by Joe Foreman from https://www.opinion-tribune.com Motorcycles & Moonshiners: Motorcycle riders and fans of the popular “Moonshiners” television series were in hog heaven Saturday during the inaugural Bootleggers Run motorcycle rally that began and ended at Loess Hills Harley-Davidson near Pacific Junction. The rally, a fundraiser for the Northeast Elementary School playground project, included appearances by Tim Smith and Josh Owens – cast members from the “Moonshiners” docudrama that’s been airing on the Discovery Channel since 2011. The show features a cast of characters, many who reside in wooded regions of the Appalachian Mountains, that make their own moonshine. Smith is also well known for his legally-produced Climax Moonshine that’s made from a century-old family recipe. Saturday’s motorcycle rally attracted more than 200 riders and included scheduled stops at establishments in Shenandoah and Macedonia and Glenwood’s Keg Creek Brewing Co. Smith and Owens, donned in their trademarked bib overalls, signed autographs and posed for photos at each stop along the rally route.

by Dustin Wheelen from https://www.rideapart.com

To most motorcyclists, the term “pure” evokes images of kickstarters, chrome finishes, and cable throttles. It takes us back to simpler times; a time before electronic nannies and catalytic converters. Back then, motorcycles were easy on the eyes—and the technology.

Charming as it is, nostalgia certainly has its limitations. Most riders aren’t rushing back to hardtails, drum brakes, and carburetors. Luckily, modern-classic motorcycles can cherry-pick the best aspects of yesteryear and today. At least that’s what BMW attempts with its R nineT family. Now, circular headlamps can house LED lights. Wire-spoke wheels can bear retro styling as well as tubeless tires. Design can be both timeless and trendy.

The four R nineT models express this dual nature to various degrees, but the Pure variant embraces the back-to-basics philosophy most. The main ingredients remain intact, but the Pure favors stripped-down practicality over performance. A steel fuel tank replaces the lightweight aluminum unit, a conventional fork steps in for the responsive USD front end, and the cockpit hosts just one round gauge.

Those concessions result in a $10,995 price tag, cementing the Pure as the less-is-more option in BMW’s feature-rich lineup. Since introducing the R nineT in 2015, the Bavarian brand has positioned the neo-retro naked as a custom-friendly platform. The Pure just takes that approach to the next level. Sporting a Mineral Gray Metallic paint job, the base trim is both comely and capable. However, BMW proved that the stock guise is just the starting point when it put an R nineT Pure Option 719 in our charge for a few weeks.

The Ultimate Customizing Machine
In 2021, the R nineT’s air/oil-cooled, 1,170cc, boxer engine earns a Euro 5-compliant update. While noise emissions regulations muffle much of the platform’s signature bark, it holds onto its bite with 109 horsepower at 7,250 rpm and 85 lb-ft of torque at 6,000 rpm. The upgraded shock absorber now boasts a hand wheel adjuster and travel-dependent damping while ABS gains cornering functions. Rain and Road ride modes now come standard and full LED lighting illuminates the way.

Despite those generous revisions, BMW went even further with the R nineT’s paint and accessories catalog. Each model now features series colorways along with BMW’s custom in-house Option 719 paint schemes and accessory kits. For an additional $1,350, customers can trick out the R nineT Pure with the Option 719 Aluminum package seen here, which includes an aluminum front fender, fly screen, tail cowl, and gas tank.

The brand’s Billet Pack Classic tacks on milled cylinder head and engine front covers along with an extra $1,050. Additional cosmetic upgrades such as spoked wheels and the design option silencer add another $975 to the bill. Of course, the House of Munich offers a Comfort Package that unlocks the Dynamic ride mode, heated grips, and cruise control. On the other hand, the Select Package prioritizes safety with traction control, engine braking control, and an adaptive headlight.

After all the extra components, software patches, and destination charges, the R nineT Pure Option 719 retails for $15,865. That’s still $80 under the standard R nineT’s $15,945 MSRP, but it’s a far cry from the minimalist machine that the Pure sets out to be. For that reason, we’re going to primarily focus on the model’s standard equipment, and that all starts with the big-bore boxer.
The Ride

BMW may have updated the eight-valve, opposed-twin to meet modern emissions standards, but the aging powerplant retains all of its vintage charm in 2021. Twist the throttle while in neutral and the bulletproof boxer still jolts to the left. As always, vibrations course through the handlebars and foot pegs at higher revs. Unlike most modern motorcycles, BMW preserves these quarks, chalking them up to the R nineT’s “character”.

The Bavarians may hold on to those old ways, but the boxer now delivers an even stronger punch in the mid-range. Road mode harnesses those pulses with a linear power delivery while Rain mode dampens the effect in the name of safety. Unsurprisingly, the mid-range surge is most prevalent in the optional Dynamic mode. Those looking to maximize the Pure’s performance potential may spring for BMW’s Comfort Package as a result, but Road mode was notably capable in nearly all situations.

While the flat-twin went flat out in the mid-range, the Euro 5-compliant tune also produces lean fueling at the low-end. After a few unintended stalls off the line, I learned to babysit the clutch away from each stoplight. The low-end fueling paired with the engine’s high rpm vibes produced a narrow range of usable power, and that quality was most evident on twisty roads.

Without a slipper clutch, quickshifter, or auto-blipper, the R nineT was best ridden with smooth inputs and a patient demeanor. Aggressively banging through the gears only unsettled the big boxer, and in turn, the chassis. Consequently, R nineT riders are encouraged to let the corners come to them. That’s when the modern-classic comes into its own. On flowy canyon roads, the 43mm fork and steering damper hold a true line while the Metzeler RoadTec tires provide more than enough grip for the available lean angle.

Knocking on the door of 500 pounds, the Pure isn’t the nimblest Beemer of the bunch, but the centralized mass makes side-to-side transitions less strenuous than expected. The rear suspension adjustment knob will please two-up riders, but in the single-seat configuration, users will set it and forget it. After experimenting with the top and bottom settings, the mid-position produced the best feel without sacrificing too much comfort. However, it’s hard to characterize the ride as luxurious in any setting.

Conversely, the dual 320mm discs and Brembo four-piston calipers outperformed the spec sheet with a strong initial bite and surprisingly direct feel from the axial master cylinder. As anticipated, the two-pot Brembo binder and 265mm rotor in the rear delivered a less responsive experience, but they did a great job of steadying the 483-pound naked at slow speeds. The R nineT Pure may not win any performance shootouts, but the package sure fits the bill for everyday road use.

The Fit
Throwing a leg over the Pure for the first time, I was pleasantly surprised by the wide handlebars, broad seat pan, and narrow midsection. The low foot pegs position the knee at a 90-degree angle, though the hard parts drag much sooner as a result. Up top, the reach to the bars is a slight stretch, but the tank cutouts allow the rider’s knees to relieve pressure on their wrists. If it weren’t for the thinly padded saddle and nonexistent wind protection, the Pure could double as a suitable touring rig.

In stock form, however, the R nineT functions best in urban environments and twisty canyon roads. While the standard equipment includes a bench seat, the optional seat cowl increases both form and function. The tail unit not only locks the rider into the cockpit but also acts as a storage compartment. The removable backplate enables users to stash legal documents, disc locks, hats, and small tools in the rearward cubby. It may not replace a backpack or accommodate groceries, but it’s a convenient and reliable solution for most naked bike riders.

Similar to the ergonomics, the streamlined electronic suite is straightforward and user-friendly. The single gauge doesn’t include a tachometer, but the LCD display reports engine temperature, ambient temperature, time, mileage, and trip distance. The analog speedometer is a nice retro touch while a dedicated button allows riders to effortlessly cycle through the ride modes.

With the Comfort Package, cruise control settings are located at the top of the left switchgear and the right-hand side hosts the heated grips button. Select Package features like the adaptive headlight unit and traction control work in the background, freeing the rider to concentrate on the road ahead. The simple but effective accommodations should satisfy most riders, but BMW’s robust add-ons collection will also serve those that enjoy the bells and whistles.

Conclusion
Thanks to the lack of flashy TFT displays and radar-assisted farkles, the Pure lives up to its namesake. The tried-and-true boxer produces just enough rumble to enliven the ride and the tech never presents a distraction. What the platform gives up in performance it gains in ease of use and enjoyment.

