by Dan Soul from https://www.mylloydminsternow.com Ghost bike stands again as reminder of motorcycle safety, tribute to fallen riders The Lloydminster Sport Riders are putting up a ghost bike for another year, to serve as an important reminder for drivers and motorcyclists to share the road and keep each other safe. The motorcycle statue was first put up last year, not only as a reminder to be road aware of bikes but as a sobering reminder of and a way to honour fallen riders as well. With this month marking Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month in Alberta, it will stand at the 59 Avenue-25 Street intersection. The administrator of the LSR, Philip Cummine, says the bike’s key message is being cognizant of the riders people share the road with. ” We want to make sure everyone gets home safe. So we want to help bring the awareness to make sure that people realize that there are motorcycles out there, and a lot of motorcyclists are putting their life on the line when they get out on the road because, for them, a simple accident can be life-threatening.” Riders are out on the road much more in the summer, and both they and drivers can take steps to be protected. For people on their bikes, this means wearing protective gear, making a plan for their ride, and not going out alone so that someone is there to help. Drivers should keep an eye out for riders, be extra diligent in checking blind spots and mirrors, and slow it down when coming up on someone on a motorcycle. Lloydminster RCMP Sargeant Brad Mouland says every year they respond to accidents between motorcycles and cars and they want people on both sides to be aware. “Within Lloydminster, unfortunately, we have seen injury-related collisions and fatalities. Those are things we definitely want to make sure we don’t have anymore. We want to just help the rest of the agencies, emergency services and the City of Lloydminster get that awareness out to the public.” Cummine adds that given what the ghost bike symbolizes, he hopes to only see it out during Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, and the right steps are just taken so they don’t have to commemorate another fallen rider. “Even if [the rider] isn’t a member of LSR and there’s something that happens, we want to take that onus and make sure we provide that service to the city. That way, people can see maybe if it’s a high impact area or there’s high traffic intersection like this one south of us. It’s high traffic, there’s been accidents, so let’s get some awareness.” The ghost bike will be standing at the 59 Ave-29 St intersection for all of May.

Does anyone have a clue as to what is going on at Harley-Davidson? Here we have 10 new bikes on the show room floor, and it’s May?

Get this, there are ten New models, but we can’t get them? Won’t be many dealers left by the time this new CEO finishes. This reminds me of the ‘70s. Walk into a dealership and you would maybe see five new bikes? Someone in Milwaukee needs to wake up, FAST!

–STEALTH

East Coast Associate Editor

Bikernet.com

by Arun Prakash from https://www.rushlane.com

2021 Yamaha Bolt Cruiser Gets Updated With R-Spec Variant – will be offered in two paint options- Metallic Black or Grayish Blue Metallic.

Yamaha boasts a wide range of motorcycles across a variety of body styles and segments in its international lineup.

The international lineup of Yamaha continues to grow stronger as it has launched an updated version of Bolt in its home market. For reference, the Bolt moniker was first introduced in 2013 as a 2014 model, specifically for the US market. In its upgraded form revealed recently, the big bobber-style cruiser will only be available in the R Spec trim while the base variant has been axed from the lineup.

Traditional Cruiser Styling
The new 2021 Bolt R Spec rides on premium 19-inch front and 16-inch rear alloy wheels with a brushed metallic finish wrapped around by tubeless tyres. The base variant, on the other hand, was offered only wire-spoke wheels.

It flaunts a retro theme styling featuring round headlamps, taillamps, circular instrument cluster and a teardrop-shaped fuel tank. The split-seat design further enhances its bobber stance.

Overall, the cruiser features elegant styling which is accentuated by a beautifully styled engine taking centre stage with a polished crankcase and cooling fins. It will be offered in two colour schemes- Metallic Black or Grayish Blue Metallic. The latter also comes with understated body graphics.

Hardware Setup
Hardware configuration of the motorcycle is kept intact. It is built on a dual cradle frame with the front end suspended on a pair of 41mm telescopic forks. While the rear end is suspended on a set of twin gas-charged shocks with gold-coloured external reservoirs. Anchorage is handled by front and rear 298mm petal disc brakes which are assisted by dual-channel ABS. At a kerb weight of 252kg, it surely is a very hefty machine. The fuel tank can hold up to 13-litres of fuel.

Engine Specs
Coming to its performance, it is powered by a 942cc V-Twin air-cooled, SOHC, fuel-injected engine that has been rated to return an output of 54 bhp at 5500rpm and 80 Nm of peak torque at 3000rpm. It is mated to a 5-speed gearbox that transfers power to the rear wheel via a belt drive just like traditional cruisers. This suggests it is an easy-going cruiser rather than a hustler.

The latest iteration Bolt R Spec has been priced at 10,45,000 Japanese Yen which could be around $8,499 in USA. Yamaha currently has no plans to ship this model to foreign markets, other than the USA.

Get Dealer and Availability Details at https://www.yamahamotorsports.com/sport-heritage/models/bolt-r-spec

from https://www.roadracingworld.com

Racing Legend Dick Mann passes away – from a press release issued By American Motorcyclist Association

AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer and Racing Legend Dick Mann Passes

Mann, a two-time AMA Grand National Champion, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — Dick “Bugsy” Mann, one of the most versatile racers to ever throw a leg over a motorcycle, passed away on April 26 at the age of 86.

Mr. Mann, born June 13, 1934 in Salt Lake City, Utah, was a two-time AMA Grand National Champion (1963 and 1971), and became best known for being the first person to achieve a motorcycle racing Grand Slam, which involved winning across all five types of circuits included in the Grand National Championship: road racing, TT, short track, half-mile and mile. When he retired from racing in 1974, Mann had 24 national victories, which — at the time — placed him second in all-time wins within the AMA Grand National Series.

While Mann got his racing start in scrambles, he soon got hooked on turning left on dirt ovals, and after some time learning his trade, headed to the professional racing circuit in 1954, turning expert in 1955. He achieved his first national win at the Peoria TT in 1959, quickly establishing himself as an elite racer in the series.

Mann also helped pioneer the sport of motocross in the U.S., competing in several of the early AMA professional motocross races in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Perhaps Mann’s most fulfilling national win was his victory in the 1970 Daytona 200 aboard the then-new Honda CB750. He’d been racing the Daytona 200 for 15 years and finished second three times, and in 1970 finally got to the top step of the podium, holding off rising stars and future Hall of Famers Gary Nixon and Gene Romero, as well as former world champion and Hall of Famer Mike Hailwood. That win wasn’t just Mann’s first victory at the 200, but the first time a Honda had won an AMA national.

Despite retiring from professional racing in 1974, Mann returned to his trail-riding roots in 1975, qualifying for the United States International Six Days Trial team, competed for the U.S. on the Isle of Man, and brought home a bronze medal.

Beyond being a legendary racer, Mann’s mentorship of the next generation of American racers and future Hall of Famers like Dave Aldana, Mert Lawwill and Kenny Roberts, was just as important.

In 1995, Mr. Mann was presented with the AMA Dud Perkins Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing his significant contributions to the sport. He was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998.

Honoring Motorcycle Racing Legend Dick Mann – from a press release issued by American Flat Track

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 28, 2021) – AMA Pro Racing joins the motorcycle community in mourning the loss of the great Dick Mann. Mann passed Monday at 86 years of age.

The winner of two Grand National Championships, Mann was touted as one of the greatest to ever compete in various motorcycle racing disciplines. Mann is best known for being the first person to ever win all five types of circuit included in the AMA Grand National Championship: short track, TT, half-mile, mile and road race.

Mann continued to contribute to the legacy of motorcycle racing by influencing some of the greatest names in flat track including Gene Romero, Gary Nixon, Mert Lawwill, Kenny Roberts and Dave Aldana.

Mann was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1993 and the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998.

Progressive American Flat Track will observe a moment of silence in Mann’s honor during its opening ceremonies at Saturday’s event at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Statement of Condolence on Passing of Dick Mann – from a press release issued by American Honda

Hall of Famer earned Honda’s first big motorcycle-race win in the U.S.

April 28, 2021 — TORRANCE, Calif.

Following Monday’s passing of Dick “Bugsy” Mann at the age of 86, American Honda today honored the versatile racer.

A true Renaissance man, Mann was noted for his adaptability as a rider, and for the longevity of his professional motorcycle-racing career, which included charter membership in the exclusive Grand Slam Club (for riders who earned Grand National wins in road racing, short track, TT, half-mile and mile competition), two AMA Grand National Championships and a bronze medal for Team USA in the 1975 International Six Days Trial. According to Racer X Illustrated, Mann even scored a win at the first AMA-sanctioned professional motocross race. Those successes came with a variety of brands, but the Utah native’s primary tie with Honda centered on a single race—the 1970 Daytona 200.

It was Honda’s first factory effort in the legendary endurance event, with a four-rider project aboard CR750 machinery (the racing version of the now-iconic CB750 four-cylinder, which had started production just a year earlier). Conversely, Mann (then 35) had a long and relatively successful history at the race, though victory had eluded him to that point.

After launching from the front row of an all-star starting grid, Mann eventually secured the lead, then preserved the bike in the race’s latter stages to score a 10-second win over Gene Romero, with Don Castro third. In the process, Mann ran a record average race speed of 102.697 mph. It was Honda’s first AMA National Championship race win, and it established the CB750 at the top of the performance hierarchy. (Over four decades later, Motorcyclist magazine would name it the Bike of the Century.) As such, the victory was significant not only for Honda, but for its American subsidiary.

“For a Japanese company with its first, completely unproven big bike, it was hard to top that,” Bob Hansen, then American Honda’s National Service Manager, is quoted as saying in Aaron P. Frank’s book Honda Motorcycles.

“Hansen prepared the machine, and I rode it as best I could, just as I was contracted to do. That was it,” said the humble Mann in the same book.

