Royal Enfield invites you to the launch of the all-new Meteor 350. Please join Krishnan Ramaswamy, President of Royal Enfield Americas, and Breeann Poland, Head of Marketing & Communication Royal Enfield Americas, as they introduce you to the newest motorcycle in the Royal Enfield North American lineup. This interactive launch will take place on April 6 at 2 PM CST. Mark Wells, Head of Product Strategy & Rich Rawlins, Head of Genuine Motorcycle Accessories will join Krishnan and Breeann to discuss the development & design of the Meteor along with details regarding pricing and availability. During this time, information regarding Royal Enfield’s business objectives & brand direction in North America will be shared as well. Royal Enfield is celebrating 120 years of pure motorcycling & with that comes all new initiatives & programs for 2021. You won’t want to miss out on this announcement! Date: April 6th, 2021 Time: 2:00 PM CST

Click Here to RSVP to Launch Event Now

by Jim Johnson from https://www.montereyherald.com

County board to consider three-year pact for event

A “vintage” motorocycles festival could be officially added to Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca’s “premiere” event schedule this season, serving as a bookend with the popular MotoAmerica Superbike event in July.

The Board of Supervisors are set under its consent agenda Tuesday to consider a three-year deal with the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association for the Monterey Classic MotoFest event at Laguna Seca, running July 16-18 this year.

The proposed agreement, which would take effect retroactive to Jan. 1, would require the AHRMA organization to pay the county $480,000 over the term of the pact through the 2023 racing season. It would last through July 31, 2023.

The county board is also scheduled to consider another retroactive agreement under its consent agenda Tuesday, this one with the Historic Sportscar Racing from Feb. 1-Dec. 31, 2022 for the Pre-Reunion and Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion events set for Aug. 7-8 and Aug. 12-15, respectively.

Raceway spokesman Barry Toepke said the AHRMA has rented the raceway track in the past and the “growing popularity of vintage motorcycles” has offered an opportunity to “celebrate the sport and hobby by creating a larger festival experience and developing a Bike Week following” the GEICO MotoAmerica Superbike Speedfest at Monterey event set for July 9-11.

Toepke said the agreement was initiated in November but the holidays, uncertainty around event dates and whether spectators would be allowed delayed finalization of the proposal.

The organization touts its national and regional motorcycle road racing events ranging from motocross, dirt track and cross country to observed trials competition for historic motorcycles, as well as “alternative” modern racing with zero emissions electric motorcycles.

Raceway management dubbed AHRMA the “preeminent vintage motorcycle organization” in the U.S. and produces events across the nation including the “world-renowned” vintage motorcycle festival at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama, and will ensure a professionally run event and national media coverage.

The proposed new event would be one of six planned major auto racing events for the 2021 season, one fewer than the seven that were scheduled for last season before the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting restrictions forced the postponement and eventual cancellation of all but three major events – all conducted without onsite spectators.

Toepke said raceway officials expect to have spectators this season, noting that Laguna Seca is a large outdoor venue where fans can be scattered around.

Two events on last season’s raceway schedule have been removed from this year’s including the Trans Am Speedfest, which will be conducted April 29-May 2 but is now considered a track rental with a closed paddock and no ticket sales, and the Ferrari Challenge, which will not visit Laguna Seca this year.

Highway 68 Coalition member Mike Weaver has requested the proposed agreements with AHRMA and the Historic Sportscar Racing be withdrawn from the consent agenda and scheduled for a public hearing, arguing that they represent an “unjustified” intensification of use at the raceway and reiterating a request for full environmental review.

Some events, including the Historic Sportscar Racing and MotoAmerica Superbike, have not yet been confirmed by the Board of Supervisors.

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

At the beginning of March, American bike maker Harley-Davidson kicked off production of the Pan America, the motorcycle family that is supposed to turn things around for the Milwaukee company by opening up an entirely new segment.

It took Harley less than a month to move from the bike’s full reveal to the start of assembly. The Pan America is being put together on the lines of the Harley-Davidson Vehicle Operations facility in York, Pennsylvania. In the video attached below, you can get a taste of both how Harley’s employees celebrated the start of production, and how things are done at the facility.