Even without the Option 719 cosmetic kits and additional electronic upgrades, the R nineT Pure is an excellent companion for the weekday commute and the weekend cruise. The modern-classic Beemer may have electronic nannies and a subdued exhaust note, but the entry-level R nineT still captures the pure fun of riding a good, old-fashioned motorcycle.

by Erik S. Hanley from https://www.jsonline.com

A motorcycle ride supporting veterans with disabilities is rumbling through Oak Creek later this month

When T.J. Oman, a retired Navy lieutenant commander in Wisconsin, reached out to a fellow veteran in Minnesota about the fifth VIPER ride, he learned the man had been diagnosed with cancer and had months to live.

VIPER, or Visually Impaired Patriots Experiencing the Road, will hold its fifth annual motorcycle ride on Aug. 22 in Oak Creek at the Oelschlaeger-Dallmann American Legion Post 434, 9327 S. Shepard Ave. The Minnesota man has traveled to the Milwaukee area for every past VIPER event, but his sister was keeping this year’s announcement from him because of his diagnosis, Oman, one of the VIPER ride founders, said.

“I messed up her plans because when I didn’t see his application this year, I put together an email and sent it to a batch of people curious about their absence,” Oman said.

Now that he knows the ride is happening, despite his diagnosis, that veteran is coming to ride.

Motorcycle owners, known as “pilots,” are partnered with a veteran called a “tailgunner.” The duos stay together throughout the day’s events. Volunteers are known as the “groundcrew” and they work to give directions, welcome participants, set up food and drinks, clean up and more.

“We’re looking forward to it this year because we missed it last year,” said John Carter, a former Marine and co-founder of the VIPER ride. The 2020 ride was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Initially only for blind veterans, the ride recently became “the VIPER ride plus+” expanding to allow veterans with any physical disability that prevents them from operating a motorcycle. There is no cost to participants.

“We don’t charge anybody a dime, this is not a fundraiser,” Carter said.

2021 VIPER ride schedule of events
Early in the morning, breakfast will be offered, Carter said. The 50-mile, 90-minute ride through Milwaukee County will kick off around 11 a.m. with two-wheel motorcycles, trikes and motorcycles with sidecars. This will be the first year incorporating a lot of freeway driving with the entire return trip on the interstate, Oman said. After the ride, a big luncheon with live music will be held.

Overall, Carter estimated the event will last from about 8 a.m. to 3:30 or 4 p.m.

All motorcycles large enough to carry a passenger safely are allowed on the ride. Organizers validate every driver’s license for a motorcycle endorsement, get a copy of everyone’s insurance and perform a full safety inspection on every motorcycle.

“It takes a little bit of time but everything we do is all about the VIPER ride and participants,” Oman said. “The reason we do this is the social side of it, just to hang out and talk with these guys. Some of these guys are true heroes.”

The ride will be escorted by police on motorcycles. Oman said the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office has been a supporter “from the very beginning.” Additionally, officers from the Milwaukee Police Department and the Wisconsin State Patrol have ridden with the group.

“We couldn’t do it without them,” Carter said.

In the past, the ride lasted substantially longer, Oman said. The first two years the ride went out to Kettle Moraine and East Troy, totaling 111 miles round trip. The second year was a little shorter but still hit triple digits on the odometer. After two years, some veterans said it was a little long, Oman said.

VIPER rides have nationwide participation
Oman, who served on a nuclear submarine during his tenure in the Navy, said this year was the smallest group of participants since they started with 30 tailgunners and between 50-55 motorcycle pilots. In the past, the event had about 50 tailgunners and as many as 120 motorcycles.

Oman attributed the smaller sign-up numbers to the cancellation of the ride in 2020.

“The out of sight, out of mind mentality affected us,” he said. Oman said many were likely still hesitant to come out and do anything in a group as well given the surging number of delta variant cases.

Registration for the ride itself ended in June, but Carter said everyone is welcome to attend the other festivities.

“We match up pilot and tailgunner and put time and effort into making sure we match the tailgunner and the pilot for size,” Carter said. “We try to get it all finalized in June so we know what we’re doing.”

In the event’s inaugural year, participants from across the country, encompassing 15 different states, attended the ride. Carter said one regular rider travels from Mesa, Arizona every year.

“He takes a train here, travels three to four days, rides that morning, then takes a bus back,” he said.

While many friendships were gained from the event, some early-year participants have been lost.

“I never really foresaw the impact and the long-term effect but a lot of these guys, the pilots and the tailgunners, have become lifelong friends,” Oman said. “They communicate year-round, they maintain contact, it has become a family and as a result of that we’ve lost a few.”

One veteran and big supporter of the event died a few months ago, Oman said. The group is “breaking the rules” and letting his wife and daughter ride with them this year in his honor.

“They’re part of the VIPER family,” Oman said.

The VIPER ride website has a memorial page for participants that have passed to “keep their memory alive as part of the ride,” Oman said.

“Unfortunately, the list keeps growing, but I guess part of living is dying,” he said.

Supporting veterans with disabilities

Oman said he’d been trying to convince Carter to do a motorcycle ride for the blind in the past. Carter, who became the president of the Blinded Veterans Association of Wisconsin, was looking to enhance recruitment for the organization. Out to lunch one day, the two came up with the VIPER ride.

“We mutually agreed it would be a good tool for recruitment,” Oman said, adding he’d been involved with motorcycle rides for the blind in the past.

Carter said one goal for the event was to get blind veterans back out into the fresh air “experiencing something they wouldn’t experience again.”

“Once you lose your sight you don’t want to participate in much, many don’t,” he said.

Carter wasn’t thrilled about the motorcycles, but Oman convinced him to get on a trike with a friend every year for the VIPER ride. For Oman, he doesn’t need convincing.

“I don’t need much of a reason to ride a motorcycle,” he laughed. He still invites Carter out for other rides but with no success.

“Motorcycles scare the liver out of me,” Carter said.

by Christopher Vondracek from https://www.dglobe.com

Noem rode both a horse and a motorcycle at the Rally on Monday, helping sell an oil painting of her for $55,000 in a charity auction. Staff says this was Noem’s first time at the massive western South Dakota biker bash.

STURGIS, S.D. — Call it South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem’s victory lap.

On Monday, Aug. 9, the conservative firebrand auctioned off “True Grit,” an oil painting showing the governor on a horse during Custer State Park’s annual Buffalo Roundup.

The charity auction in Deadwood, South Dakota, was in the heart of roaring Harley-Davidsons and the 81st Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Next, Noem rode 50 miles on a denim blue Indian motorcycle into Vanocker Canyon and eventually out onto the plains of the Buffalo Chip campground.

“South Dakota is getting recognition that it’s never got before,” said Rod Woodruff, owner of the Chip, seated in a tent next to Noem in her signature baseball cap Monday. “And it’s a direct result of the respect this governor has for the freedom and liberties of the citizens.”

The governor followed up on her nostalgic vision of Sturgis.

“They can come here and remember what America feels like,” Noem said.

Had there been a crowd, they would’ve revved their hogs.

The Black Hills, the most conservative corner of this red state, wasn’t always unabashed Noem’s country. In the 2018 primary, Noem blew past then-Attorney General Marty Jackley with a statewide 14 points victory, but Jackley, a Sturgis native, bested Noem in his home, Meade County.

Five months later, in the general election, Noem — who grew up on a crop-and-cattle farm in the far northeast corner of South Dakota, more Minnesota than Custer — squeaked by another West River politician, this one the former rodeo champion, Billie Sutton, a Democrat from Burke.

Even through the first half of her gubernatorial tenure, the former four-term congresswoman’s polling was low across the state. But that all changed during COVID-19.

“She’s normal South Dakota, and that’s what the rest of the world is missing,” said R. Victor Alexander, who runs the Three Forks C-store and campground outside Hill City, where a “Trump won” flag waves in the wind.

Alexander says he believes Noem’s opposition to mask mandates pressured the local school board to oppose mask requirements, as well, something he approves of. He also supports what he calls her “tourism policy” and “the fact that we did not necessarily shut down.”

“I’m supportive of what she’s done and what she will do,” he concluded.

What’s next?
It’s the “will do” that is keeping people guessing. Noem has notched national TV spots, and traveled to fundraisers in Wyoming, Texas, and Florida. She’s given speeches in Iowa and Minnesota and campaigned last fall in New Hampshire.

These are the places one would go if they were running for president, not South Dakota governor. But, so far, Noem insists she has her eyes on a 2022 gubernatorial campaign, not the White House.

But if Noem does look to pivot toward a more Trumpian brand, she could do worse than take a trip down Vanocker Canyon or attend a charity auction in Deadwood, where Noem T-shirts now hang in stores.

A Noem staffer said this was Noem’s first time participating in the Rally, noting that the governor used to ride a motorcycle prior to starting her family (her three children are now grown), and recently picked up the motorcycle again.