Mann, who would back up the Daytona 200 win the following year aboard a BSA, was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1993, and he is a charter member of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

“Everyone at American Honda sends their heartfelt condolences to Dick Mann’s family, friends and fans,” said Bill Savino, Senior Manager of Customer Engagement at American Honda. “Dick tallied a number of accomplishments over the course of his long career, but he’ll always hold a special spot in our hearts for the role he played in proving that Honda motorcycles could perform with the very best.”

Mourning the first Honda US champion / MotoAmerica Superbike
by Eileen Curry from https://www.thewestonforum.com

The American motorsport world lost one of its first great champions. American Dick Mann died on Monday at the age of 86; He was an iconic character in the early Honda years.

Dick Mann was seen as a versatile racing driver who was quick to adapt to new conditions. His long career contained countless seasons in various categories of motorsport, all of which were easy to handle. Mann was a founding member of the exclusive “Grand Slam Club” in the USA, an organization that welcomed national winners in the fields of road, short track, tourist prize and drag races over the half-mile plus the full mile.

In 1975 he won a bronze medal with Team USA in a six-day international trial, and Mann won the AMA National Championship twice. Especially impressive: In AMA’s first-ever motocross race, the race driver emerged from Salt Lake City victorious.

The American competed for Honda at the Daytona 200 at the Daytona International Speedway in 1970 on the four-cylinder CB750. The 35-year-old surprisingly won his first Japanese factory outing in Daytona. Day to day, it made Honda a legend in American motorbike racing, and the manufacturer had never before been represented at an AMA event. Because he defeated GP star Mike Hailwood in that race, this success had an important place in his resume.

In 1971 he repeated the victory of Daytona over the Bosnian Serb Army. In total, Mann handled 240 AMA races, of which he won 24. At the age of 40, he ended his road racing career and returned to his trial roots. Until the 1990s, Mann regularly competed in races, and in 2006 he opened an exhibition in his honor entitled “Superman” in the American MotoGP Hall of Fame. During his career as a racing driver, he built motorcycle tires and other parts for off-road motorcycles.

Mann passed away on April 26, 2021 at the age of 86.

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

This CZ Motorcycle Arrived in New York Decades Ago, Was Left Untouched

Say you read these two words: Ceska zbrojovka. For an English speaker, they are tongue-twisting, and they probably don’t mean that much either. Except, perhaps, if you’re into firearms. Or motocross machines. That’s because the Czech company by that name makes products for both these worlds.

As far as motorcycles go, people know the company best as CZ. Present mostly on the European market, the moniker reached American shores in the 1970s, forever changing how motocross racing was done. For instance, a racer by the name John DeSoto won the 1970 Elsinore GP on a CZ bike.

That is just one of CZ’s achievements; the nameplate holds six Motocross Grand Prix World Championship titles (consecutive ones, won between 1964 and 1969), but is also responsible for impressive wins in enduro.

Presently, finding a new CZ motorcycle is almost impossible, as they don’t make them anymore. One has to look long and hard just to come across such a two-wheeler with a few miles on it. But what if we told you the one you see before your eyes, although almost half a century old, is literally brand new?

Over the years, we’ve come across machines that could have easily been described as virtually new, but this one is literally so. As in, the thing has never ever been ridden, and it still comes in the original factory crate it was shipped to the U.S. in. It is the complete package, with all the packing plastic and oiled paper, and even an original spare parts list.

We stumbled upon this incredible piece of motoring history on the lot of motorcycles that are going under the hammer this week in Las Vegas. Sadly, we don’t know why this bike was never used for the purpose it was brought to the U.S.

Mecum is trying to sell the bike as is, saying it can be assembled and used for racing or kept as a museum piece. There’s no indication as to how much it is expected to fetch.

by Dragos Chitulescu from https://www.autoevolution.com

MotoGP Inspired Honda RC213V-S Costs as Much as a Ferrari, Comes With Zero Miles.

When Honda first announced the RC213V-S a few years ago, quite a few people were hoping that they would at least get a chance to see this bike with their own eyes. After Honda took Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez to the RedBull Ring to test it, pointing out that this is the closest you could ever get to a MotoGP motorcycle, levels of excitement continued soaring.

Not long ago, we showed you a very spectacular Ducati 1299 Superleggera, which was already a very fast and very expensive motorcycle, and it looks like it still hasn’t been sold. But the fact that this RC213V-S just popped up is even more impressive. Because it’s nearly three times more expensive than the aforementioned Ducati, and it’s also much rarer.

Honda initially planned to release just 250 units of this bike, but rumors have pointed out that a smaller number has made it to production stages. It is a hand-built motorcycle in a dedicated factory in Japan, and the bike that is for sale here is unit number 007, which gives it an extra degree of coolness.

Looking over the specs, this particular unit is almost like the MotoGP bike but without the pneumatic valves and the seamless transmission.

Those were changed to provide increased reliability for people using them on public roads. There are also other elements to make it road-legal such as the headlights, taillights, side mirrors, a horn, and a license plate holder. While the “normal” (if you can call it that) version came with just 157 horsepower, this bike also has the optional HRC Sport kit, which should provide you with about 212 horsepower.

The parts included in the kit are just what you need to get the whole racing experience. There are many lightweight materials on this bike, and the way the chassis was built means that you will need a fair share of courage and skills to even acknowledge its potential. Not to mention the fact that just by riding it down the road won’t be enough for you to tell the difference from a tamer, albeit fast 1000cc bike.

All you need to do now is come up with £219,995 ($306,796), which is what you would expect to pay for a brand new Ferrari. But I guess it makes sense considering the odometer reads zero miles. Right now, I’m tempted to say that if I could afford to pay that much for a motorcycle, and if I had considerably more experience with race bikes than I do now, I would probably go all out and on a world tour of all the race tracks where MotoGP is held and see what it can do.

But I guess it’s considerably more likely for someone just to buy this and place it in storage or put it on display for years to come. And in 20 or 30 years from now, when everyone is likely to be riding electric bikes only, people will look at it and probably label it as a slow, outdated motorcycle, but a fascinating piece of history nonetheless.

It’s Sorta Nuts, But Happening!

It’s great to see events popping up all over the country.

We have news from the Climate Depot, El Diablo Run, Builtwell, Lowbrow, Harley, Laconia, Mo’s Egg House, News Max, Readers, Monks, Lifestyle Cycles, Covid, Royal Enfield, the Bagger Racing Empire, Vance and Hines, GMA, and the Gun Nut Report. Freedom wins again!

Next week we will cover the Fandango, Texas event and then I’m hoping to bring you a very cool feature, the final Crocker.

Hang on and keep riding free, forever!

–Bandit

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.

Click Here to Read the Weekly News on Bikernet.

Join the Cantina for exclusive content – Subscribe Today.

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

Hey,

The movers are here and we’re scrambling. Keep your fingers crossed they can make everything fit. They are already looking at me like, this shit weighs too much. Hang on.

It’s great to see events popping up all over the country. If the media didn’t freak out about everything, we could deal with whatever was thrown at us and move on. It’s not about blame. Science is never settled, as we have seen.

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.

AUTHOR COMMENT– I sent the Zeitz piece to an high school girlfriend. she said, “What the fuck is a Sustainable Harley. Is that one that will make it from the driveway to the first beer stop without breaking down?”

https://www.bikernet.com/pages/story_detail.aspx?id=14830

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Some funny shit right there.

–J.J. Solari

Laconia City Council approves 100% parking, traffic capacity for Motorcycle Week–Council considers lifting all COVID-19 restrictions on vendors, beer tents

The Laconia City Council voted Monday night to return to pre-pandemic parking and traffic flow for this summer’s Motorcycle Week.

Last year, the event was scaled down and pushed to August. There were no vendor tents or big scheduled events as organizers and state officials hoped to cut down on the potential spread of COVID-19.

With Monday night’s vote, the council opened the door to having full capacity at this year’s event, which is scheduled for June 12-20.

Some council members also want to do away with COVID-19 restrictions when it comes to vendors and beer tents.

“Everything is going 100% — restaurants, bars — everything,” said Councilor Tony Felch. “There’s no reason why we shouldn’t open things up for this event.”

Others argued there should be some restrictions to limit risk as the pandemic continues.

“We’re really asking people here who have health concerns to be totally not considered, and I do think we have some responsibility,” said Councilor Henry Lipman. “Above all else is safety.”

NEW FROM THE TWISTED ROAD–NICK’S PICKS OF THE WEEK

Nothing chases the winter blues away quite like a warm breeze and the aroma of April flowers. And we all know the best way to experience the season and all that spring has to offer is out on the open road—wind in your hair on a beautiful bike for a day…or even a week!

We hope this month’s Nick’s Picks will remind you that while it’s spring, it’s also the perfect riding season. Enjoy.

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

Nick is Twisted Road’s resident “all things motorcycle”. If you are part of the Twisted Road community, odds are you have “met” Nick and he’s taken good care of you. And now he’s sharing his love of bikes with us all—10 at a time.

–Nick Marietta

GOOD TIMES FROM BILTWELL–Good times, not lap times

Oh, man did we have fun at the first ever Biltwell 100 off-road motorcycle race! Riders from as far as Alabama, New Jersey and Alaska made the trek to southern California just to challenge themselves and their machines. We’ve got a ton of killer photos and full story on the blog, plus two videos: one that shows an entire lap o our Spare Parts Sportster and the other showcases some of the glory and heartache that only the desert can deliver. If you missed this year, read the rules and details at www.biltwell100.com

Get that old bike running, and come join us in 2021!

–Biltwell

LAS VEGAS STRIPPER UPDATE–Unless I read the announcement wrong, which is more than possible, so please inquire, Las Vegas strip clubs will be allowed to funnel human beings into their establishments to no more than 80% capacity on May 1.

The logic being that the C-19 virus has, over the past year, lost its ability to keep track of all the distance protocols that it needs to know in order to successfully infect someone with itself so that it now sees a room at 80% capacity as being empty. So it goes somewhere else.

However, if it enters a room that it recognizes as being at 100% capacity….it goes into balls-out hyperdrive and starts doing its thing, creating “cases” and going full-thermal apefire.

