Koz Mraz takes the Large Sissy Bar Luggage on the road. Ideal for weeks of serious two-up touring. I was looking for really large sissy bar luggage for weeks of serious two-up crusading in the northern U.S. These Vikings will be riding long stretches of open highways through desolate landscapes. There’s a wide variety of options, some I liked, some I didn’t. I didn’t want a top loading bag that made us dig to the bottom every time we needed a sweater. I wanted handy exterior compartments that could be easily accessed at stops and I needed space, lots of space for lots of stuff. I found Viking Bags. Photos and Review by Koz Mraz.

Click Here to Read this Road Test Review on Bikernet.com

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MRF 2021 HOF Inductee Announcement

The Motorcycle Riders Foundation announces the 2021 Freedom Fighter Hall of Fame Inductees.

The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) is pleased to release the names of the 2021 class of Inductees to the Motorcycle Riders Foundation Freedom Fighters Hall of Fame (MRF HOF). These will be presented at the Annual Meeting of the Minds conference September 23-26, in Atlanta, Georgia.

This year’s MRF HOF Class of 2021 – Freedom Fighter Inductees are:

• Butch Brown
• Deb Butitta
• Jim Dahling
• Carol Downs

Past Motorcycle Riders Foundation Hall of Fame inductees are: Keith “Bandit” Ball, Mark Buckner, Wayne Curtin, Michael “Balls” Farabaugh, “Still” Ray Fitzgerald, Richard Gray, Bob Illingworth, Nathan “Buck” Kittredge, Ed Netterberg, Sherman Packard, Todd Vandermyde, Paul Vestal, Penny Walker, Ed Youngblood, Vince Consiglio, Fredric Harrell, Rodney Roberts, Simon Milward, JoAnne Packard, Karen Bolin, Lee Richardson, Jerry “JT” Thomas, and Teresa Hepker, Dick “Slider” Gilmore, Charles Umbenhauer, Wanda Hummel-Shultz, “Biker” Jim Rhoades, Lee Ryan, Marc Falsetti, Gary Klinker, Charlie Williams, Dave Dwyer, “Radio” Bob Letourneau, “Farmer” John Eggers and Michael “Boz” Kerr.

Congratulations to all from the Motorcycle Riders Foundation Board of Directors.

Visit http://mrf.org/

About Motorcycle Riders Foundation
The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) provides leadership at the federal level for states’ motorcyclists’ rights organizations as well as motorcycle clubs and individual riders. The MRF is chiefly concerned with issues at the national and international levels that impact the freedom and safety of American street motorcyclists. The MRF is committed to being a national advocate for the advancement of motorcycling and its associated lifestyle and works in conjunction with its partners to help educate elected officials and policymakers in Washington and beyond.

AHDRA motorcycle drag racing series pre-race report
event: AHDRA Sturgis Nitro Nationals
when: August 8-10, 2021
where: Sturgis Dragway, Sturgis, South Dakota, USA

AHDRA all-American motorcycle drag racing will entertain fans and enrich racers right in the heart of the world’s biggest motorcycle rally—Sturgis—with the AHDRA Sturgis Nitro Nationals on August 8-10.

The eighth mile Sturgis Dragway will thunder with the sounds and smells of nitro and gasoline Harleys and Indians in the perfect setting for having good times and setting quick times.

Tony Ruggiero, Mike Bahnmaeir, Michael Balch, Rocky Jackson, Sam White and Jim Martin will be among those pounding nitro with big feakin’ pistons, spitting flames and taking names as they seek to collect AHDRA plaques and winners’ stickers.

Hawaya Racing Pro Fuel pilot Martin and Vreeland’s Harley-Davidson 6.35 racer Joe Glaze will be among those seeking bonuses for winning two years (or more) in a row.

Glaze, J.J. Stringer, and Crosby Blair prefer to light their fires with gasoline and will be joining many, many other racers doing the same.

The cross-country touring 187 Custom Cycles team of builder Patrick Lynch and riders Victor Gotay and Crystal Lynch will race their badass Baggers in Law Tigers Pro Bagger and T-Man Performance Bagger Eliminator.