And at least by mid-August, the ride is smooth for Noem. Pierre isn’t in session till next year. Democrats still lack a challenger. And the state just purchased the jet Noem requested and legislators approved.

Sure, there have been bumps.

Her Department of Education has come under fire for overriding teacher-drafted social studies standards, removing multiple references to Lakota and Dakota history and culture. A billboard went up in Rapid City sniping at her for opposing a voter-approved recreational marijuana amendment. And health experts anticipate a spike locally in the delta variant, which could draw further scrutiny of her hands-off approach to public health.

But appearing at a motorcycle rally, even one dominated by mostly older white people, where political incorrectness is as popular as riding without a helmet, could be a battleground state in her own backyard.

“It’s been a strong rally,” said City of Sturgis spokeswoman Christina Steele, though not as much as the 1 million attendees predicted by Woodruff. Still, along with RVs, Harleys, spending money, and maybe a virus, political disenfranchisement has also seeped into the rally’s mountain towns.

On Wednesday, Aug. 11, across from a billboard of the presidential wax museum featuring a smiling Joe Biden, Jay Perkins smoked a cigarette outside the store he runs. His T-shirt said, “We the People are pissed.”

“That’s what I used to think,” Perkins said. “But now I blame us.”

Perkins said he “quit” news media after this election, and isn’t vaccinated, repeating skepticism about the safety of the vaccine. When two masked people walked into his store, he explained that some people who live outside South Dakota “believe all that stuff.”

Health officials are concerned this week the crowds — estimates of 750,000 — could send a spike in the delta variant around the region, with the state sitting just above 50% of its population totally vaccinated. But Perkins thinks the media focuses too much on the “drama.”

“What about all the charity events [during the Rally]?” he asks.

Artist David Uhl’s painting of Noem, for example, fetched $55,000 for a human trafficking non-\profit based in the Hills. Noem has even offered to fly down to Texas to install the painting in the winning Texas couple’s home (the couple did not respond to an interview request, though they told a local paper they “like” Noem).

On Wednesday, the crowds moved west across the Wyoming border into Hulett for a one-day rally.

“Topless Wednesday in Hulett,” said Steele, later clarifying the rowdy town’s annual “Ham N Jam” event in the shadow of Devil’s Tower. “It gets quiet around here, relatively.”

Smoke moved in overnight from a wildfire in Montana, and news broke late in the day about a growing wildfire southwest of Sturgis, not far from the road Noem took days earlier.

But at the Gold Dust Casino in Deadwood, a man working painter Uhl’s booth — astride another painting of “True Grit,” plus a few more that resembled Noem — chatted about people “renting sight unseen” in the Black Hills.

Uhl’s usual stuff is biker propaganda. A longhaired rider cruising in front of Bear Butte. A gal bending near her motorcycle with a rattlesnake snarling at her while she points her pistol toward a distant cliff.

And now in the casino’s window, there’s an array of framed Noem paintings on display, capturing the photogenic governor — or a close look-alike — in heroic poses, buttoning an old-school leather helmet or riding her horse amongst the bison, as tourists from around the country walked past, snapping pictures.

from https://www.bbc.com

Yamaha have suspended rider Maverick Vinales from Sunday’s Austrian MotoGP.

The team cited the 26-year-old’s “irregular operation of the motorcycle” at last weekend’s Styrian MotoGP as the reason for his withdrawal.

The Spaniard ended the race in the pit lane saying he had multiple electrical issues.

But Yamaha say his actions “potentially caused” damage to the bike and claimed he had put himself and those around him at risk.

He will not be replaced by another rider for this weekend’s race at the Red Bull Ring.

The team added that a decision on his participation at future races would be made after further discussions with the rider and a more detailed analysis of the situation.

At his own request, Vinales, a nine-time MotoGP race winner, will be released a year early from his Yamaha contract, due to expire in 2022.

Vinales is currently sixth in the 2021 rider standings

by Mr.Moto

Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. is a Japanese manufacturer of motorcycles, marine products such as boats and outboard motors, and other motorized products. The company was established in 1955 upon separation from Yamaha Corporation (however, Yamaha Corporation is still the largest private company shareholder with 9.92%, as of 2019), and is headquartered in Iwata, Shizuoka, Japan. The company conducts development, production, and marketing operations through 109 consolidated subsidiaries as of 2012. Led by Genichi Kawakami, the company’s founder, and first president, Yamaha Motor began production of its first product, the YA-1, in 1955. The 125cc motorcycle won the 3rd Mount Fuji Ascent Race in its class.

History
The motorcycle division of Yamaha was founded in 1955 and was headed by Genichi Kawakami. Yamaha’s initial product was a 125 cc two-cycle, single-cylinder motorcycle, the YA-1, which was a copy of the German DKW RT 125. The YA-1 was a competitive success at racing from the beginning, winning not only the 125cc class in the Mt. Fuji Ascent but also swept the podium with first, second, and third place in the All Japan Auto bike Endurance Road Race that same year. Early success in racing set the tone for Yamaha, as competition in many varieties of motorcycle racing has been a key endeavor of the company throughout its history, often fueled by a strong rivalry with Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki, and other Japanese manufacturers.

Yamaha began competing internationally in 1956 when they entered the Catalina Grand Prix, again with the YA-1, at which they placed sixth. The YA-1 was followed by the YA-2 of 1957, another 125cc two-stroke, but with significantly improved frame and suspension. The YD-1 of 1957 was a 250cc two-stroke twin-cylinder motorcycle, resembling the YA-2, but with a larger and more powerful motor. A performance version of this bike, the YDS-1 housed the 250cc two-stroke twin in a double downtube cradle frame and offered the first five-speed transmission in a Japanese motorcycle. This period also saw Yamaha offer its first outboard marine engine.

Yamaha Motor Company was incorporated on 1 July 1955 (Japan). Highlighting its presence in the performance motorcycle segment, the company announced that in 2020 they will be celebrating their 65th anniversary on the 1st of July, 2020 with a holiday they call “Yamaha Day”. The theme for Yamaha Day 2020 is “heritage” – Yamaha plans to use this holiday to enhance the brand’s connection with its customers.

Yamaha’s Growth
By 1963 Yamaha’s dedication to both the two-stroke engine and racing paid off with their first victory in international competition, at the Belgium GP, where they won the 250cc class. Success in sales was even more impressive, and Yamaha set up the first of its international subsidiaries in this period beginning with Thailand in 1964, and the Netherlands in 1968. 1965 saw the release of a 305cc two-stroke twin, the flagship of the company’s lineup. It featured a separate oil supply that directly injected oil into the gasoline before combustion (traditionally riders had to pre-mix oil into gasoline together before filling the gas tank on two-stroke engines). In 1967 a new larger displacement model was added to the range, the 350cc two-stroke twin R-1.

In 1968 Yamaha launched their first four-stroke motorcycle, the XS-1. The Yamaha XS-1 was a 650cc four-stroke twin, a larger and more powerful machine that equaled the displacement and performance of the popular British bikes of the era, such as the Triumph Bonneville and BSA Gold Star. Yamaha continued with both the two-stroke line and four-stroke twins at a time that other Japanese manufacturers were increasingly moving to four-cylinder four-stroke machines, a trend-led by Honda in 1969 with the legendary CB-750 four-stroke four-cylinder cycle.

Two-stroke Era Begins: The 1970s
Not until 1976 would Yamaha answer the other Japanese brands with a multi-cylinder four-stroke of their own. The XS-750 (and later 850) a 750cc triple cylinder machine with shaft final drive was introduced almost seven years after Honda’s breakthrough bike. Yamaha’s first four-cylinder model, the XS-1100 followed in 1978, again with shaft drive. Despite being heavier and more touring-oriented than its rivals it produced an impressive string of victories in endurance racing.

The 1980s: Diversification And Innovation
By 1980 the combination of consumer preference and environmental regulation made four strokes increasingly popular. Suzuki ended production of their GT two stroke series, including the flagship water-cooled two-stroke 750cc GT-750 in 1977. Kawasaki, who had considerable success throughout the 1970s with their two-stroke triples of 250cc, 350cc, 500cc, and 750cc ended production of road-going two strokes in 1980. Yamaha bucked this trend and continued to refine and sell two-strokes for the street into the 1980s. These bikes were performance-oriented, water-cooled twin-cylinder machines, designed to achieve excellent performance taking advantage of the lower weight of two strokes. The RZ-250 of 1980 was the progenitor of this series. The RZ-350, the largest displacement model, was a popular hot-rod bike of the 1980s and continued to be sold in some countries into the early 1990s.

