tiger and it is so balanced. You can just have great fun with it.

“The Tiger 900 is the most confidence-inspiring bike, it allows you to really push the ride as far as you want, you can take as many liberties as you want; stand up sideways drifting in third gear, slow wheelie it, slide it Supermoto-style. I honestly think it’s one of the best bikes I’ve ever ridden, it’s fantastic.”

Lee is also a big fan of the Scrambler 1200?

“Ah it’s just so much fun, isn’t it,” he said.

“Get on it, and it’s an absolute blast straight off. I’d switch everything off (Off-Road Pro mode) and ride that thing like it was a motocross bike, couldn’t stop grinning.

“For the film we rode the Scrambler 1200 absolutely flat out, I mean as aggressive as you can ride a motorcycle, lighting it up off-road on tough terrain in Scotland, drifting it through really slippery streets in Matera (Italy), hitting steps flat out in third gear, quick direction changes, jumps, everything you could imagine, and that bike performed brilliantly.”

Lee also highlighted one particular stunt scene in which the Tiger 900 performed as the ‘most challenging’ in the new film.

He said: “We were riding them at high speeds and bouncing off the sides of cars during the Norway chase scene.

“It was amazing being able to ride behind and direct my lead stunt rider, constantly telling him to get in there, I want you alongside Bond, hitting the side of his door, cutting behind. There was a point where we jumped the Tiger over a car and under a helicopter.

“To have the confidence in a motorcycle to do all those things, on the move, while directing through an earpiece shows you how good that bike is.”

Limited to just 250 examples – with each individually numbered and accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity – the Tiger 900 Bond Edition receives a matt black paint scheme and 007 graphics, as well as a billet-machined handlebar clamp.

A blacked-out styling package brings a black finish to the frame, headlight finishers, side panels and sump guard – among other components – giving the bike an understated look.

Each bike gets a unique 007-theme start-up animation on the screen, while the heated rider and pillion seat receive special Bond Edition branding. Prices for the Tiger 900 Bond Edition start from £16,500.

Triumph also created a limited-edition Scrambler 1200 Bond Edition model but it has already sold out.

WE RIDE TOGETHER

to do our little bit

#LeaveEveryPlaceBetter

Sunday, September 26

In April 2011, ten years ago, the first ONE RIDE kick-started what has now become one of the largest annual celebratory rides of Royal Enfield enthusiasts. With no specific route or destination in mind, some on their own, others with friends – ride freely – purely for the pleasure of motorcycling on their Royal Enfields.

In 2021, a world greatly changed, a world that needs each one of us to be more mindful, we are shifting gears from a ride of just pure pleasure to riding for awareness around responsible travel. A step change that will enable us to continue to discover the spaces we find energy, beauty, solace, and ourselves in.

This One Ride the community of Royal Enfield riders can mobilize their strength to lead this change – towards “Responsible Travel“ by doing their little bit to #LeaveEveryPlaceBetter.

• Support Locals
• Carry Back Your Waste
• Avoid Single Use Plastic
• Ride Safe

CONTACT YOUR DEALER FOR #ONERIDE DETAILS

Royal Enfield North America www.royalenfield.com

It is going to be good!

NEVER GIVE UP—We won’t. We’re having too much fun, because we’re living in the best of times.

Most aftermarket companies are making bank this year. Life is just so interesting. We are living in the best of times and I’ll prove it over the weeks to come.

We’re bikers and the party never ends.

Ride fast and free forever,

–Bandit

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Join the Cantina for more – Subscribe Today!

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Hey,

I wrote to the former President Trump about unity and bringing the country together. I’m all about progress, enlightenment and unity and not about blame. I guess, if anyone was going to seriously investigate our issues, they would be funneled in the direction of our media.

So, I’m driving into Sturgis the other day and because I bought a Bikernet Billboard for the rally I looked at billboard row as I entered town. It’s sorta strange, like suddenly there are maybe a dozen billboards, six on each side of the Highway 14a within just 100 yards of road. Most of the ads are for the Deadwood Casinos like Cadillac Jacks or the American Roadhouse in downtown Sturgis. But suddenly one popped out. This image shows a smaller version of the same billboard.

It bothered me. I spoke to a leader inside the Climate Science realm and be said this group (WWF funded by Coca Cola) was posting these things and of course they are wrong. There are no offshore oil rigs near Polar Bears. Plus, just so you know, there are more Polar Bears now than ever. I called the billboard company and discovered this political statement was a PSA, a public service announcement. That means no charge, free.

The attack on the fossil fuel industry is crazy, interesting, ignorant, misguided and political bullshit. I may post a billboard contrary to this one, just to educate folks who are being pushed around by these bullies. For instance, if fossil fuels went away, people would die, not just a few folks but lots of folks and more would suffer because of a lack of medical supplies and medicines. And did you know CO2 is not a pollutant, not at all, so how did they get it all so wrong and try to make us all feel like we are doing wrong? More on this later. Let’s hit the news.

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

VANCE & HINES— Enters ADV Motorcycle Segment With Exhaust
for Harley-Davidson Pan America Motorcycles

System Delivers More Power, More Torque and Increased Rider Comfort

Vance & Hines, America’s premier manufacturer of motorcycle performance products, today announced the launch of its exhaust system for the new Harley-Davidson Pan America motorcycle. This slip-on exhaust takes Vance & Hines into a new segment of the industry, adventure bikes (ADV), which is experiencing significant world-wide growth. The offering for the Harley-Davidson Pan America precedes additional Vance & Hines systems being designed to fit other popular ADV models.

The Vance & Hines Adventure Hi-Output 450 delivers a performance increase of five foot-pounds of torque and over five horsepower versus the bike’s stock exhaust. It reduces the overall weight of the Revolution Max-powered Harley by nearly six pounds. The product is designed with V&H’s distinctive look, a massive 4.5″ stepped, high-output canister constructed of 304 grade stainless steel with a brushed finish and a ceramic-coated, CNC-machined, billet aluminum end cap. The riveted badge showcases a new laser engraved logo graphic which will be used on all Vance & Hines ADV and off-road products.

For rider comfort, the mid-pipe has been designed to improve rider’s boot clearance while standing on the pegs.

The system delivers a Vance & Hines signature exhaust note while meeting the SAE Standard J2825 sound levels. It maintains the bike’s 50-state emissions compliance.

“This is an important launch for Vance & Hines,” said company President Mike Kennedy. “In addition to being a great exhaust for an outstanding motorcycle, the new Adventure Hi-Output 450 product moves us into a whole new category. ADV bikes are a hot market, and we are bringing Vance & Hines performance, style and sound to the category. In the coming months we’ll be delivering greater exhilaration to riders of all the most popular ADV bikes in the market.”

“We are making a significant investment in the off-road segment,” Kennedy continued. “Our R&D capabilities are already expanding in preparation for our growth in this category.”

The new Vance & Hines exhaust is compatible with Harley-Davidson factory saddlebags. A US Forestry Spark Arrestor will be available as an add-on for riders traveling off road.

The Vance & Hines Adventure Hi-Output 450 Exhaust System for Pan America will be available through retail outlets in October. Retail price is $599.95.

Vance & Hines is based in Santa Fe Springs CA and has its Racing Development Center in Brownsburg IN. Learn more about the company’s history and products at www.vanceandhines.com.

–Steve Piehl, Authentic CX, LLC,

WELCOME TO THE BANDIT’S CANTINA BAD JOKE LIBRARY–A fourth-grade teacher asked the children what their fathers did for a living. All the typical answers came up – fireman, mechanic, businessman, salesman… and so forth. However, little Justin was being uncharacteristically quiet, so when the teacher prodded him about his father, he replied,

“My father’s an exotic dancer in a gay cabaret and takes off all his clothes to music in front of other men and they put money in his underwear. Sometimes, if the offer is really good, he will go home with some guy and stay with him all night for money.”

The teacher, obviously shaken by this statement, hurriedly set the other children to work on some exercises and took little Justin aside. “Is that really true about your father?” “No,” the boy said, “He works for the Democratic National Committee and helped to get Biden elected, but it’s too embarrassing for me to say that in front of the other kids.”

–from Sam Burns
Certified Librarian
Bandit’s Cantina™

FIT FOR 55–What Do The European Climate Plans Mean For Motorcycling?

The European Commission proposes policies fit for reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. FEMA’s Dolf Willigers explains what the European Commission’s ‘Fit for 55′ plans could mean for us motorcyclists.

On 14 July 2021, the European Commission presented its ambitious package ‘Fit for 55’. A total of 12,000 (!) pages of plans and measures, including twelve new regulations, all aimed at one goal: to make the European Union climate-neutral in 2050. According to the Commission, road transport emits almost 20% of the greenhouse gasses (mainly CO2) in Europe and is, as only sector, still on the rise. No wonder that some of the measures the Commission published are aimed at the reduction of CO2 emissions from road traffic.

In 2030 all new sold cars and vans must have 0% CO2 tailpipe emissions. In 2050 the CO2 emissions of all vehicles must be reduced with 90% compared to 1990. Although the Commission claims technical neutrality, with the present state of techniques, this means that from 2030 only battery or hydrogen powered electric cars and vans can be sold. Before that, tailpipe emissions of cars and vans must be reduced with respectively 55% and 50% (on the average fleet) from 2030, instead of respectively 37.5% and 31%. From 2035 the reduction will be 100%.

You may have noticed that I did not mention motorcycles. This is because in all 12,000 pages of plans motorcycles are not mentioned at all. However, this does not mean that ‘Fit for 55’ does not affect motorcyclists. The 90% reduction in CO2 gasses is for all road transport, including motorcycles. It is just a matter of numbers.