Other classes include Top Fuel Harley, Hawaya Racing Nitro Funnybike, GMS Racing Pro Open, Zippers Performance Pro Modified, Pingel Modified, Horsepower Incorporated Hot Street, Mad Monkey Motorsports Eliminator, Universal Fleet & Tire 7.00 index,5.95 index, 6.60 index, 7.35 index, and Trophy.

AHDRA is proud to be partnered with Donna and Wayne Pingel, slated to be inducted into the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum Hall of Fame. Congratulations Donna and Wayne, we hope to see you at the dragstrip!

So come out to the AHDRA drag races and have some good, dirty fun! Stay sober and have the proper safety equipment and you can even join the show.

Bill Rowe, his family, and the AHDRA community welcome you to drag racing action at Sturgis Dragway on August 8-10.

The AHDRA website is at http://raceahdra.com/

For more information, email AHDRA’s Bill Rowe at bcrowe92891@gmail.com

AHDRA is owned by Pulse Marketing,the Hellertown, Pennsylvania-based motorsports promotion company run by veteran drag racer Rowe and his family.

A brother Mike Stevenson, who is a sharp builder, former actor, and all-around chopper rider forever, contacts me on a regular basis regarding bikes. He called sorta excited recently.

Mike and I have worked on bikes together, including Dr. Hamsters Pandemic Panhead. He encountered serious health issues and still wants to ride rigid framed, stretched, highbar choppers to the stars. He won’t ever give up.

Unfortunately and fortunately he’s at the rally in Sturgis now and doesn’t have access to a computer to writing emails, maybe. Who the fuck knows? But when I asked him to email his story, this is what I received. Hang on!

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

Available at H-D dealerships soon.

2021 is a watershed year for Harley-Davidson. The Motor Company introduced its first adventure bike, the Pan America, and updated the decrepit Sportster range with its lively Revolution Max engine. On the coattails of those two successful launches, Harley will now turn its attention to the urban/electric mobility sector for the first time with its Serial 1 electric bike lineup.

Originally announced in October, 2020, Harley’s new e-bike spin-off introduced a concept based on the company’s first-ever motorcycle in 1903. However, the production models do away with the nostalgia in favor of a stripped-down, utilitarian aesthetic. All four Serial 1 variants feature a lithium-ion battery integrated into a hydroformed aluminum frame.

While all models utilize a Gates carbon drive belt mated to a mid-mounted Brose electric motor, some trims boast more power than others. Full LED lighting comes standard on all Serial 1s and riders will benefit from the four ride modes (Eco, Tour, Sport and Boost) and walk-assist function.

The MOSH/CTY represents Serial 1’s base offering. Without the Enviolo Automatiq auto-shifting hub found on the premium RUSH models, the single-speed reaches a top speed of 20 mph with a 250W motor. The MOSH/CTY’s 529Wh li-ion battery nets between 35-105 miles and requires four hours and 45 minutes to recharge. The MOSH/CTY retails for €3,499 and $3,799 in the U.S.

In contrast, the RUSH/CTY includes premium features such as an odometer display, storage compartment, and 4-piston brake calipers. The model also earns a 706Wh li-ion battery which achieves a maximum range of 115 miles but calls for 6.6 hours on the charger. Serial 1’s RUSH/CTY STEP-THRU model shares the same features as the standard RUSH/CTY but opts for a 529Wh battery unit good for 90 miles and 4.75 hours to recharge. The RUSH/CTY costs €4,699 in the E.U. and $4,999 in the States while the RUSH/CTY STEP-THRU drops by €100 in Europe but remains $4,999 in America.

Exclusive to the U.S., the RUSH/CTY SPEED adopts a Brose TF Mag motor for a 28-mph top speed. The 706Wh li-ion battery returns 25-115 miles and fully recharges in 6.6 hours. The high-performance model comes at a premium, however, with an MSRP of $5,599. Serial 1 will start delivering the RUSH/CTY, RUSH/CTY STEP_THRU, and MOSH/CTY European Harley-Davidson dealers and showcase the full lineup at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally on August 6-11, 2021.