Shown for the first time on February 22, the Pan America targets adventure seekers, Harley’s first foray into the segment. Two versions of it will be available, 1250 and 1250 Special, sharing most of the components.

The most important one is the engine, the liquid-cooled 1,250cc that is part of the Revolution Max V-Twin family. The powerplant develops the same amount of power in both versions, 150 hp, despite the fact that the two tip the scales at different values: 534 lb (242 kg) for the 1250 and 559 lb (254 kg) for the Special.

The 1250 family comes with 19-inch front and 17-inch rear wheels, a 5.6 gallons (21 liters) fuel tank, and all-LED lighting, while the special touches come in the form of Michelin Anakee Wild tires, Brembo brakes, and adjustable front and rear suspension.

The Pan America bikes are expected to hit dealerships’ shelves this spring. Harley has decided to ask $17,319 for the entry-level bike, but expect that to go much higher if the customer also opts for all the accessories and apparel designed specifically for it.

From mechanical bits meant to improve the motorcycles’ performance to visual upgrades and clothing, there’s nothing the bike maker seems to have missed in preparing the launch of the two models.

 

MILWAUKEE (March 23, 2021) – Harley-Davidson recently unleashed its bold take on adventure touring with the all-new Pan America™ 1250 and Pan America™ 1250 Special motorcycles. The spirt of adventure touring is one of endless possibilities and unrestrained freedom. From its inception more than a century ago, when many roads were little more than dirt trails, Harley-Davidson has stood for adventure. Riders will soon be able to experience that freedom first-hand as Harley-Davidson is proud to announce the Harley-Davidson Pan America Motorcycle Demo Tour. The tour kicks off in April, and signups for H-D-hosted demos are now available here: PAN AMERICA DEMO REGISTRATION. Demo opportunities at other major adventure touring, overland events and rallies, signups will happen on location.

“I’ve had the opportunity to ride a Pan America motorcycle both on and off-road, and can’t wait for riders to experience the innovations and capabilities that our team has built into this fantastic adventure touring bike,” said Jochen Zeitz, chairman, president and CEO of Harley-Davidson. “Now riders can experience for themselves the first motorcycle of its kind to be designed and developed from the ground up in America.”

The Pan America motorcycle introduces a revolution in technology, performance and accessibility with innovative Adaptive Ride Height and the all-new Revolution Max 1250 engine. Adaptive Ride Height is an industry-first motorcycle suspension system available on the Pan America 1250 Special that automatically transitions between a riding position when stopped, to an optimal ride height when the motorcycle is in motion. The lowered suspension at rest makes the motorcycle easier to mount and dismount, without sacrificing lean angles or ground clearance.

The Revolution Max 1250 engine is an all-new, clean sheet design, developed by the Harley-Davidson design and engineering teams. It is a 150hp, liquid-cooled 1,250cc-displacement V-Twin, the latest in the legendary powertrain lineage of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company. To minimize overall motorcycle weight (Pan America 1250 534lb. wet/Pan America 1250 Special 559lb. wet), the Revolution Max engine is integrated into the vehicle as the central member of the chassis. The Revolution Max 1250 is designed to offer smooth, low-end torque delivery and low speed throttle control that is optimized for off-road riding.

The Harley-Davidson Pan America Motorcycle Demo Tour will include stops at adventure touring and overland events and rallies as well as H-D-hosted demo experiences at locations that allow for riders to experience the capabilities of the Pan America™ on and off-road. The Demo Tour starts off in Texas on April 16, 2021.