Because of the low part of emissions by all powered two-wheelers compared to other vehicles, the Commission seems it not feasible to mention them yet. They couldn’t be squeezed into 12,000 pages. They are also no part of the Regulation (EU) 2019/631 that concerns the CO2 emission performance standards for new passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. Does this mean that motorcycles are out of the loop? I doubt it.

Just look at what happened in the UK, also on the 14th of July. On the same day that Frans Timmermans presented his ‘Fit for 55’ package, the Department for transport (DfT) of the United Kingdom announced that from 2035 “All new L-category vehicles (have) to be fully zero emissions at the tailpipe”. L-category vehicles means motorcycles, mopeds, and light three- and four-wheelers. This contrary to earlier announcement of the British government that motorcycles were not in the scope in a plan to end the sale of new petrol fueled vehicles in the UK by 2030.

‘Fit for 55’ is a whole package of plans. Motorcycles may not have been included (yet) in these plans but there is more to come. Part of the plan is a revision of the European Emission Trading system (EU ETS). The plan is to create a parallel EU ETS for emissions from fossil fuels that are used in combustion engines for road transport, heating of buildings, maritime transport. In other words: the petrol that you use to fuel your motorcycle will be part of the ETS. This may well affect the price of petrol, but if this is really the case is not to be seen yet and will probably differ per member state.

Does this all mean that after 2035 we can only buy battery- of hydrogen-powered motorcycles? That must be seen. Look at the answer to our question about electric motorcycles in April 2021 by ACEM General Secretary Antonio Perlot. The motorcycle industry predicts that for urban use battery electric (small) motorcycles and scooters are the most logical choices. Already some manufacturers are working on a system with swappable batteries.

But he also wrote: “decarbonisation does not necessarily go through electrification.”. This means that the industry is also looking at technical developments to make motorcycle engines more economic and emit less greenhouse gasses (CO2) and pollution. It also means, as vocalized again by Perlot in an online debate on 14 July 2021, that the motorcycle industry looks at other alternatives for petrol like e-fuels and biofuels for larger motorcycles that are often used for leisure. These could be good and ‘clean’ alternatives for petrol and electricity.

FEMA’s General Secretary Dolf Willigers

Here’s an interesting fact. Greenhouse gas is 95 percent water vapor and maybe 3 percent C02, which is absolutely good for life on earth and has little or no effect on our climate, oops. –Bandit

Motorcycle Event Q: “Chaos” Or “Joy?”
EastCoastin organizers Sal Fusco and Gabe Canestri Jr.: This event is going ahead.
Mayor Justin Elicker and Chief Dominguez: Prepare for arrests.
by Thomas Breen

Dueling press conferences in the Annex Wednesday painted an upcoming motorcycle event as a potential scene of disruptive and illegal “chaos”—or one of safe and controlled “joy.”

Both sides seemed to agree on at least one point: Like it or not, thousands of motorcyclists will be descending on Forbes Avenue Saturday. So, get ready, New Haven.

Those press conferences took place back-to-back Wednesday morning outside of the New Haven Police Department substation at 830 Woodward Ave.

The first was held by Mayor Justin Elicker and Interim Police Chief Renee Dominguez. The second held by EastCoastin founders and organizers Gabe Canestri Jr. and Sal Fusco.

The annual event is slated to take place this Saturday. That’s when city officials and EastCoastin organizers expect up to 3,000 motorcyclists from across the country to ride down to the Hole in the Wall motorcycle club on Forbes Avenue, and to fill the Annex’s surrounding industrial streets.

Police have sought to discourage people from attending by posting on social media that the event has been “cancelled.” The organizers have insisted on social media that, whatever the NHPD says, the event is still taking place.

Backed by a half-dozen white-shirted police supervisors, Elicker and Dominguez took one more stab at convincing EastCoastin organizers and attendees to stay home on Saturday.

“We want to make absolutely clear that this event is not permitted and will not be tolerated,” Elicker said.

“New Haven is a place where people deserve to feel safe. They deserve to have a high quality of life. We are telling people: Do not come to this event. Do not come to this event if you care about New Haven’s public safety. Do not come to this event if you care about the fact that we’re devoting police resources to this event [that could be directed elsewhere.] Do not come to this event if you respect our city.”

Both Elicker and Dominguez acknowledged, however, that—despite their admonitions—thousands of motorcyclists will likely be coming to Forbes Avenue anyway this weekend, just as they’ve done for each of the past five years.

Dominguez estimated that 10,000 people attended last year’s EastCoastin event. She described the event as “disruptive,” and then backtracked on that word, saying it was too “kind” of a way to describe what happened.

“There was a lot of chaos,” she said. “There was a lot of individuals not following the law.”

She and the mayor said that New Haven will have a “significant” police presence in and around Forbes Avenue on Saturday.

“Parking will be enforced,” Dominguez said. “Ticketing and towing will be enforced. And, if necessary, arrests will be made.”

Arrests for what kinds of offenses?

For everything from motor vehicle violations to, potentially, “inciting a riot,” Dominguez said. She said the NHPD is in contact with the state’s attorney’s office about what kinds of charges might be appropriate for what kinds of activity wind up taking place at the EastCoastin event.

Dominguez said that the local police department issued warrants for “several individuals after the fact” following last year’s EastCoastin event. “If we need to charge, we will,” she said about this year’s gathering.

Hill Alder Carmen Rodriguez said that EastCoastin doesn’t affect just the Annex. Its impact ripples out citywide.

She said she was on Long Wharf during last year’s EastCoastin event and saw thousands of motorcyclists, many revving their engines and riding to and from the Annex.

“Chaos erupts” when EastCoastin takes place, she said. “Shame on these two young men” for going ahead with this event without a legal permit. “We have two selfish young men who are going to fill their pockets” and leave the city in disarray.

EastCoastin Organizers: “Motorcycles Bring A Lot Of Joy”

Right after the official city press conference ended Wednesday, Fusco and Canestri held an impromptu press conference of their own, during which they defended the annual motorcycle event and described it as safe, clean, and inevitable.

“We don’t want to make this chaos,” Fusco said. “We want to make this a good time.” Where motorcyclists can come down for one day, enjoy each other’s company, ride around a little, maybe enjoy a few motorcycle tricks, and then head home safe and sound.

Fusco and Canestri said they tried to work with the city and the police on making the event legal and permitted. They said they never got a clear answer from the city on what they needed to do make the event legit. (The mayor and police chief, meanwhile, said they have spoken with the organizers for months, pointing them toward how to pull the appropriate permit and limit the event to a legal and reasonable size. They said the organizers dragged their feet.)

Fusco and Canestri said that area hotels are already sold out for people looking to attend the event. Even if the organizers put out a message saying EastCoastin is cancelled, which they won’t be doing, people would still show up anyway, they said.

“We can say it. But they’re still going to want to come to New Haven to see all the cool spots here,” Fusco said.

“No matter what we say,” Canestri added, “people are still going to come to this area. It is what it is, at this point. People are gonna come, and we’re gonna stay true to it.”

What happens at a typical EastCoastin gathering?

Fusco said the group has “some of the best Harley-Davidson stunt riders” in the country attend. People come out to “watch motorcycle stunts, burnouts, things like that. There’s food in the backyard. It’s free. People just come to watch and enjoy it.”

“Motorcycles bring a lot of joy,” Fusco added. “We hope people come, have a good time, stay safe,” and head home—with no arrests, and in good spirits.

Fusco and Canestri also said that, from what they understand, the Hells Angels will not be attending and will not be providing security at Saturday’s event. A source told the Independent for a previous article that the Hells Angels would be providing “tight security” on Saturday. Fusco and Canestri said they didn’t know where that rumor came from, and that it’s not true.

posted by: manofthepeople on September 22, 2021 1:08pm

The organizers seem to be responsible and forthright, unlike Elicker. They changed the event date at the city request, only to be stabbed in the back.

If this was a BLM rally, which would destroy businesses, injure people, and cause disruption, everyone would be calling for the police to stand down and allow the event to proceed.

SOURCE: https://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/motorcycle_pressers/

BOLT ALERT–GM tells Bolt EV owners to park 50 feet away from other vehicles, and in parking garages, go to the roof or an open area

If you need to park on the street or in a parking lot, how is it possible to park 50 feet away from another vehicle? What a mess and how embarrassing for GM. This ongoing battery fire issue does not promote confidence for any future electric vehicle buyers.

This advice is being given to reduce the chance that a spontaneous Bolt EV fire could spread to other nearby vehicles. Bloomberg first reported this latest development in what has become a Bolt EV fire saga.

BRAND New Bikernet Reader Comment!–MAKIN’ PROGRESS BIKERNET WEEKLY NEWS–for September 16th, 2021

https://www.bikernet.com/pages/MAKIN_PROGRESS_BIKERNET_WEEKLY_NEWSfor_September_16th_2021.aspx

Congrats on the remarry. WE just had our 47th. Does this mean my Harley kept us together?

–A.J.
Deland, FL

I’ll bet it does. –Bandit

MEDICAL CONFUSION OF THE WEEK–Fauci has tabulated to the Nth when people will be allowed to get the flu without being punished.

–Dr. J.J. Solari
Senior Medical Advison
Bikernet.com™

KODLIN M8 SOFTAIL LOWERING KIT–
Attached is the updated PR and some pictures of the lowering kit and compression tool (K66030). The tool works with all M8 Softail shocks.

Below is a link to our installation videos for the lowering kit.
https://kodlinusa.com/tech-guide/#video-guide

I will also send you a separate email with info on our M8 Softail Lift Kit / Shock Extensions.