“The dynamic, fast-growing e-bicycle market is at the forefront of a global mobility revolution,” proclaimed Serial 1 Brand Director Aaron Frank. “Offering the Serial 1 e-bicycles in dealerships across Europe allows Harley-Davidson to play a key role in this mobility revolution while allowing Serial 1 to deliver an unmatched riding experience rooted in fun, freedom, and adventure on two wheels.”

by Florina Spînu from https://www.autoevolution.com

If the stunning views you get of the Italian Dolomites alone will not enchant you, the rooms from Hotel AI Plan will certainly make you feel some type of way. Lovers of classic cars and motorbikes, and even aviation enthusiasts can now stay in Harley-Davidson, Ducati, Vespa, Fiat, and Aerospace-themed suites.

Located in San Vigilio di Marebbe, a small village in the heart of the Dolomites mountains in Italy, Hotel Al Plan offers plenty of suites with incredible views for those looking to get away from the city and relax in the middle of nature. And, if you’re a motorcycle fan, a petrolhead, or an aviation lover, this might be the perfect place for you.

The hotel has a selection of rooms to satisfy anyone’s taste. Harlistas can book a special spot decked in the brand’s well-known orange accents. The first thing you’re gonna notice (after you get your H-D-themed key to enter the room) is the big Bar and Shield logo placed above the bed. In a classy white-black-orange color scheme, the suite features chairs composed of a saddle and floorboards, a table with fenders inside, and motorcycle tank sections integrated into the nightstands.

If you’re more of a Ducati fan, you’ll enter the Ducati Corse room stylishly finished in the iconic brand’s red color. Next to the bed, there is an illuminated stand with miniature motorcycles, and, to the left, you’ll see a mannequin suited up in Ducati Corse branding.

The Vespa room repurposes components such as rear-wheel covers, engines, frames as ornamental elements for devoted scooter lovers. The company’s green color wraps up the whole room. One wall is covered with a big portrait of Vespa racers, while the other is illuminated by a miniature Vespa model display. Helmets can be found on chairs and tables and, on the balcony, you’ll even get a glimpse of a wheel attached to the ceiling.

For classic car lovers, the Fiat room is an excellent choice. Everything is purposefully arranged and decored to give it a vintage vibe. On the wall, there’s a Fiat Balilla hood on display, and a Fiat Campagnola hood serves as sink support. Next to the bed, repurposed as nightstands are some Balilla fenders. Of course, there’s also a collection of vintage miniature Fiat cars to complete the whole package.

For those that are more into aircraft, the Aeronautica room is for you. It’s the ideal place to immerse yourself in aviation and the myth of the Frecce tricolori, Italy’s national acrobatic air patrol. Right when you enter the suite, there is an Italian Air Force pilot suit waiting for you to admire. However, the piece de resistance is on the balcony, where once you step in, you’re greeted by a real Frecce tricolori cockpit pointed towards the Dolomites.

SEE HOTEL WEBSITE AT https://www.alplan.it/en/hotel/rooms-prices/rooms-suites.html

by Florina Spînu from https://www.autoevolution.com

Salon Privé Week, now in its 16th year, will once again highlight the best of the automotive and motorcycle worlds. Any car enthusiast and motorcycle aficionado will drool at the most incredible supercars and classics and alongside the rarest motorcycles.

Triumph will also take part in this year’s series of events and will create a buzz with a rare sight: its first motorcycle ever built. What began in 1886 as the Triumph Cycle Company has become one of the most recognizable of all motorcycle brands, with iconic models including the Speed Twin, Bonneville, and the famous Thunderbird 6T ridden by Marlon Brando in “The Wild One.”

Siegfried Bettmann and Moritz Schulte, the company’s founders, started out making Triumph-branded bicycles, but they gradually extended production to include motorcycles as well. That’s how the company’s first “motorcycle” was born.

It was a bicycle fitted with a 3/4hp 172cc Belgian Minerva engine. The machine had no clutch or gearbox, and the rider could adjust the rear chain with the use of a rear band brake and an eccentric crank. The Triumph motor bicycle was introduced in September 1901 for the 1902 season. The brand’s reputation for quality and durability was well established by the outbreak of WWI, which eventually led to substantial orders for military use.

The rare exemplary will be on display at on the South Lawn at Blenheim Palace as part of the Salon Privé Concours d’Elégance. Its appearance represents a unique opportunity for visitors to see this historic motor bicycle ( which is the forerunner of all subsequent Triumphs) in public for the first time since 1937.

