Unbeknownst to some, certain car brands started life by making motorcycles. Take Honda, for instance, or BMW. But what if iconic car brands made motorcycles?

Budget Direct Motorcycle Insurance took six automakers consisting of two Brits, a quirky Japanese, two electrified Americans, and a French record-holder and went to work. The team specifically chose brands that you wouldn’t normally associate with two wheels, and here’s what they came up with:

1. Aston Martin Café Racer
2. Bentley Touring Bike
3. Bugatti Superbike
4. Mitsubishi Scooter
5. Rivian Dirt Bike
6. Tesla Sports Bike


Above is a preview of the Bugatti Superbike that the design team conjured up:

It’s not uncommon for carmakers to dabble in the motorcycling world. Whether talking about two wheels or four, we can’t wait to see what iconic car brands have in store for the future of mobility.



Aston Martin Café Racer Render

Aston Martin was established in 1913. The brand is best known for the DB5 grand-touring car from the 1964 James Bond film, Goldfinger. But for die-hard auto enthusiasts, Aston Martin is known for making some of the world’s most beautiful cars. The brand has recently expanded its portfolio with the new DBX SUV. Most recently, it collaborated with the English motorcycle brand Brough Superior in producing the limited-edition AMB 001, a $120,000 superbike.

Instead of creating a megabuck track star, we chose a different route and created an Aston Martin café racer. For inspiration, we fixed our eyes on the magnificent DB4 GT Zagato Continuation model, part of the $7.2-million Aston Martin DBZ Centenary Collection. For the price, you get a vintage-modern DB4 GT Zagato and the new DBS GT Zagato.

In terms of retro appeal, it’s hard to deny the DB4 GT Zagato’s meticulous coachwork. Our Aston café racer inherited the gorgeous wired wheels and round headlight design of the DB4. It also has a bulbous gas tank, circular side mirrors, and a smallish windshield to complete the retro vibe.



Bentley Touring Bike

The Honda Gold Wing is the quintessential touring bike, although Honda is not the first name that comes to mind when it comes to ‘road luxury.’ On the other hand, British carmaker Bentley is known for taking luxury to the next level, hence our rendition of a Bentley touring bike based on its newest Bentayga SUV.

Our Bentley touring bike is longer than a Gold Wing and has limousine-like proportions. It offers generous seating for two, and the pair of large saddlebags offer enough cargo room for a short, weekend getaway. All the familiar Bentley styling cues are present, including twin round headlights and a massive front grille – the latter hides a large radiator to cool the bike’s massive V-Twin motor.



Model Bugatti Superbike

Without question, the Bugatti Chiron – and its predecessor the Veyron – is the ultimate record-breaking hypercar. The Chiron remains the fastest production vehicle in the world, and it’s also one of the most expensive cars on sale today. It’s only fitting to create a superbike based on the Chiron, but we didn’t settle for the standard model.

No, we went full Monty and sought the $19-million Bugatti La Voiture Noire for our superbike. The result is ‘La Moto Noire,’ our vision of the fastest (and most expensive) superbike ever made. Bugatti’s iconic C-line forms part of the front assembly and forks of the bike, while the wheels, headlights, and exposed carbon-fiber body panels are lifted directly from La Voiture Noire.



Mitsubishi Scooter Render

Japanese car brand Mitsubishi is best known for the mythical Lancer Evolution series, but that was back in the early to mid-nineties. Now, Mitsubishi is part of the Nissan-Renault alliance and has ditched making rally-bred, fire-breathing sedans for practical subcompacts and SUVs. Among the brand’s offerings is the Mitsubishi Mirage, one of the most fuel-efficient, non-hybrid vehicles in the market, capable of achieving 38-43 mpg even with a heavy lead foot.

As such, the Mirage reminds us of a basic scooter. Small in size yet packing a large seat, our Mitsubishi scooter has rugged tires, comfortable suspension, and a familiar Dynamic Shield face. And like the Mirage, it gets the job done with minimal fuss. It doesn’t have a dinky three-cylinder motor like the Mirage, but it does have a dinkier 1.0-liter, single-cylinder EFI engine, and a large gas tank to deliver exceptional mileage



Rivian Dirt Bike

Rivian is making ‘noise’ with its R1T electric pickup truck and R1S SUV. Both vehicles are destined to become the first all-electric off-roaders with genuinely rugged, go-anywhere capabilities. This led us to render the future of dirt bikes or eMotorcross. Like the Rivian R1T, our dirt bike is all-electric with twin hub-mounted electric motors, a modest battery pack, off-road suspension, and regenerative charging technology.

The simple, no-frills design is a definitive nod to the Rivian R1T’s utilitarian roots. And like the R1T, our Rivian dirt bike has oval stadium lights with LED headlamps and a smallish light bar. With only two wheels, our Rivian dirt bike is incapable of making a stationary ‘tank turn’ like the R1T pickup, but it still offers massive grip and tons of torque to conquer the wild outdoors.



Tesla Sports Bike

Our Tesla sports bike is seriously threatening Bugatti’s superbike for the ‘fastest motorcycle in the world’ title. Based on the much-anticipated Tesla Roadster v2.0, our electric superbike goes as fast as it looks. But unlike the incoming Tesla Roadster with its curvy body, our Tesla sports bike has sharper lines akin to a Nighthawk stealth fighter.

The new Tesla Roadster is a quick car with three electric motors, an extended-range battery pack, and cold gas thrusters courtesy of SpaceX. Meanwhile, our Tesla sports bike has twin hub-mounted electric motors, air suspension, massive brakes, and a lower center of gravity. It’s not about how fast this bike can go, but how long you can hold on for dear life.

About Budget Direct

Budget Direct has been offering Simply Smarter insurance since 2000. They have insured over 1.5 million Australians since then. Their policies are underwritten by Auto & General Insurance Company Limited, an Australian insurance company regulated by APRA and a member of the Insurance Council of Australia. Budget Direct has won Money magazine’s Insurer of the Year award again in 2018 (they also won this prestigious award in 2017, 2015 & 2010). Also, Budget Direct is the only provider to have won the coveted CANSTAR award for ‘Outstanding Value Car Insurance’ every year since 2007. Recently adding the 2019 CANSTAR national award to its long list, that’s 13 years in a row!

https://www.budgetdirect.com.au/blog/if-iconic-car-brands-made-motorcycles.html


About NeoMam Studios

NeoMam Studios is a creative studio based in the UK on a mission to create digital content that online audiences will want to share.

It’s been one of the strangest years in our history, but when it comes to Christmas nothing ever changes. It’s the most wonderful time of the year, as Bing Crosby sang back in the ’50s, and it still is. Christmas is particularly magical when you surround yourself with wonderful folks like the members of the Bikernet Staff and contributors. It couldn’t be better to be involved with all the freedom-loving and innovative folks in this metalflake and open-road industry.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

May your 2021 be sunny and bright–it better be.

K. R. Ball and the Redhead

by Ben Purvis from https://www.cycleworld.com

Indian firm Bajaj may be bringing back the classic American marque.

For a brief moment in the late 1990s the name Excelsior-Henderson was one of the hottest stories in motorcycling – a brand that was resurrected as a high-tech rival to Harley-Davidson after decades in the grave. Even if you don’t remember the furor over Excelsior in 1997, you already know how the story ends. The fact that those Excelsiors remain vanishingly rare more than two decades later reveals that the plan didn’t quite come together as envisioned. Just two years after unveiling the first bike since 1931 to wear that storied badge, Excelsior-Henderson 2.0 ended up closing its doors as well. But now it seems that the brand might be set to rise from the grave once more, this time courtesy of Indian manufacturing giant Bajaj.

Bajaj might not be a name that registers on your radar like Honda or Harley-Davidson, but it’s a behemoth of a company with a 75-year history of its own and a string of subsidiaries. It’s India’s second-largest bike company, after Hero, with the production capacity to manufacture 6,330,000 vehicles per year, most of them motorcycles. On top of that, Bajaj owns 48% of KTM, building KTMs and Husqvarnas in its plants in India, and it has a deal with Triumph to jointly develop and manufacture a new range of small to mid-sized machines in the near future. In short, Bajaj is one of the biggest players in the worldwide motorcycle market, and now it’s planning to relaunch the classic Excelsior-Henderson marque.

The news has yet to be officially announced, but Bajaj has already applied for trademark rights in various countries to use the Excelsior-Henderson name and logo on motorcycles, parts and clothing. It’s understood to have bought the brand name from Daniel Hanlon, who was one of the chief drivers behind the 1990s revival of the American brand that came so close to success. Bajaj’s interest in Excelsior is likely to stem from the fact that rival Indian manufacturers have been on a spending spree recently, snapping up famous motorcycle companies or the rights to their names. TVS, for instance, bought the remains of Norton earlier this year, and Mahindra owns the BSA brand and intends to bring it back into production in the near future. Meanwhile, Hero – the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles by volume – has recently struck a deal to develop and manufacture bikes wearing the Harley-Davidson brand name in its home market.