You want it low or high, we got you covered…

–Holger
KODLIN USA Inc.
www.KodlinUSA.com

BANDIT’S CANTINA INTRODUCES JACK’S GALLERIES AGAIN—If only we could get it right. Jack shoots major event all over the country. And if you didn’t make it, he takes you there, big time. If you did attend the event, he reminds you of the good times, in a colorful way. Here’s the first one we are launching next week: Sturgis 2021.

Each year we feel blessed that we can once again visit the mother of all motorcycle rallies, Sturgis. I’m equally lucky to participate as a freelance photographer & often work directly for the Buffalo Chip. The friends I have there are some of the best I’ve ever met.

This year is even more special for me, because my wife is visiting for the first time ever and I couldn’t wait to show her around. Between all that goes on at the Chip and the great stops surrounding Mt. Rushmore, Custer State Park, Crazy horse, Deadwood and the historic town of Sturgis, she fell in love with the region.

Please enjoy the images, I hope that they can help paint a picture of the event through my eyes and join the Cantina to help support our galleries.

–JACK MCINTYRE
PHOTOGRAPHER, SPECIALIZING IN THE POWERSPORTS INDUSTRY
BIKERNET.COM / BANDIT’S CANTINA
JOHNNY MAC’S CHOPPER HOUSE, PHILLY

REJOICE, THE EARTH IS BECOMING GREENER–Amid all the talk of an imminent planetary catastrophe caused by emissions of carbon dioxide, another fact is often ignored: global greening is happening faster than climate change which comes from Mother Nature. The amount of vegetation growing on the earth has been increasing every year for at least 30 years. The evidence comes from the growth rate of plants and from satellite data.

In 2016 a paper was published by 32 authors from 24 institutions in eight countries that analyzed satellite data and concluded that there had been a roughly 14% increase in green vegetation over 30 years. The study attributed 70% of this increase to the extra carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The lead author on the study, Zaichun Zhu of Beijing University, says this is equivalent to adding a new continent of green vegetation twice the size of the mainland United States.

Global greening has affected all ecosystems – from arctic tundra to coral reefs to plankton to tropical rain forests – but shows up most strongly in arid places like the Sahel region of Africa, where desertification has largely now reversed. This is because plants lose less water in the process of absorbing carbon dioxide if the concentration of carbon dioxide is higher. Ecosystems and farms will be less water-stressed at the end of this century than they are today during periods of low rainfall.

There should have been no surprise about this news. Thousands of experiments have been conducted over many years in which levels of CO2 had been increased over crops or wild ecosystems and boosted their growth. The owners of commercial greenhouses usually pump CO2 into the air to speed up the growth of plants. CO2 is plant food.

This greening is good news. It means more food for insects and deer, for elephants and mice, for fish and whales. It means higher yields for farmers; indeed, the effect has probably added about $3 trillion to farm incomes over the last 30 years. So, less land is needed to feed the human population and more can be spared for wildlife instead.

This first appeared in Die Weltwoche.
By Matt Ridley
www.human progress.org

EMERGENCY WEATHER REPORT–This is terrible. Rake sales are going to plummet.

–J.J. Solari

MEDICAL ADVICE GONE WRONG–His guy lost his govt. approved medical permission to heal people because he told his patients the truth.

A doctor from Oregon who said mask-wearing can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning got his medical license revoked.

A doctor from Oregon who said mask-wearing can lead to carbon monoxide p…

When asked if he’d rather lose his license or wear a mask, Steven Arthur LaTulippe said he’d “sacrifice” his license.

THE 3rd ANNUAL RIDE FOR THE CHILDREN MOTORCYCLE EVENT RIDE COMMITTEE WITH A HIGH PROFILE CELEBRITY LINEUP OF GRAND MARSHALS WILL TAKE PLACE ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2021!

A host of celebrity Grand Marshals, other celebrities, Law Enforcement and the general public, will take to the road for a beautiful motorcycle ride from Bartels’ Harley-Davidson, Marina Del Rey to Sycamore Cove State Beach, Malibu with a BBQ lunch, live concert and Beach Party on Sunday, October 3, 2021.

LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 22, 2021 – BARTELS’ HARLEY-DAVIDSON & GLENDALE HARLEY are excited to announced a host of celebrity Grand Marshals will join in for the 3rd Annual Ride for the Children Charity on Sunday, October 3, 2021.

The Ride for the Children will begin at Bartels’ Harley-Davidson, 4141 Lincoln Blvd., Marina Del Rey, CA with a beautiful escorted ride from along the Pacific Coast Highway to the serene Sycamore Cove State Beach, 9000 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA.

Join Lorenzo Lamas, Perry King, AMA Hall of Famer, Dave Ekin, Actor/Musician Sean McNabb, Jamie Elvidge, professional motorcycle journalist and Scott Patterson for what will be a wonderful day ending with a concert by Aces & Eights, a BBQ lunch by J Wolf Catering and a Beach Party at Sycamore Cove State Beach, Malibu, CA.

Olive Crest has been transforming the lives of abused and neglected children through the healing power of family since 1973. Olive Crest is the leader in prevention and treatment of child abuse, neglect, and homelessness, serving over 4,000 children and families each day throughout Los Angeles County. The 3rd Annual Ride for the Children will fund programs that help us break the cycle of child abuse and enable at-risk youth and families to become healthy and productive citizens.

Registration begins at 8:00 AM – Ride begins at: 10:00 AM at Bartels’ Harley-Davidson, 4141 Lincoln Blvd., Marina Del Rey, and concludes with a concert by Aces & Eights, a BBQ lunch by J Wolf Catering and a Beach Party at Sycamore Cove State Beach, Malibu, CA. The Event concludes at 3:00 PM.

For more information on Olive Crest, go to www.olivecrest.org.
Like us on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OliveCrestLA/

To register online: www.olivecrestride.org.

Contact: Cherry Hepburn, 818.505.1104, cell: 818.232.1765, cherry@putnam-smith.com.

CONTROL FREAK DOOM NEWS OF THE WEEK–the UN is giving ultimatums. That’s a photo of steam incidentally. not that anyone in the press is trying to intentionally mislead.

–J.J. Solari
Media Consultant
Bikernet.com™

[page break]

THE BIKERNET INFRASTRUCTURE REPORT–$3.5 trillion spending bill — and not one penny for truck parking

Independent owner-operators took congressional Democrats to task for failing to fund expanded truck parking in the $3.5 trillion federal spending bill.

In marking up its portion of the legislation on Tuesday, the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee voted down an amendment offered by Mike Bost, R-Ill., that would have provided $1 billion over the next five years for truck parking projects.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, which has been pushing hard for the legislation the past two years, said the vote-down was ironic given that it happened during National Truck Driver Appreciation Week.

“Despite the long history of broad, bipartisan support, numerous government studies and repeated pleas from truck drivers, Democrats on the T&I Committee opposed efforts to address trucking’s number one safety concern: the lack of safe parking,” commented OOIDA President and CEO Todd Spencer. “Truckers likely face another five years of a worsening crisis that jeopardizes their safety on a daily basis.”

Spencer said that addressing the parking shortage also supports efforts to reduce carbon emissions from the transportation sector — a major goal of the legislation — by noting that truck drivers waste approximately 56 minutes per day looking for parking while needlessly burning fuel.

“It’s tough to swallow the fact that in a year when Congress is authorizing hundreds of billions of dollars for infrastructure projects and highway safety programs, not a single penny was set aside for truck parking,” he added.

Photo of John Gallagher, Washington Correspondent John Gallagher, Washington Correspondent
www.freightwaves.com

LOWBROW TIPS OF THE WEEK–There are many ways you can mount a rear fender.

This freeze-frame isn’t doing Tyler any favors. Someone get that guy a haircut!
Is mounting the rear fender on your motorcycle project ‘To-Do list’?
Lowbrow has the fabricator parts you need to make the job easier.

For an in-depth, how-to video check out the Rear Fender Install video below (it’s 60 minutes long, and follows the whole process from start to finish!).
It shows, from start-to-finish, a custom fender being mounted on a Triumph bobber using a variety of Lowbrow fabricator parts.

BIKERS FOR TRUTH—My deal has always been the freedom to ride whatever, wherever we want, forever. There’s a movement, the Environmental Doom effort that wants to fuck with our thing.

I’ve tried to research this movement, not to prove them wrong, but to find out if there is room for our lifestyle, fossil fuels and freedom. At first like so many I felt doomed. But more and more there is serious contrary information. Hell, there is scientific info to prove that by using fossil fuels we saved life on the planet by raising CO2 levels from dangerously low levels.

So, don’t believe me. Check out the evidence for yourself. Here are the scientific sites to watch:

Some websites that will help keep you sane if you haven’t been following them.

Watt’s Up With That: https://wattsupwiththat.com/

Climate Nexus: https://climatediscussionnexus.com/about-us/ (sign up for newsletter).

Climate Depot: https://www.climatedepot.com/

Here’s Patrick Moore’s paper on fossil fuel use and CO2 levels: Read his latest paper on The Positive Role of Human Emissions of CO2

Share them with your friends, and let me know what you think.

–Bandit

NEWS FROM THE LAW TIGERS–What to Do in the Event of Motorcycle Injury and Accident

Motorcycle riders love the excitement, and endorphins of riding- it’s why we get on the bike in the first place. However, most riders realize we aren’t immune to some risk every time we go on an adventure – or a quick trip to the store, for that matter. One of the dreaded scenarios is the possibility of getting into a motorcycle accident, but we have to acknowledge that possibility and plan for how to deal with it in advance. We’re going to go over some motorcycle injury and accident statistics, what to do should you or a loved one find yourself in an accident, and how to treat the physical, emotional, and legal follow-up.

