Decades ago (mid ‘90s) Paisano Publications came out with an upscale magazine called VQ. I’m sure a take-off on GQ. People scoffed because the RUB thing was in full swing. I didn’t care because it was another great publication from bikers for bikers. It was tailored for the upscale market complete with ads for cologne, soap and other things you’d never find in Easyriders. The best part was a feature on artists concepts.



Honestly, I think Joe Teresi was way ahead of his time with this one. Starting in the ‘00s this would have fit right in. VQ’s editor, Keith (Bandit) Ball was running it while juggling the editorship of Easyriders and countless other publications.



In 1997 the issue of VQ featured illustrations from a concept artist Tim Conder. The concept was a left-hand sidecar. The shapely notion struck me to the core. I’ve seen state-of-the-art custom bikes from all over the world, from incredible builders, but never saw a concept that I wanted to copy or duplicate in anyway. I’ve been building bikes well over 40 years.



Around the same time, during Daytona Bike Week, Joe Teresi gave me a sharp VQ money clip. I have used it for over 20 years. You’ll note the money clip logo now resides in the steering damper knob. A nod to Joe and Keith (some call him Bandit).



Conder’s conceptual illustration really hit me. I called Keith and inquired, who the hell is Tim Conder? The reply was that he was in Sonoma, 90 miles away. I called Conder and asked if anyone has ever built this sidecar? His reply was no, and he would really like to see it done.





My life was crazy busy being the guy behind the scenes at Custom Chrome bringing it to crazy growth heights. I was involved in every aspect of that company from product development to marketing, sales and much more. I was lucky to build a bike every two years. So, I tore out the VQ illustrations and filed them with my future projects.




The year 2004 brought a couple of big changes for me. I left Custom Chrome, started Hollister H-D and relocated it to Morgan Hill, where I renamed it House of Thunder H-D. During the move, my file cabinet popped open, dropped my build files and low and behold, out came Tim’s sidecar conceptual illustrations.



I worked building a dealership for several years, never being able to really dedicate the time.




I sold House of Thunder H-D in 2015. In 2019 I dedicated 20 hours a week, threw away over a years’ worth of work, because I wasn’t happy with it. Finally, in 2020 I decided I would dedicate 40-50 hours a week and build the best bike/sidecar that I could, no matter how long it took.

The bike is based on a ’04 Softail with mild engine and gearing mods, including double-bronze powder-coated. Wheels, which are real Halibrand knockoffs running 17-inch radial tires all around, 180 in the front, 200 series in the rear.





Proportioning valve is used to balance the rear brakes on the sidecar and bike. GMA brake pulley kit for the rear of the bike and a Brembo in front. Made the handlebars and used Custom Cycle Engineering Controls.



Fit and finish is my expertise, so when you look at the handlebar cover, you’ll see how tight it fits. It looks stock but it’s not. The steering damper poking through is where I machined a spot for the VQ money clip.



Things like the gap at the bottom of the headlight ring really bug me, so I blended in a filler piece. Nacelle headlight strip needed to be extended with a small double step next to the handlebar cover. That double step is mimicked at the bottom of the grill in front of the engine and the inside center of the windshield.





I did a lot of the body work with trim pieces in place, so I would get the fit as tight as possible before sending things off for chrome. And yes, I even made my own key out of an antique gas valve handle.





I built fully polished, louvered-aluminum belly pans on the sidecar and the bike. Not to mention polished aluminum inner fender wells, my own taillight housings and lens. I know, I’m sick.





I hand bent the sidecar interior trim and hid all the hardware. The Jarrah exotic wood floor was sourced from western Australia, sanded and eight coats of clear added to reach the finish I wanted.



Of course, no project of this size can be done all by yourself. Bob Munroe (Grand National Hall of Fame) took my wooden windshield frame and turned it into steel along with the fender trim and extended fuel tank.





The one-off paint was done by the great hall of famer Art Himsl, who has painted several bikes for me in the past and is just a pleasure to work with. Dennis’ Body shop did the final body work to get everything straight.

Guy Ruchonnet was invaluable helping with the frame, fender braces, bucks and molds. Nothing is more rewarding than to work with pure craftsmen and watching them take my work and refining it.





Some of the people who helped and inspired me are no longer with us like Darrell Hayes and Don Ivie, whom I miss every day, and both could always get me out of a tight corner.











Okay, so it took me over 20 years to complete this project, so what! It’s finished. It’s the best bike I’ve ever built. It’s beautiful on top as well as underneath and I hope to show it to you in a regional show soon!



Rumble Sidecar Specifications

Owner: Dan Stern
Bike: 2004 Harley-Davidson Softail w/left-hand sidecar
Engine: 88-inch Twin Cam powder coated double bronze


Wheels: Halibrand knockoffs
Brakes: Brembo front, GMA rear
Handlebar: Custom by Stern
Hand Controls: Cycle Controls
Front Suspension: Shovel adjustable tree, extended tubes



Rear Suspension: Works Shock
Fuel Tank: Extended by Bob Munroe



Fenders & Body Panels: Handmade by Guy Ruchonnet & Stern
Paint: Art Himsl custom blend



Seat: Corbin



Special Features: Fender Trim, handmade taillight housing & lenses, louvered belly pan



Suspension: Auto air shocks
Features: Custom matching luggage behind seat, machined footrests, custom interior and side trim, rock guard, fender and taillight trim.



 
 

by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com

The Japanese have a real thing for the lotus flower. In fact, its importance is not limited to Japan alone, but is a pillar of Buddhism, which considers it the purity of the body, speech and mind, born out of Gautama Buddha own steps. It’s not that often though that the lotus is associated with a material object, especially a motorcycle.

A Japanese custom shop that goes by the name Bad Land sees however no issue with associating purity with a two-wheeler, and a menacing-looking one at that.

Holly Lotus is how one of the shop’s builds is called, originally a 2010 Harley-Davidson Dyna that received a host of custom upgrades, black paint and body tattoos that make it look anything but pure.

Just like in the case of the Zoso Blood No. 2, the Holly Lotus goes for a darkened look in the purest Japanese style, with the entire build wrapped in black.

There are a lot of custom parts featured on the build, many of them made by Bad Land itself. The list includes the front and rear wheels, sized 21- and 18-inch, respectively, a unique, pointy headlight that really stands out in the crowd, and a custom handlebar.

The shop is also responsible for the one-off fuel tank, front fender, and exhaust system. All these are paired with a motogadget speedometer, a single Arlen Ness mirror, Arlen Ness grips and covers for the air cleaner and rocker, and a Progressive shock.

The motorcycle was first shown back in May this year, but the Japanese garage did not specify how much the bike cost to put together. We also don’t know what happened to it after completion, but we’ll keep our eyes open in the hopes of catching this Holly Lotus out in the open, in a more natural environment than the studio it was pictured in when revealed.

Check out https://www.badland.net/hd-custom/2010tc-dyna-holly-lotus/

by Kyle Hyatt from https://www.cnet.com

Everyday café: Triumph’s factory cafe racer offers an engaging ride and killer looks, but is it worth the sky-high asking price?

The Thruxton RS is arguably the crown jewel of Triumph’s Modern Classic lineup of motorcycles. It’s an interesting mashup of modern, high-end components and technology, with a decidedly old-school powertrain. It’s a bike that shouldn’t make sense, but after spending time with it, it’s a bike I can’t get out of my head.

The 2021 Triumph Thruxton RS is powered by a 1,200-cc liquid-cooled 270-degree parallel-twin engine, which produces 103 horsepower at 7,500 rpm and 83 pound-feet of torque at just 4,250 rpm. It’s an engine that, thanks to its large displacement and firing order, makes a noise that will get your heart pumping, even if its performance pales in comparison to more conventional naked and sport bikes.