Studies are still being done to determine of the C-19 virus has an instinctive knowledge of the capacity allowances and permissions granted to each “space” and an understanding of each space’s inherent “safe occupancy levels” or if it just reads the plaques on the walls of rooms which routinely are installed by fire departments in accordance with each city and town’s local building codes.

“Percent of occupancy capacity calculation ” abilities vary from virus types to virus types. It is thought and suggested and hypothesized and speculated that C-19 viruses, according to experts who spoke under conditions of anonymity, may have an advanced ability to gauge room capacity levels. While room capacity allowances are for the determination of maximum safety in case of fire, fire-spread and viral contagions apparently respect and/or obey the same building-code parameters used by architects and safety engineers who design and construct doorways, corridors, and other exit capacities.

So, to the 80 percent capacitants who manage to gain entrance into the Kit Kat Klub, you still need to wear a mask. Because while the C-19 virus respects and honors capacity parameters…..if it sees you don’t have a mask….you are lungless, yellow-mucused toast, there sparky.

You may be in an under capacity room but the C-19 viruses that were already there before you showed up….they see a maskless face…..they go into undulating-shark mode and they will wriggle right through the entire BODIES of the people in the undercapacitied room and fly right down your gullet and kill you faster than Master Yoda with two light sabres, an anthrax-spitting penis, high on meth, and flames coming out his ass.

So, as Joe Biden says, and he is not a dummy, wear a mask. Thank you.

–J.J. Solari
Chief Doctoral Statistician
Bikernet Medical Center

NEW FROM GMA— GMA’s 2021 FWD Controls provide the Ultimate in Form and Function

For years GMA, a member of the Belt Drive LTD., family has provided builders with forward controls that have literally set the standard for quality, performance and design. With unmatched aggressive style these cutting-edge controls provide fine-tuned operation and excellent rider feel and feedback.

Mounting brackets on the most recent models have been completely reshaped to provide a noticeably lower profile. Additionally, control kits, part #’s GMA-FC-100 & GMA-FC-200 now feature a splined shift shaft and unique shift shaft arm with pinch bolt for plenty of indexing options.

The shaft is also larger in diameter and supported by an oil impregnated bronze bushing pressed into the left side mounting bracket. They’ve also fit an adjustable actuating rod and clevis design for the rear brake pedal, while retaining the adjustable indexing foot lever.

A nice touch to get both the brake and shift levers right where you want them. Controls are offered with either flat or banded round pegs. Redesigned mounting brackets make for a straight forward installation and provide plenty of clearance for aftermarket frames.

The new controls will fit your standard OEM (3) hole left side and (2) hole right side FX and early FL style frames. GMA calls out 1986-1999, but they will fit earlier models. Some ‘70s Shovelhead applications require a modified voltage regular mount.

Manufactured 100% in the USA the high tech controls provide the ultimate in form, feel and function. For complete details visit the BDL/GMA site at www.beltdrives.com

Finishes available include: Polished (P), Black (B) and Chrome (C)

ROUND or FLAT pegs, and finish, show chrome, gloss black or polished.

GMA 100 series round banded pegs

GMA-FC-100-P, is $479.00 Polished,

GMA-FC-100-B, $565.50 Black and

GMA-FC-100-C $652.00 Chrome

The GMA-FC-200 flat with rubber pad pegs

GMA-FC-200-P $587.00 Polished

GMA-FC-200-B $684.50 Black

GMA-FC-200-C $803.00 Chrome

NEW FROM THE PRISM GANG–1995 Harley-Davidson Big Twin Evo Chopper
We built this 1995 Harley-Davidson Big Twin Evo Chopper for our friend, Kable, a few years ago. It’s back in the shop right now and we wanted to take this opportunity to walk you through the build and how we pieced it together.

If you’re aiming to build something similar yourself, see below for a list of parts we sell on our site to get you started.

4.5” Headlight
Hurricane Handlebars
CV Carb Choke Bracket
Banjo Oil Line Kit
Ripple Ignition Cover
Chopper Seat Pan
Box Chopper Tail Light
Box Chopper Tail Light Weld-On Bracket
Vintage Cloth Covered 16g Electrical Wire
Single Wire Tail Light Magic Box
¼” NPT Stainless Steel Prism Petcock
¼” ID Fuel Line
Universal 3-Position Key Switch
Jockey Shifter

—www.prismmotorcycles.com

KODLIN Sheetmetal and Body Kits–
Stretched Gas Tanks for all M8 Softails and Wide Rear Fenders / Seats for M8 Breakouts and Fatboys

Our Kodlin Stretched Gas Tank for M8 softails comes in raw steel, unpainted ready for you to customize your M8 Softail. It includes a pop-up gas cap and uses the OEM gas pump, holding approximately 3.5 gallons. Also available, is our handcrafted, precisely fitting rear steel fender. It fits both M8 Breakouts and Fatboy models for up to 250 rear tires and is TUV approved!

The Kodlin Team took it one step further by creating a line of seats that fits exclusively with our gas tank and/or rear fenders. Check out our new website to shop the latest products and get the latest install videos and instructions www.kodlinusa.com

K61143: Kodlin Stretched Gas Tank – Retail: $699.00 (Each)

K59437: Kodlin M8 Wide Rear Fender – Retail: $599.00 (Each)

K59660 | K59661-L | K59662-S: Kodlin Seats to fit with Kodlin Gas Tank and/or Rear Fender – Retail: $499.99 (Per Seat)

Info@kodlinusa.com | Kodlinusa.com | 408.228.4508

A WHOLE NEW WAY TO LEARN HOW TO GET SIDEWAYS–Flat tracking is a fun, emerging and accessible form of motorcycling which is among the fastest growing motorsports in the World. Royal Enfield has launched Slide School, in collaboration with Moto Anatomy, to provide the ultimate intro to flat track experience.

Developing the fundamentals to breakdown the slide technique used by professional riders in the American Flat Track series across North America. The slide is an art and once experienced it’s hard to get away from the feeling.

2021 SCHEDULE:
Dates & Locations

April 17th Center Hill, FL Moto Anatomy

May 21st to 23rd Texas Motor Speedway

June 5th Speed Ranch Viola Wisconsin

July 25th Hanover Pa Happy Ramblers Motorcycle Club

Projected 2021 states to be announced: ( include but not limited to): Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, California, Georgia.

*IF you see a sold out date and were looking to try attend a class round that location and date, please reach out, we are looking at adding a date before or after if needed!

https://www.moto-anatomy.com/slideschool

COVID HEADLINE OF THE WEEK— It’s good to know that MIT is not wasting its time trying to figure out a way to remotely ore gold from planet Mars but are contemplating instead the arbitrary 6-foot rule proclaimed as wondrous by such intellectuals as Gavin Newtbrain, the Droopy Dog running the W.H.O. and the dazed and confused dingaling running the C.D.C.

–J.J. Solari

LIFESTYLE CYCLES DEAL OF THE WEEK–
2015 Harley-Davidson® FLHR – Road King for $16,995

SEE IT HERE: https://www.lifestylecycles.com/default.asp?page=xPreOwnedInventoryDetail&id=9016171

This bike is a super clean Road King

ONLY 30,932.00 Miles !!!!!

2015 Silver/Black Harley-Davidson ROAD KING FLHR – TOURING

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

* 103C.i. Motor
* 6-Speed Trans
* Black spoke wire wheels
* 14 inch Chubby apes
* Bassani exhaust

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

EZ FINANCING-SHIPPING AVAILABLE!!!

Fill out an online application and ride today!!!

**Open 7 days a week**

 

Vance & Hines to Add Andrew Hines and Eddie Krawiec to NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Racing Team for Remainder of 2021 Season —

Vance & Hines announced today that six-time NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle (PSM) drag racing champion Andrew Hines and four-time champion Eddie Krawiec will return to the track for the remainder of the 2021 season after sitting out the first two PSM events.

Both Hines and Krawiec will ride motorcycles equipped with Vance & Hines’ recently announced VH160VT engine and NHRA-approved Buell 1190RX bodywork. They join three-time champion Angelle Sampey as part of the winningest team in NHRA PSM history.

“It was hard to sit out the beginning of the 2021 NHRA Season,” said Andrew Hines. “Not having a helmet at the starting line was an odd feeling, but both Eddie and I had our hands full at the RDC (Vance & Hines Racing Development Center). It was important for the business that we launch our two new racing engines and the components that our customers need. When we went to the NHRA events in Florida and Nevada it was great to see our engines perform, but I really wanted to grab my gear and be on the track.”

“We both felt like fish out of water,” stated Krawiec. “As cool as it is to create two new motors for the racing community, it’s even more exciting to be on the track using the new v-twin engine.”

In February, Vance & Hines announced a new, Suzuki-based drag race engine which made its debut at NHRA’s Gatornationals in Gainesville FL. Two weeks ago, the company announced its new v-twin motor which will be available to teams for NHRA PSM racing.

The NHRA continues their season with this weekend’s Southern Nationals in Commerce GA, followed by the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Concord, NC.

INDIAN MOTORCYCLE ANNOUNCES THREE TEAMS RUNNING–
INDIAN CHALLENGERS IN 2021 BAGGER RACING EVENTS

Mission Foods, S&S and Tyler O’Hara Return to Defend MotoAmerica King of the Baggers’ Title
& Compete in Inaugural Bagger Racing League.

Roland Sands Design and Frankie Garcia to Race King of the Baggers & Bagger Racing League,
While Also Running New Indian Chief in Bagger Racing League’s Big Twin Class

Saddlemen Flips the Script, Trading Harley-Davidson® Road Glide for Indian Challenger,
Calls Upon ‘World’s Fastest Female’ Road Racer Patricia Fernandez

Indian Motorcycle, America’s First Motorcycle Company, today announced three privately-backed teams running the Indian Challenger at 2021 bagger racing events. The three teams include reigning King of the Baggers Champion Mission® Foods S&S® Indian Challenger, 2020 King of the Baggers third-place finisher Roland Sands Design® (RSD), and new Indian Challenger converts, Saddlemen.

