100 word fiction contest continues…. #100WFC Preacher Run by J J Solari with unholy illustration by Wayfarer Some preacher self-absorbed pile of sanctimonious piety yelled at me, “Do you know what you need to do to be saved???” ….all accusatory. I said, “Yeah: be born after 33AD, cockfuck, which I was. Is that about how you gut it figured?” Apparently it wasn’t. He proceeded to order me to Hell. I said “Will you be there?” He said not a chance. I said “I’m on my way!!” He managed to get even more infuriated. Which, based on his current level of fulminary spittle-spraying, I thought very impressive.

* * *

Yup, its a weekly contest open to all. Just sign up for the free weekly newsletter by clicking here. Then email us your 100 word limit fiction to wayfarer@bikernet.com WINNERS SO FAR: 1. for the month of May 2023: “Been There Done That” by Steven Sanner 2. for the month of June 2023: “A Hundred” by Chris Dutcher 3. for the month of July 2023: “First Time” by Rhys 4. for the month of August 2023: “Hilary” by Gearhead 5. for the month of September 2023: “Mountain” by Koz Mraz

• FLAT TRACK MOTORCYCLE RACES
• CUSTOM MOTORCYCLE SHOW
• VENDOR VILLAGE
• LIVE MUSIC
• ART SHOW
• AND MORE

THIS SATURDAY

October 14, 2023
10am-5:30pm

AT THE Bolsa Chica State Beach

Just steps from the surf on Huntington Beach’s iconic Boardwalk!!

A FULL DAY OF ACTION

SUPER HOOLIGAN FLAT TRACK RACING offers classes like Run What Ya Brung, Desert MX Open, Vintage Air Cooled, Mad Dog Minis and more.

MOTO CLASSIC BIKE SHOW features the industry’s best and brightest builders showing off their latest rolling art pieces.

VENDOR VILLAGE at Moto Beach where you’ll see and experience products from some of your favorite brands.

ARCHITECTS of INSPIRATION features live muralist painters, local music gurus and curated collections of unique art inspired by the moto and surf culture.

LIVEWIRE MOTORCYCLE DEMO’S where you can try the coolest new bikes and experience PCH on LiveWire electric motorcycles.

SUPER73 WHEELIE CONTEST where E-bike riders and wheelie masters showcase their wheelie skills in this electrifying showdown of balance and style.

And enjoy a variety of good food and beverages!!

Keep up with all the motorcycling events that matter by subscribing to Bikernet.com free weekly newsletter

Fall Demo Days At Dealers

When most motorcycling is winding down, Ural season is just getting started!

Our dealers across the US and Canada are inviting all local Ural riders and riders-to-be to come out for the Ural Fall Demo events on Saturday October 21 and Saturday, October 28th.

Come in costume and show your holiday spirit! Try out a new Ural or go for a ride in a sidecar, and do bring your friends along. Enjoy coffee and treats while you mingle with other Ural enthusiasts and get to know your local Ural community.

Find the list of participating dealers, follow the link for more information and RSVP!

CLICK HERE

PS:
$250 Ural Shop Gift Card on top of the current promotion when you secure your Ural with a deposit during the Demo Days.

PPS:
$250 Ural Shop Gift Card for the spookiest Ural dress up. Submit your photos and video entries to madina@ural.com and tag us @uralmotorcycles. Now through October 31st.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Tell ’em Bikernet.com sent ya! And click to know more.

Hey,

It’s timely and maybe not. Life is so ironic even to an old grubby biker. On one side folks want to ban smoke. They are very afraid. It’s all nuts.

It’s all the best of times in the Black Hills of South Dakota. We took my Mossberg 12 gauge pistol with a 14-inch barrel and blew the shit out of everything in its path. There was one other shooter at the open range outside Deadwood, Scott. Tremendously knowledgeable about my old, used shortened hunting rifle, an 1885 Krag 30-40, he coached us on the rifle and helped tune the sight.

Fred Cuba threw his first Twisted Nipple Event in Nebraska. You’ll see a report shortly.

In the meantime, ride fast and free forever…

–Bandit

Click here to read this week’s news only on Bikernet.com

Also, Check out the winner of the 100 word contest for September 2023

Support Bikernet.com by joining Bandit’s Cantina — click here to know more.

Hey,

It’s timely and maybe not. Life is so ironic even to an old grubby biker. On one side folks want to ban smoke. They are very afraid. On the same side they support terror and blowing up folks, which causes lots of smoke. It’s all nuts.

It’s all the best of times in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Tech correction: I stopped by Legends Suspension in Sturgis, because I tried to email a tech question and never got a response. The gentlemen who came to my aid said that legends doesn’t have upgrades or rebuild kits for wide glides from the ‘60s, but they do have replacement rear shocks in 12 and 13-inch configuration.

John, the owner of the 1960 Panhead we are working on called Legends several days later and they told him they don’t have early Harley replacement shocks. The mystery continues, and it looks like we are using his old stock shocks.

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, Iron Trader News, ChopperTown, BorntoRide.com and the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum.

BUDDY CHECK WEEK–Talk to Ten Veterans, October 16-20

Hey there. We’re asking that you call, text or talk to 10 Veterans from October 16-20, 2023 during the first-ever National Buddy Check Week. Check-in and make sure they are doing well.

State Department Issues Warning to Americans to ‘Reconsider Travel’

Amid the Israel-Hamas war, the U.S. Department of State called on Americans to not travel to the country.

We’re all about that Good Vibes Ranch lifestyle. This collection effortlessly blends casual comfort with a hint of adventure, allowing you to channel the easygoing, sun-soaked spirit of ranch life. From moto jerseys, vintage-inspired tees and, soft plaid shirts to relaxed-fit jeans, these pieces are tailored to fit your laid-back moments

https://eu.deuscustoms.com/

THE KING RIDES–The Many ‘Triumphs’ of King Presley

On record, Elvis Presley bought nine Triumphs in 1965. Now Triumph is trying to find them. Triumph Motorcycles also confirmed that Elvis Presley gifted motorcycles to Memphis Mafia in 1965.

In collaboration with Graceland archives and recollections from Jerry Shilling, a close friend of Elvis Presley, Triumph Motorcycles has confirmed the truth behind the famous motorcycle myth surrounding the music legend. Elvis purchased nine Triumph motorcycles in 1965 as gifts, so he and his closest friends could go riding together in the hills of Los Angeles.

The King showcased his love for motorcycles in films such as “Stay Away Joe” in 1968, where he rode a red and silver Triumph 650 Bonneville ‘Desert Sled.’ However, his affinity for Triumph motorcycles began earlier in 1965.

As of now, all nine of the original motorcycles have been lost to history, with no formal records of their whereabouts after the summer of 1965. Triumph is launching an appeal to motorcycle enthusiasts worldwide to help locate or uncover the fate of these historic bikes. Researchers are eager to hear from anyone with leads or information regarding the bikes’ whereabouts.

Read the detailed report on Bikernet Blog
https://blog.bikernet.com/the-many-triumphs-of-king-presley/

–Wayfarer
Exploring the wheeled world on the web
Editor: Bikernet Blog & Facebook Page

“The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low and achieving our mark.” –Michelangelo 

Epoch Times

HEARTLAND NEW PRODUCTS– Milwaukee Eight Breakout Rear Fender Conversion

Heartland USA is the Gold Standard in Rear Fender Conversions along with Wide tire Conversions for Harley-Davidson Softail Models. Offering the most complete Kits on the market. So, it’s no surprise that when the new Softail Breakout was launched that Heartland USA would offer a rear fender conversion for the Milwaukee eight Breakout that fits 2018 to present models years.

The Heartland USA EZ-240 Rear Fender conversion for the M-8 Breakout Retains the stock 240 tire wheel combo and is a direct bolt on with no modifications to the frame.

The EZ-240 Conversion includes a Leather topped Solo Seat, Billet Aluminum Fender Struts, Raw 14 Gauge Steel 11” wide fender, 11” Raw Steel Rock Guard and all the hardware.

Struts can be finished in Chrome or Gloss Black, Available are three different Fender Lengths, The Shortest being the Wild Heart, Medium is the Heartbreaker and Longest is the Heartlander. The Heartland USA billet Struts have docking Slots with covers that except the HL quick on and off passenger seat and sissy bar, named the 2nd seat.

You can add optional LED Strut Lights that work as Run, Stop and Turn at extra cost.

This Heartland USA rear fender conversion transforms your bike from a basic Breakout to a Custom bike without any major modifications. Just add paint.