While collisions and other road incidences can cause financial damage, the true concern is protecting you, your passengers, and any other people involved. As a rider, you should always follow ATGATT (All the Gear, All the Time). This means you should be wearing a full face helmet, proper riding gloves, a protective vest, riding pants, and motorcycle boots. Do not substitute non-riding specific versions of these, as they are not made to stand up to road rash and other trauma stress.

While this may seem like an excessive amount of caution (trust us, we understand the notion of the wind whipping in your face on the open road), proper protection can reduce risk of injury or fatality by 37 percent and 68 percent, respectively. When the most prevalent injuries in major motorcycle crashes include nerve damage, spinal cord injury, foot injuries, broken bones, and head trauma, this level of increased protection is well worth paying attention to.

If you or another person involved in an accident are in need of medical attention, do not waste time, call the paramedics and the proper authorities. Often, there is an element of shock even if you aren’t seemingly injured, and short-term decision making is difficult. It is important to breathe, relax, and let medical professionals assess everyone before you depart from any moderate-to-serious incident. Even if it is a single-vehicle incident, you need to be sure that you are fully healthy and there is no damage to report to you or your bike, as an insurance claim will often be rejected without proper proof and documentation.

The likelihood of being involved in a motorcycle accident over the course of one’s riding career statistically outweighs that of being involved in a car accident. However, studies have also shown that this is due to a skew in personality type and safety precautions among a select group of riders. The statistics won’t matter if you are involved in an accident- what you do next will, though.

In the event you are conscious and able to move, the first thing you need to do is make sure you are safe, no matter what type of accident you are in. This means getting yourself out of harm’s way and making sure that you are stable and able to appraise the situation. Next, call 911 and report the accident.

From there, if there is another party involved, go check on them. If they are ok, size up the damage to your respective vehicles. Make sure you haven’t damaged their property before attending to yours- this is an annoying detail in the moment, but one that will help you avoid further incidents.

Finally, you will want to be documenting everything for legal purposes, insurance claims, and any other follow-up necessary. Take photos, write down key information, and get statements from witnesses if possible. We know it will be a stressful time, and you may be dealing with injury and mental distress, but if you take the time for these steps, your insurance and lawyers will have the best information possible to support your case.

WHO TO CALL AFTER A MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT

After an accident, it can be scary, shocking, and humbling. It is perfectly normal to take your time trying to sort out what happened, and hopefully count your blessings that you were wearing gear and are not severely injured. Once the moment has slowed down, we recommend you contact a motorcycle accident lawyer.

When speaking to the law firm, you will need to get them the details of the motorcycle crash: who was involved, the claim of fault, and any damage to the bike and other vehicle(s) that is necessary to report. Preserve evidence by taking pictures and making a list of things you described on the phone. If there is an insurance or legal dispute, it is important to maintain consistent information, which can be difficult during the aftermath of a crash if you try to do it by memory.

If there is another party involved, you should have documentation of what they claimed for personal injury and damage to their property. The same consistency in that reporting will be key for settling disputes between insurance companies.

In the event you are an accident victim and the other party has fled, you should look to get any eyewitness accounts or information that may help your case. Law Tigers offers a $10,000 hit-and-run reward to help find and prosecute these reckless people.

One of the most difficult parts of a motorcycle accident is the recovery and subsequent confidence to get back on the bike. There can be chronic physical injuries that prohibit or change your riding style, and PTSD from the accident. To help you physical and emotional recovery:

Consult professionals for any injuries or emotional trauma you have.
Don’t dwell on things that weren’t your fault, and learn from actions that were.
Take medical treatments seriously- riding is tough enough on your body already.
Take your time in recovery if necessary. Often we can exacerbate the injuries or lingering PTSD from a crash by trying to push through them.
If you follow safety procedures before rides, know what to do in a high-stress collision situation, and are willing to follow proper recovery protocols, it will make a lifetime of motorcycle riding much easier to navigate.

New call-to-action

Dealing with legal cases is not exciting for anyone who has just been in a motorcycle accident. However, it is often necessary, and you need to have the best representation. If you are looking for motorcycle injury lawyers, you have to know who to trust and should choose a qualified law firm.

The Law Tigers is a national association of local personal injury law firms, industry professionals, and riders that support the motorcycle riding community, and advocate for all riders and their families when impacted by an injury. We’ve spent decades working with the community we love, and nothing is more important than keeping you safe in every respect. If you need representation following a collision, please reach out today – let’s get through this together.

THE STOLEN MOTORCYCLE ARCHIVES–I realize you may already have a story line mapped out but just had a couple of thoughts, for what they are worth.

1. The hero stops off at an old girlfriend’s house to renew acquaintance. He takes care to stash his bike behind the bungalow. He does not see the ex-boyfriend lurking in the shadows. As he and the sweetie get down to business he worm gets a few of his friends and once our hero drifts off to sleep they make off with the bike. In the morning when he discovers the cut chain it sets off a series of events in an effort to recover his prize.

2. Our hero drops off his bike at a local shop to have some repairs done that he does not have the tools to perform. He learns a day or two later that the shop was raided by a gang and they made off with several bikes and equipment. Hi bike being one of the casualties. Learning who the groups is and being outnumbered he enlists the help of some old service buddies to help get his bike back and deliver punishment to the lowlifes.

–Rhys
Daytona Beach, FL

THE GUN NUT REPORT–The two countries’ opposite approaches [to gun control] are especially striking given both nations were born from armed insurrection — the US winning its independence in the Revolutionary War in 1783, and the Chinese Communist Party establishing the People’s Republic of China in 1949 after a lengthy rebellion against the Nationalist government.

But their attitudes diverged from there, with the US enshrining the right to bear arms in the Constitution, arguing that this right, and a “well regulated militia,” were “necessary to the security of a free state.”

China swung in the other direction, deciding that an armed public posed a threat to safety and stability in the still-fragile, newly won country. For Communist Party leaders, weapons were a means of revolution, with Chairman Mao Zedong famously declaring in 1927: “Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.”

Just two years after the People’s Republic was founded, the government implemented measures prohibiting citizens from buying, selling or privately manufacturing guns. Several smaller ministries had passed gun control laws over the years — but the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, in which the Chinese military crushed protests led by college students in Beijing with deadly force, marked a tipping point.

The government implemented new gun control regulations just months later — an extension of its wider crackdown on all forms of public dissent and organized resistance.

By 1996, a national gun control law had been promulgated by the National People’s Congress, China’s rubber-stamp legislature. Under the law, only a few groups of people are allowed to own guns, including law enforcement, security personnel, government-approved sports shooters and government-approved hunters.

The Communist Party’s grip has only grown tighter under President Xi Jinping. In recent years, authorities have carried out more raids and offered freedom from prosecution in firearms amnesties. Police destroyed 69,000 illegal guns last November; this May, the government announced it was launching yet another four-month campaign to seize illegal guns.

— Jessie Yeung and Steve George in China and the US were both born from armed conflict. They’re now polar opposites on gun control

–Truth about Guns

MARTIN MOTO CLASSICS RIDE–Come for The Bikes & Food!

This years’ Modern Classics Ride In Event will be full of some blasts from the past, vintage classics, and rare bikes you may never see again! As always, all bikes are welcomed.

Some exciting bikes will be on display inside our shop the day of the event. I don’t want to ruin the surprise too much, but I do have one word for you… TURBO 🙂

–MIC

NEWS FLASH FROM SUPPORT GOOD TIMES–SGT Thongs are back in stock!
This is a pretty small run so don’t wait, get yours now. Available worldwide.
SUPPORTGOODTIMES.COM

BIKERNET BOOK OF THE WEEK CLUB— Back in print!

Complete year-by-year history of the Trophy (and unit construction Tiger) twins from 1949 to 1983. Includes original factory model photos, technical specifications, colour schemes, engine & frame numbers, model type identification and details of Trophy & Tiger achievements. The complete source book.

Back in print after a long absence, The Triumph Trophy Bible is the complete year-by-year history of the Trophy (and unit construction Tiger) twins from 1949 to 1983. It includes original factory model photos, technical specifications, colour schemes, engine and frame numbers, model type identification, and details of Trophy and Tiger achievements. As a long-time employee at Triumph’s Meriden factory, Harry Woolridge shares his knowledge and expertise to provide the complete source book for Triumph Trophy owners and enthusiasts.

Definitive history of Triumph’s famous Trophy and (unit construction) Tiger twin-cylinder motorcycles from 1943 until the end of production in 1983
Very popular at home and abroad, over 113,000 of these bikes were sold
Coverage includes individual model specifications, colour schemes, engine & frame numbers, build totals, model type identification and much more
144 pages and over 130 illustrations (mainly factory originals for maximum authenticity)
Covers Triumph TR5, TR6, TR5A/C, T100S/C, T100C, TR7 & TR5T
The author worked at Triumph’s Meriden factory from 1953 until 1983
This is the ‘Bible’ for those seeking information about the Trophy & Tiger

 TRUMP’S SUING THE NEW YORK TIMES– for 100 mil.
If there was ever a cause for celebration it’s the cause of seeing the New York Times going out of existence and its staffers returning to the algae they spawned from.