 

CURRENTLY SCHEDULED* HARLEY-DAVIDSON PAN AMERICA MOTORCYCLE DEMO TOUR EVENTS:

4/16-4/18, H-D-Hosted Demo, Dallas, TX
4/23-4/25, H-D-Hosted Demo, Albuquerque, NM
4/30 – 5/2, H-D-Hosted Demo, Phoenix, AZ
5/7 – 5/9, H-D-Hosted Demo, Las Vegas, NV
5/14 – 5/16, H-D-Hosted Demo, San Jose, CA
5/21 – 5/23, H-D-Hosted Demo, Lake Elsinore, CA
5/28 – 5/30, H-D-Hosted Demo, Sacramento, CA
6/4 – 6/6, Giant Loop Ride, Lawen, OR EVENT LINK
6/12 – 6/20, Laconia Motorcycle Week, NH
6/25 – 6/27, Outside Adventure Expo, Salt Lake City, UT EVENT LINK
7/9 – 7/11, H-D-Hosted Demo, Twin Falls, ID
7/15 – 7/18, Get On! ADV Fest, South Dakota, EVENT LINK
7/30 – 8/1, H-D-Hosted Demo, St. Louis, MO
8/6 – 8/8, H-D-Hosted Demo, Harrisburg, PA
8/13 – 8/15, H-D-Hosted Demo, Pittsfield, MA
8/18 – 8/22, Touratech DirtDaze, North Haverhell, NH EVENT LINK
8/27 – 8/29, Overland Expo Mountain West, Loveland, CO EVENT LINK
9/3 – 9/5, XLADV: High Sierras, Mammoth Lakes, CA
9/10 – 9/12, H-D-Hosted Demo, Salt Lake City, UT
9/16 – 9/19, Touratech Rally, Plain, WA EVENT LINK
9/24 – 9/26, Overland Expo West, Flagstaff, AZ EVENT LINK
10/ 8 – 10/10, Overland Expo East, Arrington, VA EVENT LINK
10/22 – 10/24, H-D-Hosted Demo, Stamford, CT
10/29 – 10/31, H-D-Hosted Demo, Loudon, NH
11/6 – 11/7, Howling At The Moon, Prescott, AZ

*Locations subject to change or cancelation, check the PAN AMERICA DEMO REGISTRATION link for the most up to date information.

By J.J. Solari

Late Spring and then early Fall J.J. Solari sent Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, letters, the second one much much more caustic than the first, regarding his incompetence. He says he knows talent and he knows competence. Newsom has none of either.

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Author’s Note: Late Spring and then early Fall I sent Gavin Newsom, the
governor of California, letters, the second one much much more caustic than the first, regarding his incompetence. I know talent and I know competence. Newsom has none of either.

Both letters are about his “dealing” with the “pandemic.”
Both contained my full name, my full address, my full
email, and sent by the US Postal Service. So that they
would exist in their files forever. This, if nothing else, tells
them you PROBABLY are not a threat.

I do not recommend writing to your representatives
critiquing them. Unless you are me. For one thing…they
don’t really give a fuck what you think, unless it’s praise.
Because you see bureaucrats are deities. They cannot err.

So, telling them they are erring does absolutely no good. I never wasted my time writing to bureaucrats until Trump announced his candidacy My letters to Trump are a whole nuther department from this here.

Critiquing a bureaucrat, especially when angry, unless you are me, is fraught with peril, both real and imaginary. I do not recommend it. PLUS, it’s basically a waste of time.

Below are two letters, one relative calm but very
exasperated, to Gavin “the rictus” Newsom and the
second one pretty much at the limit of insult without being
menacing.

Newsom is now even himself admitting that the recall
effort on him will likely be successful. I could NOT be
happier.

Letter 1

Good job weakening everyone’s immune system via your
genius “stay safe” policies.

Dear Gavin Newsom;

You may have noticed though I don’t suppose you have, that your randomly-decided solution to the annual cold and flu season – isolation, manic disinfecting of surfaces, the forbiddance of crowds, mandatory wearing of bacteria incubators on the faces of everyone including children who are just developing their
immune systems – is creating – unless you’re all lying –
more and more “cases.”

An idiot would see that you are making things worse with
your whimsical, preposterous, untried, untested remedy
for flu contagion. And what’s your solution to the ever increasing evidence that your solution is making things
worse?….to double-down on the ruinous solution.