On September 1st, Salon Privé Concours d’Elégance will include two classes: Exceptional Motorcycles and Exceptional Competition Motorcycles. Allen Millyard, a well-known motorcycle builder, will be back this year with his Kawasaki Z1 Super Six, a masterfully crafted bike based on the Z1’s double-overhead-camshaft four-cylinder engine.

World-class bespoke motorcycle builders Thornton Hundred will be among the ones showing their latest designs on the South Lawn. The 202 hp ‘World’s Fastest Bobber’ and a 2021 Triumph Bonneville Bobber Black, both debuting at Salon Privé, will be among the British company’s offerings.

PRESS RELEASE
Salon Privé Week is renowned as being a celebration of two-wheeled machinery as well as four, and this year Blenheim Palace will host the world debut of a unique and hugely significant motor bicycle. Over the course of its long and illustrious history, Triumph became one of the most recognisable of all marques thanks to legendary models such as the Speed Twin and Bonneville, while screen icon Marlon Brando famously rode a Thunderbird 6T in The Wild One.

Having been producing bicycles at its Coventry factory since 1889, Triumph moved into the world of motor bicycles at the turn of the 20th century and was a pioneering force in the burgeoning British motorcycle industry. Siegfried Bettmann and Moritz Schulte were responsible for the design, which used a 3/4hp 172cc Minerva engine from Belgium. A rear band brake was employed, and an eccentric crank to enable the rider to adjust the rear chain. The Triumph motor bicycle was launched in September 1901 for the 1902 season. By the outbreak of The Great War the marque’s reputation for quality and reliability was well established, leading to substantial orders for military use.

The example that will be on display at Blenheim Palace as part of the Salon Privé Concours d’Elégance is the very first Triumph motor bicycle ever made and actually dates from 1901. Its appearance represents a unique opportunity to see this historic motor bicycle – the forerunner of all subsequent Triumphs – in public for the first time since 1937.

The prestigious Salon Privé Concours d’Elégance presented by Aviva takes place on Wednesday 1 September, and will feature two classes – Exceptional Motorcycles and Exceptional Competition Motorcycles. Previous class winners have included renowned motorcycle builder Allen Millyard, who has claimed multiple Salon Privé awards. His exquisite Honda SS100 V-twin is a previous Best in Show winner, and in 2019 his Velocette MAC V-Twin received the Most Spectacular Motorbike award from the event host, the Duke of Marlborough.

Millyard will return this year with his Kawasaki Z1 Super Six. This beautifully engineered machine uses a six-cylinder engine that is based on the standard Z1’s double-overhead-camshaft four-cylinder unit, and uses original Kawasaki parts. Everything else on the motorcycle is standard, giving a subtle end result that looks like something the factory itself could have produced.

The judging panel for the Concours d’Elégance includes some of the most respected experts in the motorcycle world. Writer and consultant Somer Hooker will be joined by broadcaster Henry Cole, historians Dennis Frost and Mike Jackson, along with former racer Steve Parrish. The Motorcycle Awards Ceremony will take place at noon on Thursday 2 September with judges, owners and the Duke of Marlborough present.

A new addition for 2021 is the introduction of a motorcycle parade to open the event on the mornings of Wednesday 1 September and Thursday 2 September. Entrants will start outside the show field, then parade through the grounds of Blenheim Palace and into place on the elegant South Lawn.

There will also be the opportunity for motorcycle entrants to take part in Tour Privé for the first time, on Tuesday 31 August. The 100-mile route will depart from the Great Court at Blenheim Palace and travel through the spectacular Cotswold countryside, with a luncheon stop at Grittleton House in the picturesque village of Grittleton, Wiltshire.

Elsewhere on the South Lawn, Thornton Hundred will be among the brands showcasing their latest designs. The British company’s line-up will include the ‘World’s Fastest Bobber’ – a 202bhp technological tour de force – and a 2021 Triumph Bonneville Bobber Black, both are a Salon Privé debut.

‘We’re thrilled to be welcoming the first-ever Triumph motor bicycle to Blenheim Palace,’ said Salon Privé Concours Chairman Andrew Bagley, ‘and there will be a real buzz around it considering that it hasn’t been seen in public for more than 80 years. With more exceptional motorcycles already being entered into the Concours d’Elégance, this year’s event is shaping up to be a memorable celebration of motoring in all its forms.’