“A Times spokesperson, Danielle Rhoads Ha, said the lawsuit “is an attempt to silence independent news organizations and we plan to vigorously defend against it.”______AP

Fucker’s name is Ha. What the fuck kinda name is that. Ha. Hey, Ha: the best thing that could happen to this planet would be if the New York Times became forever silent. It’s a fucking hellhole of bad writing, non-existant reporting, and a devotion to preaching an agenda of eternal shit upon mankind.

–J.J. Solari
News Editor

BUILD. TRAIN. RACE. ROAD RACING WRAPS UP AT BARBER MOTOAMERICA–
Milwaukee, WI (Monday, September 20, 2021) – The rain-soaked and program-delayed round of MotoAmerica at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama, might not have been the season final anyone was hoping for, including the women of Royal Enfield’s Build. Train. Race. (BTR), but for a program with the goal of cultivating the life experience that comes through racing motorcycles, perhaps it was a fitting way to close the series after all.

“It was a bit of a wild weekend for the Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. Road Racers,” said Breeann Poland, Marketing and Communications Lead – Royal Enfield Americas. “We had some pretty serious weather, some difficult racing conditions, and several spills in the wet. But this is racing, and it’s not for the weak. The challenges are all part of the experience that shapes us. It’s finding your limits, getting up after you fall, dealing with the unexpected and working to solve problems while the clock is ticking. These women faced all of these challenges at Barber this weekend and really pushed through. To say that I’m proud of them would be a gross understatement.”

After the original start time was postponed during to Sunday’s downpour, many Royal Enfield team members were sent scrambling to rebook flights in the attempt to stay at the ready for a race that may or may not even take place. Five of the seven-rider field were able and/or willing to stick it out in the hopes of getting their track time, and fortunately the MotoAmerica crew found a way to slot in time for the third of three BTR Road Racing exhibition races in the revised schedule.

CJ Lukacs, who all but dominated the first two rounds, found herself on a second-row start behind Kayla Theisler, Trisha Dahl and Alyssa Bridges (fifth rider Michaela Trumbull experienced mechanical issues on the warmup lap and did not make the start). Dahl grabbed the holeshot and lead the early charge, but was soon overtaken by Lukacs and Theisler. The trio remained tight in the opening laps in what was the closest racing all season. “We battled back and forth almost every corner,” said Lukacs. “It was so exciting! Having that push between all of us, bar to bar, there’s nothing else like it.”

Lukacs maneuvered her way out front, only a bike-length or two in front of the number 52 of Theisler. Given more time, Theisler might have overtaken the point, but a red flag handed the top spot to Lukacs by a fraction of a second, with Dahl and Bridges not far off. In the end, it cemented the former pro motocrosser’s top spot in the BTR Road Racing ranks, making for a clean sweep of the three-round series.

“We all wanted to finish upright,” Lukacs said, “and the fact that we did so, even through battling each other in crazy track conditions, makes me so proud. I am humbled by everyone’s talent and growth. As crazy as this last round was, the experience of racing in the rain for the first time couldn’t have been better.”

The finish marked Theisler’s first podium of the championship, while Trisha Dahl’s third-place finish completes her podium sweep of the series, having finished in the top-three at every BTR MotoAmerica event this season.

“What a weekend!” Trisha Dahl exclaimed. “My nerves were through the roof and I had no idea how hard I could push it. As my mentor Melissa Paris would say, ‘to finish first, you must first finish.’ I kept the inputs light but also stayed aggressive on the throttle when I knew the bike was upright. For the very little experience we have on rain tires, I am very impressed with myself and all my teammates. We went headfirst into this weekend and adapted to every challenge that was presented. I’m so proud to be a part of this team.”

Kayla Theisler echoed the sentiment, “Royal Enfield not only provided the resources for me to grow as a rider and racer, they also allowed me to create lasting relationships with so many talented, strong, inspiring women. I’m grateful and humbled to be a part of this trailblazing program for women in motorcycling.”

“That wasn’t an easy weekend, and we’d like to thank MotoAmerica for shuffling the program and giving our racers the chance to finish out their season,” Breeann Poland added. “And, of course, to all our sponsors who really came through, once again! After several spills on Saturday morning in the rain, these ladies worked so hard to repair their Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 race bikes in order to be ready for Sunday. We’re beyond thrilled to see a strong finish to our first Build. Train. Race. season with MotoAmerica and we’re already looking forward going bigger next year.”

Visit https://motoamerica.com/standings/ for detailed results.

The Royal Enfield BTR Road Racing program has concluded for 2021, and is looking forward to an expanded platform with MotoAmerica next season. Look for an announcement on the 2022 Royal Enfield BUILD. TRAIN. RACE. USA Road Racing program, including details on the application period, in the coming weeks.

For more information on Royal Enfield North America, visit www.RoyalEnfield.com/us/en/,.

BIKERNET UNIVERSITY ENGLISH DEPARTMENT VOCABULARY LESSON–

The word equinox comes from Latin and means “equality of night and day.” So … what’s a solstice then?

Four times a year, the season officially changes. And each change is marked by a specific point known as an equinox or a solstice. One term is used for the transition from winter to spring and summer to fall, and one is used for the switch from spring to summer and fall to winter.

Join us on a journey through the seasons as we break down the difference between equinoxes and solstices, tell you when they occur, and explain why this is different depending on what hemisphere you’re in.

NEWS FROM THE BUCKLE GUY–THANK YOU
FOR BEING PART OF THE BUCKLEGUY COMMUNITY

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM US

WE PICK UP THE PHONE
We are here to help when you reach out! No automated phone systems here.

QUALITY CONTROL
We carefully choose and test all the products we stock. Production standards have guided us for generations.

EASY ORDERING
We fulfill orders as fast as we can, usually within 24 hours.

NEW PRODUCTS MONTHLY
We listen to feedback and suggestions and develop new products to fit customer needs.

CUSTOM MANUFACTURING
We can assist with product development and produce custom hardware for bulk orders.

AND MORE CONFUSION–crisis standards means “lower standards.” Gee: apparently nothing we’re doing to stop the flu is working. Although it is stopping a lot of other things: liberty, sanity, equilibrium, happiness, prosperity, patience……. to the government mind “Well, that’s SOMETHING!!!!!!!!”

–J.J. Solari
Media Investigator
Bikernet.com™

[page break]

KODLIN LIFT KITS— Kodlin Lift Kit/ Shock Extension for M8 Softail Models

Lifts the bike up to 1”

Easy installation, requires a spring compression tool. “Plug & Play”

No additional modifications to the shock

Includes pre-installed new bearings

Includes instructions

Fits All M8 Softails except FXDR, FXFB and FLHC

BACK TO THE BIKERNET FICTION FILES–With all the actual factual news of present years – soon you will have a full-length novel starring Melody – instead of the traditional male biker heroes such as Hogan, Vince, Sam Chopper Orwell, etc.

That would be a good thing with the equal opportunity against gender bias being popular with Media and Politics – especially good for motorcycle industry.

Will you be completing the Non-Fiction Book Project “Badlands” in the Cantina Book Section ?? – the last chapter was on Rogue in 2010. It is very important and relevant now than back in 2010.

Your winter this year would have time to draft that one now that you are Living In The Badlands itself. If you need help looking up News Articles on any topics or ideas, you have then let me know.

For example, if you want to know if there has been any news or science on the topic of flying drones being used for city police surveillance instead of the common traffic cameras and manual patrol by policemen – I can help you find if such things have been tried anywhere in the world or has been proposed by any Tech Company to Big Government.

–Wayfarer
Internet Investigator
Bikernet.com™

LIFESTYLE CYCLES DEAL OF THE WEEK–2019 Harley-Davidson® FLHR – Road King for $19,995.00

SEE IT HERE: https://www.lifestylecycles.com/default.asp?page=xPreOwnedInventoryDetail&id=11036433

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

STOCK # 12905N

2019 Red/Gray Harley-Davidson ROAD KING TOURING FLHR

ONLY 7609.00 Miles !!!!!

This bike is a very low mileage super clean Road King

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

* M8 107c.i. motor
* 6-Speed trans.
* Two-tone paint factory
* Touring seat
* Passing lamps
* Chrome exhaust

Just $19,995.00 Plus tax, license, and a $85.00 documentation fee.

***** Lifestyle Cycles takes pride in offering our bikes with NO HIDDEN FEE’S like dealers, reconditioning, prep, shipping, freight charges *****

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 ******SHIPPING AVAILABLE!!!******

Call today (714) 490-0155.

To view our current inventory, please visit www.LifestyleCycles.com

Hero Motorcycle Team in Rally Championships–Silk Road Rally 2021 – second round of the 2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship – was run entirely within Russia due to changing Covid-19 restrictions in neighboring Mongolia. (July 2021)

Early leader Hero MotoSports’ Franco Caimi was embroiled in a very tight fight for the podium places and, in the end, it proved a solid performance from the Hero team with a third place.

2021 Silk Road Rally Results:
1. Mathias Walkner (KTM)
2. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna)
3. Franco Caimi (Hero)
4. Daniel Sanders (GG)
5. Sebastian Buhler (Hero)

Kazakhstan Rally 2021 – opening round of the 2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship (June 2021)

Hero’s motorcycle rally Team had 3 riders in the overall Top 10 results at June 2021 Kazakhstan Rally. Joaquim Rodrigues of Hero MotoSports won Stage 5 of this Kazakhstan Rally which was the final stage of the Rally.

Yamaha and KTM held the overall top 3 positions. Three riders of Hero Motorcycles finished in the overall top 10 ranking with Joaquim Rodrigues at number 7. Less than five minutes separated the top 10 in the final stage that Hero MotoSports rider Joaquim Rodrigues won.

Hero MotoSports Team is building up to carry their momentum into the Dakar Rally in 2022.