“Here’s my plan!….hurl everyone into bankruptcy, poverty, and homelessness……and then have them die alone without visitors due to weakened immune systems created by my brilliant medical prowess…..all while at the same time creating a new entire generation of the young with no immunity to anything.”_____

Sincerely,
J.J. Solari
“Medical Genius From Another Dimension.”

letter 2

Dear Gavin Newsom (since you won’t be Governor much longer)

“Doing the exact same thing over and over and expecting
a different result each time is a sign of insanity.”___Albert
Einstein

It’s a good thing you’re not up against a human enemy. Or even an animal one. Or an insect one. It’s a good thing you’re fighting a virus. Because if you were fighting anything bigger….like, say, an
invading army of foreign warriors or even ants in the
bathroom…..you wouldn’t have been conquered just once, but over and over again. Like, once every three weeks.

You did accomplish one thing. You slowed the spread.
Thus justifying your continued strategy for victory: doing
the wrong thing over and over and over. At this rate you
will have slowed the spread for maybe another thousand
years. Giving you an opportunity to be wrong millions of
times.

You gotta be excited by that.

You’ll notice, – though probably you haven’t – you’ll notice
that the current pandemic is affecting fewer people than
your war against it is. In other words, you are doing more
damage to the populace than the flu is. It’s almost as
though you don’t know who the enemy is. You’re fighting
the flu….but you’re destroying people – people who don’t
have the flu. In other words – – – you’re doing more
damage to people than the flu is. In other words – – – in an alleged “effort” to make things better – – – you’re making things worse…..and calling it “keeping everyone safe.”

In other words – you’re destroying everyone…….by keeping them safe. You’re slowing the spread….in order to make the spread last forever. You’re killing people who don’t have the flu….in order to save them from the flu.

You are “slowing the spread” – – – in order to strengthen the virus – – – so it can kill more people….in order to keep the flu from killing more people. You are destroying people – – – to keep them safe. You are destroying people – to help them.

This is called “nuts” by the uneducated and “sociopathic”
by the mean-spirited. Keep in mind that “nuts” and
“sociopathic” are not synonyms for ” being mistaken” or
“making an honest error.”

There is a variety of deranged murderer who kills
prostitutes in order to 1: send them to heaven so they will
sin no more or 2: send them to hell where their sins have
destined them to go anyway. Both varieties of murderer
insist their victims were the real killers. Because they
refused to obey.

The courts usually let them live because they are deemed insane. Maybe that’s what you are
counting on. Maybe that’s why you curtailed the death
penalty: so that if your tenure ever comes to trial down the road you’ll get treatment OR the way things now work in your State, thanks to you, you’ll get released.

Apparently I am the only one on earth who has noticed
this total effing utter disconnect between what you say you are trying to accomplish….and what you are actually
accomplishing. In other words, I am apparently the only
one who knows that as an actual commander….if you were a commander of troops they would all be dead before the end of Round One.

Fortunately for the flu …..the only thing you actually
command is obedience from non-combatants on your own team: 40 million people. Because the flu is ignoring you.

We are obeying you. But the flu is ignoring you. Big
shocker there, uh? Maybe you should try your luck at
commanding the tide to stop.

And – again fortunately – the people you are destroying
with greater effectiveness than the flu – are apparently all idiots. Because, hey, they did ask for this: they voted for you. If they had wanted effectiveness they would have voted for Yoda.

And who knows but maybe that is the psychological
justification for your leadership strategy: “If they voted for
me….. they’re just too stupid to let live.” When you look at it that way…..it all makes sense.

–J.J. Solari

Industry news from National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM)
Compiled & Edited by Bill Bish

THE AIM/NCOM MOTORCYCLE E-NEWS SERVICE is brought to you by Aid to Injured Motorcyclists (A.I.M.) and the National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM), and is sponsored by the Law Offices of Richard M. Lester.

The National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM) is a nationwide motorcyclists rights organization serving over 2,000 NCOM Member Groups throughout the United States, with all services fully-funded through Aid to Injured Motorcyclist (AIM) Attorneys available in each state who donate a portion of their legal fees from motorcycle accidents back into the NCOM Network of Biker Services.

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Tropical Tattoo Old School Bike Show at Daytona Bike Week
by Rogue

A classic Chopper show I try not to miss when in Daytona for Bike Week. Willie puts it together at his Tropical Tattoo, and it looks like lots of other people felt the same way about the Bike Week show.