All of this is likely to be a response to the rapid growth of Royal Enfield, which has been Indian-owned for decades but has seen remarkable sales increases in recent years, leaving other Indian brands, which traditionally focus on smaller bikes, looking for a way to compete in the classic space.

In case you’re not familiar with Excelsior-Henderson, it started life as a merger of two bike companies (as the name suggests) back in the pioneering days of the early 20th century. Both were high-end brands with a reputation for quality, with Excelsior building 61 cubic inch V-twins from as early as 1910 and later developing the famous 45 cubic inch Super X in 1925. Henderson, meanwhile, started life in 1911 and focussed on inline four-cylinder machines. Both companies were bought by bicycle firm Schwinn – Excelsior in 1912 and Henderson in 1917 – and merged into Excelsior-Henderson, although their products remained separate. In 1931, Schwinn closed Excelsior-Henderson, refocusing on pedal-powered bikes in the face of the Great Depression.

That might have been the end of the story if it wasn’t for Daniel Hanlon’s Minnesota-based Hanlon Manufacturing Company. He saw a gap in the market for a high-spec V-twin cruiser in the 1990s and embarked on the development of what would become the Excelsior-Henderson Super X of 1998. Featuring a 1386cc (85 cu in) DOHC, four-valve V-twin with fuel injection, based on a design from British engineering firm Weslake (famous for the V12 powering Dan Gurney’s Eagle F1 cars in the 1960s, and later the Gurney-Weslake engines for Ford’s GT40s), the Super X also used unusual front suspension with massive, exposed springs. A 140-strong dealer network was established and around 1950 of the $18,500 Super X machines found buyers before Excelsior-Henderson filed for Chapter 11 in late 1999.

Although production never restarted, the Excelsior-Henderson company has remained in existence since then. An attempt was made to sell the brand and rights to its use and patents at a Mecum auction in 2018, but no buyer was found. Now it seems Bajaj has bought at least some of those rights. No doubt there will be an official announcement to confirm more details of the arrangement, but it seems that a new Excelsior-Henderson could be on the way within the next few years.

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. Most recently Quick Throttle Magazine came on board.

Merry Christmas to all and a wonderful free-spirit new year for everyone.

Let’s party, ride free, build cool shit and go to Bonneville and the drags.

Ride fast and free forever,

–Bandit

Click Here to read the Weekly News on Bikernet.

Join the Cantina – subscribe today.

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

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

We have no idea how many Harley-Davidson shops are out there. However, we do know that no matter the number, very few have the capability of making so many builds to form entire families of custom bikes. The Germans from Thunderbike are part of those few.

We’ve featured this shop extensively this past year because of two reasons: first, their projects are literally unique in the Harley world, and second, they keep on coming. This Christmas treat: the GP S Le Mans.

The motorcycle is based on the Breakout and is part of a larger family of builds dedicated to race tracks. We’ve already seen the Silverstone, or the Laguna Seca, and it was about time one of the world’s most famous circuits, Le Mans, got its own Harley tribute.

Described as the “new mega flagship from our exclusive GP series,” the Le Mans is simply breathtaking. Powered by a Stage IV 131-ci engine good for 123 hp and 178 Nm (131 lb-ft) of torque, the unlikely Breakout rides on massive 21- and 23-inch wheels behind which sit huge brake discs.

The rear wheel is accompanied by a shock absorber that allows the ride to be lowered and raised, not unlike an air ride suspension. The fork also holds an adjustable system, this time in the form of a new damper system.

In all, more than 20 different custom parts made their way into the build, ranging from license plate lighting to the Stage IV kit slapped on the engine and the custom exhaust, but all that pales when faced with the paint scheme chosen. The work of Thunderbike’s favorite partner in this field, Kruse Design, it is supposed to accentuate “the sporty format of the bike.“ And they kind of nailed that.

As for the cost of the conversion, an exact sum is not known. We were able, based on the parts listed as used, to estimate it at around – hold on – €40,000, which is roughly $49,000. That does not include the base bike, man-hours, and paint job.

 

Merry Merry,

I don’t know where to start today. I don’t understand why folks are determined to make other folks feel bad. On the other hand, it’s Christmas and I see the spirit everywhere.

Imagine riding to the Badlands in South Dakota on horseback in 1848. The Camanche Indians, didn’t grow anything. They ate whatever they could kill including people. And if they couldn’t find water, they drank buffalo blood. So, you’re riding to your new home in Deadwood and you could be attacked by Indians who are trying to attack other tribes. You could starve to death, because there were no 7/11s yet. You could freeze to death in the winter because there were no bic lighters to start a fire. And fires need to be banned because of Global Warming.

Hell, I have a smart TV in this little 100-year-old home. Unfortunately, last night after shoveling snow for 2.5 hours and walking to town, where Scott Jacobs and his lovely wife Sharon fixed us dinner at their Brewhouse, and then I walked back to my sensor controlled heated home and had dinner with the Redhead, we watched a dread, anti-holidays movie. We finally turned on the TV after two days of clarity and discovered the new George Clooney flick, “The Midnight Sky.” It’s all about un-explained doom and gloom or Climate mayhem. Fucking thing made no sense.

Oh, but it would surely bring any ignorant soul to supreme climate hysterics. I don’t get it, and maybe I do. So, while you are living in the best of times, under the finest conditions, surrounded by amazing technology and fantastic gifts for your kids, you stumble on George’s movie, freak out, light your SUV on fire and commit suicide over your gas stove and home heating sins.

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. Most recently Quick Throttle Magazine came on board.

HOLIDAYS CRIME ALERT-– I wonder how many of YOU will know who ALL of these guys are…
 With your records, you’ll never amount to anything.

–El Waggs
Chief Crime Investigator
Bikernet Penal Institution

HOLIDAY GREETINGS FROM BIKERLID–
From Bikerlid we wish you merry Christmas, Get maximum discounts this holiday season on our store.

Don’t forget to try the world’s lightest Beanie helmet developed only by us.
Starting at $88.00 – Best Selling Item in our shop loved by thousands of our customers.

THE TEXAS HOLIDAY DREAM--I seem to have piles of pictures everywhere, not sure what happened. MAC still out of order, I don’t suppose I could get an advance for the 22G MAC Pro?

Don’t recall the young ladies name, wife of one of Southern Metal Cycles customers, she was fun to work with, never been in front of the camera modeling. We were giving her ideas. This was her Dr Evil impersonation.

–RFR
Associate Editor
Bikernet.com™

U.S. Congress Passes Bill to Commemorate Route 66 Centennial–By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The U.S. House of Representatives passed SEMA-supported legislation to create a commission that would recommend ways to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Route 66, which was commissioned in 1926 as the first all-paved U.S. highway.

The “Route 66 Centennial Commission Act,” S. 1014, creates a 15-person commission with representatives appointed by the President of the United States based on recommendations from the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. House and Senate Republican and Democratic leaders, and the Governors of Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.

The commission has two years to make recommendations to Congress for celebrating the 100th anniversary of Route 66. It may recommend the production of various written materials, films and documentaries, education programs, artistic works, commemorative memorabilia and celebrations to commemorate Route 66’s storied history. The legislation unanimously passed the U.S. Senate in August, which now heads to President Trump’s desk for his signature.

For more information, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.

ROGUE ON XMAS—Merry Christmas to all and a wonderful free-spirit new year for everyone.

–Rogue
Senior Editor
Bikernet.com™

BRAND New Bikernet Reader Comment!–RESTRICTIVE BIKERNET WEEKLY NEWS for December 17, 2020

https://www.bikernet.com/pages/RESTRICTIVE_BIKERNET_WEEKLY_NEWS_for_December_17_2020.aspx

I imagine you heard the news about Excelsior-Henderson being bought by Bajaj, the bike mfr out of India!

https://www.cycleworld.com/story/motorcycle-news/excelsior-henderson-revival/

— Paul Aiken
Charlotte, NC

NEW FLANNELS FROM CRANK AND STROKER–THE ULTIMATE FLANNEL
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QUICK, OPEN THE BANDIT’S CANTINA BAD JOKE LIBRARY–A Pastor entered his donkey in a race and it won.

The Pastor was so pleased with the donkey that he entered it in the race again and it won again.
The local paper read: PASTOR’S ASS OUT FRONT.

The Bishop was so upset with this kind of publicity that he ordered the Pastor not to enter the donkey in another race.

The next day the local paper headline read: BISHOP SCRATCHES PASTOR’S ASS.

This was too much for the Bishop so he ordered the Pastor to get rid of the donkey.
The Pastor decided to give it to a Nun in a nearby convent.
The local paper, hearing of the news, posted the following headline the next day: NUN HAS BEST ASS IN TOWN.