“Despite numerous naysayers and doubters of last year’s inaugural King of the Baggers race, it proved to be a massive success and the ultimate proving ground for the Indian Challenger, and we’re excited to be a part of it again in 2021,” said Gary Gray, Vice President – Racing, Technology and Service for Indian Motorcycle. “We’re proud have three privately funded teams showcasing the Indian Challenger’s superior performance in both the MotoAmerica® Mission® King of the Baggers series and the Drag Specialties Bagger Racing League™.”

With superior stock performance, including a best-in-class 122 horsepower PowerPlus motor, an inverted front fork, and a hydraulically-adjustable FOX® rear shock, the Indian Challenger gives these three privateers a formidable advantage. This was no better evidenced than at the inaugural King of the Baggers last October where the two Indian Challenger entries finished first and third in a field that featured 13 Harley-Davidson® baggers.

Among the teams invited to the King of the Baggers and Bagger Racing League™ events, S&S®, RSD, and Saddlemen are the only Indian Challenger entries.

Mission® Foods S&S® Indian Challenger
As reigning King of the Baggers champion, Tyler O’Hara and S&S® will enter this year as the clear-cut team to beat at round one of the MotoAmerica® series at Road Atlanta on May 2. That said, the team enters the series with nothing but confidence, backed by a full-year of preparation to defend the crown it captured in 2021.

“Most race teams don’t learn a whole lot from winning, but we did. We’ve spent the past year meticulously refining our setup specific to Tyler’s preferences to ensure the highest level of performance,” said Jeff Bailey, crew chief for the S&S® team. “Backed by Tyler’s phenomenal skills, S&S® has decades of racing and performance expertise, and the undisputed bagger racing king, the Indian Challenger, our expectations are extremely high.”

But King of the Baggers will not be the only action for S&S® and O’Hara in Atlanta that weekend. In a throwback to the golden age of the AMA Grand National Championship of yester-year, O’Hara will split duties, piloting the Indian FTR750 at the American Flat Track Atlanta Super TT the day before throwing a leg over his Mission® Foods Indian Challenger to begin his King of the Baggers title defense.

“I’ve always been known for versatility and the ability to be highly competitive on just about any motorcycle within a variety of racing formats, and this weekend in Atlanta provides the ultimate stage to demonstrate that,” said O’Hara. “There is no doubt that I’ve got my work cut out for me, but having dominant track weapons like the Indian FTR750 and Indian Challenger certainly helps. Regardless of outcomes, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to push my limits and challenge I couldn’t be more excited to take on.”

RSD
Armed with the RSD Indian Challenger, Roland Sands and the 2020 King of the Baggers third-place finisher, Frankie Garcia, return with a chip on their shoulder and ambitions to dethrone O’Hara. In addition to King of the Baggers, the RSD Challenger will be one of two RSD entries in the Bagger Racing League™ series as RSD adds the new 2022 Indian Chief to its stable of race-ready Indian Motorcycles to compete in the Big Twin class.

“We faced so many curveballs at Laguna Seca last year, not the least of which came when Frankie looped the bike in practice, and we scrambled through the night to get the bike, and Frankie’s body, ready to go for the final. Frankie putting it on the box after all that was an incredible accomplishment, and we couldn’t be more motivated to raise the bar and take the crown in 2021,” said Roland Sands. “There’s no doubt we’re the guys known for having a little too much fun, but make no mistake, the Indian Challenger is an absolute beast and our sights are set on the top of the box.”

“Last year’s inaugural King of the Baggers was an unforgettable experience and when it was all said and done, I was incredibly proud to be on the podium. At the same time, after coming so close in spite of nearly catastrophic challenges, we were all left wondering what could have been,” said Garcia. “That experience provides a ton of motivation heading into the expanded series this year and podiums will not be enough. We want to wear the crown when it’s all said and done this year.”

Saddlemen
After finishing in the middle of the pack at the inaugural King of the Baggers, Saddlemen came to the age-old conclusion, “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.”

The team enters the 2021 bagger racing season, discarding its Harley-Davidson® Road Glide® in favor of the reigning king, the Indian Challenger. To pilot the new race-ready bagger, Saddlemen called upon the highly-skilled Patricia Fernandez. Dubbed “the world’s fastest female road racer,” Fernandez will be the only female rider in the field. The team will be led by famed custom bike builder, Michael “Woolie” Woolaway, and will compete in select rounds of the King of the Baggers series and Bagger Racing League.

“It was an honor to take part in the inaugural King of the Baggers last October, but it was obvious we needed more performance after watching Tyler and Frankie make quick work of the field aboard their Indian Challengers,” said Woolie. “This year, we have the luxury of a machine that packs enormous power and incredible performance capabilities right out of the box.”

“After seeing so much excitement around the inaugural race last year and hearing the news of an extended series in 2021, I couldn’t help thinking how cool it would be for a queen to be the King of the Baggers,” said Fernandez. “Thankfully, my friends at Saddlemen stepped up to give me the opportunity, and I could not be more excited to throw a leg over the Saddlemen Indian Challenger and show the world what I’m capable of.”

For the 2021 season, MotoAmerica® will host three rounds of King of the Baggers racing. The first round kicks off at MotoAmerica® Superbike in Atlanta April 30-May 2. The newest racing series added to the fold is the Drag Specialties Bagger Racing League™, which will host its inaugural event at the Utah Motorsports Campus June 25-27.

For more information on bagger racing, visit MotoAmerica.com and BaggerRacingLeague.com.

To learn more about each race team, visit SSCycle.com, RolandSands.com and Saddlemen.com. For information about Indian Motorcycle and the Indian Challenger, visit IndianMotorcycle.com, or follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

[page break]

THE GRETA REPORT–The fact that Greta Thunberg is barking orders to the UN and to the US Congress is not the problem. The problem is that the inhabitants of the UN and the US Congress are listening to her for guidance. Which means they actually consider her smarter than themselves. And that’s the problem. Because driftwood is smarter than her.

–J.J. Solari
Chief Climate Statistician
Bikernet University

LATEST AT THE NATIONAL MOTORCYCLE MUSEUM–1917 Excelsior Hill Climber
A REAL Treasure in its Preserved State!

The story goes that the late pioneer motorcycle collector Jack Reddaman had no more room in his shop or barn, had so many old motorcycles that even an Indian 4 and an Excelsior hill climb bike sat outside. But the Fresno, California climate was dry, so the bikes survived. About 15 years ago, a friend, and real picker stopped by Jack’s shop and bought the Excelsior. Getting wind of the picker’s score, John Parham had to have it, so a deal was struck and out to Iowa and the National Motorcycle Museum it came in its well preserved state; original Excelsior transfers are visible on the primary and the tank. We are not sure what happened to the Indian, but the fate of the hillclimber…

t away, the Excelsior is safe in a museum now. It’s a machine that any expert would look at and say, “Please. Never restore this bike. Just preserve it.”

Hillclimb as a form of professional racing began very early in the 20th Century and was especially popular in the eastern part of the United States. Many riders who competed in dirt track racing also raced hillclimb, a dead start, timed run up a steep dirt, stone and sand hill; Widow Maker and Devil’s Staircase are a couple of Midwest hill’s names.

Designed to blast up a hill in the shortest possible time, hillclimb competition machines often demonstrate great ingenuity. Rider skill and horsepower were important, but so was the machine’s handling and traction. While factories like Indian, Excelsior and Harley-Davidson offered factory built hillclimbers that ran on alcohol and had extended frames for stability, and to keep the front wheel down, competitors on a budget modified stock frames, built their own racers as well. Chains wrapping the rear tires were a common way to increase traction, but some riders tried “paddles” welded to the chains or directly to the rims.

This builder, who probably competed with the bike in California, invented this stud and paddle combination on a 24 inch steel hoop on a 21 inch rim with a strip of tire in between that brought him traction. In later years such approaches did not meet AMA competition rules, were deemed too dangerous. Also note stock floorboards are in place; another way to keep the riders weight forward.

The Excelsior Motorcycle Company started production in Chicago in 1905. In 1911 Ignatz Schwinn bought the Excelsior company and later in 1917 he added Henderson to the makes he owned and manufactured. He stopped all motorcycle production 1931, continuing on making fine Schwinn bicycles, a trademark that exists to this day.

When you visit the National Motorcycle Museum you can view the hillclimb display, about a dozen hillclimbers, race posters and many photos. You can see a range of ways tuners fought for traction including Tom Reiser’s Harley-Davidson XR750-powered “Parallelogram Bike,” an alternative to conventional swingarm designs. This original Excelsior hillclimber is part of the Jill & John Parham Collection

Specifications:

Engine: Inlet Over Exhaust, 45 Degree V-Twin
Displacement: 61 Cubic Inches
Bore & Stroke: 3.35 x 3.5 Inches
Carburetor: Schebler
Throttle: Pull Rod, Top of Tank
Ignition: Bosch Magneto, Manual Advance
Transmission: Stock, 3-Speed
Frame: Single Downtube / Brazed Lugs
Wheels/Tires: 3.00 x 28? / 21? Rear, Paddles/Studs
Brakes: Rear, Band-Type

It’s pretty crazy – UK police wants tagging and tracking of all motorcycles the way convicted criminals are tracked – gloves mandatory in Spain and is already mandatory in France since 2017 even for pillion rider.

In India, tolls on roads since last year cannot be paid without a prepaid sticker which is mandatory for all cars (to stop corruption by contracted road infrastructure companies) – and now government wants to eliminate the digital prepaid sticker with a GPS tag also prepaid which will track and record all the toll roads accessed by a car.

You can pay cash to get the sticker or the proposed GPS tag – and yes it can track income of toll plazas to eliminate corruption – but someone who doesn’t travel through tolls regularly will have to pay in advance without utilizing the amount in a month or more. And the mandatory GPS for automated toll collection just sounds like CIA type surveillance of your own citizens.

EU and UK laws on emissions, EVs, safety, security influence India’s laws as well. So don’t know what motorcyclists can expect here – helmets are mandatory all over India for rider and pillion for many years.