Source: https://www.cyclenews.com/2021/07/article/2021-silk-road-rally-results/

Source: https://www.cyclenews.com/2021/06/article/2021-rally-kazakhstan-results/

–Wayfarer
International Editor
Foreign News Bureau
Bikernet.com™

BACK TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL FILES–Layered levels of taxation are nothing new to motorists. The gas tax, road tolls, congestion pricing, registration fees, and even wheel taxes are commonplace. Congress is looking at us hungrily again as being ripe for the picking as it debates the final details of desperately needed transportation infrastructure funding.

The idea is not new. In fact, the NMA has editorialized against the mileage-based road user fee many times in the past, more commonly known today as a vehicle-miles-traveled (VMT) tax. The concept has never entirely gone away, and now it is mentioned prominently in both the House and Senate infrastructure packages.

The $3.5 trillion House “Invest in America” plan would require the Comptroller General of the United States to “carry out a study on the impact of equity issues associated with per-mile user fee funding systems on the surface transportation system.”

The Senate bipartisan bill, with a $1.2 trillion budget currently, is even bolder. The title of Section 13001 of the bill gives it away: Strategic Innovation for Revenue Collection. It would direct the U.S. Transportation Secretary to “establish a program to test the feasibility of a road usage fee and other user-based alternative revenue mechanisms . . . to help maintain the long-term solvency of the Highway Trust Fund, through pilot projects at the State, local and regional level.” One of the stated objectives is “to consider, to the greatest extent practicable, the potential for revenue collection along a network of alternative funding stations.”

In other words, if 13001 is part of the infrastructure plan signed into law, the X painted on the backs—really the wallets—of motorists by the government will become an even more enticing target.

It is going to take all of us contacting the members of the House and Senate Transportation & Infrastructure Committees to get their attention on this issue. Here are the committee rosters and contact information:

Senate Transportation & Infrastructure Subcommittee

House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee

After the following NMA email detailing our concern about VMT programs was sent to the legislative directors of each of those members, an aide for Congresswoman Michelle Steel (CA-48) responded by saying that his boss was in full agreement with the NMA position. She submitted an amendment to H.R. 3684 that would strike all VMT language from the House bill. Unfortunately, House leadership designated the bill as a closed rule not subject to amendments. Nevertheless, the NMA has made a connection with Rep. Steel, a potential ally on other motorist issues from the country’s most populous state.

NMA August 30th/31st Email to Senate and House Top T&I Aides
H.R. 3684 Infrastructure Bills: Concerns of the Motoring Public, Part 4 – Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Tax

Dear Dixon,

Section 13001 of the infrastructure bill would provide $125 million in funding for pilot programs to explore methods of levying road-usage taxes on drivers. The VMT (vehicle miles traveled) tax has been bandied about for many years as a replacement for the established per-gallon gas tax, or even as an add-on tax to the revenue already collected at the gas pump.

We urge Senator Inhofe to oppose the funding of VMT pilot programs. It is telling that the arguments supporting our recommendation are as applicable now as they were a few years ago when the following NMA op-ed was published by The Ripon Society think-tank in its February 2015 Forum. The editorial takes 2 to 3 minutes to read, and it sums up why a properly adjusted gas tax is a more efficient and equitable (and less intrusive) system of charging drivers for the maintenance and improvements of our nation’s roads and bridges.

By Gary Biller, NMA President

LAND SPEED NEWS–Guy Martin Aims to Break the Land Speed Record on a 1,200 HP Turbine-Engine Motorcycle–Martin made his bones on the strength of his appearance in the gripping Isle of Man TT race documentary Closer To The Edge, and since then he’s set records for the fastest hovercraft, fastest gravity snow sled, and even the fastest gravity-powered Soapbox racer.

The team behind the 52 Express hopes to break a land speed record for streamliners – currently set at 376.363 mph (605.679 kph) by Rocky Robinson in the Ack Attack streamliner motorcycle at the Bonneville Salt Flats – by the end of 2021 or the spring of 2022. The machine they’ve built is a melding of a 30-foot-long streamliner body with a Rolls Royce Gem helicopter turbine engine.

Robinson’s streamliner used an amazing twin Suzuki Hayabusa engine. In 2010, Robinson broke the land speed record when he rode his Top Oil Ack Attack streamlined motorcycle at an average of 605 kph (376 mph) over a distance of one kilometer.

And Martin himself once attempted to break a speed record over a mile back in 2013 atop his own Hayabusa.

Martin is joined in the project by British Superbike team owner Bernie Toleman and has Martin already inked a deal for a Channel-4 documentary on the effort for British television. The documentary will follow the team’s attempt at the record on the salt flats at Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia.

THE 52 EXPRESS project is led by former GP and TT sidecar racer Alex Macfadzean. Macfadzean is no stranger to quests for pure speed as he’s worked on several Land Speed Record vehicles – both of the two-and-four-wheeled variety.

EARLY VALENTINES MESSAGE–I’d like to squirt my pecker snot /
deep inside your pussy slot /
’cause you’re the only gal that’s not /
giving me a fucking shitload o’ grief about everything under the fucking sun like the other three (or fill in correct number) whores, cunts, pigs, bitches (cross out three) are doing right now day and night.

Happy Valentine Day, Honey!!

–J.J. Solari
In hiding in the California desert

LE PERA SEAT OF THE WEEK—Softail wide tire, Bare Bones Pleated Seating:

Overview

Lower and more aggressive than the Silhouette Solo.

Simplistic design allows it to slip into any stock or custom Softail.

It will change the entire look of your ride. It is the perfect seat to take advantage of Biker Gel.
Specs

Driver Seating:
11″ Wide
Passenger Seating:
N/A

MSRP:
$390.00

Options:
Biker Gel: MSRP + $ 87.00
Leather Seating: MSRP + $ 88.00
Full Leather: MSRP + $149.00

Part Number:
LK-007BRNPT [’06-’17 200mm]

DON McLEAN ANNOUNCES 2022 AMERICAN PIE 50TH ANNIVERSARY
EUROPEAN TOUR–Dates include Manchester, Glasgow, London, Dublin, Amsterdam, Oslo, Helsinki, Stockholm, Hamburg, Berlin, Antwerp, and more!

London, UK – In the lyrics for Don McLean’s immortal mega-hit ‘American Pie’ it says “…bye-bye, Miss American Pie…”. But now it means “…hi hi, Mister American Pie…”! The creator of the probably biggest pop music evergreen is back. The hit celebrates its 50th anniversary this year and McLean will embark on a 35-date European tour in 2022.

As tragic as the backstory behind the song ‘American Pie’ is with the much too early death of the new rock’n’roll-hope Buddy Holly, the track is also magnificent and legendary. And ‘American Pie’ still goes to heart as soon as originator Don McLean plays this classic at his concerts. Still, it’s worth remembering that the 76-year-old composer has written and sung numerous other melodic and harmonic successes in his decades-long career with “Vincent (Starry Starry Night),” “Castles in the Air,” “And I Love You So,” and “Cryin’,” all of which will be heard and revel in along with newer pieces on the upcoming tour.

The eight-and-a-half-minute ballad “American Pie” has been making history since its release in 1971. Alongside songs by other icons such as Bing Crosby, Judy Garland, Woody Guthrie, and Aretha Franklin, McLean’s composition was also voted “Song of the 20th Century”. Handwritten lyrics to the song were auctioned off for more than $1.2 million in 2015, and the composition was added to the Library Of Congress National Recording Registry two years later. Here, you’ll only find a few selected evergreens, such as “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”. So much for the cultural significance of Don McLean and his 1971 stroke of genius!

In addition to the depth of content and language and the melodic class, the century piece has other special features as well. The not only musically, but also business and legally trained New Yorker had the expression “American Pie” registered as a trademark at the time.

Over the years, the song has been covered again and again by music icons like Madonna and Garth Brooks. Rapper Drake repeatedly sampled McLean tunes and hip-hop icon Tupac Shakur also cited him as an important influence.

Accordingly, the complete discography of the legendary and still active singer/songwriter is also significant. Among other things, Don McLean has a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame and was inducted into the National Academy of Popular Music Songwriters’ Hall Of Fame in 2004.

And he never gets tired of writing new songs and new stories. In 2018, the sound senior released his 19th studio album, ‘Botanical Gardens’ which received rave reviews. Songs from it subsequently proved themselves live and will maybe even find their way into the setlist next year, alongside ‘American Pie’ and all the other feats from this decades-spanning and unparalleled composition and performance career.