The Bishop fainted.
He informed the Nun that she would have to get rid of the donkey so she sold it to a farm for $10.
The next day the paper read: NUN SELLS ASS FOR $10

This was too much for the Bishop so he ordered the Nun to buy back the donkey and lead it to the plains where it could run wild.
The next day the headlines read: NUN ANNOUNCES HER ASS IS WILD AND FREE.

The Bishop was buried the next day.
The moral of the story is . . . being concerned about public opinion can bring you much grief and misery and even shorten your life.
So be yourself and enjoy life.
Stop worrying about everyone else’s ass and just cover your own !!!
You’ll be a lot happier and live longer!

–El Waggs
Official Librarian
Bandit’s Cantina Bad Joke Library™

HOLIDAY BIKERNET GUN NUT REPORT–ATF Decision Could Lead to Biggest Gun Registration, Turn-in Effort in American History

New guidance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) could put millions of Americans in legal jeopardy.

The ATF published a notice Thursday that could require millions of AR-15 pistols and similar firearms—which are designed with braces that strap on to a shooter’s forearm—to be either registered, turned in, destroyed, or dismantled. But the standards laid out for determining the devices’ legality, such as caliber or weight, provide no objective measures, and the agency said it may also use undisclosed factors to judge the legality of the devices.

The agency conceded in the notice that some pistol braces are legal and should not be subject to the registration or destruction requirement. It said, however, that it could not provide a blanket determination for which pistols, or braces with which they’re often equipped, are legal and said it would have to examine each gun “on a case-by-case basis.” That means owners of the vast majority of the estimated three to four million AR-15 pistols and similar firearms may have to register with the ATF.

Second Amendment advocates were up in arms over the proposed rule, saying the uncertain legal status could destroy several businesses that make pistol braces and harm the gun industry. Erich Pratt, senior vice president of Gun Owners of America (GOA), said the subjective nature of the guidance shows that the “ATF has gone off into the deep end.”

“GOA will rally the grassroots to fight these regulations, and if they eventually go into effect, we will commence immediate legal action to protect gun owners,” Pratt said in a statement.

The controversy stems from how federal law distinguishes between short-barrel rifles and shotguns, both of which must be registered and require a $200 tax stamp, and pistols that do not require either. The key component is whether a firearm is designed to be pressed against the shooter’s shoulder. Since 2012, the ATF has classified several guns with braces designed to strap to a shooter’s forearm as pistols. The agency’s Boston field office called that interpretation into question in August after sending a cease and desist letter to one manufacturer. The agency ordered a review in October following intervention from the White House.

Neither the ATF nor the White House responded to a request for comment.

The notice said the agency plans to waive the $200 tax for those registering the affected firearms during a grace period to be announced later. The public has two weeks to offer comment on the ATF notice before it goes into effect.

–by Stephen Gutowski
freebeacon.com

TEACHING MOTORCYCLES TO COMMUNICATE
In an international effort to improve road safety for motorcyclists, a number of motorcycle manufacturers are co-operating to connect motorcycles with other vehicles and infrastructure.

In the Connected Motorcycle Consortium (CMC), motorcycle manufacturers BMW, Honda, KTM and Yamaha work together to develop new standards and techniques to connect motorcycles with other vehicles and infrastructure.

CMC started in 2016, because C-ITS (Cooperative Intelligent Transport System) specifications for passenger cars had not taken motorcycle specific safety factors and challenges into consideration sufficiently. The consortium aims at joining forces between motorcycle manufacturers, suppliers, research institutes and associations, to make motorcycles part of the future connected mobility.

The first goal was to define a first ‘basic specification’ for motorcycles to connect and ‘talk the same language’ to other vehicles or infrastructure by means of wireless communication. The next move will be CMC ‘NEXT’ with a wider scope, as motorcycle experts will be looking at further improvements of the specification while at the same time taking account of new functions supported by on-board sensors both in cars and in motorcycles.

“I am very glad that the motorcycle industry has joined forces to develop these specifications,” commented FEMA (Federation of European Motorcyclists’ Associations) General Secretary Dolf Willigers, adding that “The new technologies that are involved here will assist the car drivers in their task and by doing so will make the road safer for motorcyclists.”

Current developments in the industry offer a glimpse of what a solution by CMC might look like:
~ Smartphones – especially when connected via the upcoming, powerful 5G network – could be a major part of the solution, transmitting information between nearby vehicles.
~ Inspired by military headgear, U.S. manufacturers are designing smart helmets for PTWs, with cameras for traffic in front of and behind the driver and LEDs projecting warnings on the visor.
~ Researchers point to the value of intelligent speed controllers.

A number of manufacturers have already presented various innovations towards a fully operational C-ITS:
~ BMW’s ConnectedRide, introduced in 2016, warns bikers when a car comes into the blind spot of their rearview mirror.
~ KTM is working on a Blind Spot Detection system, using short-range radar.
~ Ducati has collaborated with Audi on C-V2X technology warning drivers of a collision when near a crossing or behind a driver who suddenly brakes.

What’s missing for now is the required infrastructure, and the regulatory obligation for all vehicles to be equipped with such systems. The European Commission has launched an EU-wide strategy for C-ITS, facilitating investments and exploring the rules required.

–from Bill Bish and NCOM

See Bill’s entire legislative report on Bikernet right now.—Bandit

https://www.bikernet.com/pages/story_detail.aspx?id=14755&id=14755

NMA ALERT--ALPRs win the Day in the Virginia Supreme Court

Automatic License Plate Readers or ALPRs can detail a motorist’s comings and goings without any thought of whether the person driving is suspected of nefarious activity. Some motorists around the country are challenging ALPR tracking in court. The latest dispatch comes from Virginia.

In 2015, motorist Harrison Neal started his legal battle over the Fairfax Police Department’s use of automated license plate readers. Neal argued, with help from the Virginia Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, that Fairfax, a heavily populated DC suburb, used ALPRs to scan license plates of non-criminal suspects. The ongoing police surveillance amounted to a violation of state privacy laws.

After a lengthy civil trial, the judge ruled that the license plate data did not qualify as “personal information” because it was not attached to a name. The ACLU appealed, and the case ended up in the state’s highest court, where it was quickly remanded back to Fairfax County Circuit Court.

In that trial, Circuit Judge Robert Smith agreed with Neal and found the system “provides a means through which a link to the identity of a vehicle’s owner can be readily made.” The judge also stated that a “passive use” of the system violated the state’s data law and placed an injunction blocking the blanket capture of license plate information. The Fairfax police appealed, and the case again went to the State Supreme Court.

In October 2020, the state’s highest court rolled back Circuit Court Judge Smith’s decision. In a 15-page opinion, Justice Stephen McCullough wrote that to violate state law, the ALPR system would have to be a “record-keeping process,” noting that photos of cars with time and location data may be kept because they alone cannot identify a person. He added:

“The strictures of the Data Act contemplate accountability and responsibility by an agency for the data it keeps—not data it can query from other sources.”

McCullough acknowledged that this was indeed a loophole.

“These separate databases certainly facilitate the investigative process by confirming the accuracy of a hit generated by the ALPR-system, but they are not part of the ALPR system and do not form part of its record-keeping process.”

Virginia ACLU Executive Director Claire Gastanga noted that these systems allow police departments to track motorists going anywhere at anytime. She also issued the following in a written statement:

“This personal information sits in a database for a year whether you’re a suspect of a crime or not. Security and privacy can both be protected without giving police the unregulated power to collect private information ‘just because’ and ‘just in case.'”

Virginia State Police purge its database of license data after 24 hours. Some local departments keep license plate data for up to two years. Local police officials claim they use the information to solve crimes and find missing people.

The Fairfax County Police retain license plate data for one year. After the most recent ruling, Chief Edwin Roessler Jr. told the The Washington Post that his department “will continue to provide the highest level of ethical service to our communities while safeguarding the privacy and constitutional rights of all that we serve.”

The issue will likely be revisited in January by the Virginia General Assembly. In 2015, a bipartisan coalition of privacy advocates pushed a law through both state houses that was later vetoed by then-Governor Terry McAuliffe. The bill would have imposed a seven-day limit on keeping license plate data by police. State Senator Chap Peterson, who introduced the 2015 bill, said this about the Supreme Court’s most recent ruling:

“If taken to its logical conclusion, state or local agencies can collect and hold personal data indefinitely, as long as they keep it in separate databases with separate passwords. That misses the point of the Data Act, which is to prevent ‘the government’ from holding your personal information. Whether or not it can be shared within the government is not relevant, at least in my view.”

After Governor McAuliffe’s veto in 2015, Harrison Neal filed a freedom of information request with the Fairfax PD. He wanted records of his vehicle, and received two photos of his car and license plate, with the time and place taken. The state’s data act declares that within government agencies, “There shall be no personal information whose existence is secret” and “Information shall not be collected unless the need for it has been clearly established in advance.”