Some of the world’s most famous brands have chosen Salon Privé as the perfect location for a global, European or UK debut, while a brand-new element for 2021 – Salon Privé TIME – will feature the world’s leading watchmakers.

With a programme that includes Ladies’ Day presented by Boodles on Friday, the Salon Privé Club Trophy presented by Lockton on Saturday, and Sunday’s Classic and Supercar event, all the elements are in place for another unmissable Salon Privé Week.

by CNN from https://kvia.com

MISSOULA, Montana (Missoulian) — A group of 24 women packed their motorcycles, zipped up their jackets and revved their engines Wednesday before heading out on Day 5 of their three-week cross-country journey celebrating women’s right to vote.

The Suffragists Centennial Motorcycle Ride was originally scheduled for 2020 in honor of the centennial of the 19th Amendment, but it had to be postponed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I thought, what better way to celebrate women’s freedom than the emblem of freedom, of freedom on a motorcycle, because that’s what it’s done for me,” said event organizer Alisa Clickenger of North Carolina. “That’s what it’s done for all of these other women.”

Clickenger began riding motorcycles nearly 25 years ago while in the midst of a divorce. She described herself as a shy housewife prior to finding her community through motorcycling, which ultimately changed her life.

Now, she is a best-selling author and founder of Women’s Motorcycle Tours and the Women’s Motorcycle Conferences.

“Motorcycling helped me grow into who I am,” Clickenger said. “I want to encourage other women to learn and grow and expand outside of their self-perceived limitations.”

She began planning the ride about three years ago to celebrate a century of the 19th Amendment, which granted white women the right to vote through the work of activists in the women’s suffrage movement between the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It took more than four decades for all women to achieve voting equality in the United States.

Montana ratified the amendment in August 1919, and was one of the earliest states to do so.

The ride began at the end of July in Portland, Oregon, and will snake its way across the country, stopping in places like Sturgis, South Dakota, and Knoxville, Tennessee, before ending in Arlington, Virginia, for the Women’s Motorcycle Festival and Conference.

Most of the women are retired, which Clickenger speculates is due to the long-term time commitment of the ride. But they range in experience, and for many this is their first cross-country trek.

A unique element to the group is the variety of bikes that the women are riding. They range from two- to three-wheelers, and makes and models from brands like Harley Davidson, Suzuki, Honda and Ducati.

“This is not about any one brand, any one style of bike, this is about women coming together to support each other and celebrate the women that have fought for our ability to be here,’” said Wendy Crockett, a ride leader for the group.

The opportunity to travel the country on a motorcycle with a group of women wasn’t one Crockett could pass up.

“In the course of my long-distance riding I’ve seen every amazing road this country has to offer,” Crockett said. “It’s very exciting to show it to a whole new group of ladies, but it’s also really exciting to help empower women to get out on the road and maybe step out of their comfort zone a little bit.”

Crockett is a certified motorcycle mechanic who lives in South Dakota. She was also the first woman ever to win the Iron Butt Rally, an 11-day, 11,000-mile endurance ride. Most recently, she’s completed the same rally by riding 13,600 miles in the same period of time.

As ride leader, Crockett ensures that her group makes it safely between stops and takes them to cool locations along the way.

“We cater each day to what they like so they have the vacation of a lifetime,” she said.

The ride is meaningful to Crockett, because it recognizes the people who she considers the “real trailblazers,” and ultimately made it possible for women like her to legally wear pants and ride motorcycles.

“We do some really cool, interesting, big things, but the strength of the women that fought for those levels of basic freedom is just really incredible,” Crockett said.

Crockett continues to break barriers for women who may not feel comfortable in the motorcycle community and hopes to provide more opportunities for her daughter as well.

“By the time she’s ready to ride on her own bike, hopefully it is nothing that even occurs to anybody that it is unique that a woman’s on a bike and she is just another rider,” Crockett said. “It’s perfectly normal for her to wear a princess dress and wrench on her own bike.”

Crockett’s daughter will join the group, riding in a sidecar, when they pass through Sturgis.

