by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com Back in 2001, Harley-Davidson decided to gamble a bit and risk it in the street motorcycle segment. It went for a new engine, with double overhead camshaft and liquid cooling, stuck it inside a frame, and called the bike VRSC. That’s more or less short for V-Twin Racing Street Custom. There were several types of VRSC bikes made, from the simple V-Rod to the mighty Destroyer. All were exciting to look at, insane to ride, and have inspired an army of new Harley followers. But VRSCs are Harleys too, and what is a Harley if not a canvas for others to play around with? We found such an example of a customized Racing Street Custom in Thunderbike’s portfolio. The German shop, used to changing the looks and performance of stock bikes from Milwaukee, transformed one variant of the VRSC, the Night Rod, into the Thunderbolt 280. The name takes after the exhaust system used. It’s called Thunderbolt and comes from specialist Dr. Jekill & Mr. Hyde as a purpose-built hardware for the Night Rod. But the addition of a new exhaust system is not the only change made. The bike gained an air suspension, a forward control kit, a new fuel tank, and a range of other minor hardware (things like turn signals and mirrors) that clearly make it stand out in a crowd. There is also the widened 18-inch wheel at the back, making the Thunderbolt look seem as aggressive as the Destroyer. In its over 20 years of existence on the Harley-Davidson scene, Thunderbike never had the habit of announcing how much its projects cost. The garage does allow you to guess, though, as it lists most (but not all) of the parts used. In the case of this here Thunderbolt, we’re talking about around 5,000 euros (about $6,000 at the current exchange rates), not including the price of the exhaust system, the base bike, paint job, and possibly some other hardware.

Monsters of the South, the noted UTV customizer and event producer, will support Tucker Powersports strategy to expand product portfolio within Tucker’s DragonFire Racing and QuadBoss brands to support the connection with passionate consumers

November 9, 2020 – Fort Worth TX – DragonFire Racing and QuadBoss today announced a broad, multi-level partnership with Monsters of the South (MOTS), one of the country’s largest UTV (utility task vehicle or side by side) event promoters and the nation’s top UTV customizer. The multi-year agreement brings the three industry-leading organizations together for product development, testing and events.

“The knowledge and experience these guys bring to the table are a resource we’ve never had at QuadBoss,” said Justin Lasater, brand manager of QuadBoss. “I can’t wait to hit the ground running with the ideas they’ve already shared. The MOTS team are true innovators and we will lean heavily on their forward thinking.”

“This is a partnership between three companies with a passion for power sports,” said Brandon Fox with Monsters of the South. “Merging their talent for creating and delivering great products with our connection to consumers and our eye for innovation is a huge win for us and for the industry. I’m honored to be part of this team. Get ready world, we’re excited and we’re comin’ to a town near you!”

Monsters of the South was founded in 2015 as a customizer of UTV’s and became known across the country for its over-the-top, custom designs. The organization grew to be one of the largest and most respected companies in the UTV industry. While their event roots run deep in the mudholes of the south, they are expanding into racing, performance and sand events around the country in 2021.

“The strategic vision for QuadBoss and DragonFire Racing is expansion through consumer-led innovation,” said Kyle Frederick, brand manager for DragonFire Racing. “That requires us to get our hands dirty on product innovation and Monsters of the South helps us do that both literally and figuratively.”

The relationship officially kicks off today and solidifies years of mutual awareness and respect that the three companies have for one another. The first products that are a result of the partnership will launch in early 2021.

Dodging Asteroids, JFK Jr., C19 & Route 666
Photos and text by Koz Mraz

Armageddon and apocalyptic end times are all the rage! Between conspiracy theories, the November 2nd asteroid, Nov 3rd elections and the pandemic it’s definitely time to take an “End of the World” motorcycle ride. I suggest avoiding toxic zombies in metropolitan areas and, the petrified people of Covid suburbs. Get Out! as fast as you can to high country.

I picked up my Harley-Davidson Road Glide at Sedona EagleRider and headed to Meteor Crater, the Petrified Forest and Rt. 666, the Devil’s Highway all the way to Mexico in my EOTW ride. Most people don’t realize that Arizona has some serious mountains with Humphreys Peak topping out at 12,633 feet! Flagstaff also has the perfect underground hideaway from the impending cataclysm.

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by Keith Horinek from https://www.ksnt.com

The Evel Knievel Museum located in the Historic Harley Davidson Motorcycle shop held an unveiling of a long lost motorcycle used by Knievel in his daredevil jumps.

Knievel’s second surviving original American Eagle jump bike was presented to the Evel Knievel Museum by Louis “Rocket” Re and the Stroop and McCormack families. The ceremony took place in the Evel Knievel Museum.

The motorcycle was used by Knievel during his tenure as a motorcycle stunt performer in the 60’s and 70’s.

The motorcycle was purchased by Dave Stroop of Belt Montana in 1972. Stroop then rode the bike for several years and eventually stored the bike in his barn. Years later the bike was found and restored by Knievel’s longtime friend and riding partner Re. Stroop then donated the motorcycle to the museum.

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

We may not dare call this Harley-Davidson Street Bob a Lady, but a custom shop by the name of Thunderbike, and the customer who commissioned the build, sure do. In fact, this is the stage name for this German conversion that was completed a while back, in 2014.

The motorcycle started life as a Street Bob, a machine Harley itself likes to describe as a “gritty, stripped-down bobber cloaked in black.” Now, the remade two-wheeler was christened Lady, but not before being gifted with tons of custom hardware and a unique paint job that kind of make the Harley description obsolete.