• EZ-240 for Breakout Rear Fender Kit $2599
• Optional LED Strut Lights $240

Contact Heartland USA
info@heartlandbiker.com
Visit www.heartlandbiker.com

https://heartlandbiker.com/products/copy-of-heart-breaker-fender-conversion-for-breakout-2013-to-present

Phone or Text 310-822-2697
Heartland USA
Killeen, TEXAS

I guess they didn’t watch the Jean Claude Van Damme movie — ‘No Retreat, No Surrender’. –Wayfarer

The Bold Idea To Move Millions To Climate Havens

How the U.S. can motivate people to migrate before climate change causes chaos in their cities.

https://www.noemamag.com/the-bold-idea-to-move-millions-to-climate-havens/

–Wayfarer
Futurist Escapist
Bikernet.com™

You are an older senior citizen, and you can no longer take care of yourself and need Long Term Care, but the government says there is no Nursing Home care available for you, what do you do?

You may opt for Medicare Part G.

The plan gives anyone 75 or older a gun (Part G for gun) and one bullet. You may then shoot one worthless politician. This means you will be sent to prison for the rest of your life where you will receive three meals a day, a roof over your head, central heating and air conditioning, cable TV, a library, and all the health care you need. Need new teeth? No problem. Need glasses? That’s great. Need a hearing aid, new hip, knees, kidney, lungs, sex change, or heart? They are all covered!

As an added bonus, your kids can come and visit you at least as often as they do now!

And who is paying for all of this? The same government that just told you they can’t afford for you to go into a nursing home. And you will get rid of a useless politician while you are at it. And now, because you are a prisoner, you don’t have to pay taxes.
Is this a great country or what?

–Fred Cuba

CHINESE HARLEY TO BE SOLD IN THE USA–Made In China Harley Davidson X 500 to be sold in USA

• Qianjiang-Produced Harley-Davidson X 500 is expected to be available in USA from 2024.
• It is expected the people and dealerships (and media) will react fast & furiously to a Made-in-China Harley-Davidson being sold in USA.

There are distinct changes compared to the 2023 owner’s manual, adding information specific to the American market such as a U.S. vehicle identification number (VIN). The manual’s VIN breakdown specifically details the codes for models manufactured by Qianjiang in China for export to the United States.

Warranty information and a clause marked as “Other Limitations” included six items in 2023 manual but for year 2024 manual there is an addition of a seventh item.

This addition states United States customers are not allowed particular modifications that are not approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or the California Air Resources Board. A definition of tampering with noise control or exhaust emissions control systems is mentioned. These were absent for the manual meant for Chinese market.

X 500 is the second model to be produced under the partnership between Harley-Davidson and Qianjiang, following the X 350. The smaller engine model was not intended for US market as per Q1 2023 report, though X350RA variant is to be used by Harley-Davidson’s Riding Academy.

We can expect the same liquid-cooled 500cc Parallel-Twin engine, claiming 47 hp at 8,500 rpm and 33 lb-ft. at 5,000 rpm. The claimed wet weight remains 456 pounds, and the fuel economy is unchanged, still claiming 49 mpg. Valve inspections are scheduled for every 15,500 miles.

See detailed specs on the Bikernet Blog
https://blog.bikernet.com/harley-davidson-x-500-model-specs-for-usa/

Wayfarer
Exploring the wheeled world on the web
Editor: Bikernet Blog & Facebook Page

POSITIVE GUN NUT REPORT–Judge Orders New York to Pay the NRA

A New York judge recently ordered the state of New York to pay the NRA nearly half a million dollars in legal fees following the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association (NYSRPA) v. Bruen (2022).

“The NRA regards the $447K award in the NYSRPA V. Bruen case as a pivotal victory, a symbol that justice is definitively on our side,” Michael Jean, NRA director of the Office of Litigation Counsel, told Fox News Digital. “This triumph in Bruen has fortified the Second Amendment in an unprecedented manner, and we continue our unrelenting fight to uphold our rights and challenge those who endeavor to infringe upon them.”

In Bruen, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed that the right to bear arms does not stop at a person’s front door. This ruling was the result of plaintiffs challenging New York’s may-issue licensing regime.

“It is undisputed that petitioners Koch and Nash—two ordinary, law-abiding, adult citizens—are part of ‘the people’ whom the Second Amendment protects. And no party disputes that handguns are weapons ‘in common use’ today for self-defense. The Court has little difficulty concluding also that the plain text of the Second Amendment protects Koch’s and Nash’s proposed course of conduct—carrying handguns publicly for self-defense,” wrote Justice Clarence Thomas in the majority opinion.

For a detailed breakdown, Stephen P. Halbrook, who has argued Second Amendment cases at the highest level, penned a piece for America’s 1st Freedom.

Just over a year later, Bruen is having wide-ranging effects. Among the most-notable are the striking down of may-issue licensing policies; however, anti-freedom states like New York are repeatedly enacting new restrictions in spite of the high court’s ruling. The NRA will continue to fight these unconstitutional responses to the Bruen decision, as well as other unconstitutional laws, on behalf of Americans who understand and embrace freedom.

Jean made a point of extending gratitude to the “devoted NRA members” who funded the majority of the legal fees incurred in Bruen, noting that the payment ordered by the New York judge “only scratches the surface” of NRA’s expenses.

–by A1F STAFF

Chase those winter blues away on a warm, sunny motorcycle tour in South India or Sri Lanka. Treat yourself to an exotic change of pace in a stunning destination where summer never ends.

Vintage Rides
53 rue du Président Kruger
69008 LYON
teamvr@vintagerides.com
 +44 20 7031 6050Vintage Rides

 53 rue du Président Kruger
69008 LYON
teamvr@vintagerides.com
+44 20 7031 6050

Exceptional motorcycle tours in Europe!

1st class motorcycle tours confirmed by our clients, small groups, top motorcycles, top accommodation in carefully selected places, all meals included, the best dining experience, experienced tour leaders and support 24/7, individual customer care, highest safety standards, fuel included!

Join us in a lifetime motorcycle adventure in some of the best riding regions of Europe.

We are Moto Tours Europe.

NEWS FROM INDIAN MOTORCYCLES—Experience the Legend

Join us on a thrilling journey to Devon, England, home of the world-famous Demon Drome Wall of Death. This gravity-defying show has been put on by the same fearless family for three generations, sending vintage Indian Scouts from the ’20s horizontal.

Check out their First Movers feature created in partnership with DicE Magazine.

[page break]

September’s temporary bipartisan funding bill will keep government agencies funded until November 17. But the threat of a federal shutdown remains and the MIC Government Relations Office continues to advise powersports companies to immediately reach out to all appropriate certification agencies and work to ensure minimal manufacturing and distribution disruption.

“While Congress averted a government shutdown literally at the eleventh hour, the climate in Washington has only deteriorated in recent days,” said Scott Schloegel, senior vice president at the MIC GRO. “If past is prologue, there is a significant chance that the short-term extension will only delay a shutdown. We encourage you to take this time to complete any approvals or priority projects you have with federal government agencies in order to minimize disruptions from a potential shutdown.”

–MIC

FEATURE BIKE OF THE WEEK—The Rough Garage in Japan.

–Sam Burns
Feature Bike Editor
Bikernet.com™

The Builder
Xavier Muriel, Cycle Source Magazine’s 2019 Readers Poll Builder of the Year and builder of Easyriders Magazine’s 2019 Bike of the Year, and owner of Providence Cycle Worx, built a custom motorcycle for us, and one lucky member of the High Seas Rally community will win this custom motorcycle.

FOX Factory Performance Vehicle Development (PVD) group, is eager to announce the newly designed Harley-Davidson Ford F-250 Super Duty. The FOX Factory PVD crew worked hand-in-hand with Harley-Davidson’s design team.

Read in GlobeNewswire: https://stocks.apple.com/AP9E_BLthTtqy0CD0xgM0Lg

–from Geno

Last week the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Innovation, Data and Commerce held a legislative hearing to discuss several bills within its jurisdiction.

One of the bills on the agenda was H.R. 906, the REPAIR Act. The REPAIR Act is one of the Motorcycle Riders Foundation’s (MRF) key legislative priorities. The MRF believes the ability for consumers and aftermarket shops to have access to the parts, tools and information needed to repair products is critical to the motorcycling community.

The lead cosponsor of H.R. 906 is Representative Neal Dunn of Florida. At the conclusion of the hearing, staff for Representative Dunn told the MRF, “The hearing could not have gone any better. We believe we have momentum on our side and a growing number of lawmakers understand the importance of Right to Repair.”

Representative Neal Dunn of Florida
You can see that momentum by the growth of cosponsors in the last few months. If you’d like to check if your Congressman is one of the 42 cosponsors of the bill, click here.

One key part of the strategy to pass H.R. 906 deals with ensuring equal support from both Democrats and Republicans. As you can see on the list of cosponsors, there are 21 from each party.

Smartly, Rep. Dunn is holding back publicly announcing cosponsors until he has a “match” from the other party. It appears that a handful of Democrats are lined up to join the bill and are just waiting for a partner Republican to announce their support.

If you haven’t yet, click here and contact your lawmaker to ask them to cosponsor H.R. 906!