–Wayfarer
Senior Investigator
Bikernet News Bureau
Mumbai, India

J.J. COVID EDITORIAL–99% of the bureaucrats and 100% of the journalists in the English-speaking world are insisting that the economic ruin of the past 14 months has been caused by a flu-virus….and not by 99% of the bureaucrats and encouraged by 100% of the journalists in the English-speaking world. Even though it’s clear to anyone with a functioning IQ over 50 that there has never been a flu or disease or virus or bacteria or rabid bat swarm in history that has ordered everyone to lose their job.

Diseases don’t order you to tell your customers to wear masks or you’ll lose your business license. Diseases don’t order restaurants and public venues to close, or you’ll lose your license. Diseases don’t order you to get a mandated shot series or you won’t be able to travel and eventually not be able to buy food. Because that’s what’s coming since there seems to be no fucking pushback.

Meanwhile, viruses, which make people have aches and fevers and congestion, not lose their jobs and liberties and rights and sanity……are taking the hit for all the shit bureaucrats and their overlords, the journalists, are causing. If I was a virus I’d be pissed.

–J.J. Solari

NEWS FROM THE MASTER OF LIGHT–Artist David Uhl

Last year, we released the first in David’s new series, titled “Female Figure on Motorcycle 1”.

We are pleased to announce the release of the second piece in the series, appropriately titled “Female Figure on Motorcycle 2”. He still has some finishing touches left on this one, featuring the lovely Stephanie Pietz.

“Female Figure on Motorcycle 2”
David Uhl 2021
(work in progress)

This submission is going out to a special group via email only (not on social media), therefore it will be a very exclusive offering. He is pricing the original oil, measuring 24×32, at $9,500 which is a GREAT price for a David Uhl original (some have sold for as much as $90,000). If you recall the first piece in the series, that original oil was sold but the deal fell through. So, both of these originals are available at this point.

We will also be offering a VERY SMALL edition of canvas prints, hand-signed and numbered, with Certificate of Authenticity.

** Image size 20×30, edition of 12 plus 2 Artist Proofs and 2 Hors d’ Commerce, $895 framed

** Image size 24×36, edition of 12 plus 2 Artist Proofs and 2 Hors d’ Commerce, $1,295 framed

If you own the first in the series, you have first right of refusal for your matching edition number on this one.

You can email me or call 303-913-4840 to place your order.

–Greg Rhodes
International Sales Director
David Uhl Fine Art
Uhl Studios
303-913-4840

THE BIKERNET INDIA COVID REPORT–
Covid cases have increased much higher than last year. People need to work and they can’t stay home and die of hunger and homelessness instead. Religious ceremonies, marriages, funerals all have restricted attendance since last year. Like only 50 people in a marriage and only 20 people in last rites (burial / cremation).

Small shops, small businesses, daily wage laborers, office going employees with small salaries – they can’t just live on meagre savings for over 12 months. So, with increased outdoor movement and 12 new strains of Covid the daily new cases has blown to record numbers.

There is shortage of vaccines, oxygen cylinders, ICU beds and now shortage of just any bed in hospitals.

From 1st May anyone above 18 years of age is eligible for vaccines. I am unable to get my Mom her second dose of vaccine due to unavailability.

Also, Government increased the minimum gap mandatory for second dose from 28 days to 40 days – strange.

Let’s see what happens

–Wayfarer
Senior Investigator
Bikernet News Bureau
Mumbai, India

NEW HARLEY-DAVIDSON ICONS COLLECTION CELEBRATES AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DESIGN— Icons Collection Debuts with Limited-Edition Electra Glide Revival Model

Harley-Davidson today announced its new Icons Collection, an annual program offering very limited-edition motorcycle models designed to elevate traditional forms and celebrate Americana, either by revisiting classic Harley-Davidson design themes or by exploring ideas that represent the future of motorcycle style.

The Icons Collection will present one or two models annually, with a single production run for each motorcycle model. Production of that model will never be resumed or repeated. Each Icons Collection motorcycle will be serialized, and the purchaser will receive a certificate of authenticity.

“With The Hardwire, we made a commitment to introduce a series of motorcycles that align with our strategy to increase desirability and to drive the legacy of Harley-Davidson,” said Jochen Zeitz, chairman, president and CEO Harley-Davidson. “With that in mind, I am proud to introduce our new limited production Icons Collection, a series of extraordinary adaptations of production motorcycles which look to our storied past and bright future.”

The First of a New Collection

The Harley-Davidson Icons Collection will debut with the introduction of the Electra Glide Revival model, a retro-classic motorcycle for the nostalgist who longs to ride a bike with style both distinctive and timeless. Global production of the Electra Glide Revival model will be limited to a one-time build of 1,500 serialized examples, scheduled to reach authorized Harley-Davidson dealers in late April, with an MSRP of $29,199.

The look of the Electra Glide Revival model is inspired by the 1969 Electra Glide, the first Harley-Davidson motorcycle available with an accessory “batwing” fairing. The fairing became an iconic – and often imitated – Harley-Davidson styling cue, its shape an instant on-the-road identifier of many Harley-Davidson models and the foundational design of the fairing featured on current models. In 1969, the accessory fairing and saddlebags were only offered in white molded fiberglass, and the Electra Glide Revival replicates that look with a Birch White painted finish. The period-inspired tank medallion and Electra Glide script on the front fender complete the look. The Electra Glide Revival will be offered in a single color scheme inspired by the original 1969 colorway: The two-tone fuel tank in Hi-Fi Blue and Black Denim bisected with a Birch White stripe, with Hi-Fi Blue paint on the fenders and side panels.

“We live in a very dynamic time, each of us experiencing constant change,” said Brad Richards, Harley-Davidson vice president of styling and design. “The Electra Glide Revival model is an oasis in this daily turbulence, a way to reconnect with the fundamental Harley-Davidson DNA that created Grand American Touring.”

Design highlights of the Electra Glide Revival model include a solo saddle with a black-and-white cover and a chrome rail, mounted over an adjustable coil spring and shock absorber, also a nod to Harley-Davidson FL models from the 1960s and a functional feature that adds rider comfort. Chrome steel laced wheels and wide whitewall tires add to the nostalgic look, as do brilliant chrome on front fender rails and saddlebag rails, front fender skirt, Ventilator air cleaner cover, fork covers, and auxiliary lights. Old school cool never looked so good.

The Electra Glide Revival model is powered by a Milwaukee-Eight 114 V-Twin engine which delivers inspiring performance and classic Harley-Davidson look-sound-feel.

Displacement: 114 cu in (1,868 cc)
Torque: 118 ft. lb. @ 3250 RPM

Four valve cylinder heads (two exhaust and two intake valves per head, eight total); increased airflow through the engine contributes to power output.

Dual spark plugs for more complete combustion of the air/fuel charge and maximized power and efficiency.

6-Speed Cruise Drive® transmission reduces engine RPM at highway speeds to enhance fuel economy and rider comfort.

Harley-Davidson Touring Model Features

The Electra Glide Revival offers classic style, but its design and technology is absolutely modern. The foundation of the Electra Glide Revival model is the single-spar Harley-Davidson Touring frame with a rigid backbone design to sustain the weight of luggage and to support current engine power. The entire chassis is designed for the long haul. A single knob hydraulically adjusts the pre-load of emulsion-technology rear shock absorbers for optimal ride and control. The 49mm forks with dual bending valve suspension technology deliver linear damping characteristics for a smooth ride.

The classic Bat Wing fairing features a tall clear windshield and a splitstream vent to help reduce rider head buffeting. Electronic cruise control holds a steady speed for comfort on long rides, while a halogen headlamp and incandescent auxiliary lamps provide outstanding illumination and maintain the nostalgic styling of the Revival model.

A Boom! Box GTS infotainment system with color touch screen powers two fairing-mount speakers and features advanced navigation and hand and voice commands (when paired with a compatible headset) plus Android Auto application and Apple CarPlay software compatibility.

Also, standard is the suite of Harley-Davidson RDRS Safety Enhancements, a collection of technology designed to match motorcycle performance to available traction during acceleration, deceleration and braking, including:

Cornering Enhanced Anti-Lock Brake System (C-ABS)
Cornering Enhanced Electronic Linked Braking (C-ELB)
Cornering Enhanced Traction Control System (C-TCS)
Drag-torque Slip Control System (DSCS)
Hill Hold Control (HHC)

To learn more about the Harley-Davidson Icons Collection, and the Electra Glide Revival model, go to: www.h-d.com/icons.

DIRECT FROM THE BIKERNET CULTURAL CENTER–“Doubt is an uncomfortable condition, but certainty is a ridiculous one.” – Voltaire

For Success: “Stop Thinking In Terms Of Limitations And Start Thinking In Terms Of Possibilities.”

“Live life as if everything is rigged in your favour.” – Rumi

Alisa Clickenger and Women’s Motorcycle Tours Announces Motul as Official Oil Partner for 2021 Centennial Ride

Motul is partnering with Women’s Motorcycle Tours to support and increase visibility for the 2021 Suffragists Centennial Motorcycle Ride

Women’s Motorcycle Tours (WMT) is excited to announce their new partnership with Motul as the Official Oil Sponsor of the 2021 Suffragists Centennial Motorcycle Ride (SCMR2021) and Women’s Motorcycle Festival and Conference July 31 – August 22, 2021. As the Official Oil Sponsor of both events, Motul will be providing oil, lubricants and other products as well as marketing support for the event to increase visibility and participation in the Centennial Ride. Motul will also be sponsoring the attendees of the Women’s Motorcycle Festival and Conference in Arlington, Virginia with a Motorcycle Maintenance Station.

“I started using Motul products a couple of years ago, and I was just so impressed with the performance of their products. I found them so supportive as a company…they took me through an entire product training, and the technology behind the products is just phenomenal,” said Clickenger. “Their legendary product performance is the reason they’re the preferred lubricant company for racers all around the world, and now Motul is expanding their reach even deeper into the motorcycle community and supporting women’s events. I just love working with them”

Motul started its very first enterprise in 1853 and has been innovating ever since. Motul did not simply aim to create the right oil for the right purpose, Motul aimed to harness the knowledge gained at every step and use it to its ultimate potential by gathering together the most ingenious innovations.