The engine delivers its power smoothly, thanks to Triumph’s excellent fueling. The bike routes its power through a smooth six-speed sequential transmission and out a chain final drive. The gearbox offers light, crisp shifts and an easy-to-find neutral. The age of the engine’s design shows, but that’s a good thing, given Triumph’s continued development.

The formerly-range-topping RS is now the only Thruxton model you can get, and so Triumph seems to have spared no expense in kitting it out with the best-possible chassis components. While the Thruxton’s frame is a conventional and old-timey tubular steel affair, the suspension is modern and well considered. The front fork comes from Showa and uses that company’s “Big Piston” design as found on high-end sport bikes. It’s fully adjustable and makes for a controlled and plush ride, even over bumpy pavement.

The rear shocks (that’s right, two — this is a heritage bike, after all) come from Ohlins and are also fully adjustable. Typically, in my experience, twin-shock bikes don’t necessarily offer the best control over broken pavement or on fast roads, but these Ohlins units toss all that out the window. The back end of the Thruxton feels as comfortable and confident as I could hope for. It uses some fairly trick wheels to help with its handling, too. It has 17-inch, 32-spoke wire wheels, but unlike most wire wheels with steel spokes, the Thruxton uses weight-saving aluminum spokes. The wheels are wrapped in sticky Metzeler Racetec tires.

The brakes come from Brembo, and as such, they’re excellent. Having big Brembo brakes on a motorcycle isn’t unlike stopping at a Starbucks on a long road trip. Sure, there are other options, but this way you know exactly what you’re in for. In the case of the Brembos, what you’re in for is an excellent feel from the lever, huge stopping power and almost jewel-like build quality. The twin front rotors on the RS are sized at 310 millimeters and gripped by Brembo M50 four-piston radial-mount calipers. The single rear rotor comes in at 220 millimeters and is clamped by a single, twin-piston Nissin caliper.

The Thruxton has anti-lock brakes, but they’re not lean-sensitive since the bike lacks an inertial measurement unit. On a bike like the Thruxton — one that’s more about looking good and having fun than outright speed — this is totally acceptable. The Thruxton also packs user-selectable ride modes, which include Road, Rain and Sport. I generally find myself leaving the bike in Sport mode all the time because I like the extra responsive throttle. The Thruxton RS features a very handsome analog speedometer and tachometer. Each also packs an LCD display that provides all the pertinent rider information that I want to see — fuel level, gear indicator, trip odometer, etc. It’s a bit old school, but so is the bike.

When it comes to ergonomics, cafe racers aren’t generally what I’d call comfortable for longer rides. They feature a more leaned-forward, sport bike-like stance, which looks great and makes for agile handling, but can be hard on your wrists. The Thruxton somehow manages to pull off the cafe racer look while remaining relatively comfortable. The bike is slightly more upright than it might seem at first glance and a generous rider triangle means that even someone like me at 6 feet, 4 inches doesn’t feel incredibly cramped. Footpeg clearance is good, too, so leaning the bike way over isn’t an issue.

With a seat height of nearly 32 inches, the Thruxton may be a bit of a struggle for some smaller riders when it comes time to get both feet on the ground at a stop. It’s also not especially light, at 434 pounds dry, so that might also be something for smaller riders to consider. The Triumph Speed Twin might be better, in that case.

The Thruxton is a bike that somehow manages to ride as good as it looks, which is saying something. It’s easy to putter around town on, thanks to its compliant ride and torquey, under-stressed engine. It’s also a riot on a curvy road, thanks to its sticky tires and aggressive-ish riding position, and there are few pleasures greater than hearing the Thruxton’s big twin-cylinder engine echo off of canyon walls at 7,500 rpm.

The Thruxton RS is a fantastic machine, but of course, it should be, given its price tag. All of the motorcycle jewelry that Triumph bestows on the RS means that it’s packing a hefty asking price of $16,200. There is an almost limitless number of other motorcycles that can offer more performance or utility than the Thruxton for that money (or less). Still, I struggle to think of one that can offer performance with as much style.

by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com

Motorcycles and freedom are two notions that are most often associated with the American way of life. Responsible for the former are the local bike makers, of course, with Harley-Davidson playing a big part. As for the latter, well, it’s the way Americans chose to build and run their society.

These two notions have spread fast around the world, and you don’t need us to tell you that, at least as far as freedom goes. But you might need us to find out about the countless motorcycle builders out there that take a lot of inspiration from American motorcycles when doing their own projects.

For more than a year now, we’ve traveled virtually around Europe to uncover custom motorcycle projects based on Harley-Davidson bikes. We found most of them in Germany, where many custom shops exist, but there are incredible ideas coming from elsewhere as well.

Like, say Poland, where a shop by the name BTChoppers resides. Like a lot of other European businesses of its kind, it too got recognition from the land of Harley-Davidson, and the bike maker itself.

Back in 2011, for instance, during the AMD World Championships in Sturgis, South Dakota, Harley awarded the Pick of Excellence title to a BTChoppers build. That would be the one we have here, aptly titled Bit of Freedom.

The bike is a custom build from the ground up, meaning it uses a fully custom frame inside, in which a Harley-Davidson shovelhead engine sits cradled.

It was the minimalist style of this bike and the perfectly matching, retro-styled paint job in Red Dark Crimson and gold that caught our eye and made us bring it back into the spotlight as the perfect opener of the broader coverage of the BTChoppers bikes coming our way over the next few months.

So, if you fancy Polish-made bikes with a twist of America, stay close.

by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com

For the better part of the last ten years, electricity seemed like the way forward for four-wheeled vehicles alone. Sure, countless motorcycle startups popped up over the years, each trying to break the mold, but each has so far failed.

The first in the large group of established bike makers to go down the electrification path is Harley-Davidson. The Americans have the LiveWire on sale for some time now, but they also seem to struggle to make it stick.

But maybe over in Europe, things will be a bit different. There, BMW’s Motorrad has been more or less secretly working for some time on an electric motorcycle that, at least on paper, should forever change the segment.

Back in 2019, an amazing contraption called Vision DC Roadster was shown. In the place one would usually find a boxer engine, that thing packed a vertically mounted battery, complete with cooling ribs and integrated ventilators. Under the battery, shaped like a cylinder, resided the motor meant to spin the wheels.

Now, the Vision DC was just a concept, but a bit later that same year, something else came into the spotlight. It was called E-Power Roadster, a Frankenstein machine that took the front end of an S1000R and tied it to the rear of an R1200RS.

A lot of time has passed since, and it seems there is still no reveal in sight for electric motorcycles branded by BMW. But there are other things, possibly even as exciting, coming our way from Munich in lesser segments, namely the “urban single-track mobility“ one.

That’s where the Germans say their unveiling from next week will be playing, a pioneering electric vehicle whose teaser image you can see as the main photo of this piece.

No additional info was provided, apart from the fact the vehicle will premiere on July 7.

PRESS RELEASE:
Next Wednesday, BMW Motorrad will celebrate the world premiere of a pioneering, electric vehicle. The presentation will be streamed online.

Wednesday, 7 July 2021 – 10:00 am (CEST)

The online presentation will be broadcast on various channels of BMW Motorrad and the BMW Group. The live stream will be on the official Facebook page of BMW Motorrad, the YouTube channels of BMW Motorrad as well as the BMW Group and the BMW Group LinkedIn page.

https://www.facebook.com/BMWMotorrad

https://www.youtube.com/BMWMotorrad

Following this online presentation, further information on the topics of product and design will be answered by experts in a live chat on the BMW Motorrad channels.

Both events will be held exclusively in English to provide access for a broad, interested audience.

by Bogdan Popa from https://www.autoevolution.com

RiMS Racing is one of the most anticipated game releases of the year for moto racing fans, especially as Nacon and RaceWard Studio have promised to accurately reproduce the fastest bikes out there in this new title.

