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Landspeed Racing Icon & Record-holder Immortalized for Lifetime Achievements

An innovator, daredevil, and one of motorcycling’s greatest legends, Burt Munro is getting his respects from the Sturgis Museum Hall of Fame.

Indian Motorcycle, the first motorcycle company in America, is commemorating the induction of Burt Munro into the prestigious Sturgis Motorcycle Museum Hall of Fame. Revered as an icon in motorcycle racing and a holder of land speed records, Munro’s unyielding determination to etch his name into the record books has left an indelible mark on successive generations of riders.

Aaron Jax, Vice President of Indian Motorcycle, emphasized that the history of motorcycles would be incomplete without the mention of Burt Munro. His narratives have influenced the identity of Indian Motorcycle, as it persistently emulates Burt’s spirit by pushing boundaries, fostering innovation, and paving novel pathways.

Originally from Invercargill, New Zealand, Munro developed an insatiable appetite for speed, encapsulated in his famous saying, “You live more in five minutes on a bike like this going flat out than some people live in a lifetime.” Over the course of decades, Munro dedicated himself to restoring and fine-tuning his 1920 Indian Scout within the confines of his garage. His relentless efforts culminated in setting three world records at the iconic Bonneville Salt Flats. An astonishing feat came in 1967, when Munro, at the age of 68, established a record of 184.087 mph for under-1,000cc motorcycles—a record that remains unbroken to this day.

Gary Gray, Vice President of Racing, Technology, and Service at Indian Motorcycle, says of Munro, “Burt is a legend. His accomplishments, through trials and tribulations, inspire our racing efforts today.” While it may be overdue, it’s quite an achievement for Burt to be enshrined into the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum Hall of Fame, and we’re incredibly proud and grateful to celebrate Burt Munro not just today, but everyday.”

The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame pays tribute to exceptional individuals who have made enduring contributions to the motorcycle community. This Hall of Fame celebrates forward-thinking pioneers, showcasing their remarkable achievements and unwavering ardor.

Among the esteemed inductees for the class of 2023 are the 1981 Des Nations Team USA, Burt Munro, Chris Callen, Jay Allen, Roland Sands, Russel Radke, and Scott Jacobs. Further information can be found at SturgisMuseum.com.

(Press Release)

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In September of 2023, Kawasaki Motors celebrates its 70th anniversary of making motorcycles, first making its forays into the motorcycle business in 1953. After the end of World War II, Kawasaki produced motorcycle engines under the name of “Kawasaki Machine Works.” Since then, Kawasaki has continued to Let the Good Times Roll and has strived to share “Fun to Ride” motorcycles with our customers around the world. Today, Kawasaki motorcycles are sold in more than 90 countries and regions.

To commemorate Kawasaki Motorcycles’ 70-year anniversary, a special exhibition will be held at Kawasaki USA Heritage Hall in Foothill Ranch, California as well as Kawasaki Good Times World in Kobe, Japan starting in September 2023. The display will focus on the history of the motorcycle business in the U.S. market, which marked a major turning point in Kawasaki’s overseas strategy. It will be the first in a series of events to commemorate this special anniversary.

Working toward upholding our mission statement of “Working for the happiness and joy of all those whose lives Kawasaki touches,” Kawasaki aims to keep moving forward and growing into the future.

(Press Release)

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Tucker Dealer Update – August 14, 2023

Dear Tucker Powersports Dealer,

Today we are announcing that Tucker Powersports will be acquired by Turn 14 Distribution, one of the largest automotive aftermarket distributors in the United States. The purchase includes certain assets of Tucker and all of its private label brands, which include well known brands.

We know that this will have a positive impact on you and all of our customers.

Turn 14 Distribution is a sixteen-year-old national B2B-only distributor based outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They have operations in four states, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Texas, and Nevada, and have over five hundred employees across three distribution centers and two office locations.

The purchase of Tucker Powersports is Turn 14 Distribution’s entry into the powersports market, and with that comes more stability and growth for the market. They will apply many of the principles their company is founded on, including strong relationships with partners and employees, and leveraging its strengths in efficiency, focus, and excellence in serving all types of dealers.

For you, the customer, this means:

• Better access to more inventory.
• Reduced operating costs through better efficiency.
• Increased transparency.
• More tools to help you plan and operate your business.
• More customer service representatives.
• Optimized logistics.

Turn 14 Distribution has a well-earned reputation for listening to its customers and partners. They are known as the distributor who has embraced technology to ensure efficiency while maintaining a human-facing, customer-first mentality that comes from the core value, “our customers are royalty.”

In the short-term, your Tucker.com orders will be fulfilled by both Tucker and Turn 14 Distribution and in time you will be transitioned to the Turn 14 Distribution B2B website and provided with new login information. Please remember that this acquisition is a work in progress involving several moving parts.