UK
Sunday 11/09/2022 Cardiff / St Davids
Tuesday 13/09/2022 Ipswich / Regent Theatre
Wednesday 14/09/2022 Birmingham / Symphony Hall
Friday 16/09/2022 Bath / Forum
Saturday 17/09/202 Torquay / Princess Theatre
Sunday 18/09/2022 Bournemouth / Pavilion Theatre
Tuesday 20/09/2022 Brighton Dome
Wednesday 21/09/2022 Southend / Cliffs Pavilion
Friday 23/09/2022 Manchester / Bridgewater Hall
Saturday 24/09/2022 Gateshead / Sage
Sunday 25/09/2022 Glasgow Royal / Concert Hall
Tuesday 27/09/2022 Edinburgh / Usher Hall
Wednesday 28/09/2022 York / Barbican
Friday 30/09/2022 Leicester / De Montfort Hall
Saturday 01/10/2022 Sheffield / City Hall
Sunday 02/10/2022 Liverpool / Philharmonic Hall
Tuesday 04/10/2022 London / Palladium
Friday 07/10/2022 Dublin / 3 Arena

EUROPE
Sunday 9/10/22 Nijmegen, Holland / De Vereeniging
Monday 10/10/22 Amsterdam, Holland / Carre Theater
Friday 14/10/22 Bergen, Norway / Peer Gynt Salen
Saturday 15/10/22 Stavanger, Norway / Kuppelhallen
Sunday 16/10/22 Oslo, Norway / Sentrum Scene
Tuesday 18/10/22 Gothenburg, Sweden / Lorensbergsteatern
Thursday 20/10/22 Turku, Finland / Logomo
Friday 21/10/22 Helsinki, Finland / Kuulttuuritalo
Sunday 23/10/22 Stockholm, Sweden / Gota Lejon
Monday 24/10/22 Malmo, Sweden / Palladium
Tuesday 25/10/22 Greve, Denmark / Portalen
Thursday 27/10/22 Hamburg, Germany / Fabrik
Friday 28/10/22 Neuruppin, Germany / Kulturkirche
Saturday 29/10/22 Berlin, Germany / Admiralspalast
Tuesday 01/11/22 Antwerp, Belgium / De Singel
Saturday 12/11/22 Munich, Germany / Prinzregententheater
Sunday 13/11/22 Linz, Austria / Posthof

For tickets and more information, visit www.donmclean.com.

HARLEY EFFORTS IN INDIA–Work in full swing to introduce retro-styled Harley-Davidson: Hero MotoCorp

Leading two-wheeler maker Hero MotoCorp is going full throttle to launch a Harley-Davidson model with retro styling as it looks to enter a very profitable segment in the premium motorcycle space, according to a senior company official.

The alliance between Hero and Harley-Davidson fructified last year after the iconic US two-wheeler maker announced discontinuation of sales and manufacturing operations in India, a decade after it started selling its premium bikes in the country.

“There are two legs to the Harley tie up strategy. One of course is that we are the sales distributors for Harley bikes in India. We have 14 dealers, around 30 touch points, and that is going well. The second part of the strategy is to launch a bike in that retro segment, which is almost one-third of the overall premium segment out of the profit pool,” Hero MotoCorp CFO Niranjan Gupta said in an analyst call.

He further noted: “I dare say that the segment probably has around 60 to 70 per cent of the profit pool of the premium segment, so that is the second leg of the strategy, to launch in that segment, and clearly Harley is an iconic brand and the work is going on in full swing on that.”

He was replying to a query on the road ahead for Harley-Davidson motorcycles in the country. In October last year, Hero MotoCorp and Harley-Davidson announced a partnership for the Indian market.

As per the licensing pact, HeroMotoCorp has taken over the exclusive distribution rights of the Harley-Davidson motorcycle, parts and merchandise in India after the iconic American motorcycle maker pulled out of the Indian market.

Hero MotoCorp expects the tie-up with Harley-Davidson would help it accelerate its presence in the premium bike segment where it aims to establish a complete portfolio cutting across segments and engine capacities.

Hero MotoCorp is the largest two-wheeler manufacturer in the world. The company, which is the leader in the budget bike segment (100-110cc), is also in the process of developing electric two-wheelers for both mass and premium segments. Gupta noted that the company’s first EV product would be rolled out by March 2022.

Hero and Gogoro Inc, which is a Taiwanese EV company with the world’s largest battery-swapping network, announced a partnership earlier this year.

Elaborating on the factors that would help the company in the EV segment, Gupta noted: “Hero has got a huge distribution strength and we have got 100 million cumulative customers, and people coming into EV are not going to be entirely new one.”

He noted that even the semiconductor shortage issue that is impacting the industry has no impact on the Hero MotoCorp company. “So we are building well towards a good festival and our inventories are building towards that,” Gupta noted.

SOURCE:https://www.newindianexpress.com/business/2021/sep/19/work-in-full-swing-to-introduce-retro-styled-harley-davidson-hero-motocorp-2360871.html

–Wayfarer
Motorcycle Correspondent
Bikernet International News Desk

THE BIKERNET BUSINESS NEWS, MEXICAN VERSION
I will summarize and interpret what is being written and implied here by the hack:
1: Amazon, the world’s largest employer, will not increase unemployment in this shithole.
2: This massive industrial warehouse is an embarrassment to the neighborhood for flaunting its capitalist imperialism.
3: squalid, putrid living conditions around the new factory are being threatened with looking bad by comparison.

–J.J. Solari

HISTORY— Sears to close its last store in home state of Illinois; company was once America’s largest retailer and employed 178,000 as recently as 2016.

When you focus on problems, you get more problems. When you focus on possibilities, you have more opportunities.

“And everyday, the world will drag you by the hand, yelling, “This is important! And this is important! And this is important! You need to worry about this! And this! And this!”
And each day, it’s up to you to yank your hand back, put it on your heart and say, “No. This is what’s important.” – Iain Thomas

Spend more time with people who bring out the best in you, not the stress in you.

Life and Time are two global teachers. Life teaches us to make good use of time, while time teaches us the value of life.”

–Wayfarer
Monk in training
Bikernet Cultural Center
Pillar Peak
South Dakota

FOREIGN NEWS ALERT–and they say there’s no good news

–J.J. Solari
Foreign Correspondent

BANDIT’S CANTINA BAD JOKE LIBRARY IS STILL OPEN–
A mad man was riding a wild buffalo on the street.
Another mad man cautioned him, “You are crazy, the police will arrest you!”
The man roaming on the buffalo asked, “Why?”
Second man replied, “Because you are not wearing a helmet.”
Man on the buffalo laughed, “Look below, this is a four-wheel drive!”

* * * *

A teacher asked her students, “What would be a nice way to die?”
A little girl in the rear said, “It’s dying just like my grandpa.”
“OK, and how did your grandfather die?
“He died in his sleep.”
Then the teacher asked, “What would be the most horrible way to die?”
And the same little girl replied, “That would be like the way my grandpa’s friends died.”
The intrigued teacher asked, “And how did they die?”
“They were all in my grandpa’s car when he fell asleep…”

* * * *

80% of men don’t know why their wife is angry. If you think the rest 20% of men know, then you are wrong. They don’t even know their wife is angry.

* * * *

Mercedes for Sale @ $1
Someone put up this advertisement.
No one believed it could be true so no one responded, but an old man responded and went to see the car.
The Lady actually sold him a Mercedes, which had done just 6,000 miles, for $1.
She handed him the papers and the car keys.
Deal done.
As the old man was leaving, he said, “I shall die of suspense if you don’t tell me why this car was sold so cheap?”
The Lady replied, “I am just fulfilling the will of my deceased husband, where it’s written that the money received from the sale of his Mercedes would go to his Secretary’
Wives are Wives, in life, after death too…

NEVER GIVE UP—We won’t. We’re having too much fun, because we’re living in the best of times. We should, hopefully start building our shop next week.

I spend a lot of time at hardware stores recently. Every time I learn something, like shit to fill cracks in concrete which is $34 a tube. It’s basically gray resin but hard as a rock.

My grandson is building another chopper. My son bought a cool ’58 Chevy Belair. Most aftermarket companies are making bank this year and last during Covid lockdowns.

Life is just so interesting. We are living in the best of times and I’ll prove it over the weeks to come. Our government can implode on itself creating as much hate as possible, but we’re bikers and the party never ends.

Ride fast and free forever,

–Bandit

RPM Act re-introduced, NTSB Chief demands re-designed roads to stop speeding vehicles, Presidential Executive Order of 50% of All Vehicles Sold to be Emission-Free by 2030, NY Governor Bans Sale of Combustion Vehicles from 2035, Zero-Emissions Legislation, More than 38,000 deaths in road-accidents in 2020 is highest since 2007, Per-Mile Motorcycle Insurance in USA, FEMA Survey, Programs to Slow Speeding Vehicles, Robot-cop in Singapore.

Click Here to Read the NCOM Biker Newsbytes for September 2021 on Bikernet.com

Join the Cantina for more – Subscribe Today.

https://www.bikernet.com/pages/custom/subscription.aspx

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).

After receiving more than 1.5 million letters from motorsports enthusiasts across the country, the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act (RPM Act) has been reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives (H.R. 3281) and U.S. Senate (S. 2736) in the 2021-2022 session of Congress!

The RPM Act of 2021 is common-sense, bi-partisan legislation that guarantees Americans’ right to modify street cars, trucks and motorcycles into dedicated racing vehicles and ensures the motorsports-parts industry’s ability to sell products that enable racers to compete.

NEW U.S. NTSB CHIEF BLAMES BAD ROAD DESIGN FOR TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS
The United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has a new chief, and she says that to reduce road fatalities, the entire system must shift.

NTSB chief Jennifer Homendy, who has worked extensively on investigating air traffic incidents, including the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash, believes the government and all the stakeholders’ approach to road safety needs a “fundamental rethink” similar to how aviation now looks at air traffic safety.

Earlier this year, she said that governments and businesses should change the way they look at road and highway safety and must consider the whole system, rather than focusing only on individual driver behavior.  She added that the “whole system approach” worked perfectly in aviation, where there were ZERO fatalities in 2020.

“If we are going to get to zero, we will have to do something different,” Homendy remarked in a speech to the Governor’s Highway Safety Association conference in Denver, Colorado.

In the US, there were more than 38-thousand road accident-related deaths last year, the greatest tally since 2007, and is up 10.5% in the first three months of 2021, despite a decline in vehicle miles traveled due to COVID-19-related travel restrictions.