So in theory, RiMS Racing is supposed to feel stunningly real from one end to another, and based on a new video published by the two companies, it looks like this is very likely to happen.

Nacon has published gaming footage recorded on the Suzuka circuit in Japan, allowing us to see how the 2019 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR behaves on the track. And at the same time, the video also reveals other tidbits about the game, including the customization screen where you can change nearly every little detail about the motorcycle you’re about to hop on for the next race.

And last but not least, Nacon has also shared the list of eight motorcycles that will be available in the game: the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10 RR, Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory, BMW M 1000 RR, Ducati Panigale V4 R, Honda CBR1000RR ABS, MV Agusta F4 RC, Suzuki GSX-R1000R and the Yamaha YZF-R1.

As we said earlier, every single model comes with insane realism, and you can figure this out by simply checking out the video we embedded below. It’s pretty clear Nacon and RaceWard struggled to make the whole experience feel as real as possible, and you can almost feel the feedback the Kawasaki gives by simply looking at the video.

RiMS Racing will include over 70 events, and Nacon says it’ll roll out lots of multiplayer challenges after the game finally becomes available this summer.

And speaking of launch date, RiMS Racing is projected to see the daylight on August 19 on pretty much every gaming platform out there, including not only PC, but also consoles. The game will be available on both current and next-gen consoles, as well as on the Nintendo Switch.

Thursday morning the full House of Representatives passed H.R. 3684 the Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America Act or the INVEST in America Act. This bill is more commonly referred to as the highway bill. The bill is over 1,500 pages, spends $715 billion and includes five beneficial provisions for motorcyclists. The final vote on passage was 221 for and 201 against. Two Republicans voted in favor and no Democrats opposed.

The Senate has begun work on their version of the highway bill and the two chambers will eventually need to work out the differences before an agreed upon bill is sent to the President for his signature. Traditionally, a highway bill has a five-year lifespan before Congress must fund and reauthorize programs again. Typically, highway bills occur in years ending in 0’s and 5’s. The last highway bill expired in 2020 but was given a one-year extension as Congress was unable to reach a compromise. Congress now faces a September 30th deadline to pass a new highway bill and reauthorize crucial transportation and safety related programs.

Below is a brief recap of the five motorcyclist related items that the House of Representatives approved and included in this major piece of legislation:

Profiling: The bill includes an update to current federal law on the issue of motorcycle only check points. The bill passed today includes language that prohibits state and local governments from using funds from the Department of Transportation to “profile and stop motorcycle operators or motorcycle passengers using as a factor the clothing or mode of transportation of such operators or passengers.”

Traffic Stop Data Collection: An amendment to the bill by Congressman Tim Walberg (MI-R) and Congressman Michael Burgess (TX-R) added the term “mode of transportation” to a newly created grant program for racial and ethnic profiling. The program allows states to use federal money to collect data on traffic stops. Originally the only information that states could use the funds for was to record was the driver’s racial and ethnic makeup. With this added language, states will have access to funds to collect the “mode of transportation” of the person being stopped. If states choose to participate in the program, motorcyclists will have access to data on traffic stops and determine if motorcyclists are stopped disproportionally by law enforcement. This amendment was a joint effort by the Co-Chairmen of the House Motorcycle Caucus and was added just hours before the final bill was passed.

Motorcyclist Advisory Council: H.R. 3684 includes a section that reestablishes the Motorcyclist Advisory Council (MAC) and makes needed changes. The MAC has existed for over a decade and allows federal policymakers, state highway officials, and motorcyclists to discuss the unique demands of riding a motorcycle and how roads, bridges, and other infrastructure can be built to better account for motorcyclists’ needs. The bill creates dedicated seats on the council for motorcyclists’ rights groups and manufacturers. It also requires a report every two years be made to the Secretary of Transportation and Congress.

Autonomous Vehicles: The INVEST Act includes specific language requiring that when the Department of Transportation conducts safety studies on autonomous vehicles, motorcycles must be considered as unique roadway users. Additionally, a newly formed working group on autonomous vehicles must include a motorcyclist safety group as part of its membership. As with the MAC, motorcyclists need a seat at the table when our safety and freedoms are being debated.

Motorcyclist Safety Funds: The bill, as passed, would increase the 405 safety funds made available to states for motorcyclist safety by $1,470,000 for the next fiscal year with increases through 2025. This is an increase in the program of roughly 34% over current funding levels. Under this bill, the total amount available to states in the next fiscal year would be $5,760,000.

Visit and join Motorcycle Riders Foundation at https://mrf.org/

I go from dawn to dusk trying to stay prepared and be pro-active. Then as it reaches about 7:00 I grab a beer and head to a chair under a blooming maple tree to relax with a pile of the Redhead’s most magnificent bowl of guacamole.

We sit and ponder the goals for the next day. Micah is working on our plans for Bonneville. Tonight, after the news I get to have a Jack on the Rocks under the maple tree. And this weekend I want to take the ’69 Panhead out for a test ride.

Let’s hit the news.

Have a terrific holiday and ride free forever!

–Bandit

Click Here to read the Weekly News only on Bikernet.

Join the Cantina for more – Subscribe Today.

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

Is it a coincidence that those who say civilization is unsustainable are making it so?

By Michael Shellenberger, Environmental Progress

Journalists, experts, and elected officials are today blaming heat wave deaths, forest fires, and electricity shortages in New York, California, and Texas on climate change, but the underlying cause of those events is lack of air conditioning, lack of electricity, and the failure to properly manage forests, not marginal changes to temperatures.

It’s true that there have been more heat waves in the United States since 1960, and that higher temperatures dry out the dead wood in forests, contributing to a greater area burned by forest fires. “Climate dries the [wood] fuels out and extends the fire season from 4-6 months to nearly year-round,” US Forest Service scientist Malcolm North explained to me last summer.

But what determines whether people die in heat waves is whether or not they have air conditioning, not whether temperatures rose to 111° instead of 109°. Proof of that comes from the fact that heat-related deaths declined in the US by 50% to 75% since 1960 thanks entirely to air conditioning, even as heat waves grew in frequency and length.

What determines whether a fire in a forest is high-intensity or low-intensity is the amount of wood fuel. Climate change is “not the cause of the intensity of the [mountain forest] fires,” stressed North. “The cause of that is fire suppression and the existing debt of wood fuel.”

And what determines whether or not there is enough electricity is whether there are sufficient “baseload,” reliable power plants and fuels, not marginally higher use of air conditioners. The people who manage electricity grids knew perfectly well that it could be hot last summer, hot this summer, and that a cold snap like the one that occurred in Texas in February was likely, since worse cold snaps had occurred in the past.

The main reason there aren’t enough reliable power plants is because progressive activists, scientists, and journalists successfully persuaded policymakers to shut them down, not build them, or not operate them.

And the reason California has failed to properly manage its forests is because, for decades, its leaders underinvested in fire prevention, including by diverting money that the state’s electric utilities could and should have spent on clearing the area around electrical lines, to renewables.

The War on Cheap Energy, Air Conditioning, and Forest Management

In the fall of 2019, President Donald Trump was widely ridiculed for claiming that the high-intensity fires that were burning through California’s forests could be prevented by “raking” the forest floor. Many scientists, journalists, and politicians said Trump was engaged in science denial, consistent with his previously stated skepticism of climate change.

But Trump was right that better forest management would have prevented California’s high-intensity fires. Proof came last summer when a high-intensity fire arrived at a well-managed forest. Instead of continuing to burn the tree crowns, the fire dropped to the forest floor. The reason was because woody debris on the forest floor had been mechanically cleared (“raked”) or burned off, and so the fire didn’t burn as hot or high.

In 2019 and 2020, as California Governor Gavin Newsom was attacking Trump and Republicans as climate deniers, he was actually cutting the budget for forest fire prevention, according to an investigation by the Sacramento bureau of National Public Radio (NPR). The result was a halving of the area treated for fire by Cal-Fire.