Throughout the 1980s the motorcycle industry gradually went from building a few basic but versatile models designed to work well in many roles, to offering many more specialized machines designed to excel in particular niches. These include racing and performance street riding, touring, motocross racing, enduro, and recreational off-road riding, and cruising. Yamaha branched out from the relatively small number of UJMs (Universal Japanese Motorcycle) at the start of the decade to a much larger set of offerings in several clearly defined markets at the end of the decade.

The XV750 of 1981 featured an air-cooled V-twin four-stroke engine and cruiser styling and was one of the first Japanese cruiser style motorcycles. By the end of the 1980s, Yamaha had offered dozens of cruiser styled bikes in a variety of displacements and engine configurations. The RZV500 was one of the first “replica-racers”, a near copy of Kenny Roberts competition GP bike, it featured a liquid-cooled two-stroke motor of 500cc displacement in a V4 configuration, along with a perimeter frame and full fairing.

Another bike that was performance-oriented was the Yamaha RX-Z, introduced in 1985 as a two-stroke naked sportbike, related to the Yamaha RX-135 and Yamaha RD-135, borrowing its chassis and platform. Originally equipped with a five-speed transmission and a solid front disc brake rotor with rear drum brakes, it was popular in Malaysia and Singapore. After a few years on the market, the engine was upgraded with the installation of a six-speed transmission, together with a newer instrument panel and handlebar switches, as well as a cross-drilled front disc brake rotor, while the rear remained with the drum brakes.

The 1990s
In 1998 Yamaha marketed a 1000cc four-cylinder road bike called the YZF ‘R1’, this model introduced a new style of gearbox design which shortened the overall length of the motor/gearbox case, to allow a more compact unit. This, in turn, allowed the motor to be placed in the frame further forward, designed to improve handling in a short wheel-based frame.

In 1995, Yamaha announced the creation of Star Motorcycles, a new brand name for its cruiser series of motorcycles in the American market. In other markets, Star motorcycles are still sold under the Yamaha brand. This was an attempt to create a brand identity more closely aligned with the cruiser market segment, one of the largest and most lucrative in the USA.

The 2000s
In 2007, Yamaha established the Philippine operations and distributed Yamaha motorcycles under the corporate name of Yamaha Motor Philippines, Inc., one of more than 20 worldwide subsidiaries operating on all continents. By 2008, Yamaha won the MotoGP triple crown. By this time, the V Star 950 and V Star 950 Tourer was released. By 2010, Yamaha won the MotoGP triple crown for the third consecutive year and by 2013, the Yamaha Bolt was introduced.

In 2015, Yamaha unveiled the Mt-25, FACTOR150, and XVS950CU Bolt-C and by 2018, the motorcycle company released a V-twin tourer called the Yamaha Star Venture.

It’s All Happening Now!

Hey,

It’s wild and the truth is still pending. Some brothers are excited about the super-strong rally. Others think the numbers are down.

Let us know how your rally week went. And keep riding fast and free until the end.

–Bandit

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Hey,

It’s wild and the truth is still pending. Some brothers are excited about the super-strong rally. Others think the numbers are down.

My grandson rode out for the first time on his new Road Glide. His buddy rode his ’09 Dyna. He had it gold-leafed like old Perewitz paint jobs. The bike shows were jammed and Jeff Holt took on producing Baggers shows for Harley-Davidson.

We hit the builder’s breakfast and I signed books for the Kid’s Ride Charity. Then we peeled over to the Michael Lichter Heavy Mettle Bike exhibit.

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.

GOVERNOR RIDES WITH THE LEGENDS–
I thought that you may enjoy a few of these shots of the Governor yesterday at the Legends Ride.

–JACK MCINTYRE
PHOTOGRAPHER, SPECIALIZING IN THE POWERSPORTS INDUSTRY
JACK MCINTYRE PHOTO
IRON TRADER NEWS.COM
HOUSE OF CHOPPERS NATION.COM
FLYING PISTON BENEFIT.COM
BIKERNET.COM / CANTINA
JOHNNY MAC’S CHOPPER HOUSE, PHILLY

NEW DAV NATIONAL COMMANDER WRITES–
My name is Andrew Marshall. I am a combat-disabled Army veteran of the Vietnam War and was recently honored to be named DAV’s new National Commander. I am eager and excited to lead this special community of veterans forward throughout this next year.

DAV is a true champion in the fight to improve the lives of all veterans. In our 100-year history, we’ve made groundbreaking change for our nation’s veterans. And as a DAV member since 1975, I’m proud to have witnessed much of the great progress we’ve accomplished together.

But there are still so many big issues for us to tackle today, including:

Improving mental health services and suicide prevention efforts

Helping veterans exposed to toxic substances
Ensuring equitable benefits and services for women and minority veterans

As we tackle these issues head on, I promise to do all I can to enact real, positive change for our veteran community. And I promise to follow in the footsteps of the commanders before me and keep up the fight until ALL veterans have the chance to live the fulfilling lives they deserve.

Thank you for being a member of DAV — and for everything you do for this veteran community.

We are only a powerful force for veterans each day because of YOU. I look forward to seeing all that we can accomplish together.

Sincerely,
–Andrew Marshall
DAV National Commander

QUICK, OPEN THE BANDIT’S CANTINA BAD JOKE LIBRARY–A lot of folks can’t understand how we came to have an oil shortage here in our country.
~~~
Well, there’s a very simple answer.
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Nobody bothered to check the oil.
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We just didn’t know we were getting low.
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The reason for that is purely geographical.
~~~
Our OIL is located in:
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ALASKA
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California
~~~
Coastal Florida
~~~
Coastal Louisiana
~~~
Coastal Alabama
~~~~
Coastal Mississippi
~~~~
Coastal Texas
~~~
North Dakota
~~~
Wyoming
~~~
Colorado
~~~
Kansas
~~~
Oklahoma
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Pennsylvania
~~~
a nd Texas