Additionally, there are rumors that a Senate version of the REPAIR Act will be introduced soon. This bill would allow Senators a chance to show their support for Right to Repair and create a two-track approach to passage. The path to changing federal law is a long one, but we are in the ballgame and moving forward!

–MRF

On Sept. 22, District Judge Roger Benitez, a President George W. Bush (R) appointee, ruled in the case Duncan v. Bonta that the law is unconstitutional as it violates the Second Amendment rights of the plaintiffs.

Before we go further, a little history is in order. In an example of how the American justice system moves at a snail’s pace, California anti-Second Amendment politicians passed the law back in 2016. It was immediately challenged in court. In 2017, Judge Benitez ruled the law to be unconstitutional.

“If this injunction does not issue, hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of otherwise law-abiding citizens will have an untenable choice: become an outlaw or dispossess one’s self of lawfully acquired property,” Benitez wrote in his 66-page order in 2017.

Of course, the matter didn’t end there. The state appealed the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, where a three-judge panel upheld the district court’s decision; however, the case was later heard by an en banc panel of judges in the Ninth Circuit, which overturned Benitez’s earlier ruling by a 7-to-4 vote.

At the time, Judge Susan Graber, a President Bill Clinton (D) appointee, wrote for the majority: “The ban on legal possession of large-capacity magazines reasonably supports California’s effort to reduce the devastating damage wrought by mass shootings. Nothing in the record suggests that the restriction imposes any more than a minimal burden on the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms.”

Upon appeal, the case went to the U.S. Supreme Court, where it sat dormant until last year’s landmark decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen. At that point, the Supreme Court vacated the Ninth Circuit ruling and remanded it back to the district court for reconsideration.

That brings us to last week’s decision once again striking down the ban. In his opinion explaining the ruling, Judge Benitez made several important points concerning the now 7-year-old magazine-limit law, including explaining some of the history and purpose of such magazines, along with detailing how common they are today.

“The detachable firearm magazine solved a problem with historic firearms: Running out of ammunition and having to slowly reload a gun,” wrote Benitez. “When more ammunition is needed in case of confrontation, a larger magazine is required. Many gun owners want to have ready more than 10 rounds in their guns. As a result, in the realm of firearms, magazines that hold more than 10 rounds are possibly the most commonly owned thing in America.”

As Benitez further explained, by restricting magazines over 10 rounds, California puts lawful gun owners at unnecessary risk.

“The State denies a citizen the federal constitutional right to use common weapons of their own choosing for self-defense,” wrote Benitez. “There have been, and there will be, times where many more than 10 rounds are needed to stop attackers. Yet, under this statute, the State says, ‘too bad.’

“It says, if you think you need more than 10 chances to defend yourself against criminal attackers, you must carry more magazines. Or carry more bullets to hand reload and fumble into your small magazine while the attackers take advantage of your pause. On the other hand, you can become a criminal, too.”

Following the ruling, California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) filed an appeal, which will again send the case back to the Ninth Circuit Court. But this result could be different.

In last year’s Bruen ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court prescribed a new standard for deciding firearms cases. Under that standard, courts must ask whether the “Second Amendment’s plain text covers an individual’s conduct?” If the answer is yes, courts next ask whether there exists a “historical precedent from before, during and even after the founding [that] evidences a comparable tradition of regulation?”

When strictly adhered to by the courts, the Bruen standard has made it much more difficult for anti-Second Amendment state governments to defend their unconstitutional firearm laws in court. Consequently, states like California have recently found themselves losing more than winning in the courtroom.

Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) even lamented that fact publicly on Sept. 26 when signing even more arguably unconstitutional gun-related bills, including an additional 11% tax on guns and ammunition.

“It may mean nothing if the federal courts are throwing them out,” Newsom said of the new laws. “We feel very strongly that these bills meet the (new standard), and they were drafted accordingly. But I’m not naïve about the recklessness of the federal courts and the ideological agenda.”

by MARK CHESNUT

All CHOPPERS MAGAZINE PRODUCT RELEASE— Hats back in stock… and a few new ones too!

Up your hat game… or refresh it. Our Classic Trucker hats are back in stock with some new colorways. The new Chopper John Trucker hat is here in two colors and is shipping daily as well.

Full story at:
https://auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/industry/ev-catches-fire-in-bengaluru-heres-what-causes-ev-fires-and-why-e2ws-are-at-higher-risk/104082620

Also it features a fluted glass-bead finish cylinder and barrel slot cut to further lighten the K6xs for the perfect carry weight. The big news for Kimber’s K6s line is the addition of the K6xs.

Not only is it the lightest K6s ever, it offers something others in its category don’t: six-round capacity. Built specifically for concealed carry and chambered in .38 SPL +P, the aluminum alloy frame and fluted cylinder keep the revolver’s total weight under a pound (15.9 ounces).

The K6xs™ wears a silver KimPro II finish on the frame and a glass-bead finish on the 2-inch, stainless-steel barrel. The Hogue rubber Cobblestone grips with finger grooves make it comfortable to shoot.

Michigan Police Officials Express Concern, Skepticism Over “Red Flag” Enforcement

Michigan Police Officials Express Concern, Skepticism Over “Red Flag” Enforcement
So-called “red flag laws” have become a recent favorite of gun control activists, who portray them as a way to keep firearms out of “dangerous hands.”

The laws empower judges to issue case-by-case firearm prohibition and confiscation orders, upon a petitioner’s showing that the respondent of the order poses a danger to themselves or others. The concept has at times held superficial appeal even to those who might normally support Second Amendment rights. But it’s constitutionality and efficacy wilt under close, critical scrutiny, which is why the NRA opposes the concept.

Last week, an unusually revealing article by Bridge Michigan, an independent news source from the Wolverine State, brought another critical voice to the debate: that of the police who will actually be tasked with executing the orders. Entitled “Michigan police agencies sweating enforcement of ‘red flag’ gun laws,” it vividly underscores the difference between theory and practice when it comes to gun control.

–NRA

BMW Motorrad has lifted a temporary stop-sale for its entire gasoline motorcycle line in North America, which had resulted in the company only selling electric motorbikes.

The company did not confirm exactly why the stop-sale had been put in place or what had led to its removal, but BMW Motorrad did say that its “engineering division has concluded our testing and evaluation and have determined that the voluntary stop-sale measures can be lifted.”

BMW Motorrad, the motorcycle division of the automaker BMW, issued the order last month for all of its models in the US. The stop-sale order included every model in its inventory, both new and used from all model years, except for electric motorbikes.

The BMW CE 04 is the company’s only electric model currently for sale in North America. The 31 kW (42 hp) bike is best classified as a maxi-scooter, though it takes on a futuristic design and lacks the typical deep step-through frame of most scooters.

It began production roughly two years ago when there was little in the US electric scooter market to compete with its 75 mph (121 km/h) performance. Now similarly capable electric scooters have begun to enter the market, though few can match BMW’s design chops.

The issue prompting the stop-sale notice was likely related to emissions, as the company indicated there was no safety concern for bikes already on the road and did confirm that it was “pursuing measures to further evaluate the material used in a component of its motorcycle evaporative system, which may not have been produced to material specifications.”

The news comes at a time when an increasing number of legacy motorcycle companies are entering the electric motorcycle market. Harley-Davidson was an early entrant in 2018, with BMW now playing catchup and still other companies such as Kawasaki and Triumph working on rolling out their first electric models.

–Micah Toll
Electric Motorcycles

BMW of North America is dedicated to providing vehicles to our customers that meet their expectations. To ensure that our vehicles are of the highest industry standards, BMW performs ongoing testing and evaluation.

Following a recent quality analysis, BMW is pursuing measures to further evaluate the material used in a component of its motorcycle evaporative system, which may not have been produced to material specifications.

As a result, BMW of North America is issuing a temporary, voluntary stop sale for all new and pre-owned BMW motorcycle models in dealer inventory, except for the CE 04.

This temporary stop sale is not safety related and BMW owners may continue to ride their motorcycles as normal.

https://electrek.co/2023/09/21/bmw-stops-selling-all-its-motorcycles-in-us-except-for-electric-motorcycles/

[page break]

We are gearing up for one epic weekend at Babes in the Dirt! Ticket sales shut down within 7 days are we are nearly sold out.

If you have ever wanted to learn how to ride a dirt bike, this is your sign babes! Tap below to check out all training spots still available. Our official schedule of events can be found HERE!

Many politicians on the left arguably suffer from a sort of collective confirmation bias, where the solution to crime is to enable more crime.

How else to explain the steadfast commitment to things like gun control that targets the law-abiding, no bail and non-prosecution criminal justice reforms, and defunding the police, all of which have apparently done little except drive up crime?

This Year’s Raffle Bike is the sleek 1937 Harley-Davidson Knucklehead Bobber, finished in HD custom Silver, striped in Black, and edged in Gold. The 61c.i. Knucklehead powerhouse is paired to a 4-speed transmission, and the bike sports bobbed fenders with Flanders accessory risers and bars, flaunting its authentic period-modified look and feel. This custom machine was hand-built in the Wheels Through Time Restoration Shop for one purpose…

Going home with one lucky winner this 2023!