So, why was the Fairfax PD collecting Harrison Neal’s license plate data?

ACLUs Gastanga said in the Washington Post:

“The court is saying it’s just fine for police departments to engage in mass surveillance and indefinite retention of data and share it across agencies with no limit. Since it’s multiple agencies, somehow, it’s not covered. As long as Fairfax shared it and it can all be assessed in one place, it’s not a ‘system’ because it’s outside the agency.”

Gastanga also said that the Virginia General Assembly should take up the issue. She believes that civilian review boards of local police should become a part of the discussion, adding:

“These boards should consider reviewing policies and begin a conversation about how people should want to be policed, to tell their departments that this kind of unlimited passive collection of private information and data should stop. And, at a minimum, retention time should be limited.”

The NMA recommends that local and state ALPR regulations:

Restrict the use of ALPRs to municipal, county or state law enforcement agencies
Prevent sharing of plate data for any reason
Require deletion of data after 10 days unless flagged

Limit the types of crimes and violations that data can be used to investigate

Restrict data matching to specific databases such the State Criminal Justice Information Network, National Crime Information Center and missing/kidnapped persons lists

Help us discover which communities are abusing the privacy rights of citizens by inquiring whether your locality permits ALPR use and, if so, what protections it has in place. Click here and then on “Write an Effective Public Records Request” for helpful tips on getting the information you seek from government agencies.

[page break]

TWISTED ROAD YEAR IN REVIEW—This is just one of their top ten most popular articles:

Top 5 Motorcycles for Women New to Riding

Small bike. Big bike. Fast bike. Safe bike. Cheap bike. Cool bike. Old bike. New bike.

These are the thoughts and uncertainties that go through a new rider’s mind while considering their very first motorcycle.

I too had a million questions as I was searching for the “perfect” first bike. Apart from the MSF course, I had never been on two wheels before in my life, nor did I have a rider community to lean on or even a partner who rode. So when my search became more serious, I turned to the interweb which naturally led to a Reddit rabbit hole and about 100 different opinions.

While it isn’t as easy as recommending one engine size or style for new riders, there is one tip that is rarely disputed in the biker community: buy a used motorcycle. Unless you have a ton of fun money laying around, don’t buy a new bike as your first ride. The probability of dropping it is high. It just is. This is not meant to discourage, but rather to help educate. You’ll want a machine that can absorb all of your “oops” moments before upgrading. Buying anything used offers less of a commitment both financially and emotionally, allows for extra funds towards solid protective riding gear and allows one to ease into a new hobby–what if you discover you don’t enjoy motorcycling as much as you anticipated?

I still have my first bike: a 2007 Triumph Bonneville T100. How did I come to that conclusion, you ask? I Googled, “modern lady bikers” and I came across a woman who shared a resemblance to me, on a Bonneville. I immediately discovered www.cycletrader.com and found a used Bonnie in my price range and bought it in cash. I didn’t even know how to ride it off the lot, so I had my partner pick it up later on and drop it off in a quiet street in my neighborhood where I taught myself every day for two weeks before I finally ventured out into traffic. Although I got lucky with my selection, it would have been helpful to learn from fellow lady riders and weigh my options so we’ve put together a list of the best used motorcycles for women new to riding!

Just about every company makes some good beginner options, but here are our top picks that are currently readily available:

#1 – Kawasaki Ninja 250
Japanese sportbikes of this size are readily available, affordable, very lightweight, and can easily be lowered to suit shorter riders. They require minimal maintenance, offer great gas mileage, and you can find parts for them everywhere. For these reasons, riders can use these bikes as an opportunity to learn basic maintenance.

Because of the lightweight components of Ninjas, they are very nimble and fun to zip around town on and can get out of any hairy situations on the highway. These bikes are not going to be for road trips or touring, and the riding position can be intimidating at first, but your knees and legs tuck naturally into a groove around the tank and provide a zippy and fun ride! These bikes are true confident builders and can be aesthetically customized to match any personality!

#2 – Harley Davidson Sportster
The Harley Sportster comes in a few varieties and two staple engine sizes: 883cc and 1200cc. These are arguably the most versatile option for new riders, both men and women. To put it simply, Harley Sportsters are abundant, cheap, reliable, fit most body types, and come with unlimited customizability and major brand loyalty.

Other important features of the Sportster include great weight distribution, availability of inexpensive parts, and it’s powerful enough to get you out of trouble but not enough to really get you into it. The major downfall of Sportsters is the unusually small “peanut” gas tank. Parts for these bikes are easy to find. Do you have “Chopper” dreams? Are you a daily commuter? Is the Harley life calling your name? This bike is for you, and any confident beginner rider.

#3 – Honda Rebel
The Honda Rebel can be found in a few engine sizes: 250cc, 300cc, and 500cc. This lightweight bike sits low and is very easy to handle for learning purposes. I do predict most riders would seek an upgrade for more “get-up-and-go” but after some time on a Rebel, graduating to a bigger cruiser will feel organic.

Honda Rebels are very cost-effective, especially if you are someone who strongly prefers a shiny new toy rather than used. Like most Japanese cruisers, these are inexpensive to insure and maintain, and the styling hasn’t changed much over the last two decades with traditional cruiser styling, lots of chrome, spoke wheels, 5-speed transmission, and a twin-cylinder four-stroke engine.

#4 – Triumph Bonneville or Street Twin
The Triumph Bonneville and Triumph Street Twin are very similar modern classics. These Brits can be bought in a few different engine sizes (863cc-1200cc) while all options maintain nearly the same feel, weight distribution, and size.

Quite obviously, I am a bit biased since the Triumph Bonneville was my first bike. However, I truly believe it is a fabulous first bike for various reasons. These bikes feature the nimble qualities a new rider would enjoy and offer more than enough power to keep a new rider happy, plus more advanced bonuses like stock ABS. I will note these bikes have a reasonably comfortable riding position, but may not be ideal for shorter women.

The Triumph name offers a timeless look and there’s no exception with these two models. If you have a decently strong, tall build and can flat-foot a Bonneville or a Street Twin, you won’t be searching for an upgrade anytime soon. Bonus: You can live out some fabulous “cafe racer” dreams with any Triumph Modern Classic.

#5 – Honda Grom
If anyone is thinking they’re too small for the bike life, enter: The Honda Grom 125cc. This single cylinder (fewer cylinders = slimmer bike between your knees), 220lb bike gives plenty of power for a smaller rider. These bikes are forgiving, meant for play, will outlive your cat and require little to no maintenance.

These are optimal to learn the ropes before moving up to a highway-speed bike. I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re blessed with a taller inseam or plan on jumping on the highway. Small bikes like Honda Groms are designed to excite, tease and build confidence towards joining other two-wheeled friends on the road!

Honorable Mention: The Yamaha V Star 650cc or 1100cc. They are affordable, reliable, and plentiful, with a very low seat height. This mid-size bike won’t easily be outgrown but is easy to maneuver.

Honorable Mention: The KTM 390 Duke. These bikes are super forgiving, nimble and not easily outgrown. The KTM aesthetics aren’t for everybody, and parts for this Austrian manufacturer aren’t as easily accessible or economical, but the brand is very sought after and reliable.

Honorable Mention: Any street-legal, fuel-injected dirt bike. They are super lightweight, vastly more affordable than a Harley or sportbike and come in all sizes, both body and engine. Dirt bikes are tough! They can be dropped time after time and can easily be picked up without assistance. If you can flat-foot one of these bad boys, it’s fun to get experience on both dirt and pavement surfaces and they serve as great machines to learn to “like” speed in a controlled way.

I personally discovered that my ideal “first bike” was something that would be a slight challenge at first, but would not cause a desire to upgrade in engine size within the first year, because that didn’t seem efficient. I am so proud of my first bike and it continues to be my daily commuter and even took me all around Northern Mexico within my first year of riding.

Recommending a beginner motorcycle for women isn’t as simple as suggesting that they choose a “small” or “slow” bike to start, but rather finding a comfortable bike that a rider can maneuver with ease. If you have good self-restraint, there’s nothing wrong with opting for a bigger bike, as long as you respect the machine and take it slow while getting acquainted with your new bike.

What works best for one rider, will for sure be different for another. The best advice is to get a bike that YOU are comfortable with. When you’re about to ride, Twisted Road has assembled the safety tips that all riders need to know. Two wheels are two wheels and if riding is your passion, just keep on riding.

Now go find a fabulous helmet and get to motorcycle shopping! Once you have some miles under your belt, you can always rent a motorcycle; Twisted Road becomes a very valuable resource because you can “try a motorcycle before you buy!”