It’s hard not to conclude that Newsom was stoking partisanship and climate alarmism to distract from his counterproductive actions. After all, it worked. Where journalists at even progressive publications, like Mother Jones, had previously acknowledged that poor forest management was the cause of the high-intensity fires, the news media last summer inaccurately blamed climate change.

A similar dynamic has been underway on air conditioning. Hundreds of people have died in North America over the last few days from lack of air conditioning. But for years activist analysts, scientists, and journalists have claimed we have too much of it. “The World Wants Air-Conditioning,” warned the New York Times in 2018, “That Could Warm the World.”

Earlier this year, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) published a report arguing that “skyrocketing cooling demand in India may also worsen the country’s health risks from dangerous air pollution, extreme heat, and climate change.”

At no point in its report did NRDC mention the inconvenient fact that air conditioning had slashed heat-related deaths in the US and other nations, and that it would also do so in India.

The main way NRDC and other environmental groups seek to slow the spread and use of air conditioning is by making electricity more expensive, either directly, through energy taxes or carbon taxes, or indirectly, through regulations or subsidies for the use of renewables.

There is resistance. In 2015, an Indian economist generated headlines after calling for more air conditioning, a view which is considered radical in India, where environmentalists hold great sway. “AC is not a luxury in Kolkata,” said Dr. Joyashree Roy, who was lead author of a 2018 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report. “People suffer from heat stress. The only solution is to air condition

workplaces.”

But environmentalists and journalists pushed back. “Installing air conditioning to combat climate change is bizarre,” said one activist in response to Roy. Others, funded by developed nation donors, insisted that India’s heat deaths meant India should rely more heavily upon weather-dependent renewables.

But New York, California, and Texas stand as warnings. Those states invested hundreds of billions of ratepayer, investor, and taxpayer money into weather dependent renewables, and under-invested, or closed outright, reliable sources of energy, like nuclear and natural gas plants.

The result, from California to Germany to Texas, was significant increases to consumer electricity prices. And higher electricity prices mean, especially in a poor nation like India, less air conditioning.

And weather-dependent energy sources proved uniquely ill-suited to power societies during extreme weather events, as New York City’s current electricity shortage, last summer’s blackouts in California, and this year’s cold snap in Texas, dramatically illustrated.

Last year, California’s renewables could not produce sufficient power during hours of peak demand, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., because that’s when the sun sets. And the heat wave was in part a result of lack of wind. The California grid operator warned public regulators that solar panels and wind turbines wouldn’t be enough, but they ignored

him, resulting in blackouts.

It was a similar story in Texas in February. Nuclear plants produced 73% while wind turbines produced 2% of their potential output during the worst hour of shortage. Batteries and so-called “peaker plants,” like diesel or gas generators, were not substitutes for large, reliable baseload plants.

Not only are batteries prohibitively expensive, they are only useful if already charged. Over a heat wave or cold snap, they are quickly drained and can’t be recharged if there are energy shortages.

While regulators, moderate Democrats, Republicans, electric utilities, and energy companies in each of those states went along with, and sometimes profited from, moving from reliable to unreliable energy sources, it was progressives who drove the agenda forward.

The result can be seen in New York City. Mayor Bill de Blasio yesterday said people needed to “immediately, immediately reduce the use of electricity in your home.” That’s dangerous because New Yorkers need air conditioning, as the last few days remind us, to survive.

The reason for the electricity shortage in New York wasn’t unanticipated demand but rather the planned shortage of supply. Powerful progressive NGOs like NRDC, along with progressive politicians, including Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, successfully opposed the construction and operation of new nuclear plants, and demanded the premature closure of an existing one, Indian Point.

Why They Keep Re-Making Apocalypse Now

In September, 2019, climate activist Greta Thunberg condemned “fairy tales of eternal economic growth,” but economic growth is necessary for reliable electricity, air conditioning, and healthy forests.

To a large extent, the apocalyptic claims made about climate change by people in developed nations reflect their ignorance of the infrastructure and practices that protect us, from flood control to baseload power plants to forest management. They take civilization for granted — at least, that is, until it fails, as it is increasingly starting to do.

But it is notable that many of the same journalists, scientists, and activists who blame climate change for natural disasters also oppose the systems, technologies, and practices required to adapt to them. Many even, like Thunberg, oppose economic growth.

Is it a coincidence that the same people who blame heat wave deaths on climate change oppose air conditioning? Is it a coincidence that the same people who blame forest fires on climate change cut the budget for forest management? Is it a coincidence that the people who deny the need for cheap and reliable energy sources, and better forest management, accuse those who disagree of denying climate change?

While we like to imagine that we, and others, are motivated by reason and scientific evidence, decades of psychological experiments show that our reasoning is motivated by preexisting and largely unconscious belief systems.

Today, the dominant belief system of educated elites in developed nations is apocalyptic environmentalism, which holds that modern human civilization is unsustainable and will come to a fiery end unless we harmonize with nature.

Apocalyptic environmentalists may be right that human civilization isn’t unsustainable. But if they are, it won’t be because we can’t generate cheap and reliable electricity, manage our forests, or adapt to climate change. Rather, if human civilization turns out to be unsustainable, it will be because apocalyptic environmentalists didn’t want it to be.

 

Hey,

Interesting day today. We are still scrambling around the headquarters trying to dial stuff in, while Jerry finishes a sliced pony-wall in the great room and tears out the faux ceiling in the basement. We have designers working on shop plans, electricians lined up to replace fixtures and clean up 30 years of cable wiring and heating and air conditioning contractors working on a new heating a cooling system.

We sit and ponder the goals for the next day. Micah is working on our plans for Bonneville. Tonight, after the news I get to have a Jack on the Rocks under the maple tree. And this weekend I want to take the ’69 Panhead out for a test ride.

Let’s hit the news:

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

WOMAN GOES TOPLESS— At Public Pool, Claiming She’s Male. Aquatic Center Does Nothing

In mid-June, in Pella, Iowa, the home of a charming Dutch, Christian Reformed community, a middle-aged woman who claims she is a male was permitted to saunter around the Pella Aquatic Center topless and use the men’s locker room, and the Aquatic Center reportedly did nothing to prevent it.

The Iowa Standard reported that the assistant manager stated anyone can wear clothing they associated with their gender identity rather than biological sex. “The policy is set by the city council, according to the aquatic center’s assistant manager,” The Iowa Standard asserted.

–By Hank Berrien
DailyWire.com

LOWBROW HOLIDAY SPIRIT--The wait is over! Our 4th of July Sale has started!

Use coupon code USA20 to save 20% OFF everything**!
No minimum order necessary, and Free Shipping on all orders $99 and up!
This is a VERY popular sale and we often sell out of a bunch of popular parts, apparel and riding gear…
So get it before it’s gone!

BUELL WINS–Matt Smith blasts down the strip with his Buell taking the winner’s circle
Matt’s second victory this season

On Sunday June 27, 2021, Matt Smith blasted past the competition on his Buell® at the NHRA Summit.

Sunday’s competition was fierce in the Pro Stock motorcycle class with Steve Johnson burning rubber and taking the lead in the previous two races. However, Smith turned it up a notch, dialed in and rode his Buell® into the winner’s circle.

Smith now holds 28 victories in his career, two of which he won this season.

Steve Laham, Chief Product Officer at Buell Motorcycles said, “First, the entire Buell family wants to send our prayers out to fellow Pro Stock Motorcycle Racer Kelly Clontz and to long time veteran Top Fuel Driver Luigi Novelli, we hope to see them back on the track soon.

Speaking of the track, congratulations to Matt Smith as he blasted his Buell in the outstanding tradition of Buell performance, he set top speed of the event in his final winning round at over 200mph. Thank you once again to Matt Smith and his Buell race team and all the Buell fans, Buell is Back.”