So far, the ride has been very hot but an overwhelming success, Crockett and Clickenger said. They climbed Lolo Pass before arriving in Missoula to rest on Tuesday evening after nearly 200 miles in the saddle.

They also ventured over to the Jeannette Rankin Peace Center for an event that same evening.

“We were really looking forward to the visit at the Rankin Center because she was one of the early suffragists,” Clickenger said.

Betsy Mulligan-Dague, the former executive director of the Jeannette Rankin Peace Center, joined the group on Wednesday to ride across the country.

On Wednesday, the group took off early in the morning to beat the heat and headed for Butte.

Above all else, Clickenger hopes that the event will empower more women to ride motorcycles and find their own personal freedom.

“There is so much more beyond what society tells us we should, or can, be,” Clickenger said.

by Satya Singh from https://www.rushlane.com

It’s good to know that electric two-wheelers are registering greater acceptability among users. However, sales of new electric scooters alone may take a long time to achieve the goal of 100% electric ecosystem. One also needs to focus on millions of fossil-fuel powered two-wheelers that continue to pollute the environment. The need of the hour is dedicated conversion kits that can be produced on a mass scale, are affordable and can be easily fitted in existing two-wheelers.

Saietta electric motor for Continental GT
UK-based Saietta Group specializes in developing electric drive systems for electric vehicles (EVs). It has come up with an electric motor that can be fitted directly onto Royal Enfield Continental GT. A number of tests are currently underway to assess overall performance and viability of converted Continental GT.

The company has plans to mass-produce the motors, once everything has been fine-tuned and perfected. These motors will also be distributed to Indian OEMs through Padmini VNA. The latter is a leading manufacturer of advanced auto components.

It is to note that Royal Enfield is in the process of developing its own range of electric motorcycles. These will continue to use the retro theme that can be seen on existing Royal Enfield motorcycles. However, it’s not certain when exactly these motorcycles will be launched. It’s also not certain if Royal Enfield will be able to dominate the electric segment, just as it does in 350cc to 650cc segment. It will be interesting to see how the king of thump performs in a green, silent world.

Hero Xtreme electric motor
Targeting the commuter segment, Saietta has converted a Hero Xtreme with an electric motor. This too has been equipped with a swappable battery system. As compared to charging an electric two-wheeler, a swapping ecosystem offers multiple benefits.

Batteries can be swapped within seconds whereas charging can take several minutes even with fast charger. Another benefit is that customers don’t have to invest in buying the battery. They just need to pay for using the battery, which works out much cheaper.

From a design perspective, it is obvious that converted Continental GT and Hero Xtreme will need some sort of a body kit. In their current form, the motorcycles come across as a work-in-progress unit.

Existing users of these motorcycles are unlikely to make the switch to electric until the visual shortcomings are take care of. Even though the motor is an innovative work and pioneering move by Saietta, one cannot completely ignore aesthetics associated with a motorcycle.

Company Website at https://saiettagroup.com/

https://youtu.be/FFbCxmzy0Sk

by Dillon Adams from https://www.siouxlandproud.com

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) — The 81st Sturgis Motorcycle Rally kicks off Friday in the Black Hills of South Dakota but before then, Rooster’s Harley-Davidson is hoping to raise money from bikers to help a local nonprofit.

The bike isn’t any regular Harley-Davidson though. The Harley is known as the knucklehead collaborative build and is being raffled off for $50 a ticket.

All proceeds from the raffle will benefit Sioux City’s Camp High Hopes.

The fully custom bike was designed after a public vote.

“We did like a people’s choice. We voted online, voted in store, we had giveaways, so the people kind of helped us put this bike together. We voted on seats, handlebars, taillights, the paint color, pretty much every nut and bolt got touched by everybody but us,” said Riley Jasa, of Rooster’s H-D.

The bike was completed earlier this week. Tickets can be purchased at Rooster’s or at Camp High Hopes, as well as their Facebook pages.

The winner will be drawn at the annual Miles for Smiles poker run on September 11.

Tickets are still available for purchase! These tickets give you a chance to win this knucklehead and all proceeds go to benefit Camp High Hopes in Sioux City!

Buy Tickets at https://camphighhopes.networkforgood.com/events/29391-rooster-s-camp-high-hopes-knucklehead-motorcycle-raffle