By Amanda Dlugopolski
Twisted Road

BIKERNET UNIVERSITY ENGLISH DEPARTMENT HOLIDAY HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT–sugarplum
[ shoog-er-pluhm ]
noun

a small round candy made of sugar with various flavoring and coloring ingredients; a bonbon.

WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF SUGARPLUM?
Sugarplum is a transparent compound of the nouns sugar and plum. The sugar in a sugarplum is the ordinary kind used in cooking and confectionery, but plum here refers to the plum-like size (small) and shape (round or roundish) of the hardened mass of sugar.

In fact, in the second half of the 17th century, sugarplum was synonymous with comfit, a candy with a kernel of nut or fruit. Sugarplums have long been associated with Christmas, as in Clement Clarke Moore’s A Visit from St. Nicholas (perhaps more commonly known as ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas), first published in 1823, “The children were nestled all snug in their beds, / While visions of sugar plums danced in their heads.” Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s ballet, The Nutcracker (1892), is set on Christmas Eve, and one of its main characters is the Sugarplum Fairy.

The American journalist and poet Eugene Field (1850-95) is not much read today, but he is still famous for his children’s poems, such as Wynken, Blynken and Nod and The Duel (better known as The Gingham Dog and the Calico Cat). Fields also wrote the lullaby The Sugar-Plum Tree. Sugarplum entered English in the second half of the 17th century.

HOW IS SUGARPLUM USED?

The children were nestled all snug in their beds, / While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.

CLEMENT CLARKE MOORE, A VISIT FROM ST. NICHOLAS, 1823

These days, the poem is more likely to prompt a question than a vision: what exactly is a sugarplum and, almost more importantly, why was it doing so much dancing back in the early 19th century?

EMELYN RUDE, “THE HISTORY THAT EXPLAINS THOSE ‘VISIONS OF SUGARPLUMS,'” TIME, DECEMBER 21, 2016

–from Dictionary.com

INDIAN NEWS–Happy Holidays from Tim Montana

Check out this exclusive owner video from country singer Tim Montana. His new EP “Cars on Blocks” is out now.

LE PERA SEAT OF THE HOLIDAYS—Tailwhip Double Diamond Seating.

Overview

Taking our popular Kickflip one step further! If it’s more comfort for the passenger or just another platform to let your adventurous side explore, the whipped-up tail will give you what you are looking for!

Shown with Double Diamond seating area. Also available with Basket Weave, Pleated Stitch and our new Gripp Tape material – for when traction is needed! Many other custom materials and stitch graphics are available as well!
Specs

Driver Seating:
14.5″ Wide
Passenger Seating:
6.5″ Wide

MSRP:
$509.00

Part Number:
LK-587DD [’08-’20]

OPEN LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA–Here’s a letter I mailed to Newsom today. And yeah, it has my return address on it. Like he’s gonna do anything. That would take an effort like arrest me.

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

Dear Gavin Newsom; 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 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 “being nuts” or “being mean-spirited” are not synonyms for “being mistaken.”

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 is allegedly destroying – 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

QUICK, New Bikernet Reader Comment!–
RESTRICTIVE BIKERNET WEEKLY NEWS for December 17, 2020

https://www.bikernet.com/pages/RESTRICTIVE_BIKERNET_WEEKLY_NEWS_for_December_17_2020.aspx

Cris Sommer Simmons is totally on the ball with her opinion piece regarding mask wearing.
Thanks for running it.

— Doc Robinson
Somerton Park, SA, Australia

XMAS GIFT SUGGESTION–Subject: Biker Grandpa Coffee Mugs

Do you know a Biker Grandpa that loves coffee as much as you love your motorcycle? You’ve gotta see these cool mugs…

www.skullsociety.com 

OPERATION GRATITUDE HOLIDAYS–
Last Christmas, we received this email from a deployed Soldier. She was away from her family and missing home during the holidays.

“My name is Kelley!! I just got your package on Christmas Eve!! I cannot thank you enough for all of the amazing things you gave to me today. You all have truly made my Christmas better. Thank you all so much for your support and kindness!!!”

As a 20-year Marine Veteran who desperately missed my own family when I was deployed, I share this email with you to demonstrate the true impact of YOUR actions.

There are nearly 200,000 service members away from their loved ones this holiday season. We’ve already sent 20,000 care packages, and together we can do even more to lift the spirits of our men and women in uniform during a global pandemic.

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As a very challenging 2020 comes to a close, I ask for your continued generosity to help Operation Gratitude make the Holidays better for hundreds more U.S. Service Members, like Kelley, serving overseas, as well as frontline heroes here at home.

I know there are many causes you can support during this season of giving. Thank you for choosing Operation Gratitude, and for your continued dedication and commitment to all those who serve our great nation.

With Gratitude and Semper Fidelis,

–Kevin Schmiegel
Lieutenant Colonel, USMC (Ret.)
Chief Executive Officer, Operation Gratitude
#ActionsSpeakLouder

P.S Ending with some holiday cheer — Operation Gratitude is one of two nonprofits that will be featured on a CBS special called “Holiday Salute to Military Families”! Watch the trailer and see if it will appear on your local network here.

AMA HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE–
When I started racing motorcycles in 1960, I was the only woman road racer in the country. I loved it! I kept competing for decades in road racing, desert racing and motocross.

Today, our sport is more inclusive than ever, and I’m honored that I was able to play a part in that progress. I’m confident that motorcycle racing will continue to grow and welcome racers from all backgrounds.

One way we can help that growth is by celebrating our heritage.

We do that by honoring the great men and women in the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame. Their stories of perseverance, fortitude, conquest, talent and ingenuity inspire new motorcyclists to test limits, break barriers and blaze new trails.

So, I’m asking you today: Please consider making a tax-deductible financial contribution to the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation, the 501(c)(3) that raises money to support the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame. Your donation is not just an investment in the past. It’s an investment in the future of motorcycling in America.

We have some wonderful recognition gifts for our donors this year, including one very special gift for a major supporter! Please see the website for details.

The Hall of Fame is close to my heart. I trust it is close to yours, as well. Thank you for your contribution, whatever its size. Working together, we will tell the amazing stories of
motorcycling and continue to inspire new generations of riders.

–Mary McGee
AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Inductee

VA to begin COVID-19 vaccinations at 128 NEW LOCATIONS — VA will begin Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccinations this week at 128 additional sites.

On Dec. 18, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an Emergency Use Authorization of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, which is the second COVID-19 vaccine to be authorized.

“Having a second COVID-19 vaccine will enable us to reach more facilities and vaccinate more health care personnel and Veterans in additional parts of the country,” said VA Secretary Robert L. Wilkie. “We continue to implement our COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Plan and are grateful to be one step closer to seeing the end of this pandemic.”

Per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations, VA will continue to vaccinate health care personnel, as well as community living center and spinal cord unit residents. As vaccine supplies increase, VA’s ultimate goal is to offer COVID-19 vaccinations to all Veterans and employees who want to be vaccinated.

113 VA Medical Centers (VAMCs) and outpatient clinics will receive limited Moderna COVID-19 vaccine supplies this week. They include:

Alabama

Central Alabama (Montgomery) VA Health Care System

Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center

Alaska

Alaska (Anchorage) VA Health Care System

Arizona

Northern Arizona (Prescott) VA Health Care System

Southern Arizona (Tucson) VA Health Care System

Arkansas

Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks (Fayetteville)

Central Arkansas (North Little Rock) Veterans Health Care System

California

Central California (Fresno) VA Health Care System

Northern California (Mather) VA Health Care System

San Francisco VA Medical Center

Long Beach VA Health Care System

Loma Linda VA Health Care System

San Diego VA Health Care System

Colorado

Grand Junction VA Medical Center

Delaware

Wilmington VA Medical Center

Florida

Lee County VA Health Care Center

Jacksonville VA Outpatient Clinic

Sergeant Ernest I. “Boots” Thomas (Tallahassee) VA Outpatient Clinic

The Villages VA Outpatient Clinic

New Port Richey VA Outpatient Clinic

William V. Chappell, Jr. (Daytona Beach) VA Outpatient Clinic

William “Bill” Kling (Sunrise) VA Outpatient Clinic

South Hillsborough (Riverview) VA Outpatient Clinic

Viera VA Outpatient Clinic

Georgia

Atlanta VA Medical Center

Carl Vinson (Dublin) VA Medical Center

Hawaii

Pacific Islands (Honolulu) VA Health Care System

Idaho

Boise VA Medical Center

Illinois

Capt. James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center (North Chicago)