October Special
This month, with your purchase of the “Greater Deal” package, you will get the ’37 Magnet along with your T-shirt and DVD. With the “Better Deal” package, you will get the ’37 pennant along with your T-shirt and DVD. And at the “Best Deal” package and higher, you will get both the ’37 Magnet and pennant with your T-shirt and DVD. Raffle Day is right around the corner, and one lucky winner will be taking home the 1937 Harley-Davidson Knucklehead!

GET YOURS NOW
The raffle takes place in front of a live audience on Saturday, Nov 18th, 2023 at the Wheels Through Time Museum in Maggie Valley, NC. Second prize is $10k, and 3rd prize is $5k — you do not have to be present to win.

Riveter Chapter AMCA Announces Milestone Dates

The Riveter Chapter presented our new “Chix at the Crossroads” logo for our ride scheduled to take place June 15-June 28, 2024. The logo was created by Latricia Horstman, artist extraordinaire, who is owner/artist of My Little Needles Tattoos, the oldest tattoo shop in Plymouth, Michigan.

Trish, who owns, rides, and wrenches her own vintage motorcycle, is also co-publisher of Throttle Gals Magazine along with Doni Muzzi, a car and bike gearhead. Trish and Doni have been big supporters of the Riveter Chapter and the Chix rides since their inception: Trish designed our 2022 Chix on 66 logo, and through Doni’s company Milkhouse Press, Doni inked last year’s T-shirts for the riders.

The Chix at the Crossroads event blends the riders’ passion for motorcycles with a passion for music, which will be explored experientially throughout the entire route. And like Chix on 66, this event represents classic Americana. From Appalachia to the Natchez Trace to the Blues Highway, these women will have the experience of a lifetime.
Milestone dates for Chix at the Crossroads:

• December 15, 2023: Ride application available online
• February 15, 2024: Rider acceptance notifications sent out by this date (registration fee due within seven days of acceptance notification)
• February 15, 2024: Lodging booking opens for accepted applicants
• April 1, 2024: Booking window closes at several hotels
• June 15, 2024: Be ready to ride! (Onsite registration/tech inspection for accepted riders)

TRIKES OF THE WEEK–

–Sam Burns
Trike Editor
Bikernet.com™

Bag this one before it’s gone

TPP VARIABLE PRESSURE CLUTCH ASSIST

The TPP Variable Pressure Clutch Assist and pressure plate applies up to 60% more pressure against clutch pack enabling use of lighter black diaphragm spring for up to 50% lighter lever pull.

When used with a silver or even gold spring it exponentially increases the pressure against the clutch pack making it ideal for larger displacement, high performance motors.

Can be used on APM Comp Master Clutch or Rivera Pro Clutch. (1056-0032 Comp Master Clutch for M8 Models shown above right). Got a TPP already? All the little bits and pieces that make up these units are also available! Just call the Clutch Pros at APM!!

ABOUT WRITING—We constantly study writing skills at the Bikernet Headquarters.

Yes, I drank all the whiskey enough to float a boat. But I’m still struggling with writing. I love to write. I get inspired and throw down words as if dice on a crap table. But then comes the tough part. I work it over and over and over. I let it set for a week and work it over again. I have the Redhead look it over and do it over.

It’s like polishing a tank for another shot of clear. Perfection is an ongoing struggle.

Then I read it out loud and shit, I catch more mistakes or make more improvements.

Then comes the whiskey,

–Bandit

SPEAKING OF BOOKS—This could be good.

This book provides a service to people who don’t follow the scientific debate by helping them understand the distortions, history, and motives behind climate alarmism, and doing so in an entertaining fashion. The author’s use of ridicule to skewer such pompous hypocrites as King Charles is worth a laugh.

https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/10/10/a-review-of-missys-twitch-and-the-scourge-of-climatosis/

Then you are in the right place!

However, even if you don’t…We share a ton of great info that crosses over to working on stock as well as custom bikes!

If you are familiar with Lowbrow Customs and have watched our videos, you likely know of Todd Muller.

I met Todd more than a dozen years ago when he came to my house and bought a pre unit Triumph project I had listed on Craigslist.

Years later and we are still great friends. Luckily, many other people around the world get to learn from Todd as well!

It took Mikey & Todd 2 years off-and-on to film and edit, and is 13 episodes in total (thanks guys!).

The end result is a video series chock full of knowledge that only comes from many years of experience. The kind of knowledge that all too often never gets shared widely.
Well, we are aiming to change that.

–Lowbrow crew

….all accusatory. I said, “Yeah: be born after 33AD, cockfuck, which I was. Is that about how you gut it figured?”

Apparently, it wasn’t. He proceeded to order me to Hell.

I said “Will you be there?”

He said not a chance.

I said “I’m on my way!!” He managed to get even more infuriated. Which, based on his current level of fulminary spittle-spraying, I thought very impressive.

–J.J. Solari

Department of Transportation Seeks New Members for Motorcyclist Advisory Council
As roadway deaths continue to climb, the Motorcyclist Advisory Council is being reconstituted and the Department of Transportation is seeking new members.

The MAC is the voice of motorcycle manufacturers, riders, safety organizations, and government experts who advise Congress about safety issues confronting motorcyclists. The Federal Register stated that “the MAC shall be comprised of 13 members appointed by the Secretary of Transportation for a single term of up to 2 years. The MAC seeks to have a fairly balanced membership with expertise in motorcycle and motorcyclist safety, highway engineering, and safety analysis.”

The MIC and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation had urged members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to call on the DOT to reconstitute the MAC.

–MIC

THEY’RE YOU HAVE IT—We went shooting the other day.

We took my Mossberg 12 gauge pistol with a 14-inch barrel and blew the shit out of everything in its path.

There was one other shooter at the open range outside Deadwood, Scott. Tremendously knowledgeable about my old, used shortened hunting rifle, an 1885 Krag 30-40, he coached us on the rifle and helped tune the sight.

We also shot John’s 22 Rugar Target Pistol.

Brian, at Departure Bike Works just completed the Cannonball and is pumped about going to Bonneville with the Bonne Belle. He is building us a new 45 flathead motor with a Sportster bottom-end, and Timken bearings.

It’s winterizing time in the Black Hills and I needed to move the ’58. It’s now in the Deadwood garage. I’m still trying to dial in the brakes and leaky transmission.

Worked on the two shop Panheads, the funky one and the Pandemic, with a new set of Nash highbars. Needed to wrap them up so I can get rolling on the VLXAFL5 Knucklehead.

I was able to wrestle the S&S Knuckle out of the frame and drill and machine the front frame holes. Remember we needed to switch out the spacer on the clutch.

Handled that with Tech Cycle and a local machine shop.

Fred Cuba threw his first Twisted Nipple Event in Nebraska. You’ll see a report shortly.

It’s getting to be Holiday Time, and we needed to think about a Xmas card logo. I immediately reached out to Atomic Bob. He’s on the case.

Got the Linkert rebuilt and shipped off to the engine rebuilder. He’s going to fire it up and run it on an engine stand. Needed the carb. Hope the float works…

In the meantime, ride fast and free forever…

–Bandit

On record, Elvis Presley bought nine Triumphs in 1965. Now Triumph is trying to find them. Triumph Motorcycles also confirmed that Elvis Presley gifted motorcycles to Memphis Mafia in 1965.

In collaboration with Graceland archives and recollections from Jerry Shilling, a close friend of Elvis Presley, Triumph Motorcycles has confirmed the truth behind the famous motorcycle myth surrounding the music legend. Elvis purchased nine Triumph motorcycles in 1965 as gifts, so he and his closest friends could go riding together in the hills of Los Angeles.

The King showcased his love for motorcycles in films such as “Stay Away Joe” in 1968, where he rode a red and silver Triumph 650 Bonneville ‘Desert Sled.’ However, his affinity for Triumph motorcycles began earlier in 1965.

As of now, all nine of the original motorcycles have been lost to history, with no formal records of their whereabouts after the summer of 1965. Triumph is launching an appeal to motorcycle enthusiasts worldwide to help locate or uncover the fate of these historic bikes. Researchers are eager to hear from anyone with leads or information regarding the bikes’ whereabouts.

READ DETAILED ARTICLE FROM TRIUMPH

A MOTORCYCLE MYTH CONFIRMED: ELVIS PRESLEY AND TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES

• The ultimate biker gift – Nine Triumph motorcycles bought in 1965 by Elvis Presley for him and his Memphis Mafia
• Help us find the Memphis Mafia Triumphs – Are these historic motorcycles lost to time?
• A unique opportunity to own a one-of-a-kind ‘Elvis Presley’ Triumph and matching guitar – Raising money for the Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation

Triumph Motorcycles has uncovered the truth behind a famous motorcycle myth – that Elvis Presley did give an extraordinary biker gift to every member of his Memphis Mafia in 1965.