Visit the Buell website for more information at: www.BuellMotorcycle.com.

LATEST FROM THE CLIMATE DEPOT–Florida Gov. Ron Desantis Signs Bill That Mandates Cities Keep Using Fossil Fuels – Stops cities from making 100% renewable energy goals

https://gizmodo.com/ron-desantis-signs-a-bill-that-mandates-cities-keep-usi-1847176182

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a piece of legislation into law earlier this week that requires Florida cities and towns to keep using fossil fuels and could strangle their ability to set clean energy goals and mandates.

The bill, SB 1128/HB 919, is very similar to a slew of other bills that have entered state legislatures over the past year. These pieces of legislation, which have been dubbed “ban the ban” bills, are sponsored by oil and gas interests.

They’re part of a flurry of public lobbying and private panic from the industry in response to the growing number of cities moving to ban natural gas hookups in new construction.

With its passage, Florida joins Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Arizona, and Oklahoma in banning new natural gas hookups in buildings; at least eight other states considered similar bills this year. And, like many of these bills, Florida’s new law has the backing of the state natural gas association and other corporate interests.

“It definitely is following the national trend we’re seeing pushed by the natural gas industry,” said Alissa Jean Schafer, a research and communications specialist at the Energy and Policy Institute who has been tracking the bill.

But Florida’s bill goes a step further than most. The language in the short bill is much broader than its siblings; it says that cities “may not enact or enforce a resolution, ordinance, rule, code, policy, or take any action that restricts or prohibits or has the effect of restricting or prohibiting the types or fuel sources of energy production.”

Proponents of the bill say that this language is meant to encourage “energy choice” for Floridians, a term the gas industry has thrown around as it tries to defend against gas bans. But this phrasing, Schaefer said, opens the bill up to a lot of interpretation, and could be read as potentially restricting cities from banning fossil fuels altogether.

THE STOLEN MOTORCYCLE SAGA—We discussed a series of stories about stolen motorcycles and we reached out to Bikernet contributors for help. Check this:

This may not be the story you were looking for – about a person who had their ride stolen – but this is funny and bizarre true news nonetheless.

Clay Co. deputy stops to help motorcyclist, finds stolen motorcycle and meth

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — What started as a quick stop for help from a Clay County, Missouri, sheriff’s deputy ended with a vehicle theft suspect under arrest.

Officials with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office said a deputy stopped to help a motorist with a broken down motorcycle on the stop of Missouri 210 Highway.

Authorities said it turns out the motorcycle was actually stolen. Not only was the bike stolen, but the motorist was also found with meth.

The suspect was taken into custody for possession of the stolen motorcycle and possession of methamphetamine.

Source: https://www.kmbc.com/article/clay-co-deputy-stops-to-help-motorcyclist-finds-stolen-motorcycle-and-meth/36877683

–Wayfarer

Watch for the first episode from the gang in Bandit’s Cantina. —Bandit

NEWS FROM LAW TIGERS–
As your local Motorcycle Accident Lawyers, we are committed to bringing you the latest tips, events, and highlights within the community.

Contest Alert

Biggest Contest in Sturgis History
$120,000 Worth of Prizes
3 chances to win
Grand Prize: Custom Paul Yaffe Harley-Davidson Road Glide

You could win one of these amazing prize packages!

GRAND PRIZE – PAUL YAFFE CUSTOM MOTORCYCLE – WORTH $85,000
2020 Harley-Davidson Road Glide

Customized by the legendary Paul Yaffe
With Exclusive Products from Hofmann Designs and Trask Performance
Custom Paint Job by Rolling Art Custom Paint

Full ODC suspension system

A trip to the 2021 Sturgis rally to show it off!
Travel Credit

Campsite at Glencoe Camp Resort

A TRUE STYLIN’ IN STURGIS TRIP – WORTH $25,000

A trip to the 2021 Sturgis Rally

Travel Credit

Campsite at Glencoe Camp Resort
Magnum Research Desert Eagle
Rockford Fosgate Full Bagger Sound System
Embellished Print & Meet and Greet with Scott Jacobs

Nightrider Jewelry Shopping Spree
Pen and Ink Art Piece & Meet and Greet with Alexa Jacobs

Hot Leathers Gift Card and More.

BRING THE RALLY TO YOU PRIZE PACK – WORTH $10,000
Magnum Research 1911 (Old Glory)
Rockford Fosgate Full Bagger Sound System
Phat Scooter Phatty Electric Scooter

FXR SCORE OF THE WEEK—A pristine 1985 Evo was discovered recently.

–Paul Aiken

NEWS FROM BIKERLID–Save Big This End Of Financial Year On BikerLid Up to 15% OFF On All Storewide Products.

Choose highly- durable & top quality motorcycle helmets only on bikerlid.com
Explore Beanie Low Profile Or German Mayan Style Helmets At Affordable Prices.
Make This End Of Fiscal Year Special By Completing Your Biking Gear.

Remember WE ARE BY BIKERS FOR BIKERS
100% 30-DAY MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE & HASSLE FREE RETURNS

Use Code Bikers15 and save 15% Now
Contact us:
US Warehouse
1521 E Francis St, Suite B Ontario CA 91761
Phone: +61410131333

WHITE PRIVILEGE EDITION–
A brother knows how to post what he feels. What is white privilege anyway, working hard and paying taxes?

–Bandit

NAOMI JUDD INDUCTED INTO WOMEN SONGWRITERS HALL OF FAME—
Washington, D.C. – The Women Songwriters Hall of Fame inducted country music icon and GRAMMY® winning songwriter Naomi Judd during its first ceremony at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. The event paid homage to women whose body of work represents the best of heritage and legacy of modern American music.

“It’s always gratifying when someone acknowledges your best efforts. I love expressing my deepest feelings as I did in writing ‘Love Can Build A Bridge.’ Not only was I being celebrated at this auspicious event in Washington, D.C., I was among other accomplished songwriters. It was fun to reconnect with Valerie Simpson of Ashford & Simpson fame. We met years ago. A good time was had by all!” Naomi Judd shared.

Judd joined other inaugural inductees, including Valerie Simpson, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Roberta Flack, Tawatha Agee, Klymaxx, Deniece Williams, Jeri Keever “Bunny” Hull and Veryl Howard.

Recently, Judd acted and starred in Lifetime’s V.C. Andrews’ Ruby, a four-party movie series that followed Ruby Landry, who after being raised by her loving spiritual healer grandmother (Judd) in the Louisiana bayou, is ensnared in a world of dark family secrets and betrayal, upon discovering that she has another family living in New Orleans.

Naomi Judd is a six-time GRAMMY®, nine-time CMA and seven-time ACM Award-winning singer, songwriter, actress, philanthropist, author and public speaker, whose life and career continues to inspire dreamers today.

Naomi and her daughter Wynonna brought a fresh acoustic sound to country music, with unmistakable harmonies as The Judds surrounding Wynonna’s powerful lead vocals.

The Judds are often celebrated for a rarely-interrupted stretch of 14 No. 1 hits when every single released by RCA Nashville/Curb landed in the Billboard Top 10; and a career that defined what it means to be individualists in the music business.

The Judds dominated touring with 20 Top 10 hits, have sold more than 20 million albums and blazed a trail for duos and women who have followed them. Hailing from the Appalachian foothills of Ashland, Ky., mother and daughter duo.

The Judds broke the mold for what it means to be an entertainment titan and remain one of the most successful acts in the history of the country music format. In 2022, The Judds will receive a star on the world’s most famous walkway, The Hollywood Walk of Fame.