Jesse Brown (Chicago) VA Medical Center

Iliana (Danville) VA Health Care System

Marion VA Medical Center

Indiana

Indianapolis VA Medical Center

Marion VA Medical Center

Iowa

Central Iowa (Des Moines) VA Health Care System

Iowa City VA Health Care System

Kansas

Dwight D. Eisenhower (Leavenworth) VA Medical Center

Colmery-O’Neil (Topeka) VA Medical Center

Robert J. Dole (Wichita) VA Medical Center

Kentucky

Louisville VA Medical Center

Louisiana

Alexandria (Pineville) VA Medical Center

Overton Brooks (Shreveport) VA Medical Center

Maine

Maine (Augusta) VA Health Care System

Massachusetts

Boston (Jamaica Plain) VA Health Care System

Northampton (Leeds) VA Medical Center

Michigan

Battle Creek VA Medical Center

Detroit VA Medical Center

Saginaw VA Medical Center

Iron Mountain VA Medical Center

Minnesota

St. Cloud VA Medical Center

Mississippi

G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery (Jackson) VA Medical Center

Gulf Coast (Biloxi) VA Health Care System

Missouri

Poplar Bluff VA Medical Center

Kansas City VA Medical Center

Montana

Montana (Fort Harrison) VA Health Care System

Nevada

Sierra Nevada (Reno) VA Health Care System

New Hampshire

Manchester VA Medical Center

New Jersey

Lyons VA Medical Center

New York

James J. Peters Bronx VA Medical Center

Canandaigua VA Medical Center

Syracuse VA Medical Center

Albany VA Medical Center

Castle Point (Wappingers Falls) VA Medical Center

Northport VA Medical Center

North Carolina

Asheville VA Medical Center

South Charlotte VA Health Care Center

Fayetteville VA Medical Center

Raeford Road (Fayetteville) VA Outpatient Clinic

Greenville VA Health Care Center

Kernersville VA Health Care Center

Wilmington VA Health Care Center

North Dakota

Fargo VA Medical Center

Ohio

Chillicothe VA Medical Center

Cincinnati VA Medical Center

Dayton VA Medical Center

Columbus VA Ambulatory Care Center

Oklahoma

Eastern Oklahoma (Muskogee) VA Health Care System

Oregon

Roseburg VA Health Care System

Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center & Clinics (White City)

Pennsylvania

Altoona VA Medical Center

Butler VA Medical Center

Coatesville VA Medical Center

Erie VA Medical Center

Lebanon VA Medical Center

Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center

Puerto Rico

Mayaguez VA Outpatient Clinic

Euripides Rubio (Ponce) VA Outpatient Clinic

Rhode Island

Providence VA Medical Center

South Carolina

Charleston VA Medical Center

Columbia VA Medical Center

South Dakota

Sioux Falls VA Medical Center

Black Hills (Fort Meade) VA Health Care System

Tennessee

Tennessee Valley (Murfreesboro) VA Health Care System

Mountain Home VA Health Care System

Texas

Amarillo (West Amarillo) VA Health Care System

West Texas (Big Spring) VA Health Care System

Central Texas (Temple) VA Health Care System

Texas Valley Coastal (Harlingen) VA Health Care System

El Paso VA Health Care System

Utah

Salt Lake City VA Health Care System

Vermont

White River Junction VA Medical Center

Virginia

Hampton VA Medical Center

Salem VA Medical Center

Washington

Spokane VA Medical Center

Walla Walla VA Medical Center

West Virginia

Beckley VA Medical Center

Clarksburg VA Medical Center

Huntington VA Medical Center

Martinsburg VA Medical Center

Wisconsin

Madison VA Hospital

Tomah VA Medical Center

Wyoming

Cheyenne VA Medical Center

Sheridan VA Medical Center

Sites were identified based on need for the vaccine according to CDC’s 1a prioritization and after confirming they could appropriately store the vaccine at -20C. Since the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine remains stable in regular refrigeration, VA expects to distribute it to more facilities when supplies are available.

The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine was 94% effective in preventing COVID-19 disease, based on scientific data presented at FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biologics Advisory Committee on December 17. The vaccine is administered in two doses, 28 days apart. The side effects appear similar to those of other vaccines and are short-lived.

Thirty-seven medical centers began offering the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to eligible health care personnel and Veterans Dec 14. Additionally, VA is scheduled to receive another allocation of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine this week. Fifteen VA facilities plan to start administering the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine after they receive their allocations. They are:

Palo Alto (Livermore) VA Medical Center

Palo Alto (Menlo Park) VA Medical Center

Bay Pines (FL) VA Health Care System

Miami (FL) VA Health Care System

West Palm Beach (FL) VA Health Care System

James A. Haley (Tampa, FL) Veterans Hospital

North Florida/South Georgia (Gainesville, FL) Health Care System

Lake Baldwin (Orlando, FL) VA Outpatient Clinic

Lake City (FL) VA Medical Center

Perry Point (MD) VA Medical Center

St. Louis (Jefferson Barracks, MO) VA Health Care System

New York Harbor (Brooklyn Campus) Health Care System

Salisbury (NC) VA Medical Center

Kerrville (TX) VA Hospital

American Lake (Tacoma, WA) VA Medical Center

As vaccines become available, VA care teams will reach out to eligible Veterans to schedule vaccinations. There is no need to preregister or come to a facility to sign up.

Veterans can get up-to-date information and sign up to receive regular updates on VA’s COVID-19 vaccine webpage.additional sites

[page break]

BOARS NEST SAYS HAPPY HOLIDAYS— ‘TIS THE SEASON!
WE’RE HERE CHRISTMAS EVE FOR ANY LAST MINUTE NEEDS! WETHER YOU’RE WRENCHING ON THE BIKE AND NEED A PART OR JUST NEED A GIFT, WE GOT YOU COVERED!

HOLIDAY SCHEDULE
CHRISTMAS EVE: 9AM-3PM
CHRISTMAS DAY & SATURDAY: CLOSED

Boars Nest Choppers
3207 Roymar Rd. Suite A
Oceanside, CA 92058

NMA ALERT–California Court Bans Cannabis Billboard Advertising on All Highways That Cross State Line. The San Luis Obispo County Superior Court recently granted a petition to ban almost all outdoor cannabis advertising on more than 4,000 miles of California highways. The case was brought by county resident Matthew Farmer, who claimed the Bureau of Cannabis Control’s interpretation of Proposition 64 would unnecessarily expose him and his teenage children to cannabis advertising.1

Although the court’s holding leaves little doubt that it will issue an order drastically restricting outdoor cannabis advertising on these highways, no order or further guidance from the Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC) has yet issued.

In 2016, Californians overwhelmingly approved Proposition 64, which legalized cannabis for adult use, and created the BCC to administer and enforce the law. Reflecting sensitivity to interstate marketing of cannabis while cannabis remains federally illegal, Proposition 64 prohibits licensed cannabis businesses from “advertis[ing] or market[ing] on a billboard or similar advertising device located on an Interstate Highway or on a State Highway which crosses the California border.”

The BCC later issued rules interpreting the restriction in Proposition 64 to prohibit only cannabis billboards and other outdoor advertising “located within a 15-mile radius of the California border on an Interstate Highway or on a State Highway that crosses the California border.”2

Farmer sued, claiming that BCC’s regulation was in conflict with the statute, and that his status as a taxpayer gave him standing to challenge the rule. The Hon. Ginger E. Garrett granted the petition and ordered the BCC to meet and confer with Farmer to propose an order to withdraw the regulation—and presumably implement a much stricter ban on all outdoor advertising on any interstate or state highway that crosses the California border.3

The court’s decision appears to give short shrift to First Amendment concerns. The applicable terms “Interstate Highway” and “State Highway” are not defined in the statute, but a broad reading of these terms could effectively prohibit all outdoor advertising on a vast swath of the state’s roads, far from any border. For instance, U.S. Route 101 runs as a surface road through San Francisco and many Northern California towns before crossing the border into Oregon.

Moreover, the definition of cannabis “advertising” in the statute is broad, and lacks specific exceptions for educational or noncommercial messages which other states have adopted to avoid chilling speech about cannabis. In short, an expansive interpretation of the statutory ad restrictions would prohibit a wide range of outdoor cannabis communications.

The decision may be subject to appeal on a variety of issues, including not only the merits of the claimed “conflict,” but also the plaintiff’s standing to sue, since there is no live dispute concerning a particular ad or billboard—just a legal question framed in the abstract. Any ensuing regulations to broadly ban cannabis ads on highways throughout the state may be subject to challenge as an unconstitutional restriction on speech.

Although an order has not yet been issued, cannabis operators and outdoor advertising companies should be aware of this development and immediately factor it into their cannabis communications strategy.

FOOTNOTES
1 Farmer v. Bureau of Cannabis Control, San Luis Obispo Super. Ct. No. 19-cv-0597.
2 Cal. Bus. & Prof. C. § 26152.
3 Cal. C. Reg. § 5040(b)(3) (emphasis added).

–by Davis Wright
JDSupra.com

BANDIT’S CANTINA BAD JOKE LIBRARY IS WIDE OPEN—Mask Free.

Top Ten Reasons Not To Wave (by Unknown, not me).