With the discovery of the original cheques in the Graceland archives, signed by the man himself, as well as recollections from Jerry Shilling, Elvis’ close friend, it can be confirmed that Elvis bought nine Triumph motorcycles as gifts, so he and his closest friends could ride together in the hills of Los Angeles.

THE STORY
Elvis Presley was an enduring music legend and a cultural icon. The biggest selling solo artist in history and a genuine movie star – making 31 films during his career in Hollywood. He was also a passionate biker, riding bikes in several of his films including a red and silver Triumph 650 Bonneville ‘Desert Sled’ in the 1968 comedy western “Stay Away Joe”.

But, Elvis’ introduction to Triumph motorcycles came several years earlier, with this story, which is as rock and roll as the man himself.

In June 1965, Elvis had been on the set of the musical ‘Frankie and Johnny’ at Samuel Goldwyn Studios, Hollywood.  Taking a break from filming, Elvis spent his down time with his closest friends, known as ‘The Memphis Mafia’ at his Bel Air home.

Jerry Schilling, Elvis’ friend and member of his famous ‘Memphis Mafia’, put a down payment on a new Triumph T120 650 Bonneville at Robertson & Sons on Santa Monica Boulevard. When he brought the bike home, Elvis asked to take it for a ride around their Bel Air neighbourhood. Jerry, of course, obliged and Elvis jumped on the bike. He was impressed, in fact when he returned, he told his transportation manager, Alan Fortis, to “order one for all the guys, but… it has to be tonight!”

Robertson & Sons managed to deliver seven Triumphs that night, a mixture of 650 TR6’s and the high-performance, twin-carburetted 650 T120’s.  They rode together around Bel Air, riding late into the evening – only stopping when neighbours called the police to complain.  The remaining bikes arrived two days later and the nine of them made sure they made the most of down time from filming, riding the Pacific Coast High together on Sundays.

Jerry Shilling, a close friend of Elvis recalls: “Elvis loved to ride and I knew that when he saw my new Bonneville he’d want to try it… and when he did, he wanted all the guys to have one so we could ride them together!”

THE 1964 TRIUMPH 650 TR6 AND BONNEVILLE T120
The bikes that Elvis bought are considered most likely to be 1964 models of Triumph’s game-changing performance roadster, the 650 TR6 and 650 Bonneville T120 – essentially the same bike with one or two carburettors and different states of tune. The ’64 Bonneville came in the sophisticated Gold and Alaskan White and the TR6 in the distinctive ‘Hifi Scarlet and Silver Sheen’ with gold pinstriping, black frame and forks.

Named after Triumph’s multiple land speed records at the Bonneville salt flats, the Bonneville T120 is recognised across the motorcycling world as a genuine design icon, responsible for establishing Triumph as number one in the 60s for performance, handling and style. The 1964 US-spec ‘Bonnie’, with its higher bars is considered a desirable classic.

HELP FIND THE MEMPHIS MAFIA TRIUMPHS
All nine of the original bikes are currently lost to time, with no formal record of where they went after the summer of ’65. Triumph is now launching an appeal to fans around the world to help track down or uncover the fate of these bikes.

Triumph’s researchers are keen to hear from anyone who has a lead on what happened to one of these bikes, or perhaps a last known location.

With the collective eyes of the Triumph and Elvis communities on the look-out, it is hoped that one of these historic bikes will one day come to light and make history by being placed on display alongside other historic Triumphs.

If you have any information related to the whereabouts of one of these historic bikes, please contact Triumph at elvistriumph@triumphmotorcycles.com.

A ONE-OF-A-KIND ‘ELVIS PRESLEY’ CUSTOM TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLE AND MATCHING LES PAUL GUITAR
The discovery of this great story has filled in a gap in the history books and added a new, previously untold chapter to Triumph’s own story. In celebration of this newly uncovered shared history between two iconic and enduring brands, Triumph and Elvis Presley Enterprises have commissioned a one-of-a-kind custom motorcycle to raise money for a very worthy cause.

This custom Bonneville, based on a brand-new T120 model, features a custom design scheme by award-winning Georgian custom artist J Daar and is inspired by the 1964 Memphis Mafia bikes and 1968 Stay Away Joe Desert Sled, as well as being influenced by Elvis’ most iconic 1968 Comeback Special look. The design features gold block lettering, representing Elvis’ name written in lights, as well as silhouettes on a red background, echoing the set design of his most famous ’68 Comeback Special performance.

The bike was unveiled by Triumph USA Marketing Director, Adam VanderVeen, at the 2023 Barber vintage motorcycle Festival in Birmingham Alabama, where it was on display on the ‘Isle of Triumph’ alongside a host of historic Triumphs, including an original 1965 Bonneville of the same generation that Elvis purchased, on loan from the Barber Motorsports Museum.

Speaking at the show, the custom motorcycle artist J Daar said: “I was honoured to pull the sheet off this amazing motorcycle. Tribute bikes are always special, but an homage to The King is one of the coolest projects I’ve worked on. This bike is something the new owner can be incredibly proud to have in their garage. Not only is it a unique design celebrating a great story, but it’s also a great way to raise money for such a worthy cause.”

Also on display at Barber Fest was a special one-of-a-kind Les Paul guitar by Gibson, customised to complement the one-off Bonneville T120 and donated by Gibson to be auctioned along with the motorcycle. The choice of guitar was inspired by another instance of Elvis’ generosity. When rehearsing for the ’68 Comeback Special, Elvis was practicing on a replica Les Paul, which he gifted to his chef. The design adopts the same red, silver and gold scheme as the motorcycle, as well as the prominent Elvis graphic featured on the fuel tank and side panels, and incorporates silhouettes of The King around the body, inspired by his iconic ‘’68 Comeback Special’ look.

Beth Heidt, Chief Marketing Officer for Gibson commented:  “We have had the honour of working in partnership with the Elvis team to celebrate his legacy over many years, so when we heard that our friends at Graceland and Triumph were working together on a custom motorcycle to raise awareness and funds for a good cause, we wanted to join in honouring Elvis’ spirit of generosity – and similar to what we did with our ’59 Legends Collection in support of  The 2022 Distinguished Gentlemen’s Ride, this customized Les Paul model pairs perfectly with the amazing design scheme of the bike.”

“We are excited to be partnering with an iconic brand like Triumph to bring this one-of-a-kind custom Bonneville T120 to life while benefitting one of Elvis’ favorite charities, Goodwill Homes Community Services in Memphis,” says Dana Carpenter, Executive Vice President, Entertainment at Authentic Brands Group, owner of Elvis Presley Enterprises. “The added generosity of our friends at Gibson for contributing a matching custom Les Paul guitar, strengthens the legacy of generosity and community that Elvis Presley stood for.”

This custom Bonneville T120 motorcycle and matching Les Paul guitar have been donated to the Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation to raise money for one of Elvis’ favourite charities, Goodwill Homes, a Memphis facility that provides counselling and services for abused children and their families.

More details about the auction will be available soon at graceland.com

If you haven’t already, Check Out the Brand New 5-Ball Racing Garage Online Shop !!! CLICK HERE: You will find unique Motorcycling Gear designed by Lifelong Bikers.

Qianjiang-Produced Harley-Davidson X 500 is expected to be available in USA from 2024.

US-specific owners manual has been published by Harley-Daivdson. The X 500 was announced for the Chinese market in April, and later for Australia and New Zealand, but the newly published owner’s manual assures a U.S. launch.

There are distinct changes compared to the 2023 owner’s manual, adding information specific to the American market such as a U.S. vehicle identification number (VIN). The manual’s VIN breakdown specifically details the codes for models manufactured by Qianjiang in China for export to the United States.

Warranty information and a clause marked as “Other Limitations” included six items in 2023 manual but for year 2024 manual there is an addition of a seventh item. This addition states United States customers are not allowed particular modifications that are not approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or the California Air Resources Board. A definition of tampering with noise control or exhaust emissions control systems is mentioned. These were absent for the manual meant for Chinese market.

X 500 is the second model to be produced under the partnership between Harley-Davidson and Qianjiang, following the X 350. The smaller engine model was not intended for US market as per Q1 2023 report, though X350RA variant to be used by Harley-Davidson’s Riding Academy.

It is expected the people and dealerships (and media) will react fast & furiously to a Made-in-China Harley-Davidson being sold in USA.

We can expect the same liquid-cooled 500cc Parallel-Twin engine, claiming 47 hp at 8,500 rpm and 33 lb-ft. at 5,000 rpm. The claimed wet weight remains 456 pounds, and the fuel economy is unchanged, still claiming 49 mpg. Valve inspections are scheduled for every 15,500 miles.