NEW EMISSIONS STANDARDS TARGET THAT 50% OF VEHICLES SOLD BE ELECTRIC
President Biden has unveiled another component of his administration’s plan to fight the climate crisis, announcing a new target that half of vehicles sold in the country by 2030 will be battery electric, fuel-cell electric or plug-in hybrid.

The future of America’s car manufacturing “is electric and there’s no turning back,” Biden said in signing the executive order at the White House alongside representatives from Ford, GM and Stellantis, and members of the United Auto Workers Union. The automakers are supporting Biden’s new target, announcing their “shared aspiration” that 40-50% of their cars sold by 2030 to be electric vehicles, according to a joint statement from the three automakers.

In a follow-up to an NCOM Legislative Task Force presentation on “The Demise of Gas-Powered Vehicles” at the NCOM Convention in Des Moines, Iowa this summer, NCOM-LTF Member Ed Schetter writes; “President Biden recently announced a new emissions standard that targets 50% of the vehicles sold in the US be electric by 2030,” noting further that; “This will force the petroleum and the bio-fuels industries to aggressively compete for a shrinking market.”

NEW YORK STATE TO BAN NEW COMBUSTION VEHICLE SALES FROM 2035
New York governor Kathy Hochul approved new legislation establishing a 2035 zero-emissions goal for the state.  According to the text of the bill that the governor signed into law on September 8, 2021; all new passenger cars and trucks sold in New York state would need to meet zero-emissions requirements by 2035.

As written, the law does not specifically mention motorcycles, scooters, or other two- or three-wheeled vehicles, but additionally, new off-road vehicles and equipment sold within the state must meet zero-emissions requirements by 2035, as well.

Legislation to meet emissions targets is something we’re seeing more and more in recent time, including several European and Asian countries, but so far New York and California are the only two U.S. states to have taken zero-emissions targets into their own hands.

YAMAHA AIMS FOR CARBON NEUTRALITY BY 2050
Yamaha has set ambitious goals by announcing plans to be a carbon neutral company by 2050, in both its business activities as well as in the emissions of its products.

This doesn’t mean a complete abandonment of petrol-power from the Tuning Fork brand though, as Carbon Neutrality is all about offsets.  It’s not a zero-carbon plan, but a plan to implement enough carbon offset initiatives to account for the emissions it does create; hence, ‘neutrality’.

MOTORCYCLISTS SAY ‘NO’ TO BAN ON PETROL-POWERED BIKES
A recent survey conducted by the Federation of European Motorcyclists’ Associations (FEMA), available in 12 languages, shows that a possible ban on the sale of new petrol-powered motorcycles is rejected by more than 90% of the 23,768 motorcyclists that took part in the online survey.

When asked ‘What do you think about a possible ban on the sale of new petrol-powered motorcycles?’; 92.91% of the motorcyclists that responded rejected such a ban. While there are differences in the results between countries, the disapproval rate does not fall below 80% in any European country.

When asked what they would do If the sale of new petrol-powered motorcycles was banned, a majority of 53.38% would stop riding when they are no longer able to buy a new petrol-powered motorcycle. 38.96% of the respondents would buy a zero-emission motorcycle when there are no new or used petrol-powered motorcycles available anymore.  Only 7.67% would already buy a zero-emission motorcycle when there are still petrol-powered motorcycles available.

Asked if they could enjoy a non-emission bike as much as their current bike, if a ban on all fossil fuel vehicles was implemented, or if they would stop riding, 58.92% would simply stop riding.

ROBOT SHAMES BADLY PARKED BIKES!
Singapore is waging war on illegal parking, among other things, and is dispatching autonomous police robots to bring order to the streets.

Xavier is a four-wheeled box that features a touchscreen on the front and radar sensors and cameras on the top. The cameras can relay 360° images to a command center and is also able to automatically alert scofflaws to a number of infringements.  And it’s not just illegally parked motorcycles that this crime-fighting tin can is trained to spot.  Any undesirable and anti-social behavior is this little Robocop’s specialty.  That means peddlers, gatherings of five or more people (COVID-19 restrictions), engaging in “undesirable social behavior,” and even smokers need to beware.

Xavier has been programmed to penalize improperly parked motorcycles — with shame.  When the robot detects illicit situations, Xavier will display messages to the culprit, guilt tripping violators and hopefully deterring similar behavior in the future.

PER-MILE MOTORCYCLE INSURANCE LAUNCHED
An innovative InsurTech company named Voom has just partnered with insurance company Markel to offer a stunning solution to today’s motorcycle insurance premiums — and the price will purportedly be measured on a per-mile basis.

A report from CycleNews states that Voom and Markel’s concept came from a statistic stating that low-mileage riders tend to be safer and cause less chaos, posing up to 80% less risk than riders who spend the day in the saddle.

This option will make a big difference for riders living in a continental climate, who were previously limited to annual or seasonal insurance, and now won’t have to worry about the extra amount of money that goes to waste on the off-seasons — rather, riders would simply be required to submit a picture of their odometer to the company once a month, and ride as much or as little as they see fit.

The premiums are currently available to Arizona, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio, with liability, comprehensive, medical payments, collision, uninsured motorists, and accessory coverage.

RISE IN SPEEDING PROMPTS GROUPS TO SLOW DRIVERS DOWN
Speeding is a leading factor in motor vehicle deaths, and “Though speed management has been a problem for decades, speeding became even more acute during the COVID-19 pandemic, as less traffic has prompted some motorists to drive at high speeds on highways and city streets across the nation,” says GHSA Executive Director Jonathan Adkins.

To slow the roll, three national roadway safety organizations — the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and National Road Safety Foundation (NRSF) — are partnering to fund and evaluate pilot projects to reduce speeding.

Two states, Maryland and Virginia, will each receive $100,000 to develop, implement and evaluate speed management pilot programs that leverage engineering, equitable enforcement, education, public outreach and advocacy strategies simultaneously.

The goal is to develop a template for effective speed reduction strategies that can be duplicated in other states and communities.

QUOTABLE QUOTE:
“It would indeed be ironic if, in the name of national defense, we would sanction the subversion of one of those liberties which make the defense of our nation worthwhile.”

–Vintage Photos from the  Bob T. Collection–

The Henderson Motorcycle travelled from Los Angeles to New York City.

The Henderson suffered just one flat tire, went through three sets of Champion spark plugs and used three Duckworth chains.

On August 26, in 1917, Alan Bedell left Los Angeles, California on his Henderson motorcycle arriving in New York City (3,296 miles) in seven days, sixteen hours and fifteen minutes later, breaking the record set by “Cannonball” Baker on an Indian Twin.

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Pictured: Sally Robinson in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.

On September 11, 1937 from American Motorcycle History.

The Washington Post reported that after nearly a decade of operating motorcycles illegally, Sally Robinson decided it was time to get a permit.

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by Felicity Donohoe from https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk

From https://maps.harley-davidson.com/

From https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/en/content/rent-a-bike.html

If you’re looking for a road trip with a difference, then Harley Davidson may have the answer – and you don’t need to own a Hog to make it happen.

Seen in iconic movies such as Easy Rider – ridden by Peter Fonda – and even Arnie in Terminator 2: Judgment Day – nothing says cool like a Harley Davidson motorcycle, and if the highway has been calling you, this might be the way to get up close and personal with the American outdoors.

Motorcycling is an option to beat weekend traffic and find a different kind of freedom for your staycation – and you don’t need to fork out a fortune and own one of the bikes. In fact, you can rent one for a holiday with affordable cruising daily prices or touring per week rates, choosing from a wide range of models such as Heritage Classic bike or Ultra Limited.

And taking it a step further, Harley Davidson has an online ride planner that includes top trips around the States. Simply type in your start and finish, with customisable options such as preferred stops and overnight accommodation, if needed. The interactive planner works out your route and can generate on-road and – if you’re feeling brave – off-road routes for the adventurous rider.

There is 10% discounts for HOG (Harley Owners’ Group) members.

Ensure you have your motorcycle licence and equipment, including helmet, when hiring.

For the interactive ride planner go to maps.harley-davidson.com by clicking here.

What motorcycles can I rent?
A variety of new models are available at hundreds of convenient locations all around the world. Browse and enquire on-line or check your local Harley-Davidson® Authorized Rental Dealer for more information. Have a look at the current models to see which one appeals to you.

Where can I rent a Harley-Davidson^® motorcycle?
There are hundreds of convenient locations all around the world where you can rent a bike for your holiday, extended test ride, or while your bike is being serviced.

• USA:  Rentals are managed through EagleRider Rentals and Tours.
• Outside the USA: Visit an Harley-Davidson^® Authorized Rentals location.

How do I sign up?
Find a location on the rental locator and click “book online” or for locations in the USA book directly on www.eaglerider.com.

What happens after I inquire online?
You will receive a confirmation email. Outside the USA you will be contacted by the Harley-Davidson® Authorized Rental Dealer you selected to discuss your rental requirements.

When you pick up your rental motorcycle, ensure you bring your full driver’s license with the valid motorcycle endorsement, along with your major credit card and your sense of adventure.

What do I need to hire a bike?

• A full and valid driver’s license with a motorcycle endorsement
• A major credit card
• The minimum age to hire varies globally, In the USA you must be 21.

What gear do I need?
You will need a helmet and the right gear to ensure you are comfortable and protected on your ride.

• USA: DOT-approved helmets are required. All rentals include the free loan of DOT-approved half-shell helmets for riders and passengers. Many locations also loan 3/4 or full-face helmets free of charge, subject to availability at the time of pick-up.
• Outside the USA: CE approved gear are required – helmet, pants, jacket, boots and gloves.

Your dealership may have gear you can hire or there is an extensive range in their showroom to buy.