But first things first. As usual with most other Thunderbike projects, this too received a host of improvements. These include the fitting of custom wheels, sized 21 and 23 inches, protected by bespoke fenders front and rear. We also get a special exhaust system by Dr. Jekill & Mr. Hyde, a new swingwarm, and a forward control kit.

The paint job was the responsibility of a brand called Kruse Design, as usual in the projects signed by Thunderbike. In this particular case, the black of the wheels and engine was blended with a shade of crimson on the fuel tank, fenders and headlamp, offset here and there by touches of gold – and since we’re not given any other indication as to the origins of the build’s name, we’re left believing the paint job is the main reason behind it.

As for the price of the project, that’s anybody’s guess. We spent some time going through the parts used by Thunderbike, and came up with an estimate of around 5,000 euros ($5,800 at the current exchange rates). That does not include the paint job, man hours and probably some other parts we are not being told about, so that sum could be just the starting point.

Protect Your Precious Ride When You Can’t Ride
from Twisted Road

I learned what needed to be done, and I’ve perfected this art of moto-hibernation annually over the past five years. So, I now bring you the 10 steps to winterize a motorcycle.

Click Here to read this detailed Winter Guide on Bikernet.

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by Silvian Secara from https://www.autoevolution.com

If Frankenstein’s monster was a one-off motorcycle, this would be it.

When seeking to create a stunning one-off cafe racer, the Harley-Davidson Sportster appears to be among many a workshop’s favorite picks (weirdly enough). Take, for instance, a 1999 model in HD’s feral Sportster 1200 range. This bad boy is put in motion by a malicious Evolution V-twin powerplant that prides itself with a gargantuan displacement of 1,200cc.

At around 5,500 revs, the air-cooled colossus is fully capable of producing up to 61 hp, while a brutal torque output of 65 pound-feet (88 Nm) will be supplied at 4,000 rpm. A five-speed transmission enables the engine’s monstrous power to reach the reach 16-inch wheel by means of a belt final drive, leading to a respectable top speed of 100 mph (160 kph).

Now, let’s take a second to drool over a bespoke ‘99 Sportster 1200 that manages to look just about as rugged as it gets. This tasty piece of two-wheeled machinery was nicknamed Mulato, and it hails from California’s Brawny Built – a revered workshop located in Long Beach. The project was completed back in 2012, over the course of three painstaking months.

The moto gurus kicked things off by treating the Sportster’s Evolution mill to a Screamin’ Eagle’s camshaft module, which improves the bike’s acceleration by adding a healthy dose of vicious twisting force at low rpm. Additionally, you will also find an Eagle’s top-grade air filter and an ominous two-into-two exhaust system that curls to form a pair of menacing loops.

At the rear, we notice a fresh subframe unit supporting an aftermarket leather saddle from Azteka Customs and a one-off tail section, which doubles up as an oil tank. Furthermore, Brawny removed the standard dual shocks to make room for a single shock absorber, sourced from a Honda CBR900. Up front, the bike’s new forks, triple clamp and 17-inch wheel were transplanted from one of Buell’s titans.

Last but not least, the finishing touches consist of clip-on handlebars, a custom headlight item and rear-mounted foot pegs. Unfortunately, there is no available information on pricing for this surreal conversion.

Now, to call it outlandish would be an understatement!

As votes continue to be counted and races decided here is an update on how some of our champions and allies fared on election day.

MRF Legislative Champions:

• Senator Ron Johnson (Wisconsin) – Not Up for reelection in 2020
• Senator John Thune (South Dakota) – Not up for reelection in 2020
• Senator Joni Ernst (Iowa) – Won reelection to new 6-year term
• Senator Gary Peters (Michigan) – Won reelection to new 6-year term
• Congressman Tim Walberg (Michigan)- Won reelection to new 2-year term
• Congressman Michael Burgess (Texas) – Won reelection to new 2-year term
• Congressman Collin Peterson (Minnesota) – Lost reelection
• Congressman Troy Balderson (Ohio) – Won reelection to new 2-year term

All four co-chairs of the House and Senate Motorcycle Caucuses were successfully reelected. In the Senate the co-chairs are Senator Ernst and Senator Peters. The House co-chairs are Rep. Burgess and Rep. Walberg.

Congressman Peterson, a longtime friend and ally to the riders in Minnesota was defeated. He has served in Congress since 1991. We at the MRF wish him well and thank him for his countless years looking out the interests of all motorcyclists.

Benchmark

One of the important things the MRF has done over the last two years is drive cosponsors to H. Res 255 regarding profiling. Not only does adding cosponsors help in passing the resolution but it is a great way to build new relationships with lawmakers. Additionally, it raises the profile of the MRF on Capitol Hill and shows us which Congressional offices have an open mind to our concerns.

As of election day we have 139 cosponsors of the resolution. How many of those will return in January for the opening of the 117th Congress?

• Returning Cosponsors: 124
• Defeated Cosponsors: 5
• Retiring or Ran for Other Office: 10

Remember, as more votes are counted these numbers could change slightly. Nevertheless, we should see nearly 120 lawmakers who supported one of our main priorities returning to the House of Representatives next year.

A MRF Member in Congress?

On Tuesday, Lisa McClain was elected to Congress to represent the 10th District of Michigan. A handful of riders in Michigan connected with Ms. McClain early in the year, supported her during the Republican Primary and attended her victory party this week. Not only did they talk to Ms. McClain about motorcycle issues, they convinced her to join the MRF! In October she became an official member of the MRF and in January she will become a U.S. Congresswoman! Congratulations to her and the folks in Michigan for their hard work.

It’s Nuts But We’re Going to Have a Blast.

Have a helluva weekend and Ride Fast and Free!

–Bandit

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