INDIAN MOTORCYCLE FACTORY RIDER BRIAR BAUMAN TAKES FIRST PLACE IN FRONT OF A SOLD-OUT CROWD AT LIMA HALF-MILE

Bauman rings in his 18th career win, and second Lima Half-Mile victory during the Mission SuperTwins

Indian Motorcycle Racing carried out its 2021 American Flat Track (AFT) season Saturday evening under the lights at the Johnny K’s Indian Motorcycle Lima Half-Mile powered by Drag Specialties at the Allen County Fairgrounds. Indian Motorcycle factory rider and two-time Grand National Champion Briar Bauman took first place, solidifying his second win of the 2021 AFT season.

Joining Bauman on the podium were fellow Indian Motorcycle riders Brandon Robinson and Jared Vanderkooi. Robinson, who won last week’s Oklahoma City Mile I, has recorded back-to-back second-place finishes, while Vanderkooi, an Ohio local, secured his third podium of the season.

“This is the same track I secured my first Twins win on back in 2017, so to be able to come in tonight, in front of a sold-out crowd, and take the podium after a dramatic battle is pretty special,” said Bauman. “We knew we were going to have fierce competition, so to have bar-to-bar action and come out on top means a lot to our team and gives us a boost of confidence as we look to the second half of the season.”

The pure muscle win at the Lima Half-Mile sets Bauman at the top of the leaderboard with 139 points. Robinson trails closely with 127 points, while Jared Mees sits in third with 116. Through seven races, the three riders find themselves with two wins a piece, while Bauman has recorded six total podium finishes.

The season is sure to be an exciting journey to follow as Robinson and Bauman continue to duke it out for the coveted position atop the leaderboard. The 2021 AFT season will continue Saturday, July 17, at the Duquoin mile.

For more information on Indian Motorcycle Racing, visit IndianMotorcycle.com

NEWS FROM THE MRF AT THE CAPITAL–This year’s Bikers Inside The Beltway was a great success. Not because we
set a record for the number of states attending, or because we had more
motorcycle riders than usual come to Washington, DC to lobby their members of Congress. We were down in both categories, due in large part to the
slow but steady decline of the coronavirus pandemic.

So, yes, our numbers were down, but unlike a lot of other groups WE WERE
THERE, in our nation’s capital lobbying for our rights, and that’s significant.

In the middle of May a lot of people around the country and in Congress
were still nervous about traveling or meeting face-to-face, but not us. Some
Congressional delegations, like those from my home state of Colorado, were
only taking Zoom meetings, but a lot of others were meetings their constituents in person and our willingness to attend those meetings was noticed. For many legislators and their staff, these were the first in-person meetings they’d had in over a year, and it was the bikers who made the effort to be there.

As part of Bikers Inside The Beltway, MRF lobbyist Rocky Fox holds a pre-meeting briefing with attendees to go over the House and Senate bills we are concerned with, and to address the talking points for each one.
Rocky’s briefing takes place the evening before most of the meetings with legislators are scheduled to be held.

Despite the varying nature of the topics themselves – from the highway bill, E-15 labeling, to self-driving vehicles,
to the importance of a motorcycle advisory council – one common thread was highlighted by Rocky time after time as he walked us through the issues, and that was ‘The Ask’.

Rocky reminded the group that regardless of whether we were meeting with a legislator directly or with one of their staff people, and regardless of the topic being discussed, if we didn’t finish up with ‘The Ask’ we might as
well have never even been there.

The Ask, as I’m sure you’ve all figured out by now, is the last thing we do when meeting with our elected officials.

We ask them to sponsor or co-sponsor legislation we want to pass, or we simply ask for their ‘yes’ vote. Likewise, we ask them to vote against bills we want to kill. We can talk a good game and know all there is to know
about an issue, but unless we ask our legislators to do what we want them to do before we walk out of those
meetings, we are letting them off the hook.

What we want from our elected officials is a commitment, one way or the other, and you can’t get that without ‘the ask’.

With some legislators, especially those we have good, long-term relationships with, we only need to ask once to get a satisfactory answer.

With many others, however, we may have to ask several times, answering their questions along the way, and slowly bringing them around to our way of seeing things.

In thinking about all this, it reminded me of how important ‘The Ask’ is to signing up new members for our organizations as well. The process is largely the same. We need to know what the MRF – or your home SMRO
– has done to preserve and protect motorcycling.

We need to know what our organizations are doing today. We need to be willing to talk to our friends and relatives, or other riders we meet along the way, about these things. And most important of all, we need to ASK these people to join the MRF, or to join our SMRO.
The MRF needs to grow if we are going to continue doing the work that needs to be done. We need the help of you,our members, to get there. So please, talk about us to your
friends, your relatives, the other riders you meet along the way, and don’t forget ‘The Ask.’

–Mark Buckner
Executive Director

THOUGHTS AND INSPIRATION–From the base of the gray mountain

“You’ve got to get to the stage in life where going for it is more important than winning or losing.” – Arthur Ashe

“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is to try just one more time.” – Thomas A. Edison

“Develop success from failures. Discouragement & failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.” – Dale Carnegie

“Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict.” – William Ellery Channing

–Wayfarer
Monk in Training
Bikernet Emerald Temple

TRUMP RALLY REPORT–Trump had a rally the other day. The press is making a real effort not to give any indication of the size and enthusiasm. However, the photo in the news has some biker dude holding up the same triangular emblem as in the Bikernet article about bikers for Trump that showed up Thursday. Amazing!

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

[page break]

LIFESTYLE CYCLES DEAL OF THE WEEK— 2008 Harley-Davidson FLHRSE4 – Road King Screamin’ Eagle 105th Anniversary Edition for $15,995.00

see it here: https://www.lifestylecycles.com/default.asp?page=xPreOwnedInventoryDetail&id=4154617

ONLY 8223.00 Miles !!!!!

2008 Black/gold Harley-Davidson SCREAMING EAGLE ROAD KING

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

* 110c.i. Screaming Eagle motor
* 6-Speed trans.
* 16 inch apes
* Chrome package on controls and motor
* Hard leather saddle bags and touring pack
* Chrome wheels

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

EZ FINANCING-SHIPPING AVAILABLE!!!

Fill out an online application and ride today!!!

**Open 7 days a week**

Just $15,995.00 at Lifestyle Cycles (714) 490-0155

GREEN MANIA HITS THE WALL OF NOTHINGNESS–It is now clear that none of Biden’s radical green promises are going to be kept. More broadly the wild green fantasies are going nowhere. There will be some action, but nothing much.

None, nowhere, nothing much — welcome to the wall of nothingness. I for one am celebrating it, at least for now. The fight is not over by any means, but it is going well.

The Green New Deal is dead in the water, maybe even sunk out of sight. Its $10 trillion a year is a glaring fantasy. There is no prospect of a gruesome Great Reset, nor for the incredibly stupid Building Back Better. These draconian slogans are trash, for the next few years anyway. The called for Wrenching Social Reconstruction is not in the offing. We can all breathe a little easier.

Nor are we rushing toward the impossible zero electric power emissions by 2030. In fact our coal burn is rebounding to an estimated 600 million tons a year. Speaking of trillions, that is 1.2 trillion pounds of coal.

There is likely to be some big green spending, code named “infrastructure”, but building stuff is not social change. After all, Republicans like pork too.

Here the big fight is not so much what to build as how to pay for it? For example, the Republicans want electric vehicles to pay their fair share of highway fix ups. Since they pay no fuel taxes they need their own tax system. The green Dems think EVs should get a free ride, literally, all in the name of stopping climate change. Hence the standoff.

The Dems want to tax corporations, gleefully ignoring the fact that poor people buy a lot from them, so they are taxing the poor. They think corporations are some sort of rich people. Jeff Bezos and Amazon are actually very different entities.

I am very curious to see how EV charging stations fare in the infrastructure game. How the Feds can fund them is something of a puzzle. Maybe just more silly tax credits, with grid scale batteries thrown in. We are already wasting huge sums making wind farms and solar slabs into lucrative tax shelters (for the rich). EV charging and big batteries fit right in, right? Green stuff that would never be built otherwise.