10. Afraid it will invalidate warranty.
9. Leather and studs make it too heavy to raise arm.
8. Refuse to wave to anyone whose bike is already paid for.
7. Afraid to let go of handlebars because they might vibrate off.
6. Rushing wind would blow scabs off the new tattoos.
5. Angry because just took out second mortgage to pay luxury tax on new Harley.
4. Just discovered the fine print in owner’s manual and realized H-D is partially owned by Honda.
3. Can’t tell if other riders are waving or just reaching to cover their ears like everyone else.
2. Remembers the last time a Harley rider waved back, he impaled his hand on spiked helmet.
1. They’re too tired from spending hours polishing all that chrome to lift their arms.

10. Wasn’t sure whether other rider was waving or making an obscene gesture.
9. Afraid might get frostbite if hand is removed from heated grip.
8. Has arthritis and the past 400 miles have made it difficult to raise arm.
7. Reflection from etched windshield momentarily blinded him.
6. The espresso machine just finished.
5. Was actually asleep when other rider waved.
4. Was in a three-way conference call with stockbroker and accessories dealer.
3. Was distracted by odd-shaped blip on radar screen.
2. Was simultaneously adjusting the air suspension, seat height, programmable CD player, seat temperature, and satellite navigation system.
1. Couldn’t find the “auto wave back” button on dashboard.

Top Ten Reasons Why Sportbike Riders Riders Don’t Wave Back:

10. Have not been riding long enough to know they’re supposed to.
9. Going too fast to have time enough to register the movement and respond.
8. You weren’t wearing bright enough gear for them to acknowledge you.
7. If they stick their arm out going that fast they’ll rip it out of the socket.
6. They’re too occupied with trying to get rid of their chicken strips.
5. They look way too cool with both hands on the bars or they don’t want to unbalance themselves while standing on the tank.
4. Their skin tight-kevlar-ballistic-nylon-kangaroo-leather suits prevent any position other than fetal.
3. Raising an arm allows bugs into the armholes of their tank tops.
2. It’s too hard to do one-handed stoppies.
1. They were too busy slipping their flip-flop back on.

10. New Aerostich suit too stiff to raise arm.
9. Removing a hand from the bars is considered “bad form.”
8. Your bike isn’t weird enough looking to justify acknowledgement.
7. Too sore from an 800-mile day on a stock “comfort” seat.
6. Too busy programming the GPS, monitoring radar, listening to iPod, XM, and talking on the cell phone.
5. He’s an Iron Butt rider and you’re not!
4. Wires from Gerbing’s are just too short.
3. You’re not riding the “right kind” of BMW.
2. You haven’t been properly introduced.
1. Afraid it will be misinterpreted as a friendly gesture

–Sam Burns
Certified Librarian
Bandit’s Cantina Bad Joke Library

AN OPEN HOLIDAY LETTER FROM THE MAYOR–
I have been aware of Strider Bikes for about a dozen years now. I am amazed at the company growth. They have sold nearly 3 million bikes worldwide and hopefully inspired millions of kids to get off the couch, off the screen, and get outside and enjoy life on two wheels.

The Strider Education Foundation was formed as a 501c3 a few years ago. About two years ago Strider started a campaign called “All Kids Bike”. Its mission is to teach every child in America how to ride a bike in kindergarten PE class. The progress made in those two years has 248 schools in 37 states running the program. 41,000 kids are known to be learning to ride this year. The 5 year impact from those programs will result in nearly a quarter of a million more kids having learned to ride.

Money makes the world go ‘round, and in this instance, money makes the wheels go ‘round for these kids. The school program is delivering results in short order by equipping kids with a lifetime skill and increasing those kids’ health and happiness on a daily basis. The All Kids Bike program is so dialed in that it is being accomplished for just under $10/kid… tax-deductible.

To give you a sense of what this program is all about and how it is impacting lives… even beyond learning to ride, I encourage you to check out this short and glorious video of the program running in schools in South Dakota. We believed in this program so much that we put our money where our mouth is.

Documentary Trailer: https://youtu.be/1lM4i3b6BM8
New rider! (29 seconds): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOPr8y9TcbM

The Board of Directors has just set up a fundraising page to keep the momentum going. I’d love to have you join us on this most-worthwhile and rewarding mission.

For more information, I’m happy to discuss in more detail with you or you can find out more…

on the web at: www.allkidsbike.org

A donation of even $10 makes a difference and can be done with a credit card very quickly at: https://support.allkidsbike.org/all-kids-bike-board-members

This will be the best $10 bucks you’ve spent all day and the videos will be the most uplifting you’ve seen in ages!

Ride Free, Take Risks!

–Woody
Mayor
City of Buffalo Chip

Watch out for COVID-19 vaccine scams–As the country begins to distribute COVID-19 vaccines, there’s no doubt scammers are already scheming.

Medicare covers the COVID-19 vaccine, so there will be no cost to you. If anyone asks you to share your Medicare Number or pay for access to the vaccine, you can bet it’s a scam.

Here’s what to know:

You can’t pay to put your name on a list to get the vaccine.
You can’t pay to get early access to a vaccine.
Don’t share your personal or financial information if someone calls, texts, or emails you promising access to the vaccine for a fee.

More Info

If you come across a COVID-19 vaccine scam, report it to the Federal Trade Commission or call us at 1-800-MEDICARE. And check out CDC.gov for trustworthy information on the COVID-19 vaccine.

–The Medicare Team

HEADLINE OF THE WEEK– I’ve been collecting headlines for the past 6 months. This one has to be the best one ever. Apparently Covid gives you balls and good sense. Hahahahahaha

–J.J. SOLARI

Merry Christmas to all of my friends and supporters! Wishing you all the very best for 2021!
Feel free to use and share these.

This is us. This is our Covid Christmas card. In America, citizens still have FREEDOM to take a photo and FREEDOM to choose how to interpret any photo they see. FREEDOM, it’s all that matters!

Chris Gibbany
Moto-journalist/Event host/Bike builder
Old Iron Never Dies!

2020: Year of Largest Wildfires and COVID-19 Pandemic Pushes Red Cross to Drastically Change Service

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 22, 2020 — For a year that started with great success for the American Red Cross Los Angeles Region with partnerships with Fox 11 LA and Paramount Studios, quickly changed to a year of disasters.

Starting with COVID-19, the Red Cross in Los Angeles adapted to the impact of the pandemic quickly to ensure continuation of our lifesaving mission. We worked with health officials to keep local communities and our workforce safe, while still providing emergency shelter and comfort after disasters of all sizes.

RESPONDING TO DISASTERS

In California alone, the Red Cross provided more than 242,400 overnight stays for people affected by the 8,500 wildfires that burned more than 4 million acres. In LA, the Red Cross responded to several fires including the Bobcat Fire and smaller home fires. More than 300 Angelenos answered the call to help, both in person and virtually, to assist with relief efforts in Northern California and Oregon. The relief effort was one of the biggest endeavors made by this region.

Though we are still providing service, to date the Red Cross has served more than 816,300 meals and distributed more than 53,000 relief items to people affected by the Western Wildfires.

Volunteers also aided more than 1,200 Angelinos affected by home fires, providing secure places to stay along with warm meals, emotional support and other disaster assistance as needed.

Many of the standard Red Cross services had to change as we knew it was going to be an intense year of responding to disasters. Red Cross LA quickly restructured how to support people forced to leave home due to disaster and safety protocols were put in place to keep everyone safe from COVID-19.

To quickly and safely evacuate communities, the Red Cross established temporary evacuation centers, a safe place for people to receive Red Cross support and guidance. In addition, sheltering people in hotels, providing masks and increasing the cleaning schedule were made a routine part of the process.

In July 2020, Florida native Joanne Nowlin became the first woman to serve Red Cross LA as CEO. After three years supporting Southern Florida’s Red Cross (region) through a series of destructive hurricane seasons, Joanne brought to LA her disaster expertise, compassion and earnest desire to support the Region as we faced our most trying year in decades.

DELIVERING URGENT AID

As the pandemic escalated, most of the 1,200 people who joined our volunteer ranks this year stepped up to fill mission-critical positions, such as disaster shelter and health workers, blood donor ambassadors and transportation specialists. Volunteers helped us maintain a constant presence in communities, and that our lifesaving services would always be available.

“This has been a year like no other, facing disaster amid a pandemic. Through it all, our region made up of more than 10,000 Red Crossers stepped up to help others — even as they coped with the impact of these events and COVID-19,” said Joanne Nowlin, CEO of the Red Cross LA Region. “Their selfless and kind-hearted actions underscore the unwavering humanitarian spirit of people in Los Angeles, and we are incredibly grateful for their willingness to give to others.”