The place was packed with motorcycles and people.

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by Enrico Punsalang from https://www.rideapart.com

We’ve known that Harley-Davidson has plans of rolling out a 300cc cruiser in the not-too-distant future as part of its ‘Rewire’ strategy for some time now. We also know that said 300cc cruiser is being co-developed by Chinese motorcycle manufacturer, Qianjiang Motor who own the Italian Benelli motorcycle brand. Now, while China-U.S. relations are not something I want to talk about, this new bike certainly is.

As it would appear, the baby Harley seems to be coming even closer to reality. Previously, we only had the concept art to show just what the American-Chinese venture had in store for us. This time around, we have an actual photo from type-approval documents filed by QJ Motor for the SRV300. Now, while this bike bears the QJ branding, I’m almost certain that this bike will be the basis for the upcoming entry-level Harley-Davidson positioned for the Asian market.

Interestingly, the new bike features a V-twin engine. Now, given the fact that it bears a displacement of just 296 cubes, this means that this could be the cutest and most compact V-twin to wear the Harley badge. On top of this, we can see that the overall design of the SRV300 draws heavy inspiration from some of the MoCo’s bigger bikes, such as the Sportster Iron 883, and the now-defunct Street 750. While not producing as much grunt as its bigger half-siblings, the SRV300 pumps out a decent 30 horsepower—plenty powerful for the folks over in Asia.

As it would turn out, the partnership between Harley-Davidson and Qianjiang Motor seems to be going strong, with no signs of slowing down. Indeed, the Asian market is a good place for Harley-Davidson to increase its sales volumes, thanks to a growing economy, which translates to increased buying power within the middle class. While a cult following for H-D’s big bikes does exist in multiple Asian countries, the MoCo stands the chance to grow its brand even further by tapping into the mid-tier segment, and positioning its smaller bikes as aspirational products to first-time big bike riders.

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

Electric Motorcycle With One Wheel – Launched By Chinese Online Sales Giant Alibaba For USD 1,850

This electric motorcycle on a single wheel from Alibaba can attain a top speed of 48 kmph.

In case motorcycles aren’t your cup of tea because they feel too safe for you then the upcoming example will surely be of interest to you. Chinese conglomerate Alibaba is known to develop some weird and out-of-the-world vehicles that run on battery. Recently, they revealed an electric motorcycle that rolls on a single wheel.

Sounds strange right when you think from the perspective of its dynamics. However, it seems to function properly without any hiccups. From the looks of it, this one-wheeled motorcycle seems a working equivalent of an electric unicycle with an un-functional equivalent of a small naked sports bike.

Features & Specifications
The body is built on a conventional Steel Trellis frame and also gets a faux fuel tank. The designer needs to be commended sheerly for his/her efforts. From a certain angle and distance, this bike also resembles a certain Ducati. However, all is not well, as things start to get tight and nervy when the rider decides to hop on board and cruise it on roads.

The first notable mention is that this thing measures only 40 kg and hence, ride stability might not be its strongest suit. However, it does provide the rider with great agility. It receives 2 kW of power which offers a top speed of 30 mph (48 km/h).

The batteries are located at a place where one would find a battery at a conventional electric motorcycle. The electric unicycle is powered by an electric motor paid with a 1.36 kWh of battery made by Panasonic.

The manufacturer claims a single-charge range of around 60-100 km. The company says it takes around 3-12 hours for its battery to get fully juiced up. These figures for a bike of this definitely look very optimistic.

Confusing Dynamics
One might wonder as to how to operate it smoothly as balancing such a thing is no small task. We suspect that like in a segway, the rider needs to lean forward or backward and the vehicle self balances.

However, the strangest aspect of this electric unicycle is that its handlebar gets a brake lever which makes us scratch our heads. If it is indeed a self-balancing vehicle and the motor always speeds up or slows down depending centre above it, then applying brakes would throw the rider towards the front.

We would certainly like to learn more about this one-wheeled bike and its mechanisms in detail. It has been priced at USD 1,850. Mass-market commercialisation is still a far-off dream for such kind of mobility. At this price, a proper electric scooter or motorcycle would be our preferred choice.