~~~

Our dipstick is located in the White House!

~~~
Any Questions?

–Sam Burns
Certified Librarian
Bandit’s Cantina™

GOV. MIKE HUCKABEE AND PAULA DEEN TO MAKE SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS DURING THE EVENT–HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (Thursday, August 12, 2021) – With over twenty-eight Top 20 singles, including 7 number one hits, Lee Greenwood and his 40-year career will be celebrated in Huntsville, Alabama, on October 12, 2021, at the Von Braun Center with over 35 music artists performing during the All-Star Salute to Lee Greenwood.

Today, music artists from multiple genres including legendary names like Engelbert Humperdinck and Tony Orlando, Grand Ole Opry stars Craig Morgan, Jeannie Seely, and The Gatlin Brothers along with rock star Brad Arnold of the group 3 Doors Down and country hitmakers Billy Dean, Janie Fricke, John Berry, Neal McCoy, T. Graham Brown, Tracy Lawrence, Ty Herndon all were announced to participate in the special celebration. The Issacs will join Michael W. Smith to create a ‘moment’ in the show and Dean Martin’s daughter Deana Martin will perform a duet with Humperdinck.

Previously announced artists include Sara Evans, Lee Brice, Dustin Lynch, Michael Ray, Jamey Johnson, Rodney Atkins, Big & Rich, Randy Owen (of Alabama), Home Free, Sam Moore, The Oak Ridge Boys, Crystal Gayle, Darryl Worley, Mark Wills, The Frontmen of Country – including Richie McDonald (formerly of Lonestar), Larry Stewart (of Restless Heart), and Tim Rushlow (formerly of Little Texas). The celebration is yet another marker in the illustrious career of Lee Greenwood, commemorating years of success in the music and entertainment industry.

“I am so looking forward to this night. I am going to get to see so many of my friends that I have not seen in a while and to know they are coming to truly honor my career and songs really means a great deal to me,” says Greenwood.

A variety of ticket prices are available from $25 to VIP Packages, which include a private dinner and Meet & Greet with Lee Greenwood on Monday, October 11th. For purchase, visit Ticketmaster.com or the Von Braun Center box office.

BRAND New Bikernet Reader Comment!–
HOT ACTION BIKERNET WEEKLY NEWS for August 5, 2021

https://www.bikernet.com/pages/HOT_ACTION_BIKERNET_WEEKLY_NEWS_for_August_5_2021.aspx

Comments:

Digging that billboard! Are you going to have t-shirts and stickers with this design?

–Mike Pullin
Charlotte, NC

You never know. Great notion! We need to survive the rally first. –Bandit

BURMA SHAVE SLOGAN OF THE WEEK–I like people who have twats /

They can be used as pecker slots / sperma shave

–J.J. Solari

QUICK REPORT FROM BIKERNET BLOG EDITOR–Apart from the new BMW tourer & bagger – what you can see at Sturgis this year is the first electric bicycle from Harley-Davidson – the Serial 1. From August 6-11, 2021.

2021 is a watershed year for Harley-Davidson – it introduced its first adventure bike, the Pan America, redefined the Sportster range with Revolution Max engine, started selling used H-D motorcycles at their dealerships and website, and launched the first electric motorcycle under new LiveWire brand.

After these launches, comes for the first time its Serial 1 electric bicycle lineup.

However, the production models do away with the nostalgia of the concept announced in 2020, in favor of a stripped-down, utilitarian aesthetic.

Harley-Davidson Rolls Out Serial 1 E-Bikes In Europe And North America

https://blog.bikernet.com/harley-davidson-rolls-out-serial-1-e-bikes-in-europe-and-north-america/

–Wayfarer

QUICK, New Bikernet Reader Comment!–Remembering Dick Allen

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

Comment:
I grew up on Cannon st. in Rockford ,Ill. just down the street was Dick Allen (known as Workie if I remember rite) Always working on cars and bikes back then. WAY back then. Always let us kids hang out. My son and his Son worked together at Elco tool company in Rockford. Of course that was Much later years.

–Patrick Ferguson
Avoca

HEADLINE OF THE WEEK–The American Medical Association, the government that used to run America before the CDC took over in a silent coup, is suggesting that male and female not be listed on “the public portion” of birth certificates.

Because as you know some boys decide they are girls and some girls decide they are boys because we now get to decide reality.

So, you won’t actually know what a person is from their birth certificate because sex is now something decided by the person himself, not by his or her crotch. Still, there must be some way of designated what the fuck Spreadlegged Sally gave birth to.

This can be done objectively by just listing on the birth certificate “peckered” or “twatted.” This should leave room for the reader of the birth certificate – and as you know everyone reads everyone else’s birth certificates – this should leave room for later declarations of Newly Realized Identities.

thank you.

–J.J. Solari

HIGHWAY BILL PASSES THE U.S. SENATE–Tuesday morning, the U.S. Senate passed a $1.2 trillion dollar highway bill by a vote of 69 to 30. The bill includes increased funding for roads, bridges, safety programs and of interest to motorcyclists, the reestablishment of the Motorcyclists Advisory Council (MAC) at the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Despite the efforts of bipartisan Senators including, Tammy Baldwin (WI-D), Marsha Blackburn (TN-R), Joni Ernst (IA-R) and Ron Johnson (WI-R) the bill fails to match provisions for motorcyclists that the House of Representatives included in its version of highway bill.

Nearly 500 amendments were offered to the Senate highway bill. In that group of amendments two focused on motorcyclists, one that expanded protections on the profiling of motorcyclists at check points, and one that included motorcyclists in studies of connected and autonomous vehicles. Frustratingly, these two amendments were not given a vote, as the Senate limited debate on amendments. Allowing only about 20 amendments of the 500 or so offered to be debated and voted on.

The Senate version of the highway bill now goes to the House of Representatives where Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has pledged to not bring the Senate highway bill up for a vote until the Senate passes a separate “reconciliation bill.” This bill includes $3.5 trillion in spending on sweeping programs to address climate change, health, education, and paid leave.

At this point, there are three possible outcomes to the highway bill. First, the House passes the Senate bill with no changes and the MAC is reestablished. Second, a conference committee is created where the Senate and the House merge their two bills into a new final bill. This opens the door not only for reestablishment of the MAC, but also inclusion of the check point profiling language and autonomous vehicle language from the House bill to be included in a final bill. Finally, with the September 30th deadline fast approaching, Congress could kick the can once again, extending the current highway bill for weeks, months or years…

Regardless of the potential stalemate in Washington D.C., the Motorcycle Riders Foundation is committed to sustaining the fight for motorcyclist rights. We will not rest until our voices are heard and our priorities are included in laws that protect our rights and safety. We will continue to keep riders informed of the bill’s status and advise you if any calls to action are needed.

NEW FROM LOW BROW–
In 1902 the first Triumph motorcycle was produced in Coventry, England

Triumph has a varied and interesting past… a brief sampling:

1938: Triumphs start being sold in the USA at a small shop in California

1940: WWII bombing of the Triumph Coventry factory

1953: Marlon Brando rides a Triumph in The Wild One

1955: The Triumph streamliner The Devil’s Arrow sets the absolute motorcycle speed record at Bonneville at 193.7 mph

And on and on!

Be sure to check out the excellent photos from the 119-year history of Triumph motorcycles at the Low Brow site!

NEXT ISSUE OF CHOPPERS MAG AVAILABLE NOW–Issue 6
Issue Six being printed now! Available for pre-sale, don’t miss out.

$12.00

Samson’s Baverstock and Klím Partner for Snowmobile Success–Samson Exhaust/Hammer Down Snowmobile Racing

Klím partnership announcement

Samson Exhaust President Mike Baverstock doesn’t spend all of his time making your American-made V-Twin sound loud and look pretty, he also spends the winter months drag racing snowmobiles in the Snow Outlaws series Pro Extreme 55 class.

And when a businessman like Baverstock sees an opportunity to partner up with another and advance their companies’ fortunes, they twist the throttle on the relationship. That happened a couple years ago with Baverstock and two-time NHRA Top Fuel Harley champion Tii Tharpe, who moonlights as president of Spevco.

Now it’s happening with Dustin Pancheri, Athlete/Sponsorship manager of Klím technical riding apparel. Klím is jumping on board as a major sponsor of Baverstock’s Samson Exhaust and Matt Musselman’s Hammer Down Racing Pro 55 snowmobiles.

“Dustin and I had a lot of synergy right out of the gate,” said Baverstock. “I think he’s just as excited about our partnership as I am.”

“I’m just super impressed with Mike,” said Pancheri. “The guy’s super passionate and he’s an all-in kind of guy. We love to align with those types of people, because those are the guys that are go-getters. They just get it done. But he’s also really personable, and I can tell that he’s very serious about growing the industry and his sport.”

Hammer Down Racing is led by Musselman, the son-in-law of Top Fuel Harley builder/tuner Jack Romine, and relies heavily on the head mechanic and building skills of Romine, the tuning skills of Mike Komisar, and the skills of Craig Campton, Glen Hall and the staff at Hypersports.

Baverstock’s 700 horsepower, 55mm turbocharged, ArticCat 1177cc Super Stroker motor is built by Hypersports and pushes his sled to 146 mph in 500 feet at Snow Outlaws events.

The series and the sport is accelerating as quickly as Baverstock’s sled, opening up opportunities for growth for companies like Klím. “In the snowbelt—the northern US and Canada—for us, it’s the big way to adapt to the wintertime,” said Pancheri. “I know people that pick up snowmobiling just because they don’t have anything else to do in the winter. And then pretty soon, they’re addicted to it, and it’s now their main passion. And they just really want to get through the summer as fast as they can so they can get back to snowmobiling! Their priorities have completely flip-flopped!”