Motul anticipates their participation in the Centennial Ride and Women’s Motorcycle Festival and Conference to continue to strengthen the relationships with current and future customers by promoting the event, participating in the ride, and supporting riders as the Official Oil Sponsor for both women’s motorcycle events. Motul employees across the USA are invited to participate in the nationwide event.

“Motul aims to be the lifeblood for enthusiasts in the motorcycle community around the world,” explained Nolan Browning, Motul USA Marketing Manager. “Partnering with the Centennial Ride and Women’s Motorcycle Festival and Conference is a perfect fit for our company as we aim to provide the best products to keep riders on the road, continually pushing forward towards their goals and aspirations.”

Throughout the years, Motul has gained experience and used its innovation as an official supplier to many racing teams and manufacturers. Motul is supporting those teams in international competitions such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans (cars and motorcycles), FIA World Endurance Championship, IMSA, Super GT, Super Hooligans, Formula Drift, Pikes Peak, Dakar, MotoGP, World Superbike, World MX, FIM Endurance World Championship, IOM TT, Roof of Africa and scores of others.

Today, Motul is present in more than 120 countries and designs and distributes lubricants with higher technical value-added. A pioneer in many synthetic and semi-synthetic products, Motul has always favored innovation, research and development. In the motorsports field, many manufacturers trust Motul for its technological developments in car and bike racing.

BRAND New Bikernet Reader Comment!–
THE FOSSIL FUEL DAY BIKERNET WEEKLY NEWS for April 22, 2021

https://www.bikernet.com/pages/THE_FOSSIL_FUEL_DAY_BIKERNET_WEEKLY_NEWS_for_April_22_2021.aspx

Got rear ended during bike week two blocks from home. I pushed into my wife’s custom Softail home. Insurance co. totaled my dresser, bent up fender and bent handlebars. They said 2007 too old to repair. Took my wife’s bike back to Tennessee where it was built for her by Custom Cycle in Union City. So other than that a great bike week.

Still waiting for insurance money.

As for electric shit, where do they plan to find all of this juice to charge up these things? Maybe they should be talking more about the solution created by manufacturing and charging them. I am happy burning fossil fuels. Glad you have escaped from commifornia.

Enjoy the day.

–A.J.
Deland, FL

FOSSIL FUELS RULE–Obama Chief Scientist Cools on Climate Crisis News Coverage–

President Barack Obama’s Energy Department Chief Scientist Steven Koonin’s soon-to-be-published book will discuss information that the public really needs to have regarding grossly overheated “climate crisis” media hype.

Titled “Unsettled: What Climate Science Tells Us, What it Doesn’t, and Why It Matters,” a preview of its contents is provided in an April 16 Wall Street Journal interview with the author posted by Holman Jenkins, Jr.

Jenkins’ piece is titled “How a Physicist Became a Climate Truth Teller,” and I recommend it to readers who are interested in a fuller book content and author background account.

Having followed the science over more than a decade — and written a couple of pretty good books and likely a hundred or so articles on the subject — I find Koonin’s descriptive accuracy and candor enormously refreshing.

Sadly, few — if any — others in the Obama-Biden White House really cared about facts, paid attention, or learned anything from him at all.

First, because this is particularly relevant to me, Steven Koonin’s background as a physicist combines his technical understanding of applications and limitations of computer modeling of complex systems and practical experience in dealing with real-world realities such as assessing how we can most effectively and efficiently apply fundamental energy principles to meet complex human conditions and requirements.

Koonin taught physics at Caltech for nearly three decades, where he also served as provost; was recruited by the non-profit Institute for Defense Analysis which provided advisory services to military and congressional leaders; worked at JASON, another private scientific organization where he conducted and supervised cold-fusion energy and human genome mapping research; and later worked as chief scientist for British Petroleum (BP) which was later rebranded as “Beyond Petroleum.”

While at BP, Koonin created the multidisciplinary Energy Biosciences Institute at Berkeley which studies a wide range of scientific issues ranging from the isotopic composition of micro-fossils in the sea floor through regulation of industrial power plants.

Steven Koonin’s research into the world’s energy system led him to become convinced that the only “real climate crisis was a crisis of political and scientific candor,” and that the world “isn’t going to be able to reduce [greenhouse gas] emissions enough to make much difference.”

Koonin argues that while he supports responsible climate science, his issue is that what media and activist say about climate science has drifted so far out of touch with the actual science as to be absurdly, demonstrably false.

With reference to a 2019 report by presidents of the National Academy of Sciences which asserted that the “magnitude and frequency of certain extreme events are increasing,” for example, he notes that the “United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which is deemed to compile the best science, advised that all such claims should be treated with “low confidence.”

The U.S. government’s 2017 Climate Science Special Report had claimed that, in the lower 48 states, the “number of high temperature records set in the past two decades far exceeds the number of low temperature records.” On closer inspection, Koonin points out, “that’s because there’s been no increase in the rate of new record highs since 1900, only a decline in the number of new lows.”

A 2018 U.S. Fourth National Climate Assessment which relied on such “ovegged” worst-case emissions and temperature projections, Koonin concludes, “was written more to persuade than to inform.” He says, “It masquerades as objective science but was written — all right, I’ll use the word — propaganda.”

Koonin emphasizes the absurdity of basing climate change alarm on century-long forecasts claiming to know how 1% shifts in poorly understood variables will affect a future global climate that we don’t understand with anything even resembling that precision.

Nevertheless, the IPCC will issue a report next year that will purport to determine how much warming to expect by the end of this century based upon 40-plus computer model simulations which have been diverging in projections — not converging — coming together — as one would hope to enable determination of which one should be trusted.

Without tweaking, the modelers can’t even agree on a current simulated global average surface temperature — varying by 3 degrees Celsius – three times the observed change over the past century.

Koonin, both an experienced computer practitioner and modeling enthusiast, recognizes that they are wonderful where the simulation variables and their interactions being projected are well known and results can be empirically tested.

“But these are more controlled, engineered situations,” he adds, “whereas the climate is a natural phenomenon. It’s going to do whatever it’s going to do. And it’s hard to observe. You need long, precise observations to understand its natural variability and how it responds to external influences.”

Koonin, who has been building models and watching others do so over 45 years, cautions that climate models “are not to the standard you would trust your life or even trillions of dollars to.”

For the record, Koonin agrees — as many of my well-informed climate scientist friends also do — that the world has warmed by about 1 degree Celsius since 1900, and it will likely warm by another degree by the end of this century.

There is no dispute I’m aware of that temperatures began warming at the end of the last “Little Ice Age” in the mid-1800s — before the Industrial Revolution — and will likely continue to do so in fits-and-starts with little or no influence from us until Mother Nature once again changes her mind.

Neither Koonin nor any real-world scientific climate or economic studies, however, have seen anything in the offing which he says “would justify the rapid and wholesale abandoning of fossil fuels, even if China, India, Brazil, Indonesia and others could be dissuaded from pursuing prosperity.”

Even John Kerry, Joe Biden’s “climate czar,” recently admitted that the current administration’s “net-zero” climate plan will have zero effect if developing countries don’t go along, and as Koonin notes, “they have little incentive to do so.”

In any case, Koonin believes that any warming that occurs will emerge slowly and with modest effect — not a runaway crisis that alarmists such as Al Gore and John Kerry hype. To the extent that reduced CO2 emissions will make any measurable difference, the solutions should let technology and markets work together at their own pace.

“The climate might continue to change at a pace that’s hard to perceive, but society will adapt.”

Konnin adds, “As a species, we’re very good at adapting.”

Perhaps the biggest challenge will be to survive the current political climate crisis.

–Larry Bell
NewsMax

Larry Bell is an endowed professor of space architecture at the University of Houston where he founded Sasakawa International Center for Space Architecture and the graduate space architecture program. His latest of 10 books, “What Makes Humans Truly Exceptional,” (2021) is available on Amazon along with all others.

[page break]

BAGGER RACING LEAGUE, IN HIGH GEAR AHEAD OF FIRST RACE AND RALLY–
HIRES RACE DIRECTOR AND TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
PUBLISHES OFFICIAL RULES AND OPENS RACE REGISTRATION

Bagger Racing League’s inaugural event is just over two months away, and the growing race league isn’t wasting any time.

They’ve hired a Race Director, Technical Director, Referee and Starter. Bagger Racing League (BRL) is proud to announce that race registration is now open.

To register for the first Bagger Racing League event, Battle of the Baggers, Salt Lake City, June 25–27 at Utah Motorsports Campus, click here or visit www.BaggerRacingLeague.com.

For those needing to get licensed prior to the event, Bagger Racing League has licensing and race school reciprocity with Chuckwalla Valley Motorcycling Association (CVMA), WERA, Competition Riders of America (CRA), Championship cup Series (CCS), American Federation of Motorcyclists (AFM), American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (ARHMA) and Pacfic Track Time.

AHRMA has welcomed BRL prospective racers at their most recent Academy of Racing at Willow Springs Raceway in Rosamond, California. Interested riders can register for the next AHRMA Roadracing School on Friday, May 28 at Heartland Park in Topeka, Kansas here.

“We’re thrilled so many companies have jumped on board as sponsors, and we can’t wait to get them in front of racers, riders and the general public,” said BRL founder Rob Buydos. “We also couldn’t be happier with our new race director, Alex Mock—Alex is a consummate professional with the kind of high-level experience and expertise we were looking for in a director.”

Based out of Corona, California, Alex Mock is the former head of race operations and promoter of the Supermoto National Championship Series and Roland Sands Design SuperHooligans, among others. He has a wide range of experience in race operations, timing, and scoring and race promotions, and he holds a race coach certificate with the U.S. Motorcycle Coaching Association (USMCA) and is the current American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) Roadrace Director.