So, the Dems might go the “budget reconciliation” (BR) route, bypassing the filibuster and leaving compromise with the Reps behind. In a way BR makes sense because it is limited to tax and spend, which the Dems are very good at. The good news is that major new policies cannot be made under BR. And they only get one a year, something the news never mentions.

So, for example the physically impossible Federal Zero-Emissions Electricity Standard, introduced in March with no chance of passage by itself, cannot be sneaked through on a BR bill. At least not legally, but hey, this is Congress.

The climate alarmists are already howling about nothing serious happening. Music to my ears. All the really bad green stuff is well off the table. I can watch the game with interest instead of outrage.

By David Wojick

–Climate Depot

NEWS FROM THE BIKERNET BLOG EDITOR–People believe the electric car, truck and motorcycle industry is just beginning and the customer base for them is yet to compete with gasoline fans. Have a look at Curtiss offering an incredibly unmatched luxury electric motorcycle model, slimmest, most balanced, 120 HP (expected price $90,000).

It has no digital connectivity, screens, apps, etc found in today’s EV cars and motorcycles. I love that idea – pure motorcycling, no gadgets – it is the kind of originality the electric motorcycle industry needs. But of course, need not cost what they are quoting.

Premium German automotive brand Audi has announced that they won’t be developing any petrol / diesel cars after 2025 and only the old models would be available for sale. The production and sale of the last models of 2025 will be stopped by 2030.

Luxury E-Motorcycle from Curtiss

https://blog.bikernet.com/luxury-e-motorcycle-from-curtiss/

–Wayfarer
Imperial Editor
Bikernet Blog™

HEADLINE OF THE WEEK–this COULD take the Century Prize for the fake headline of the past hundred years

–J.J. Solari

TEXAS WEATHER REPORT—It’s hot by she’s up on blocks now! And how to probably Not lift a Dyna to remove the rear tire.

Notice the large, pointed file.

–RFR
Texas Weather Reporter
Bikernet Weather Bureau
Alamo

ARIZONA LEGISLATIVE REPORT–
“If you aren’t a member of the MRF and your SMRO, you are riding on my gas” has been put to the test. Assistant State Rep Denny Lange got Congressman Paul Gosar to join ABATE of Arizona. Next is the MRF.

Arizona has had a good state legislative session so far this year. As of this writing, we are still awaiting the budget for the upcoming fiscal year. So, we are still working to make sure infrastructure funding is made available.

We didn’t really have to “kill” many bills except for the ongoing CARB emissions bills that have been introduced every year. We had two introduced this session. Both were killed almost immediately.

Here is a short list of the better bills we helped across the finish line this session:

• HB2110: Civil penalties; traffic; mitigation; restitution

• HB2115: Motorcycle safety fund; continuation

• HB2134: Commercial driver licenses; third parties

• HB2173: Commercial driver licenses; renewal time

• HB2770: Mask mandates; business exception

• HB2810: Civil asset forfeiture; conviction; procedures

• HB2813: Autonomous vehicles
We are already planning for the 2022 session.

Thank you Rocky and the entire MRF Board of Directors for a great Bikers Inside the Beltway. We were able to help secure a few more co-sponsors for the MRF Legislative Agenda bills.

–Michael Infanzon
Legislative Director

Progressives Created the California Crises–
The biggest opportunity for moderate Democrats and Republicans lies not in Washington, D.C., but on the Left Coast. Progressives Democrats in California have created three simultaneous crises: electricity, forest fires, and homelessness.

Kodlin Legit LED Elypse Turns Signals – Blacked Out– FEATURES AND BENEFITS:

• Easy installation on 2006-2021 HD Touring models with a Batwing Fairing (Street Glide, Electra Glide) and most Road Kings

• Small but extremely bright amber turn signal with German engineered SMD-LED technology and smoked lenses

• The covers are CNC machined from billet aluminum. Black finish

• Some applications may require the use of a load equalizer

• To add the running light function to the Kodlin turn signals (dual-function), we suggest using Kodlin part number KUS11300

• Sold in pairs! MSRP $179.00 / Dealer $125.34

NEW FROM THE TWISTED ROAD-– Let’s celebrate July Fourth with the sounds of families laughing at picnics, bands playing in parades, the boom of fireworks and of course, the revving engines of these red, white and blue motorcycles.

Introducing Nick’s Picks: Red, White, & Blue for July 4th
Nick Marietta

Declare your own independence this Fourth of July by exploring this great country of ours — on two wheels, of course. This year’s holiday is an especially welcome celebration in light of what we’ve overcome in the past year. So rev your engines for Nick’s Picks July edition (a little early this year) bringing you gorgeous red, white, and blue motos. Rent one of these bad boys and really impress the fam as you roll up to this year’s cookout or into your town’s parade in patriotic, badass style. Now that’s an American dream.

10. Jason S.’s 2017 Honda Africa Twin Enduro Sports Concept
Glenview, IL

9. Vin J.’s 2020 Honda CRF250L
Gilbert, AZ

8. Rocio R.’s 2021 Harley-Davidson Iron 1200 – Northridge, CA

7. Javier L.’s 2020 BMW S 1000 RR
Chicago, IL

6. Erick F.’s 2020 Yamaha XSR900
Austin,TX

5. Austin W.’s 2020 Royal Enfield Interceptor 650
Nashville, TN

4. Major Powersports 2020 Harley-Davidson XL1200NS – Sportster Iron 1200
Las Vegas, NV

3. Zachary H.’s 2021 Aprilia RS 660
Austin, TX

2. Wolfsmiths 2018 BMW R nineT Urban GS
Houston,TX

1. Laurent C.’s 2016 BMW S 1000 XR
LAS VEGAS, NV

Questions or comments?
Have a bike you want to share on Nick’s Picks?
nick@twistedroad.com

BANDIT’S CANTINA SERIES BROTHER SET UP A STOLEN BIKE SQUAD—
Lorenzo Lamas and Branscombe Richmond in Renegade. 1992-1997…where does the time go?

Yes, the timing seems very good.

“Riding is the cheapest therapy known to man. On a bike you’re immersed in the present – the past and future aren’t issues. Riding gives me answers to my questions and relieves me of worry. When I get off my bike, I feel like a new person,” said Lamas when speaking of his enthusiasm for motorcycles.

I think you are on to something here pard. I know a guy that is hiding out in the Badlands now. Among a long list of accomplishments, he is a seasoned writer.

I’ll put on the old thinking hat….there are a lot of celebrities who ride and have done action-type characters. A new spin with a positive image side of bikers.

Some better introduction to the citizens of the culture in a positive light and that the biker society is a mix like any other.

Pretty ladies. I’d like to see something other than the old switch from a chopper to an MX bike for sequences in the dirt. Either show them how it’s done or something like it. Oh, brother, this could be really cool.

Maybe this is a chance to do away with the old “if I have to explain it, you wouldn’t understand” saying and show them instead. Brotherhood in action…the thousand words adage could be a cinematic or televised “picture”.

To say the least, cops are very much in the news today. Time to instill the “Code of the West” ideal back into our screwed-up society at large. It could be tricky with the political controversy going on as the timing of such things has led to an early demise of some very good television programs and entertainers…and they think writing is easy…
Very interesting and exciting idea sir.

–Sam Burns

U.S. Congress Introduces Resolution Recognizing July 9th as “Collector Car Appreciation Day”

The U.S. House of Representatives introduced House Resolution 491 (H. Res. 491) at the request of the SEMA Action Network (SAN) recognizing July 9, 2021 as “Collector Car Appreciation Day (CCAD).” The date marks the 12th commemoration of what has become an annual event to celebrate and raise awareness of the vital role automotive restoration and collection plays in American society.