Click & know more about Bikernet’s Free Weekly Newsletter

2024 Harley-Davidson X 500 Specifications
Engine	Liquid-Cooled, Parallel-Twin Cylinder, 500cc
Displacement	500cc
Bore x Stroke	69.0 mm x 66.8 mm
Compression Ratio	11.5:1
Horsepower	46.9 hp at 8,500 rpm (claimed)
Torque	33.9 lb-ft. at 6,000 rpm (claimed)
Fuel System	Electronic Air Intake Fuel Injection (ESPFI)
Exhaust	2 into 1 short order, 3 catalysts
Main Drive	Chain, 74/38
Maximum Lean Angle	46.9° left, 49.5° right
Front Suspension	50mm inverted rebound adjustable
Rear Suspension	Oil-air separation, rebound damping adjustable, preload adjustable shock absorber
Front Brake	Dual four-piston fixed calipers
Rear Brake	Single-piston floating caliper
Rear Wheel	Cast Aluminum
Front Tire	Maxxis Supermaxx ST 120/70-ZR17/58W
Rear Tire	Maxxis Supermaxx ST 160/60-ZR17/69W
Length	84.1 inches
Seat Height	32.3 inches
Ground Clearance	6.0 inches
Rake / Trail	24.5° / 4.0 inches
Wheelbase	57.4 inches
Fuel Capacity	3.4 gallons
Oil Capacity (With Filter)	0.8 gallons
Curb Weight	456 pounds (claimed)
Fuel Economy	49 mpg (claimed)
Lighting	Front Lights: All LED, low beam, high beam and position lights; Tail Lights: All LED Lights; Front Signal Lights: All LED Lights; Rear Turn Signal Lights: All LED
Instrumentation	Combined electronic instrument Stepper motor indicates vehicle speed, digital indicates speed, hour, total travel, two-way (A+B), km/mile indication

by Sam Burns & Bandit with a little help from Wikipedia

Richard Anthony Monsour (May 4, 1937 – March 16, 2019), known professionally as Dick Dale, was an American rock guitarist. He was a pioneer of surf music, drawing on Middle Eastern music scales and experimenting with reverb. Dale was known as “The King of the Surf Guitar”, which was also the title of his second studio album.

He obviously customized his music and his motorcycles.

Even with bad health, he cherished custom bikes, as we do.

Click here to visit Dick Dale in Bandit’s Cantina

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Bandit informs us as he battles heartache and hustlers in this story

The Blues in the West…and a Choice for Freedom

Bandit read her note again in a cafe. It was 1:00 a.m. His heart hoped it wouldn’t happen, but his instinct sensed it…. in her delicate features and her sultry voice. She was on the drift. Without her there was nothing worth having in his life. An intense desire to have her engulfed him.

Maybe it had to do with motorcycles and how they made him feel the adventure in unknown possibilities. His chopper and a 4-inch barrel J.D. Crow engraved pistol were all he needed as he rolled. His boots and his Beretta pocket knife completed his daily gear. When he got home from working the oil fields, he popped a Voodoo Ranger beer and met the icy envelope in the fridge. She could be cold.

Click here to read what happens with Bandit in this adventure fiction only on Bikernet.com

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Get free swag and bling by subscribing to Bandit’s Cantina — click here to view benefits.

Maybe it had to do with motorcycles and how they made him feel the adventure in unknown possibilities. His chopper and a 4-inch barrel J.D. Crow engraved pistol were all he needed as he rolled. His boots and his Beretta pocket knife completed his daily gear. When he got home from working the oil fields, he popped a Voodoo Ranger beer and met the icy envelope in the fridge. She could be cold.

Bandit fired up his Knucklehead, planted in an Irish Rich modified VL frame. Its old rusting chrome XA springer front end and a 21-inch wheel guided him out of the city. He thirsted for the desert, the solitary miles in vast emptiness. His small Wassel peanut tank demanded multiple truck stops for gas, forcing him to be distracted in-between Zen riding spells.

He cut the back way out of 29 Palms into Amboy. Riding in the dark, he thought about times spent together and remembered the girl he gave up for her, his best friend. His mind swarmed with thoughts of her misdeeds and his own bad decisions. His single halogen headlight shined on the two broken lines as it spit lumens through the narrow two-lane highway.

He wasn’t right all the time, but he made a decent life for her and her troubled daughter. Yet, it was never enough. Wind whirled up the surrounding sand as he made his way into a gas station. Vision improved under flickering flourscent lights he spotted a couple of guys trying to jack a car from two old tourists.

His bike sang a loud song of violence, like rapid firing shotguns. He revved the engine and slammed on his rear disc brake, sliding to an abrupt halt, the tire screaming against solid concrete. The thugs suddenly stood tall. Bandit reached inside his vest and the ambitions of the small-time crooks fled along the dark dusty terrain, running as fast as their fear would carry them.

At 6’2” the newly arrived biker wore old long johns, Wranglers, tattered brown cowboy boots, a sweatshirt, red and black plaid flannel held fast with his stout leather vest. It showed all the roads he had traveled for the last decade. Strong and padded, he didn’t look a fool. Predictably the druggies hit the road. He refueled and prepared to follow them.

He could handle most any work and had experience with a range of projects, from being a machinist to a plumber. Forced to decide in the town of one gas station with a hotel alongside a shoe box sized post office at 2:00 a.m. he peered into the darkness. Should he ride in the direction of Arizona, via Needles or head west toward Barstow on Interstate 15 pointing toward Nevada.

His gas tank chose Barstow and off he went into the bleak night. Reaching the truckers’ town on reserve he was forced to refuel at the very first opportunity. It was as if the old Harley-Davidson Knucklehead was happy with the cool night air and his high-bars loved the solitude. He gassed-up, checked his ride over and hit the road east, toward Vegas. He knew folks there, but didn’t want to have anything to do with the city, or any city for that matter. He had the “ride-alone” blues.

Chasing east, the sky changed from jet black, starting to glow crimson against the Mojave mountains. As soon as the sun crested the jagged hills, the temps jolted upward and it was already 90 degrees when he pulled into Baker – a bleak town of 700, besieged in all directions with dead desert.

As he slid to a stop beside one of three gas stations in town, the blues surged in his soul. He badly craved a drink. The town had one fast-food joint, one Mad Greek Restaurant, one Chopper shop and just one bar – called the High Roller Tiki Bar. The bar was closed. Ominously, each of the three gas stations sold Jack Daniels.

The one long-time breakfast joint with the tallest thermometer in the world struggled as long as it could, finally closing their doors as if consumed by its barren environment.

The sun blazed in the sky and bleached out all the paint on every building in Baker. Bandit sat on a cinder-block ledge, in a rare shady spot, drinking Jack on the rocks, staring at his boots. Three club guys rode in sporting raggedly crisp pipes. Bandit’s peripheral vision caught them but his eyes didn’t recognize their patch. It looked alien, like the logo from the only jerky shop in Baker. It sure wasn’t a traditional outlaw patch, appearing more like a political campaign logo.

All three riders dismounted from their flashy, blacked-out, late-model Dynas and strode into the station. They came out laughing, refueled as the big fella with lots of hair and a full beard said to the others, “Now he knows who runs this town.”

They fired up their bikes, speeding into the interior of the dusty town that didn’t spread more than a mile into the desert.

Bandit walked to the station and found the short Hispanic clerk with crimson cheeks, having silently suffered the past slaps. He begged, “I could lose my job.”

“Sorry to hear about that,” Bandit said. “How long have they been around?”

“About a year,” the clerk muttered. “They’re taking over and it ain’t good.”

“When does the Greek open? I need a breakfast burrito,” Bandit inquired, very much lost in his own pain. He bought another half-pint of Jack Daniels and stuffed it into his vest.

“Greek no make burritos, but my sister does,” the kid said and perked up. “Just ride up that street, about three blocks on the right, a pink house with green shutters. She’ll be making them now. Tell her, Julio said.”

“Got it,” Bandit said. “It’s just what I need.”

Bandit nodded, slipping on his jockey’s helmet and brown deerskin gloves. He fired up the Knucklehead and could tell straddling the beast that his balance was impaired. Once underway, his bike had a mind of its own, like an embattled warhorse. He could tell it wanted out of the sun and he found a modicum of shade under a canopy in front of Maria’s Burritos.

Climbing off the bike, he looked up as Maria approached. His intoxicated eyes saw a lovely mystic from a faraway dream, at peace with her universe. Something to do with the vibrant hues on her burrito palace, her colorful Mexican dress, a natural radiance of her youth and Bandit was hit as if a sting pinning his heart. She caught his gloved hand and wrapped his flanneled arm around her shoulder. He kicked out his kickstand and carried the cross of his drunken-self inside her Cantina. Indoors, he collapsed on a couch. Whiskey, desert sun, and no sleep for 24 hours took its toll.

Passed out on her bright red velvet couch, his mental blues drifted into innate darkness of deeds of past. Three weeks later, he was still sleeping on that rickety couch. Maria’s eyes convinced him to stay, and her sumptuous burritos satiated all other concerns.