Are Baverstock’s priorities also flipping? Snowmobiling’s warm weather version—grass racing—starts before snowfall, presenting a conflict with the overlapping NHRA series where Tharpe’s Samson Exhaust bike competes. “I’m so excited about Klim and grass racing that I’m skipping the Maple Grove Harley race to go to Hay Days,” said Baverstock.

Hay Days is the Sturgis of snowmobiling, a huge event in Minnesota that celebrates fall and the coming winter. “It’s like a State Fair on steroids, but if everything at the Fair were snowmobiles,” said Pancheri. “They have the world championship snowmobile grass drags there, so all the fast guys in the world show up.

“If you’re in the snowmobile industry, and you’re a vendor, you’re there. You have a booth there. It’s a big event for the snowmobile industry, and for Matt, having a grass drag setup, that’s the big stage.”

And Baverstock wants to be there to support his teammate and their new sponsor, a company of people that ride and use the solutions they manufacture and sell. “Our tagline is technical riding gear,” continued Pancheri. “Because we’re a company full of riders, we’re always just looking for solutions to things. So we’re really a company that’s out there trying to find things to make the riding experience better—make the rider more comfortable, make the rider more protected and help them perform better.

And the motorcycle drag racing world has noticed and wants a piece. Champion motorcycle drag racer Jeremy Teasley went up to Wisconsin and barely lost his first snowmobile race by only inches on Chris Connelly’s sled. Four time NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Matt Smith and his racer wife Angie went north from their North Carolina home to snowmobile last winter and had a blast, posting many videos of their experience for their fans.

The first race this season for the team is at Great Lakes Dragway on August 21-22 with Musselman in the seat of his Hypersports HRC2 sled. Baverstock will wait for the snow in January at Mancelona Pro Stock Raceway.

for more information about Klím and their products: https://www.klim.com/

for more information about Samson Exhaust products: https://samsonusa.com/

email Samson at: info@samsonusa.com

ROYAL ENFIELD ANNOUNCES NEW ASSEMBLY FACILITY IN COLOMBIA–
All-new CKD facility in Envigado, Antioquia marks Royal Enfield’s second assembly plant to produce motorcycles outside of India

– Royal Royal Enfield, the global leader in the midsize motorcycle segment (250-750cc), is proud to announce the opening of a CKD assembly plant in Colombia, the third-biggest motorcycle market in Latin America, in partnership with its local distributor, Colombiana de Comercio (Corbeta Group). The motorcycle assembly plant in Envigado, Antioquia marks the second motorcycle assembly plant outside of India, a significant milestone for Royal Enfield.

Royal Enfield set up retail operations in Colombia in July 2014, with its first store in Cedritos in Bogotá. Since then, the company has expanded its retail network in the market and now has 15 exclusive stores in Colombia. Overall, Royal Enfield has 57 exclusive stores and 40 other retail touchpoints in all of Latin American countries.

The local assembly unit in Colombia will be based at Colombiana de Comercio facility located in Envigado, Antioquia. To begin with, the plant will locally assemble the Royal Enfield Himalayan, starting this month.

From 2014 to 2021, Royal Enfield has seen significant growth in Colombia. From January 2015 to the present, Royal Enfield has sold more than 7,000 motorcycles in the market. The brand has seen an almost 70% growth in sales from January to July 2021, over the same period in 2020.

Brazil, Argentina and Colombia are among the three most important markets for Royal Enfield in Latin America. Beyond India (the biggest market for the brand with over 2000 retail locations), Royal Enfield motorcycles reach consumers and enthusiasts in more than 60 countries worldwide, through 795 dealerships, including 143 exclusive brand stores in major cities such as London, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Melbourne, Sao Paulo, Bogota, Medellin, Mexico City, Buenos Aires, Dubai, Bangkok, Jakarta, Manila and Ho Chi Minh City.

STURGIS RALLY UPDATES— There are a lot of people who appear to be having a good time. Obvious larger than last year and all the reports coming in saying less issues with law enforcement. Personally, I am having a good time.

Edge says: 20 percent over last year

Dr. Hamster say: It’s way down.

Sturgis Rally Report: Tuesday

Black Hills Pioneer
DUI — 33 Last year to date — 41 Daily numbers are as of Monday morning.

Sturgis Rally three-day attendance more than 2020 but behind 2015, DOT traffic counts show

STURGIS, S.D. (KELO) — The annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is not on pace to break records set in the 75th anniversary of 2015.

A total of 188,57 vehicles were counted over the first three days of the rally from Friday, Aug. 6, through Sunday, Aug. 8, according to the South Dakota Department of Transportation. A total of 236,283 vehicles were counted during the first three days of the 75th Anniversary rally.

Because the coronavirus may have caused fewer bikers to attend the 2020 rally, some officials speculated that numbers for this year could reach the 75th levels. Nearly 750,000 people attended the 75th Anniversary rally in 2015.

–Rae Yost
Badlandsmedia

OREGON HEADLINE OF THE WEEK–
Now, thanks to Kate Brown, everyone in Oregon can be as stupid and totally fucked up as the people in Portland.

–J.J. Solari

REPORT FROM THE BIKERNET BLOG EDITOR–I think Harley-Davidson as a company and brand name is just going through a phase, a bad patch. It has been through worse before. People like to celebrate the good times and the grand times – very few people stick with their love, passion, hobbies when going gets tough and rough. It’s true for couples / marriage, true for friendships, true for employees / shareholders, true for the whole society as a whole. Fond memories are preferred over dealing with ground realities.

Everyone thought Polaris a fool for again reviving the endlessly revived and died Indian Motorcycles brand. They are doing very well, and I think any dealer, customer, mechanic, racer, shareholder would agree.

Look at Royal Enfield with decades of nothing and ancient cast iron engine until they rebuilt the brand around 2008 and really made a change with the UCE engine in 2010. They soared to incredible heights.

If I had bought shares in the company instead of my first Enfield motorcycle, I would have been a millionaire by the time I sold that motorcycle ten years later (I sold the bike for the same price I had bought it ten years ago).

Now, the governments in India and Europe have made such extreme emission norms in the last 3 years that the oldest continuously in production model of 500cc Bullet was terminated by Enfield in 2020.

Now, the rising petrol prices, huge subsidies to EV and electric two-wheelers causing massive drop in electric motorcycle prices – along with government offer of free registration and zero road tax for buyers – this spells some hard times for Royal Enfield in near future.

I am sure there will always be specialty manufacturers to cater to niche market, you know like those who offer brand new rotary dial landline phone, typewriters, suspenders for trousers, pocket watch, etc. If the Electric Vehicle mania is to implode, it will soon enough, just like Zepplins or Concorde.

Why Harley-Davidson Dealers Struggle

https://blog.bikernet.com/why-harley-davidson-dealers-struggle/

–Wayfarer
Emperial Editor
Bikernet Blog™

[page break]

FAST, New Bikernet Reader Comment!–
Oil Transfer Problem on a 2019 Harley-Davidson

https://www.bikernet.com/pages/Oil_Transfer_Problem_on_a_2019_HarleyDavidson_.aspx

Comments:

Great article, I feel the same, kind of a love hate relationship. I owned an ‘09 ultra for several years. Coming up on retirement, I started thinking, wouldn’t it be nice to have warranty for a worry free retirement.

Plus, those M8 are so smooth and powerful, very little mechanical noise to make you wonder. Well, 8000km on the new Ultra Limited and guess what, suspected oil transfer.

Dealer said according to H-D, I needed to ride another 1000km after service and bring it back for them to check. Tech reported 1700 ml in primary, about 800 more than there should be, leaving less than 300ml in the trans.

Harley paid to install the kit under warranty, I paid for 2 litres of oil. Apparently H-D don’t cover the fluids? So, looks like I rode 1000km very low on tranny fluid. Scary part is, what happened for the first 8000km?

So much for a worry-free ride.

–Wayne Glabais
High River, AB, Canada

MOVIE REVIEW OF THE WEEK–Have you seen the pothead stoner road-movie “Harold and Kumar” – it’s like a modern Cheech and Chong movie and as ridiculously funny as those old gems.

In the second movie titled: “Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay” (2008) the two clumsy citizens finally meet the President of USA, played by a look-alike of President Dubya Bush. After sharing a premium doobie from the cool President, the two adventurers ask the POTUS about life in America.

Harold Lee: “After all the shit we’ve been through, I don’t… I don’t know if we can trust our government anymore.”

George W. Bush: “Trust the government? Heck, I’m in the government and I don’t even trust it. You don’t have to believe in your government to be a good American. You just have to believe in your country.”

IMDB Link : https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0481536/

Check it out, it’s crazy funny.

–Wayfarer
Bikernet Film Critic
Bikernet.com™

WHY I AM NOT A PROGRESSIVE–
And Why, From Climate Change to Homelessness, Liberal People Are Giving Up

Michael Shellenberger

For all of my adult life I have identified as a progressive. To me, being a progressive meant that I believed in empowerment. In 2002, when I co-founded a labor-environmental coalition to advocate for renewable energy, the symbol we chose to represent us was of Rosie the Riveter, an image of a woman factory worker during World War II flexing her muscle beneath the words, “We Can Do It!” When President Barack Obama ran for office in 2008, it seemed fitting to me that he chose the slogan, “Yes we can!”