Please be patient as our respective teams sort through the details.

To learn more about Turn 14 Distribution, please visit http://turn14.com/about.

For those of you that have been with us on Tucker Powersport’s fifty-six-year journey, we want to thank you all for your continued support and business. While this is a significant change, I am confident that we are leaving you and the industry we love, in good hands.

Sincerely,
Marc McAllister

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Alex’s Bar — Long Beach, California

August 19th 2023

by Bandit with photos from Wrench and Dr. Hamster so far…

We’re Close to Heading Out

First, we discovered we needed a battery shut-off that could be accessed from the outside of the body. How the hell did we miss that? We also needed the same for the ignition. We decided to combine the two with a monster switch from a major auto-racing site.

–Bandit

Click here to see this adventure come to fruition at this year’s Bonneville Speed Trials.

A rally Torpedo meeting took place on Wednesday afternoon, after the HOF Breakfast, while Micah, our pilot was in town.

We attended the Ugly MC dinner for the best food during the rally on Tuesday, and then the brothers came to the Bikernet shop in Boulder Canyon for the meeting after the Sturgis Museum Hall of Fame breakfast Wednesday morning. Micah is a member of the Ugly’s

–Bandit

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE 5-BALL RACING SHOP

https://5-ballgarage.com/

A Salt torpedo progress report reached a high-point on my to-do list, but the 83rd Sturgis rally hit today, yikes. We have less than three weeks to prepare and roll to the Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials is Wendover, Utah on the 25th.

Scrutineering has been the major obstacle to our progress. Or should that be reworded? We’ve missed a couple of items or misread the rules, or… Anyway, we are scrambling to fix the fixes.

First, we discovered we needed a battery shut-off that could be accessed from the outside of the body. How the hell did we miss that? We also needed the same for the ignition. We decided to combine the two with a monster switch from a major auto-racing site.

The rules from the FIM, the AMA and another book called for making a window so a finger could shut off our petcock from the outside and another one so someone can reach the fire extinguisher pull cable. We were beginning to get the picture.

Then someone said we needed to be able to launch the parachute from outside the body. Cabana Dan spoke up, “What the hell? Run alongside the torpedo and pull the parachute so it can stop. Bullshit.”

That caused our team to take another hard look in the rule book, or books… That requirement didn’t exist, but we discovered another one. We were supposed to have a tilt switch. If the Salt Torpedo leans over 40 degrees, the parachute is supposed to automatically deploy.

At our recent team meeting we started to assign tasks to various team members. Luke drew the short straw and became the officially, almost certified parachute technician. He looked at us cross-eyed.

Luke and I dug in and started to research the components and how this system would work. With the assistance of Drew Gatewood, he made some calls and I received a link to RiekerInc. They build sailboat leaning meters and a tilt switches with various options, like 15 degrees, 10 degrees, electronic variables, you name it. They said call if you have any questions, but no number was available. That’s another story, which I finally overcame and ordered a tilt switch.

But then, what was going to pull the cable? I spoke to Dennis Manning and his systems are all pneumatic, but in the old days they used solenoids. I recently dealt with a solenoid system for popping open the door on the shaved doors ’58 Chevy. I knew the drill and we ordered one with 1.25-inch throw.

While waiting for the components to arrive, Luke and I deployed the parachute. We needed to practice re-attaching or reloading the chute. The spring system surprised Luke, and then we discovered the damaged chute canvas sack. Tucked inside the chute case for almost two years, moisture and rust got to it. We tried to clean it, but it was shot. I called Shrouds. They immediately sent me a new bag and warned me about careful installation instructions for replacing it.

The connecting straps have two loops and 50 feet of strap. The Shroud rep, her voice cautious told me not to remove, or attempt to remove the old bag until the new one arrived. We did as instructed and all stumbled along as planned.

Of course, weather predictions and water on the salt reports are flying at us, and we won’t know until a week before the event. In addition, there’s the threat of the BLM changing their mantra from Land Management for human use to managing land against human use.

Of course, that’s causing lawsuits and other issues with folks who like to hike, ride bikes and motorcycles in the wilderness controlled by the BLM.

We are so fortunate to have Tim Peterson from Flat Earth Art nearby, actually behind Dakota V-Twin in Spearfish. He volunteered to make a house-call and pinstripe or letter the Torpedo and our recent SUV acquisition– had to give it some class.

Hopefully the tilt meter will arrive by Wednesday and as the rally dwindles, we can get back to work on final tilt wiring issues and preparations for Bonneville.