FEEDING LA’s COMMUNITIES

When Los Angeles schools and their meal programs closed for COVID-19 safety, the Red Cross feared half a million school children could go hungry. In mid-March, Red Cross LA partnered with the second largest school district in the country, the Los Angeles Unified School District, in a partnership that distributed more than 40 million meals in 15 weeks to those affected by school closures, thanks to the hard work of more than 1,400 volunteers.

SAVING LIVES THROUGH BLOOD DONATIONS

In 2020, Red Cross blood drive cancellations tripled compared to 2019 — mostly due to COVID-19. Since March, more than 50,000 blood drives were canceled as the pandemic forced schools, businesses and community organizations to close, impacting more than 1 million blood donation appointments nationwide.

The Red Cross also adapted its collections policy to include plasma from COVID-19 survivors to potentially help those battling the virus recover. Thousands of COVID-19 survivors have stepped up to share their potentially lifesaving antibodies by giving plasma. Since April, nearly 35,000 COVID-19 survivors have rolled up a sleeve — many of whom are new to blood donation. Their donations have enabled the Red Cross to ship nearly 91,000 units to hospitals across the country treating COVID-19 patients.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

As the coronavirus pandemic wears on, this continues to be a time to help one another:

Volunteer: Review our most urgently needed volunteer positions at redcross.org/volunteertoday.

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE GREEN FRONTIERS–First, let me wish you and your family a Happy Holiday. I hope Santa is very generous this year! I also hope you all are safe and out of harm’s way.

In addition, I want to thank you for your goodwill and support. This year has been a year to remember.

In California, we’ve had total lockdowns/shutdowns, protests, wildfires, mudslides, COVID, and event shutdowns. We are now waiting for the murder hornets… I’m sure they’ll be next on the list.

Even so, we are still here, producing products and working hard. I will be setting an investor meeting in the new year to provide an update and our direction for 2021.

In the meantime, please link over to our website at www.deeper-green.com/update for the latest information.

–Jeff Najar
VP Marketing
Greener Frontiers
m:916-292-8775
e:jeff.najar@greenerfrontiers.com

Let’s party, ride free, build cool shit and go to Bonneville and the drags. I’m waiting for open discussions, because if you can’t prove your case, you don’t have one.

Ride fast and free forever,

–Bandit

VA will begin Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccinations this week at 128 additional sites.

On Dec. 18, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an Emergency Use Authorization of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, which is the second COVID-19 vaccine to be authorized.

“Having a second COVID-19 vaccine will enable us to reach more facilities and vaccinate more health care personnel and Veterans in additional parts of the country,” said VA Secretary Robert L. Wilkie. “We continue to implement our COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Plan and are grateful to be one step closer to seeing the end of this pandemic.”

Per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations, VA will continue to vaccinate health care personnel, as well as community living center and spinal cord unit residents. As vaccine supplies increase, VA’s ultimate goal is to offer COVID-19 vaccinations to all Veterans and employees who want to be vaccinated.

113 VA Medical Centers (VAMCs) and outpatient clinics will receive limited Moderna COVID-19 vaccine supplies this week. They include:

See all the locations in the Bikernet Weekly News Tomorrow.–Bandit

by Janaki Jitchotvisut from https://www.rideapart.com

The real friends were the workhorse bikes we met along the way.

When you think about Japan’s Big Four motorcycle OEMs, what do you think of? Bikes, first and foremost—but what else? Honda and Suzuki both make automobiles, and branches of Yamaha make everything from musical instruments to medical equipment.

Even though Suzuki no longer sells its cars in the U.S., various models including the Jimny are incredibly popular in many other countries. Kawasaki makes heavy equipment and marine craft—and hey, planet Earth does have an awful lot of water we humans could be traveling through if we chose.

One thing that’s talked about far less is that time Toyota sold motorcycles in its showrooms. Although that period came and went long before some of us were born, production lasted from 1949 through 1960. There was a wide range of bikes, too—going from simple setups that were more like bicycles with small-displacement engines attached, to more high-end models that we’d think of in 2020 as proper motorcycles. Incidentally, Toyo Motors machines were not made by Toyota, exactly, but they were made for Toyota—a story we’ll get to in a moment.

The History of Toyo Motors

Toyo Motors (which, incidentally, has nothing to do with Toyo Tires) was founded in what is now the city of Kariya, located in Aichi prefecture, Japan. Founder Kazuo Kawamata was extremely interested in combustion engines, and had been studying and teaching himself about them from his 20s onward. After helping to develop the Roland, which was Japan’s first-ever front-wheel-drive car, Kawamata found himself in touch with none other than Kiichiro Toyoda—whom you may know better as the founder of Toyota.

After exchanging some letters, Kawamata scored a part-time job at the Toyota Motor Research Laboratory in 1942. Now, he was the kind of guy who just couldn’t stop thinking about and working on engineering problems. Keeping himself busy, Kawamata also developed the early Bismotor engine for bicycles. Further development and funding of this project directly led to Kawamata’s independent production of improved bicycle engines. Not long after that, Kawamata founded Toyo Motors in 1949, which was immediately positioned as a subsidiary of Toyota.

As you’re probably aware from the history of Honda’s Super Cub, regular folks in Japan were looking for reliable, efficient transportation in post-war Japan. The Super Cub was ideal because it didn’t blink at sketchy road surfaces, and it was also relatively simple to understand and repair yourself. A similar situation led to the rise of Vespa in Italy and throughout Europe during the same time period.

Some years prior to Soichiro Honda launching the Super Cub on an unsuspecting world, that same cultural mentality led Toyo Motors to introduce bikes to a transport-hungry Japanese public. For a time, things looked very positive for this company that seemingly beat everyone standing in 2020 to the punch. By 1952, annual production was over 10,000 bikes a year—which was definitely no small feat. As you’ve probably guessed by now, though, the picture didn’t stay so rosy for very long.

Unfortunately, endless quality control complaints dogged Toyo Motors throughout the company’s short life. You see, unlike the Big Four today, Toyo Motors made the fateful decision to outsource just about all of its manufacturing. It then assembled the finished bikes from those outsourced components in its Kariya factory. As a result, reliability was extremely poor. Although Toyo engineers and employees alike pushed to reconsider the idea of making those components in-house, the story goes that Kawamata wasn’t interested. It’s unclear how much of this is an exaggeration, but piles of defective parts allegedly began to build up inside the factory.

A Sad End

All it seemed to take to finish off Toyo Motors was at least one other scrappy local OEM to come along, learn from Toyo’s mistakes, and do the whole “reliable two-wheeled Japanese transport” thing properly. In 1958, Honda introduced its Super Cub—and any remaining patience for temperamental, unreliable workhorse motorbikes tanked shortly afterward.

To be fair, Toyo Motors was just one of over 100 Japanese motorcycle manufacturers that came and went over the years. Various circumstances led to their demise, too. In 1959, the Isewan Typhoon—better known as Super Typhoon Vera outside of Japan—swept through the island nation. In all, it killed over 5,000 people, and rendered nearly 1.6 million people homeless. This storm was considered the third deadliest natural disaster in Japan throughout the entire 20th century.

We’ll never know how many burgeoning motorcycle company stories also got swept away in the debris. Motorcycle development had been booming in Japan, as it was elsewhere in the world. However, most other countries didn’t also have a massive natural disaster come along and wallop most of their residents.

 

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

For many bikes lovers out there, the Harley-Davidson VRSC is the most extreme motorcycle to have come out of Milwaukee. More or less short for V-Twin Racing Street Custom, the nameplate entered the Harley portfolio back in 2001 as the first bike using a modern-day DOHC engine with liquid cooling – the Revolution powerplant.

Born as a weapon to fight off other muscle motorcycles, especially Japanese ones, the V-Rod as it came to be known was made until 2017 in a number of variants, including a non-street legal one called the Destroyer and meant for the drag strip.

Of the ones that were allowed on public roads, the Night Rod, available for just two years between 2006 and 2008, is one particularly appealing canvas for a certain German custom shop we like to feature: Thunderbike.

About a month ago we showed you the Thunderbolt, a Night Rod-based build meant to advertise a certain Dr. Jekill & Mr. Hyde exhaust system. Given how V-Rods, especially of this variety, are rare, we thought we’d bring another one to your attention.

This one is called Sun Rod, as if denying the nature the original creators bestowed upon it. Described by Thunderbike as “optically perfect on the ground,” it too uses a Dr. Jekill & Mr. Hyde exhaust, but several other pieces of hardware too, making it significantly different, at least visually, from the Thunderbolt.

Overall, not many parts went into changing the natural face of the bike, but the ones that did are very effective. We’re talking about an air ride suspension that can lower the height of the two-wheeler, a new forward control kit, a new, 18-inch rear wheel, and other minor tweaks like front turn signals, grips, and a custom tank cover.

The special changes made to the VRSC (mind you- that’s a guesstimate based on the info provided by Thunderbike) amount to around 3,600 euros, which is around $4,400 at today’s exchange rates.