Dan Berkes is confirmed as the Technical Director and brings a wealth of V-Twin specific performance knowledge and experience. Berke’s experience in a Harley-Davidson dealership, as an aftermarket parts shop owner and aftermarket performance parts distributor as well as his attention to detail will be invaluable as the Technical Director of the Bagger Racing League.

Robert Lawrence aka “The Flaggman” is joining the Bagger Racing League Family as Referee and Starter.

Bagger Racing League is more than racing it is a 3-day long event that features the world’s largest V-Twin vendor village at a racetrack, stunt shows, camping, the Arlen Ness Custom Bike Show, music and lots of racing.

BRL features 5 classes of racing:

1. Hooligan GP: Includes any V-twin inspired platform.
2. Big Twin GP: Includes any large-displacement big twin.
3. Stunt GP: Entrants will qualify or not based on a stunt performance the day before racing; types of stunts include burnouts, drifting, wheelies, and the like.
4. Premier Class Bagger GP: Bikes must have a fairing and bags to qualify.
5. Pro Stock Bagger: Bikes must have fairing and bags to qualify.

Bagger Racing League round 1 Battle of the Baggers takes place June 25–27, 2021, in Salt Lake City, Utah, at Utah Motorsports Complex. Presale tickets are now available.

All info
www.BaggerRacingLeague.com

HEADLINE OF THE WEEK–Biden Wears Mask On Zoom Call In Case COVID Has Mutated Into A Computer Virus

EL DIABLO RUN REPORT
Thursday, April 29
10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Iron Fire Outpost Pre Party
42081 3rd Street, Unit A, Temecula, CA 92590
$2.00 Pints from 10:00AM to 10:00PM and special EDR take-away 4-packs for $8.00.

Iron Fire Brewing has allowed us to decorate the whole bar with old El Diablo Run photos and memorabilia plus we’ll have the Frijole 883 NORRA 1000 race bike there on display. This will be a perfect base camp for people coming in from out of town and the party is open to anyone who wants to check out the bikes and meet the kooks going on the ride the following day.

We will also be selling EDR Merch on site. Our Temecula showroom at Biltwell HQ will also be open 9-5 on Thursday.

Friday, April 30
6:00 a.m.
Breakfast at Mo’s Egg House
27405 Jefferson Ave. • Temecula, CA
Nothing official—doors open at six, and Mo’s fills up fast

7:00 a.m.
Kickstands up at Mo’s Egg House
We lead an informal group ride from Mo’s every year. You can get breakfast there or just show up ready to roll before 7:00am. We don’t have road captains and all that, so make sure to have the route on you so you know where to go when you get separated. (Consider printing the map posted below.)

Saturday, May 1
10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
El Diablo Run merch for Sale at the Biltwell EZ-UP
La Borja Hotel • NW of Ruben’s Camp, west of Kiki’s Hotel. Come early—merchandise will sell out fast. US dollars only.

10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Yard Games & Circle of Death Registration
Next to EDR merch tent
Circle of Death Open Practice (You must register to participate)Number plates from Registration must be on your motorcycle

2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Track Closed

4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Yard Games in Circle of Death Infield (You must register to participate)
• 2-Up Slow Race
• Balance Beam
• Kickstart Race

5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Circle of Death Race (You must register to participate)
• Rigid Class Qualifiers
• Swingarm Class Qualifiers
• Rigid Class Main Event
• Swingarm Class Main Event
Trophy presentation on infield after main events

Sunday, May 2
Noon to 3:00 p.m.
El Diablo Run merch for sale
San Felipe Beachfront Road—the Malecon (this is the beach-front road downtown with the big San Felipe letters shown above).
Come early—booth will close when we sell all gear. US dollars only.

3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Choppers Magazine Bike Show
San Felipe Beachfront Road—the Malecon
• Best Chopper
• Best Modern
• Best Sportster
• Best Metric
• La Cucaracha
• Hard Ass Award
Must be present to win.

5:00 p.m.
El Diablo Run Bike Show Winners Presentation
San Felipe Beachfront Road—the Malecon

Monday, May 3
Ride yo’ ass home

BIRTHDAY GREETINGS–Happy Birthday Ann-Margret!

The life-long motorcyclist and entertainer kicks up her heels and celebrates her 80th birthday today. She was introduced to motorcycles by her Uncle Carl in her home country of Sweden and she was hooked.

You can see her riding a Honda with Elvis in Viva Las Vegas (1964) and a Triumph in The Swinger (1966) as well as in some Triumph ads of the era.

–Dealernews

LACONIA MOTORCYCLE WEEK–Back in the Saddle

June 12th-20th, 2021 – New Hampshire – home to America’s Original Riding Rally

After a pandemic-postponed 2020, Laconia Motorcycle Week, the world’s oldest motorcycle rally, returns to New Hampshire for its 98th year in its traditional mid-June time slot. For many motorcycle enthusiasts and local businesses, the news comes as a sign at least, that life is returning to normal. “I’ve lived in the area for a very long time,” says Meghan Doptis of Laconia, “Motorcycle Week is a big part of our lives.

Whether you attended or not, there was no escaping the excitement, sound of rumbling motorcycles and increased activity all over the state. For us, it signifies the start of summer. Not experiencing that last June, was kind of surreal. Really sad.”

With the state’s robust vaccination program and safety guidelines changing weekly, a lot of the details for this year’s event are still being worked on, but one thing is certain: The 98th Progressive Laconia Motorcycle Week will be happening June 12-20, 2021.

Expect some restrictions such as mask wearing whenever social distancing cannot be maintained, limited live entertainment and attendance limitations at some establishments.

The popular Tower Street Hill Climb Expo occurs on Tuesday, June 15th from Lakeside Avenue and is a perfect lead-in to the legendary Gunstock AMATEUR Hill Climb at Gunstock Mountain Resort, which takes place on Wednesday, June 16th.

Vendors will be set-up throughout Weirs Beach as well as at NH Motor Speedway and Laconia Harley-Davidson. Although some restrictions are expected at area establishments, you can count on unrestricted riding opportunities as rally goers enjoy New Hampshire’s scenic roads through the White Mountains, the Lakes Region and along the seacoast.

As always, organized rides and gypsy tours will take place throughout the week. Keep checking the official Progressive Laconia Motorcycle Week® website for details.

For more information about visiting the state of NH, check out visitnh.gov.

Laconia – where rallies were invented!

GUN NUT REPORT OF THE WEEK–
We are supposed to be grateful that they have humbly agreed to give us their esteemed opinion on whether you & I have a 2nd Amendment right.

https://citizenfreepress.com/breaking/supreme-court-takes-up-landmark-concealed-carry-case/

We’ve already lost the most important issue here: the myth that we don’t have a right unless a couple of un-elected elites in robes decree that we do.

That’s exactly opposite the way the US Constitution works, folks. We The People make these decisions, on the local level. The Supremes are not the last word on the Constitution.

The United States Supreme Court loves to make national moral judgments. It gives them warm tingles. They used to think black folks were not people – blacks could not even go to court, that white people could be rewarded for capturing blacks – presuming they were slaves, that Asians could be jailed because of how they look, that “imbeciles” could be sterilized & removed from the population, that neighborhoods cannot restrict pornography, that States must honor homosexual unions, that cities can condemn your land in order to build a shopping center…etc etc. We weren’t even allowed a vote; they just “ruled.”

Whether they are “right” or “wrong” to you is not the point. The point is that the US Constitution does not give them that authority. They have no business going there.

But there is a remedy! And here’s the problem with the radio heads, the podcasters, the digital pundits & media, even the conservative sources that just want to talk about how bad it all is….the US Founders anticipated the Supremes would do exactly what they’re doing – assuming they have a role in everything & establishing moral standards for the entire nation.

So, they wrote a Constitution which says the Supremes can be & should be…ignored. They were given no enforcement power. They are not above any other branch. They are certainly not above any State. States delegated 18 powers to the Feds, but that’s it.

The remedy is to ignore them. It’s even fully Constitutional for States to treat Federal agents trying to limit our Constitutional rights as criminals, obstructing justice, interfering with State law, & other things.

This is not rebellion or bloodshed – if you think that then they’ve tricked you again.

Citizens of a Constitutional Republic have an obligation to keep our representatives within their delegated authority. We have a right to expect our state & local reps, representing us as their “One Job,” to stand up to them, as we would expect our lawyer to do when a neighbor keeps trying to put a fence on our property.

Having said that, please note that the Supremes already ruled, in 1943, that gun permits & licensing fees are unconstitutional. They are racist tools for keeping minorities defenseless, as was expressly noted at the time. It’ll be interesting to see if their Exalted Holinesses, the Supreme Beings, stay consistent.

https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2021/04/us_supreme_court_gun_licensing_fees_are_unconstitutional.html

–from Geno

IT’S NEVER OVER—We have a 5-man team here tearing the furniture right out from under us. I was typing away at the news, when they yanked the leaf out from under my table. But life goes on and on.

We’re hauling ass to South Dakota to escape the madness and negotiate with owners of our new home. Can we move in. The closing date seems to fluctuate.

 The Bikernet Nerve Center is never closed as we scramble for the border. Next week we will cover the Fandango, Texas event and then I’m hoping to bring you a very cool feature, the final Crocker.

Hang on and keep riding free, forever!

–Bandit

by Basem Wasef from https://www.rideapart.com

Running trails and getting dirty with Pan America.

Harley-Davidson has been about as relevant in the big bore adventure segment as a skateboard at the Dakar. Having loafed on the ADV genre for decades, The Motor Company is finally taking a swing at the segment with the 2021 Pan America, a purpose-built adventure bike to battle stalwarts like the BMW R 1250 GS/GS Adventure, KTM 1290 Super Adventure, and Triumph Tiger 1200.