The resolution was introduced by the House co-chairs of the SEMA-supported Congressional Automotive Performance and Motorsports Caucus, Rep. Bill Posey (R-FL) and Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-GA). These Congressional leaders are strong advocates for the automotive hobby in Washington, D.C. The Caucus is an informal, non-partisan member organization that pays tribute to America’s ever-growing love affair with the car and motorsports.

If you or someone you know is hosting a vehicle-related gathering in July—whether public or private—submit the details on the SAN website if you haven’t done so already! Those planning to celebrate with a virtual gathering (online event, livestream, digital gallery, etc.) are welcome to provide details for official inclusion.

You Can Help Honor Our Automotive Holiday

Use the following SAN website link for details. Please spread the word to others!

–SEMA

COLORADO LEGISLATIVE SESSION–As the Colorado legislature has
progressed, there have been no
bills that were going to directly
affect motorcyclists.

There have been infrastructure bills, so we are
always interested in those bills. Last
year we unfortunately set a new
“record” for biker deaths at 139.
Because of that, CDOT has been
making rumblings about wanting to
push for a mandatory helmet law,
as if that is the be all to end all. So
we still have to be on our guard, fortunately
there are no last-minute late
bills regarding helmets.

I do have to give credit where credit is due. The
Colorado Confederation of Clubs
has worked long and hard for years
to get an interlock system in place;
and they finally got it done!! As of
May 1st, bikers here in CO can get
interlock systems put on their bikes
after a DUI so bikes can be treated
like cars and trucks. Then our riding
brothers and sisters can get back
on the road.

Thanks, COC for your
tenacity.

–Dale ‘Bear’ Meade
ABATE of Colorado

NEW FROM BEHIND THE PRISM WALLS–Darlington Air Cleaner
Our Darlington Air Cleaners are machined from solid 6061 aluminum and will help you achieve a clean, classy and traditional style while maintaining maximum performance.

Available in a polished or brushed finish, this kit is designed to be used on all H-D engines that use a CV carburetor or factory EFI (excluding throttle by wire models) and will be available for S&S carbs soon.

Follow along as we install our Darlington Air Cleaner on the Prism Supply shop Sportster while walking you through the step-by-step process.

www.prismsupply.com

14 ACRES OF GUNS & GEAR
LABOR DAY WEEKEND / NRA’S 150TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION–
Join us in Houston for the 150th NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits. Put on your best walking shoes and spend Labor Day Weekend exploring products from every major firearms company in the Country.

Book the hunt of a lifetime, view priceless firearm collections, and see an amazing array of knives, shooting accessories, hunting gear, and more!

Bring the whole family, because with 650,000 square feet of exhibit space, there’s something for everyone!

EXPLORE THE EXHIBIT HALL
Explore the Exhibit Hall
800+ Exhibitors spread out over 14 acres featuring Guns, Gear, Ammo and Accessories from America’s Top Manufacturers!

EXHIBIT HALL HOURS
Friday, September 3 – 9:00am to 6:00pm
Saturday, September 4 – 9:00am to 6:00pm
Sunday, September 5 – 10:00am to 5:00pm

Autonomous Vehicle Crash Data–This week the federal government took an important step in the oversight of autonomous vehicles on our nation’s roadways. Under an order issued Tuesday, manufacturers of autonomous vehicles must disclose data about crashes involving this new technology. The Motorcycle Riders Foundations applauds the Department of Transportation for implementing this commonsense policy which will protect all Americans.

As reported by Bloomberg news:

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is ordering car manufacturers to disclose crashes involving automated driving systems as part of an effort to monitor safety of new technologies being used on the nation’s roads.

The agency announced Tuesday it is issuing an order requiring crash reporting from manufacturers and operators of vehicles equipped with advanced driver assistance systems, including those that can perform driver tasks such as steering, changing speeds and switching lanes.

NHTSA said the action would allow regulators “to collect information necessary for the agency to play its role in keeping Americans safe on the roadways, even as the technology deployed on the nation’s roads continues to evolve.”

“By mandating crash reporting, the agency will have access to critical data that will help quickly identify safety issues that could emerge in these automated systems,” Steven Cliff, NHTSA’s acting administrator, said in a statement. “In fact, gathering data will help instill public confidence that the federal government is closely overseeing the safety of automated vehicles.”

The reporting requirement applies to automated driver assist systems that meet SAE International’s Level 2 automation, the agency said. SAE International, which is an automotive engineering association, crafted self-driving definitions that were later adopted by NHTSA. They used to be named the Society of Automotive Engineers.

NEWS FROM THE BIKERNET DESIGN CRITIC— I have noticed this a lot lately. Guys running ape-hangers made for baggers with the bends made to clear the fairings. Now they are running them on bikes that have no fairings? Looks like hell! Some GUYS JUST DON’T HAVE AN EYE FOR DETAIL?

–STEALTH
Bikernet Stylist
North Carolina

NEW FROM BARNETT–Barnett Clutch Spring Conversion Kit

Ventura, California based Barnett’s clutch spring conversion kit for 1998-17 H-D Big Twins (except 2013-17 narrow primary models) includes a CNC precision-machined billet aluminum pressure plate and two sets of six heavy duty coil springs.

Designed to replace the stock diaphragm spring/pressure plate assembly, this spring conversion kit “provides smoother shifting and a more progressive, linear clutch engagement. The two spring sets of different tension ratings allow for three different spring pressure options, making it ideal for stock to high performance applications.”
Installation is ‘bolt-on’ with no modifications required. A hydraulic version is also available.

BARNETT CLUTCHES & CABLES
www.barnettcables.com

OFF-ROAD EXPO Announces–New Date & Location in California

Due to unforeseen circumstances involving Fairplex in Pomona, the Off-Road Expo presented by General Tire was displaced from its longstanding position and as such the event will have a new date and location for this year.

The 2021 Off-Road Expo presented by General Tire will be held at Ontario Convention Center in Ontario, California on October 9-10. The event will continue its tradition of convening the off-road community together in Southern California.

The Off-Road Expo team is currently working through logistics and the layout of the new space, which will include both indoor and outdoor exhibit space and will accommodate exhibitors and sponsors starting with those who already have contracts in place.

“We owe a great thanks to the Ontario Convention Center for stepping in on such short notice and providing a location for the Off-Road Expo,” said Jonathan Moore, Executive Vice President, Bonnier Events. “This was certainly a disruption beyond our control and we are happy to have a venue that is within close proximity to our traditional location in Pomona. We look forward to working with the talented and knowledgeable team at the Ontario Convention Center so that we can maximize their facility for this event.”

The off-road industry comes together at the Off-Road Expo as a full collection of leading companies including parts manufacturers, equipment suppliers, gear producers and industry experts/insiders, unite for a full weekend of everything off-road related.

Bonnier Events also recently announced a venue change for our Arizona Off-Road Expo, partnering with NASCAR and Phoenix Raceway. That event is scheduled for September 11-12, 2021.

Companies who are interested in booth space for either of the Off-Road Expo events, can contact a Bonnier Events Sales Rep or visit www.offroadexpo.com.

IT’S NEVER DULL AROUND THE NEW BIKERNET HEADQUARTERS— Just when we thought we found Bikernet Nirvana we ran into a legal snag. More on that to come.

But we will always plug away for freedom and helping brother. Markus Cuff, who is a health nut, never smoked and a vegetarian came down with the big C. Through Bikernet he has shot for numerous magazines, but they are all gone, and he is struggling.

He’s feeling slightly better now, and the Petersen Museum is just down the street. This exhibit was recently launched, and we asked Markus to cover it for Bikernet.

Watch for it coming up shortly. We are scrambling from one project to the next. Hang on for more report. I just spoke to our contractor, Rich Johnson. He’s going to call Pat the shop designer tomorrow. And hopefully that will lead to a connection with our surveyor.

Have a terrific holiday and ride free forever!

–Bandit