But now, on all the major issues of the day, the message from progressives is “No, you can’t.”

No: poor nations like Bangladesh can’t adapt to climate change by becoming rich, insist progressives; rather, rich nations must become poor.

No: we can’t prevent the staggering rise of drug deaths in the U.S., from 17,000 in 2000 to 93,000 in 2020, by helping people free themselves from addiction; rather, we must instead provide Safe Injection Sites and Safe Sleeping Sites, in downtown neighborhoods, where homeless addicts can use fentanyl, heroin, and meth safely.

Progressives insist they are offering hope. Many scientists and activists yesterday said that, while we have gone past the point of no return, when it comes to climate change, and that “No one is safe,” we can make the situation less bad by using solar panels, windmills, and electric cars, albeit at a very high cost to the economy.

And in California, progressive leaders say that we just need to stick with the progressive agenda of Safe Injection Sites and Safe Sleeping Sites until we can build enough single unit apartments for the state’s 116,000 unsheltered homeless, most of whom are either addicted to hard drugs, suffering from untreated mental illness, or both.

But progressives are talking out of both sides of their mouth. Yesterday I debated a British climate scientist named Richard Betts on television. After I pointed out that he and his colleagues had contributed to one out of four British children having nightmares about climate change he insisted that he was all for optimism and that he agreed with me about nuclear power.

But just hours earlier he had told the Guardian that we were “hopelessly unprepared” for extreme weather events, even though deaths from natural disasters are at an all-time low and that, objectively speaking, humankind has never been more prepared than we are today.

And on the drug deaths crisis, the consensus view among Democrats in Sacramento is that “the problem is fundamentally unsolvable,” according to one of the Capitol’s leading lobbyists. Facing a recall that is growing in popularity, Governor Gavin Newsom yesterday tried to demonstrate that he believes he can solve the problem. He came to Berkeley California and cleaned up garbage created by an open-air drug scene (“homeless encampment”) underneath a freeway underpass.

A reporter for Politico posted a picture of Newsom who he said was “looking tired, sweaty and dirty.” But a commenter noted that the video was shot at 12:12 pm and by 12:25 pm Newsom was holding a press conference. The governor hadn’t even bothered changing out of his Hush Puppies into work boots. People close to the governor say that it is Newsom himself who believes homelessness is a problem that cannot be solved.

On October 12 HarperCollins will publish my second book in two years, San Fransicko, focused on drugs, crime, and homelessnes. It and Apocalypse Never will constitute a comprehensive proposal for saving our civilization from those who would destroy it. What both books have in common is the theme of empowerment. We are not doomed to an apocalyptic future, whether from climate change or homelessness. We can achieve nature, peace, and prosperity for all people because humans are amazing. Our civilization is sacred; we must defend and extend it.

Check Michael’s new book quick:

QUICK,New Bikernet Reader Comment!–“MORE METTLE: MOTORCYCLES AND ART THAT NEVER QUIT”

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

Comments:

I look forward to this event with Michael every year, unfortunately my husband’s health was not allowing us to see it. I love the pictures and article from Rogue.

–Cat One Legged Blonde
Boscobel, WI

THE CALIFORNIA EX-GOVERNOR REPORT–most people take photos of themselves in the mountains or at the beach when they want a day of fun and stuff? Gavin likes walking through burnt terrain, especially when there are destroyed homes in the vicinity.

He’s like an arsonist revisiting the crime when it comes to horrific conflagrations. Homes burnt to the ground because Gavin won’t allow logging or clearing? He grins his spectre grin and off he goes to slog through the ashes like a pup in new snow.

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

THE HISTORY OF Diners–

Do you ever wonder who first thought of Diners?

The history of diners begins in Providence, Rhode Island. There, in 1872, Walter Scott introduced the first “night lunch wagon,” which came out at dusk to serve workers on the late shift, theatergoers, and anyone out late and in search of a hot, inexpensive meal.

Customers would purchase their food and then sit on the curb to eat. Lunch wagons evolved into “rolling restaurants” that had a few seats inside. The first of these was run by Samuel Jones in 1887.

Soon, the name evolved to “lunch cars” and then “dining cars” – which was shorted to just “diners” sometime around 1924.

The first stationary lunch car began operating around 1913 and was made by Jerry O’Mahony, the founder of one of the factories that made and shipped diners. (Diners, unlike coffee shops, were generally manufactured elsewhere and then shipped to the site.)

When diners reached peak popularity in the 1950s, there were about 6,000 of them all across the country. However, the highest concentration of diners remained in the Northeast region.

Today, there are only about 2,000 diners left, with over 600 of those being in New Jersey. While the menus at many of these diners have changed to include heart-healthy options and vegetarian fare, the basic characteristics of the iconic American diner live on – it’s a friendly place to get an inexpensive, hot meal.

www.backthenhistory.com

LIFESTYLE CYCLES DEAL OF THE WEEK–2017 Harley-Davidson FLHTCUTG – Tri Glide Ultra for $31.995.00

SEE IT HERE: https://www.lifestylecycles.com/default.asp?page=xPreOwnedInventoryDetail&id=10852116

2017 Black Harley-Davidson FLHTCUTG TRIGLIDE TRIKE

This bike has passed Lifestyle Cycles rigorous 92 point safety and mechanical/structural inspection. Whether your looking to commute to work, ride the coast or take that dream vacation, this bike is ready to go!!!

EZ FINANCING-SHIPPING AVAILABLE!!!

Fill out an online application and ride today!!!

**Open 7 days a week**

Just ($31,995.00) at Lifestyle Cycles (714) 490-0155

CALIFORNIA HARLEY-DAVIDSON BIKE WASH–These are a few photos from the bike wash over the week end at California H-D. If the originator address is strange, I had my tech guy forward them to me. It was a small event, but Jodi said that since you have been advertising for them the business has gotten more active. Told Jodi about Bonneville and she said she would talk to management and get back to you.

— Gearhead

NEWS FROM THE FOX–You need to see the kind of comments left by people at the Fox News website – someone wrote “It’s not good parenting to have him associate with the lowest of the low: BIKERS.”

Maybe you could check out this kid and his family at Sturgis to show readers what good parenting is – getting the kid to earn for special toys like the Lego is a better life skill than buying him / her a new iPhone to post shit on internet.

Source: https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/sturgis-motorcycle-rally-south-dakota-boy-donations-only-lemonade-stand

Lemonade Stand of 8-year old is popular attraction at Sturgis Motorcycle Rally

https://blog.bikernet.com/lemonade-stand-of-8-year-old-is-popular-attraction-at-sturgis-motorcycle-rally/

–Wayfarer
Supreme Editor in Charge
Bikernet.com™

FROM THE BIKERNET BUDDHIST TEMPLE YET UNDISCOVERED IN THE BADLANDS–
Perspective from the gray mountain:

“Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” – Melody Beattie

“Be happy in the moment, that’s enough. Each moment is all we need, not more.” – Mother Teresa

“Positive thinking is not only about expecting the best to happen, but it is also about accepting whatever happens is for the best.”

“Forget mistakes. Forget failure. Forget everything except what you’re going to do now and do it. Today is your lucky day” – Will Durant

–Wayfarer
Monk in Training

Hamsters USA raise $538,252 for special kids
at LifeScape in Rapid City, South Dakota– Hamsters USA, the international motorcycle group with big hearts, roared into western South Dakota to make an unparalleled impact for local kids with disabilities!

These amazing guys came together to raise funds for LifeScape of Rapid City totaling an unprecedented $538,252, all staying local to support children with disabilities in western SD!

Hamsters USA has raised and donated funds at their annual meeting for the last 16 years, with a deep desire to give back to the greater Black Hills community, which many Hamsters consider their second home.

Their gifts help provide services to children in their Black Hills area homes and communities, delivered by LifeScape personnel who drive over 10,000 miles a month to provide services. Inspired by little Ruby Lehmann, who spoke on stage with her mom, Shannon, and her brother, David, the Hamsters stepped up to do more than ever before! Hamsters stormed the stage to give cash and credit card pledges, which were matched by John McCarthy and Bobby Garone. That piece of the presentation raised approximately $204,000 alone!

At only nine months of age, Ruby was diagnosed with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy after her parents noticed she wasn’t meeting typical milestones, such as rolling over and sitting up on her own. Doctors believe Ruby had a stroke in utero early in her development, which prevented part of her brain from fully forming. It affected three-fourths of her body – her entire left side and her right leg.

Ruby started physical and occupational therapy at 10 months, and at the age of three, began speech therapy, primarily for a “funky gag reflex.” She had braces on her feet and began receiving additional therapies through LifeScape. RISE Custom Solutions, a subsidiary of LifeScape, fitted her for a reverse walker and wheelchair when she outgrew the hospital walker.

Ruby now receives physical and occupational therapies at school, as well as through LifeScape. She is a very determined young lady, proving doctors wrong and surpassing all expectations. She is extremely smart and very artistic. She also thinks very literally, so a vivid imagination is not as evident, but she is very vocal and opinionated.