The Pan Am boasts familiar H-D visual elements wrapped around some impressively future-forward technology. This new tech is benchmarked against a field that’s seen numerous iterations and refinements over the years. First (and perhaps foremost) in this image-conscious category, the clean-sheet Pan America strikes a look that stands apart from its rugged competitors. Harley says its styling aligned with the brand’s design language. There’s also a prevailing visual sentiment that departs from the familiar with an unapologetically brutalist look: blocky shapes, menacing headlamps with a secondary strip of lean angle-sensitive adaptive drew headlamp inspo from the Fat Bob and fairing cues from Road Glide, keeping the bike’s LEDs positioned above, and an imposing chunkiness that disregards any attempt at being pretty.

Of course, the highest-stake component isn’t its looks, but rather the all-new Revolution Max powerplant. The liquid-cooled, 1,252cc, 60-degree V-twin shares the same bore and stroke as the late, great V-Rod, but has next to nothing in common with any existing Harley engine apart from its dimensions. Equipped with dual overhead cams, variable valve timing, and a lofty 13.1:1 compression ratio, the fully counterbalanced engine requires premium fuel but returns a stout 150 horsepower at 9,000 rpm and 94 lb-ft at 6,750 rpm. That’s more horsepower but less twist than BMW’s R 1250 GS’ 136 hp/105 lb-ft, but well below the hot-rodded KTM’s 160 hp/103 lb-ft. The engine connects to a six-speed gearbox which, at time of launch, is not available with a quickshifter.

The standard Pan America ($17,319) packs fully adjustable front and rear suspension, while the Pan America Special ($19,999) adds semi-active front and rear suspension, an adventure-friendly skid plate, handguards, adaptive headlamps, a steering damper, tire pressure monitors, and a center stand. A slew of other electronic features like drag torque slip control also come standard. Our two-day ride in Mojave, California, was set up exclusively with Specials outfitted with the optional spoked tubeless wheels ($1,650) and adaptive ride height; the latter a $1,000-dollar, high-tech system that uses speed and gyro-fed algorithms to subtly drop the suspension 1-2 inches as the rider coasts to a stop for easy reach.

Aware that saddle height is a crucial issue among adventure bike shoppers, Harley offers a wide variety of solutions aside from the adaptive ride height system. So, what’s the seat height on the Harley Pan America? Well, depends on a few factors: the standard model paired with an optional low seat brings the minimum saddle altitude to 30.1 inches, though the seat’s position can be raised an inch. The Special can dip as low as 31.1 inches, or sit up to 33.1 inches high with an optional tall seat in its highest position.

Saddle up on the Pan Am, and you’re met with a 6.8-inch TFT touchscreen, a slew of hand control switches, and an adjustable windscreen. The TFT displays a large virtual tachometer with a discreet rev indicator that surrounds customizable fields which use a surprisingly small font. Hold down the display button, and the screen reverses its black-on-white scheme for a slightly more contrasty layout. Bluetooth connectivity can be routed through the Harley-Davidson app, a la LiveWire. Though the rider triangle is comfortable for most (one 6’ 6” rider in our group required a bit of adjustment before getting comfortable), there’s an awkwardness to some of the controls: the start button/kill switch is curiously positioned atop the right grip, the turn signal switch requires a bit of a reach and deactivates if it’s tapped a second time, and the kickstand can feel too low to the ground with the auto-lowering suspension until the bike is completely rested on its side.

The Revolution Max powerplant fires up with the requisite Harley thrum, whose timbre is accentuated by an available Screamin’ Eagle titanium exhaust that shaves off 6.5 lbs of mass. Rather than the familiar potato potato tune of its Milwaukee 8 cousins, the Revolution Max’s sound is a bit steadier and more refined, offering a bass note that’s present but not obnoxiously loud. Tipping the scales at 534 lbs (or 559 lbs in Special trim), the Pan America feels substantial as it’s lifted off its side stand. Twist the throttle, though, and it gets up and goes nicely enough off the line, with the smooth spinning V-twin getting into its groove once it passes around 2,500 rpm or so.

While the Harley mill doesn’t have the lumpy, low-end thrust of BMW’s 1250 boxer, it does have a healthy midrange and an even stronger pull towards max revs. The high-end oomph is surprising, especially from the brand known for loping, low-revving air-cooled engines. The clutch lever is light and the six-speed shifter clicks through gears with crisp accuracy, though the engine’s eagerness makes us wish a quickshift option was available for more seamless acceleration.

Ride modes include Road, Sport, and Rain, as well as Offroad and Offroad+. The latter setting is the least restrictive. Independently customizable modes also enable throttle mapping, engine braking, ABS, traction control, and suspension damping settings to be individually calibrated. This offers a fairly deep array of variables to mess with and allows riders to tailor the bike’s behavior to their riding style. Cruise on pavement, and the Pan Am feels surefooted, smooth, and easy to ride quickly and confidently.

Throttle response is less syrupy in Sport mode, and Road’s more refined manners make it easier to ride smoothly. Our miles of highway riding, while relatively sedate in pace, revealed good wind protection (at least for my 5’ 11” frame) and minimal fatigue from the usual Harley culprits like rattly grips or ear-splitting exhaust. Bumps are soaked up well, even with the spoked wheels which displace 14 pounds more unsprung mass than their cast aluminum counterparts. The linked, lean angle-sensitive brakes operate with good lever feel, and there’s enough power in the four-piston front stoppers to enact serious deceleration. The single-piston rear is strong enough to be applied individually when desired, or for sliding the tail off road at will.

Ride modes can be switched on the fly, though Offroad+ requires the bike to be at a standstill, as it frees up most of the electronic nannies and enables the Pan America to move around more freely in the dirt. During a few brief stints off-road, my Pan Am responded about as well as you could hope a 559 lb motorcycle to. Equipped with Michelin Scorcher tires during the first day of primarily on-road riding and Michelin Anakee Wilds on the second, more off-road-oriented day, the Harley felt equally ready for both styles of riding.

In fact, according to H-D brass, the bike was developed over the course of 1 million test miles split equally between tarmac and trail. Some of the suspension’s off-road development miles were actually accumulated on the LiveWire mules ridden by Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman in the 2020 documentary Long Way Up. That said, I didn’t spend the entirety of the second day testing the Pan America off road because, well, an unplanned dismount upended my plans.

My memories of the proceedings are hazy—concussions have a way of wiping away direct recollections around the time of impact—but I later learned that our ride leader and several other riders also laid down the Pan Am on some of the sandier trails, which I’ll admit made me feel about 5 percent less awful about my mishap. I was fortunate to be decked out in gear that helped me avert far more serious injuries: An Arai XD4 helmet, an Alpinestars armored Revenant jacket, a Dainese D-Air vest which deployed an airbag that likely saved me from a cracked rib cage or worse, and armored Alpinestars boots.

At the end of the day, the Harley-Davidson Pan America acquits itself remarkably well in a field of motorcycles that have enjoyed years of evolution and continual refinement. Sure, there are niggly bits here and there— the windshield adjustment mechanism can get testy, the kickstand positioning is less than ideal, the onscreen graphics can be hard to read, and some of the switchgear requires an awkward reach—but the underpinnings are stout and clearly well-developed. From the refinement of the drivetrain to the variability of the suspension, and even the availability of appropriately ADV-focused accessories and Rev’It-developed riding gear, the Pan America is very well sorted.

Harley’s new Pan America offers an auspiciously American adventure bike alternative that doesn’t feel like a compromise of any sort. Distinctive, well-executed, and perhaps most importantly soulful, it nods at the brand’s flat track roots while finally elevating them beyond the heavyweight cruiser realm and well into the 21st century. While there’s no telling how long the adventure bike trend will remain white-hot, Harley-Davidson’s development of the Pan America into a well-rounded on and off-road bike speaks volumes to what we hope is a bright future for the brand.

June 12th-20th, 2021 – New Hampshire – home to America’s Original Riding Rally

After a pandemic-postponed 2020, Laconia Motorcycle Week®, the world’s oldest motorcycle rally®, returns to New Hampshire for its 98th year in its traditional mid-June time slot. For many motorcycle enthusiasts and local businesses, the news comes as a sign at least, that life is returning to normal. “I’ve lived in the area for a very long time,” says Meghan Doptis of Laconia, “Motorcycle Week is a big part of our lives. Whether you attended or not, there was no escaping the excitement, sound of rumbling motorcycles and increased activity all over the state. For us, it signifies the start of summer. Not experiencing that last June, was kind of surreal. Really sad.”

While last year’s event did eventually take place in August, it lacked most of its signature events and, of course, ‘normal’ attendance. “We estimate last year’s rally had about one third of the people we normally see,” estimates Charlie St. Clair, Director for the Laconia Motorcycle Week Association. “Many people, for good reason, were reluctant to travel and those who wanted to come, had difficulty finding lodging because they were competing with summer vacationers. This year will be a lot different. You can already feel it.”

With the state’s robust vaccination program and safety guidelines changing weekly, a lot of the details for this year’s event are still being worked on, but one thing is certain: The 98th Progressive Laconia Motorcycle Week will be happening June 12-20, 2021. Expect some restrictions such as mask wearing whenever social distancing cannot be maintained, limited live entertainment and attendance limitations at some establishments. The popular Tower Street Hill Climb Expo occurs on Tuesday, June 15th from Lakeside Avenue and is a perfect lead-in to the legendary Gunstock AMATEUR Hill Climb at Gunstock Mountain Resort, which takes place on Wednesday, June 16th. Vendors will be set-up throughout Weirs Beach as well as at NH Motor Speedway and Laconia Harley-Davidson. Although some restrictions are expected at area establishments, you can count on unrestricted riding opportunities as rally goers enjoy New Hampshire’s scenic roads through the White Mountains, the Lakes Region and along the seacoast. As always, organized rides and gypsy tours will take place throughout the week. Keep checking the official Progressive Laconia Motorcycle Week® website for details.

Laconia Motorcycle Week® gives great appreciation to all of our sponsors, especially our Presenting Sponsors: Progressive, AMSOIL and Team Motorcycle, as well as the State of New Hampshire for their large financial support of our rally each year.
For more information about visiting the state of NH, check out visitnh.gov.

Laconia – where rallies were invented!

Visit for Details at https://laconiamcweek.com/