Her old man was the town’s welder, fabricator, but he suddenly disappeared five years ago. Julio and Maria were just teenagers, when their father, a heavy drinker got his ass kicked out of Vegas. He didn’t have the funds to take his kids any farther than Baker. Folks came to the family for Maria’s burritos, chile rellenos, and tacos. Julio worked in the station, but his dad’s welding gear sat idle in the garage under a swaying light bulb. The torches, MIG welder, bender and tool box collected dust. He had a sizeable welding table, two vices and a drill press. Folks continued to stop by when they needed something welded or repaired, but the broken father of two could not fix himself and disappeared.

Able Bandit set to fixing metal tables for the kitchen, mending the bad doors, hinges and gates around the digs. He taught Julio how to weld, bend iron and cut with the plasma cutter after the hose was repaired. They started to make extra money and folks came with broken equipment and rusted gates.

“We should equip an old truck with welding gear.” Bandit said to Julio. “We could make good money traveling around the area taking on jobs. You could quit working at the station.”

“That would be very cool,” Julio said.

“Save your paycheck for a couple of months,” Bandit instructed, “we’re doing okay without it. Then we’ll buy a truck and outfit it.”

“Could we build me a chopper,” Julio asked.

“We can do anything,” Bandit said. “I need to go to the bike shop for something. Wanna go? You can ride on the back of the Knuck!”

“I don’t think so,” Julio said. “Remember those guys?”

“Yeah,” Bandit said, briefly remembering the day they met at the gas station. “I need something for my bike. I’ll go check it out.”

Bandit fired up his trusted friend, past a couple of blocks toward the highway and around a dusty corner. Everything in Baker was worn. He could weld for the rest of his life and never be able to repair all the rusty fences and gates in town. It stood isolated, a last stop for lost souls between Los Angeles and Vegas.

The shop, located in a galvanized tin building, was near collapse. Two Dynas were parked out front sporting club decals. Bandit looked at the decal on the blacked out hot rod with foot-tall risers. He could tell serious funds went into this performance bike with high-dollar mag wheels, exhaust, billet air cleaner and lots of accessories.

He walked into the shop, his boots firm on the sandy floor and reached a counter, with teetering wooden and glass tops. They hadn’t been painted, varnished or even dusted in years. One parts catalog rested on the counter with only a new copy of Cycle Source magazine bringing life to the dull surrounding. A rusting counter-bell layered with dust was perched on the scratched glass top. Bandit hit it with the palm of his hand, “Service, goddammit,” he demanded, making dust fly off the entire decadent counter.

Suddenly the sounds in the back stopped and boots stomped against a hot asphalt floor toward the front. Three men burst through the door on the wall separating the front from the service area in the back. Bandit could see stacks of tires, old exhaust systems, air filters and bent fenders stacked against the wall.

“Who the fuck are you?” asked a skinny lanky rider reaching into his leather club vest.

“I’ll handle it,” a short white guy said stepping forward. “I’m Jake, can I help you?”

The last outlaw stood in the doorway with a long fixed blade in one hand, picking his nails with its point, leaning against the doorway. “You don’t handle anything, anymore,” he grunted. “We run this shop.” It was the big guy from the gas station where Julio worked.

“I don’t give a fuck who does what,” Bandit said. I need a quart of 60 weight oil and a couple of Champion spark plugs. Think one of you bad-ass bikers can handle that.”

“I’ll take care of it,” Jake said.

Like over-amped pitbulls, the two other outlaws snarled at Bandit. The guy with the pig-sticker played with the sharp edge and said, “I don’t know who you are, but we run Baker. Don’t get in our way, muthafucker.”

Jake tried to remain calm, but the situation was written all over his face. He wasn’t happy, but he grabbed a quart of oil from an open box behind the counter, a couple of Champion spark plugs from under the counter and rang it up on an old manual cash register.

“What are you riding?” Jake asked, trying to appear cordial, handing Bandit his change.

“A ’44 Knucklehead,” Bandit said. “Thanks. I’ll be around,” he added, meeting the eyes of the knife wielding biker.

Just those last words lit a glint of hope in Jake’s dreary eyes. “Thanks,” he said, as if he meant to say ‘welcome’ instead.

Bandit walked out and fired up his Knuck in a single mounting kick. Then he let it idle out front for many minutes as he popped the quart of oil open and poured it into his hand-built oil tank. He tossed the plugs in a saddlebag and rode around the block in the opposite direction, seemingly toward the highway. Reaching the open stretch, he let the motorcycle gather some speed, as if he was headed out of town, but he wasn’t.

His mind’s compass circled a magnetic vortex of vice and virtue. “That’s twice,” he took a mental note.

He weaved, idling his way back to Maria’s Mexican food joint. He could sense some chemistry there, but his blues hung on like an albatross around a sailor’s neck and she knew it. When Julio returned from work they strolled to the shop at the back of the restaurant and tinkered with new projects and more welding jobs. Bandit replaced the old single bulb with a couple of brighter fluorescent units. The shop started to take on a professional air.

“What’s with this club?” Bandit asked.

“No one stays around here long,” Julio said, “But these guys started showing up and taking over businesses. Doesn’t make any sense. Except for the fast-food joints and gas stations, nothing survives. If Maria and I could get out of here we would.”

“Is there a boss?” Bandit asked. “And that bizarre patch! What is it?”

“A man called Armand,” Julio said, “he’s a little guy and always shows up in a Mercedes limo with lots of musclemen. Rico, however, is the boss of the club riders, the hairy one with a beard. I don’t know where Armand is from, but he doesn’t seem to care what happens in Baker.”

“There’s an answer,” Bandit said. “There always is.”

The two of them got busy and continued to grind on a neighbor’s gate. Within half an hour, it was repaired. Julio took it to its owner with an invoice for the work done.

A week passed and Bandit warmed to Maria’s advances. She wanted a man to stay and make their lives complete. Bandit was busy with work as the welding business with Julio took off. They were occupied 8-hours a day with more fabricating, repairing gates, garage doors and automotive parts. The focused ironwork flexed Bandit’s arms and flattened his abdomen. His legs could carry heavier equipment and his mind could sense everything more sharply as he paid attention to flame fabrication. It also heightened the feminine instinct of Maria as an unmentioned attraction of opposites kindred in between gas stove and welding heat.

Friday morning came around and Maria toiled in the kitchen since 4:00 a.m. to meet the morning orders. A shiny new black pickup pulled up out front and a member of the Arat Brothers got out. Maria met him at the door with a large bag of burritos and containers of her special sauce.

“Thanks Maria, these are the best,” said the young member draped in all black attire. He gave her a sizeable tip.

“Thank you, senor,” Maria said and handed the young white guy the hefty bag with a slight bow of respect.

“We heard Julio is fixing stuff and welding?” The young member inquired.

“Yes, can we help you,” Maria said.

“Come out to the truck,” the member said pointing to the back of the pickup. “We need these posts fixed for the airport.”

As Maria stood on tip toes to look into the bed, Julio followed her. Studying the damaged 3-inch galvanized post, which were old, Julio assured, “Sure, we can fix them. When do you need them?”

“How about 4:00 this afternoon?” This kid seemed to be new to the gang. His patch was slick and flashy. Other than a long mustache he was clean shaven with short, cropped hair, as if recently out of military service.

“We can do it,” Julio said.

“They must be done by 4:00 or…” the kid stated, as he began unloading two large crates of running lights from the back of the bed.

“No sweat, we will get it done,” Julio tried to reassure the edgy kid.

“We will take care of you financially if you can get them finished,” the kid declared, then crawled into the cab, over lavish supple leather.

Bandit and Julio hauled the crates to the back of the shop and went to work straightening, welding and in some instances, rewiring each unit. The kid made a point to bring along a box of new LED bulbs.

At 3:45 p.m. the same glistening black pickup screeched to a stop in front of Maria’s eatery. This time, two members jumped out of the cab, Rico and the kid. They stormed inside where Maria scurried around cleaning la cosina, preparing for the following day.

The kid worked with Julio to load the truck. He paid Julio handsomely, but just as they climbed into the truck, Rico grabbed Maria.

“I need a date for tonight,” he grinned, shoving her into the cab.

Bandit had remained out of the picture, but when he heard Julio hollering Maria’s name, he darted out of the shop through the kitchen and into the yard.

“Maria,” Julio screamed and ran into the street as the pickup sped away. Bandit saw enough to surmise what had happened.

“That’s three,” Bandit said.

“What do you mean?” Julio asked.

“You’ll see,” Bandit said. “We’ve got work to do.” Bandit fired up his Knucklehead and rode it around to the shop.