Ruby plans to start dance in just a few weeks and enjoys horse-riding therapy and water therapy. She has received Botox injections into her tight muscles to help with her gait, and it has made a difference.

LifeScape of Rapid City, SD, is affiliated with LifeScape, based in South Dakota. LifeScape is a private, independent, non-profit organization with a mission to empower children and adults with disabilities to lead fulfilling lives.

PANDEMONIUM HEADLINE OF THE WEEK–
This breaking news just in, the word “pandemonium” has been used for the first time in a questionably true tale regarding the politically rampant and apparently immortal C-19 virus. Thus, is added to the currently frequent over-the-top vocabulary of “catastrophic,” “existentially horrific.” “armageddon-level ruin,” doomsday precursing,” “dystopian abyss,” “hopeless scenario,” “planetary incineration” the word “pandemonium” to the failed-novelist, or “journalist practitioner”‘s go-to trough of exaggeration and misdirection and pre-pubescent attempts at relevance.

Slapped foreheads of “why didn’t I think of that” were the norm all around the disintegrating globe in colleges and political offices at the appearance of “pandemonium” as a descriptor of the ongoing variety of the annual cold and flu season that lives-on in the press long after it’s disappearance as the “flu of the moment” which is now occupied by covid 21. Or, as you persist in calling it if you are a Transformative Being of Gaia, covid-19.

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

TODAY, 12 August is International Youth Day–Young people play a critical role in the future of a society or nation and the world.

Recognizing and creating awareness for this is significant for everyone so as to build a life that benefits everyone including the youth facing difficulties and lack of basic resources to contribute to this ideal future of humanity.

In 1965 the United Nations General Assembly began making a concerted effort to impact the youth. They endorsed the Declaration on the Promotion among Youth of the Ideals of Peace, Mutual Respect and Understanding between Peoples. They began devoting time and resources to empower the youth by recognizing up-and-coming leaders and offering them resources to meet the needs of the world.

On December 17, 1999, the UN General Assembly endorsed the recommendation made by the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth, and International Youth Day was formed. It was first celebrated on August 12, 2000, and ever since the day has been used to educate society, mobilize the youth in socio-economic issues and manage resources to address global problems.

–Wayfarer
UN Correspondent
Bikernet.com™

JUST IN FROM THE LOW BROW CREW–A quick and easy way to improve the comfort and feel of your ride.

Here at Lowbrow we have been designing handlebar grips in different profiles, colors and materials for years.

They are fun to design and, of course, swapping out your grips is an enjoyable, inexpensive and simple upgrade for your motorcycle.

We wanted to share some great grip content we have put together, we hope you enjoy!

QUOTE OF THE WEEK—Can’t waste my time on the past or negativity. Got shit to do.

NEWS FROM THE CLIMATE DEPOT–
Climate statistician Dr. Briggs rips UN IPCC reports as being ‘wrong for decades’ but ‘always wrong in the direction our rulers want them to be’

Statistician Dr. Matt Briggs on IPCC report: “You can never be fired for being wrong in the right direction. The Experts making statements about how dire the climate have been wrong for decades, and they are still wrong in their sparkling new IPCC Climate Assessment Report 6 released Monday.

Now, as then, they warn that “extremes” are on their way. They haven’t got here yet, but they’re coming. They’re always coming.” … Or they have got here, but you need to have the kind of specialized training mentioned above to recognize them.

The difference between AR6, and ARs 1-5, is not so much in the kind of errors made, for these haven’t changed at all, but in the certainty expressed in them. It’s only a slight exaggeration to say that somebody did a “Find & Replace” of every instance of “very likely” in AR5 and changed them to “virtually certain.” Because they are always wrong in the direction our rulers want them to be.

Experts said every animal that is cute, photogenic, or delicious was going to die; whereas every beast or plant that bit, stung, or poisoned was going to flourish. Mountains of “research” was done to “prove” that everything we loved was going to be destroyed, where everything we hated was going to increase. Because of a tenth or so of a degree increase in global mean temperature.

New report will highlight ‘stark reality’ of warming – But ‘global temperatures, following record El Nino in 2015/16, are no higher now than they were two decades ago.

–Climate Depot

New Bikernet Reader Comment!

Where Are We Headed?

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

Name: Doug

Email: douglaswhite2478@comcast.net

Location: Buchanan, MI

Comments:

Stealth – This looks like the results of “Financial Sustainability vs Unit Reliability”….
-Low Pay
-No Pension
-No Insurance
I watched one of the best H-D Tech’s I’ve ever seen, quit Harley-Davidson, and go work for the Railroad because he was unable to sustain a family of 4, with what Harley had to offer in pay and benefits. You would have done the same thing. Yet, reading the Rapid City Journal, I see “Record Attendance” in the news….. This even smells like someone is full of shit. You want your new employee’s to gain interest, and not seek other employment avenues? Fix those 3 issues, train them well, and send them to Sturgis South Dakota at least once, so they can see the bigger picture, see what writes those paychecks they cash.

Remove 2/3’s of the seats on Harleys board of directors if that’s what it takes,(I don’t see them doing much anyway) and those that remain – let them work the next 2 years for the same pay as a new parts tech, at the counter, all while they multitask 2 other full time positions, and accomplishing very little at the end of the day. Let them see what it’s like to go home every day with less than sustainable compensation, and try to feel good about going to work the next day….with that same enthusiasm Harley Davidson expects!

Win If You Can…..
Lose If You Must…..
But Always Cheat…..

—Burma Shave

Couple of guys stopped by today. I masked up and kept my distance.

Here’s a shot of our billboard in Deadwood.

Frankie hit all the rides up Spearfish Canyon and to Rushmore. He’s tripping.

I’m a tad under the weather, but it was good to see the folks I got to run into. May everyone get home safe and without the stinking Covid.

Let us know how your rally week went. And keep riding fast and free until the end.

–Bandit

Where Are We Headed?
by Stealth with photos from Sam Burns

I have been thinking about this for a good while now. I THOUGHT I was done with the Harley-Davidson dealer business, but every time I try to get out, I get pulled back in but probably not for long.

I have seen this business in the ‘90s. It was wide open. People standing in line to buy bikes, but not today. Next time you are at a dealership check out how many new bikes you see.

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I have been thinking about this for a good while now. I THOUGHT I was done with the Harley-Davidson dealer business, but every time I try to get out, I get pulled back in but probably not for long. I plan on contributing a lot more for BIKERNET in the near future.

With that being said, it seems nowadays it has all changed. I guess everything does. First, I would like to say I have been this side of the industry for about 25 years. I have been riding since 1976. Yeah, I have seen some things! What I see nowadays is a decline.

People with great knowledge used to work in dealerships not nowadays. Been to one lately? If you have, you know what I am speaking of! Young kids at the parts counters, not knowing anything. I had a guy tell me it took him 4 trips to get the correct spark plugs and it took him 2 trip to get the correct air filter? Come on?

A lot of this has to do with the pay scale, and a lot has to do with no interest in motorcycles from the people who get these jobs!

I have always said you cannot take a guy or a girl who has no interest in bikes or the lifestyle and train them. IT DOES NOT WORK!

I started getting interested in bikes (Harleys) when I was in the 10th grade. I would read anything I could find that was about Harley-Davidson motorcycles. I learned the history and tradition behind the Motor Company.

I was lucky enough to meet a guy along the way Mike J., he taught me a lot. He would talk and I would listen, and I would take it all in. WE are still the best of friends to this day.

There were others along the way. I always listened. I never tried to impress these guys with what I did not know! A lot of years down the road I met my good friend Bandit. I have learned a great deal from him not only about bike and this business but some life lessons as well.

Back to what we were talking about. I see these kids come into this business with no knowledge, no base knowledge and they struggle big time. They stick around maybe 3-6 months and move on.

They have no love for the business, no love for bikes, no passion and they leave with nothing. The cycle repeats itself over and over.

I have seen this business in the ‘90s. It was wide open. People standing in line to buy bikes, but not today. Next time you are at a dealership check out how many new bikes you see.

To be successful in this business you must have a passion for motorcycles. I do not see this nowadays. These kids see it as only a job. Most don’t ride, most cannot afford to, and some have no desire to!

I truly hope all this changes. This is a GREAT industry to be a part of!

Oh, by the way, if anyone cares to know what I am doing right I got a call asking if I would be interested in helping with a BIG inventory problem? BIG is an understatement!

So, for now that’s what I am doing. Oh, and I am also trying to get their parts counter straight??? Like I said, I am going to be more involved with BIKERNET in the near future.

UNTIL NEXT TIME, RIDE!
–STEALTH