Together, they took off his top motor-mount and welded extensions to stick out on each side, just clear of both sides of the engine. Bandit pulled over the duffel-bag and fetched two weapons with holsters. The duo made brackets so as to holster a 30-round AR-15 resting safely on the left along with a Vietnam-era M79 holstered on the right. They slipped in snugly, ready to draw. Bandit adjusted his handlebars so he could maneuver the chopper.

“Listen kid, I’m going after your sister,” Bandit informed. “I won’t come back without her.”

“What can I do,” Julio asked, as the sun descended in the west, the air slightly cooler, the atmosphere grim with uncertainties.

“I need you to go to the Mad Greek restaurant,” Bandit said, “Just a hunch!”.

“Okay,” Julio obliged while wondering about the connection.

“Let me know when shit starts to happen.” Bandit instructed briefly.

Julio ran down the dusty lane.

Bandit splashed water on his face and suited up, his sweatshirt rippling over his firm shoulders. He strapped 30-round clips in his vest and two grenades. Pulling on his riding boots, he noticed a glistening spot on a nearby table. He started to reach for that half-pint of Jack Daniels, but this reflex made him furious. He tossed the bottle against the wall, where is shattered. This was not a biker shindig… it was taking care of family! The air cooled by the minute, with the darkening horizon and Bandit paced, wondering what they would do to Maria. His tightened fists strained his forearms. He needed to do something, anything, even if it was wrong. He no longer gave a shit about anything except Maria. He needed to get going and his long legs strode toward his Knucklehead.

Firing it to life, he backed it out of the shop. Loaded for action, he aimed it toward the highway and Julio came into view.

“There’s a dozen bikes, a Mercedes limo and a black van at the Mad Greek,” stammered Julio anxiously, restless with worry.

As Julio told the story, the Arat Brothers stormed the Mad Greek Restaurant under Rico’s leadership. He stood just inside the door while his soldiers surrounded him. The room went silent.

Bandit grabbed Julio’s shoulders to steady him enough for new set of instructions. “We will handle this.” assured Bandit, getting Julio’s attention. “Now go back to the restaurant. Sneak in through the back door. Force the staff to leave, then prop the back door open.

At the restaurant, Rico announced to the patrons, “Grab your shit and hit the road!” Snatching a young man out of his chair, he pushed him out the door, where he stumbled on the porch and fell onto the cracked asphalt. The brothers smacked another two blokes, and they crashed out the wrecked entrance door. The ladies screamed in horror and ran.

One armed citizen stood up and reached for his weapon. He was dead before he hit the wooden floor. Another big angry patron jumped to his feet heroically. “This is bullshit,” he snapped. A waitress tried to bring them to-go containers, but one of the outlaws smacked her down.

Two brothers attacked the dissenting man with ballpeen hammers. The dining room was soon empty as this off-menu serving was too much for them to digest.

Dining room to themselves, the brothers arranged the tables so that the outlaws took their seats with gleaming pride of conquest. A short man in a black suit entered, taking a seat at the head of the table. Rico stood at the other end.

“What the fuck?” Armand said. “I thought you had control of this town.”

“I do,” Rico snarled. He shoved Maria, planting her next to himself, a trophy girl.

“Who the fuck is that?” Armand said. “This night is all about business.”

Rico’s hot-shit status waned and Maria’s bruised arm didn’t help. “Let’s eat.” Rico announced, imagining the staff awaited his commands, but no one was around. One waiter crawled out from under a table to approach the bikers. Taking orders for their drinks, he rapidly brought along large platter of beer bottles, but then he disappeared.

Armand disenchanted with the situation, the meeting wasn’t intended to be a party, nor was he used to sitting with his back toward the kitchen door. His eyes subtly motioned to his driver while he got to his feet.

Rico beamed across the table as the bikers collectively started to party. The roar of a lone Knucklehead chopper blasted into the kitchen and through the swinging doors into the dining room. Bandit slid to a stop, snatched the 30-round AR 15 from its cradle and let loose. Rico’s team scattered like rats on fire. Bandit dived behind the counter taking fire from several locations.

The counter splintered like dried out chopsticks and handgun fire took its toll, but Bandit held his ground, keeping his sights on Armand who dashed out the door with his driver. Rico dragged Maria out the front door.

The boss in his slick black Armani suit sought the security of his pitch black Mercedes. Rico shoved Maria into a van and jumped in after her. The van sped, following the Mercedes.

The club soldiers were dead, wounded or running for their lives. Bandit scrambled to his feet and straddled the Knucklehead. The chopper ripped through the dining room and chased into the street after the vehicles.

They barreled just a block and turned left or north through the town heading for the small rundown community airport only a couple of miles away.

Halfway there the Mercedes driver hit the brakes hard and drifted the long limo into a 45 degree angle and an abrupt stop kicking up sand and dust in the open desert. The front limo-driver door burst open and so did the rear passenger door. As the van screeched to a sliding stop only a few feet behind the Mercedes, the two men opened fire on the van, shattering the windshield and blowing out the front tires.

Rico scrambled out of the Van as Armand stepped out of the limo. “What the fuck,” Rico said and opened his vest to reveal two stainless 9mm Browning semi-autos.

“I told you from the beginning,” Armand said, “I wouldn’t put up with any of your biker bully bullshit. We’re here for business, clean and simple, and you fucked-up.”

High as a kite, Rico reached for one of his weapons. “You foreign bastards aren’t shit without me.”

Armand let him reach and even start to draw before signaling to one of his henchmen, who shot him in the thigh. Rico screamed and dropped his weapon as he fell to the dark asphalt.

Armand strolled to the van and opened the door. Maria, shaken, stepped out of the van and the slick Armand led her to Rico’s side, quivering and bleeding profusely from his wound.

Rico’s demeanor switch to consoling as the two guards stepped up on either side of Armand and Maria. “See him,” Armand said. “This is going to happen to your boyfriend if we don’t take care of our business.”

One of the guards put a round into Rico’s opposite knee and he screamed. Armand’s grip on Maria’s arm tightened and he glared into her concerned dark eyes. He pulled his own snub nose and while peering into Maria’s terrified gaze shot Rico in the temple.

“What can I do?” Maria pleaded for mercy.

“That’s on you,” Armand said drug her to the car.

As the limo pulled away, Bandit saw the lights and slowed and then slid to a stop. He dismounted and ran to the passenger door terrified of the worst possible outcome. He yanked it open, no Maria. He circled the van and discovered Rico dead on the blood splattered pavement in front of the van.

He ground his teeth and ran back to his idling chopper. He mounted it and rode around the van and in the direction of the airport and the stretched limo. He didn’t know what his next move would or could possibly be. He had one shoulder missile in the chamber of the launcher, the AR-15 slung over his shoulder and his .45 revolver, but he couldn’t end this without Maria.

As he approached the airport, he could see an small 4-seater Cessna approaching, but there were no runway lights. In desperation, the limo driver drove to the end of the runway and began to flash his lights. Bandit slid off the road, stashed his motorcycle behind a semi, pulled the AR and took out the headlights.

The driver jumped out of the limo and opened up on Bandit in the ditch, but light waned and airport’s lights were minimal. Out of ammo, Bandit tossed the AR in the gulley and pulled the .45. With one round he knocked down the big burly driver, but the plane was fast approaching.

Bandit ran through the dusty gulley along the runway in the dark, waiting for Armand to make a move. He signaled to Julio to flash the runway lights. They blinked and went out.

Armand scrambled out of the Mercedes with Maria, his 9mm aimed at her head. “Lights or die,” he hollered in the night.

“Set the girl free or you won’t see the dawn,” Bandit answered firing his .45. He clipped the roof of the Mercedes, an inch away from Armand’s shoulder. Armand ducked and let the girl go. Maria ran for the rickety wooden control tower.

As the Cessna approached, Armand didn’t know whether to shit or go blind. He fired his pistol wildly in the air to warn off the plane, but it touched down and Armand ran for the driver’s seat of the Mercedes. Bandit returned to his idling Knucklehead and drew the grenade launcher—firing a single round aiming at the spot where the airplane would turn to taxi off the runway. It blew out a sizeable pothole in the tarmac, destroying the front wheel as the machine dipped and became lodged in the pothole. Authorities flashed their lights, as sirens screamed in the night sky.

The airfield surrounded and secured, Bandit turned off his lights and rumbled out of the damned place picking up the siblings. With Julio sitting on his gas tank and Maria holding tight onto Bandit’s back, they idled quietly around the outskirts of town, then back to Maria’s kitchen.

As they rolled to a stop at the shop behind Maria’s, Maria didn’t want to let go. “How about one of your special burrito’s tonight,” said Bandit and kissed her as if neither of them knew love ever before this moment.

“I think we all deserve a margarita tonight,” offered Maria.

Julio moved to the makeshift bar and started to make the drinks. “Maybe we should call this Bandit’s Cantina.”

* * *

Illustrations by Wayfarer

Editor’s Note: This story was first published on 29th June 2022 and has been reimagined for your pleasure. Want to read the original as well? Click here.

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