A rally Torpedo meeting took place on Wednesday afternoon, after the HOF Breakfast, while Micah, our pilot was in town. We attended the Ugly MC dinner for the best food during the rally Tuesday evening, and then the brothers came to the Bikernet shop in Boulder Canyon for the meeting Wednesday around noon. Micah is a member of the Ugly’s and so is Carlo Lujan, from Auburn, California near Micah’s new home. Carlo and Emma own an Indian Dealership and Carlo drag-raced forever. He made a couple of suggestions including additional head venting. I received them in the mail on Saturday as the rally slowed. I’m on it.

Micah’s son Eddie, a very sharp young man, pointed out cracks in our front tires. They’ve traveled less than ten miles, but waited almost 3 years including one year in the snow for a chance on the salt. I ordered a spare, but now I needed another one, and I reached out to Randy Cramer at Dakota V-Twin for installation. I’m on it. The other tire arrived Saturday.

This was the to-do list from the previous chapter on the Salt Torpedo:

Scrutineering
Shifting Adjustment
Battery
Bolt down seat
Trailer

Tools
Check Motel Accommodations
Team
Install speedo
Sprockets, check and bring extras
Jets

I bought a new trailer from Goldies Trailers in Whitewood and had it set up for hauling the Torpedo to Bonneville, including logos. I also ordered a tool chest for the van, which I will start to fill on the last week. I bolted down the seat and checked the motel accommodations.

We ordered and received a speedo for a bicycle. It straps to the frame and works picking up a GPS signal anywhere. I ordered and received another transmission sprocket.

Carlo also suggested that I go around the bike covering electrical connections with silicone or perhaps the special non-conducting dielectric grease. And we discovered an issue with salt blasting the driveline from the rear tire. It should have a fender, but they can often slow the beast down. I’m going to make a cover to protect the battery and maybe more.

While studying the rule books, I stumble across another dilemma. Under Cyclecar in the FIM book it calls for all cyclecars to have handlebars. I immediately reached out to Drew who said, “No streamliner has ever had handlebars. Let me check.”

We were okay…

 

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Burnouts, bikes, builders, bands, brews, and buds. The SmokeOut Rally in Salisbury, NC has it all and more. For over two decades, the SmokeOut Rally has been bringing together likeminded riders in a celebration of custom motorcycle culture. Last year Dennis Kirk signed on as the Title Sponsor for the Rally and we enjoyed it so much that are back on for the ’23 Rally.

The ’23 SmokeOut Rally takes place from September 7th to September 10th for four days of events and shows. Each day of the rally features different events and shows to keep the party going. Custom bike shows include a feature bike gallery, Perewitz Custom Paint Show, Dream Rides FXR Show, Ride In Custom bike show, and Led Sled Sportster Showdown. Racing action includes Mini Bike races with and without costumes and Old Time Dirt Drags. Great music acts are featured every night of the rally. Other events include the popular Hammer’s Strongest Biker, Shadetree Biker Games, Wet T-Shirt contest, drive-in movies & bonfire, and bike blessings.

CLICK TO SIGN UP FOR THE SMOKEOUT RALLY

The SmokeOut Rally has also set out to give back to the community. Last year, Paughco donated unfinished gas tanks that were then sent out to custom painters. Those tanks were then auctioned off at the rally and all the proceeds went to Meals on Wheels benefitting seniors in the Salidbury, NC and Spearfish, SD areas. The auction was a success and will once again be happening at this year’s rally. Be sure to check out these true pieces of motorcycle art and bid for a chance to take one home.

There are plenty of accommodations available for all styles of rally goers. For the pure rally experience, camping is available on site at the fairgrounds. Both tent and RV/camper sites are available. There are also plenty of hotels and other campgrounds around the area as well.

To see what the SmokeOut Rally is all about, check out the recap video from last year’s rally. You won’t want to miss this year’s event, so be sure to head over to their page to get your tickets and camp sites reserved.

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100 word fiction contest continues…. #100WFC

Running Late
by Rhys

Got a late start for a 2 plus hour ride to the rally. We hit it pushing the old FL and my ridding partner on a borrowed FX since his old Sportster was down. We were flying down the interstate and coming up on the off ramp. I leaned into the curve and stopped at the stop sign. Looked around no one behind. Pulled over for a few minutes before deciding to backtrack down the grade on the grass and discovered the FX on its side and several feet away my partner and his passenger brushing themselves off. Neither was hurt thanks to the grassy space between ramps but the bike was a little worse for wear. Must’ve hit the shifter thinking it was the brake, old Sporty’s on opposite side. Compression rubber made him lose it.

Since we were only an hour out I raced home and traded my FL for the El Camino and flew back to pick up the broken bike and riders.

Guess I know what we’ll be doing tomorrow.

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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 the editor wayfarer@bikernet.com

Hey,

I’ve spoken to any number of riders, industry members, locals, you name it about their take on the rally this year. All answers are different, but I believe this one was happening, jammed, exciting and alive.

I started out asking brothers if they attended the 120th anniversary of Harley-Davidson to see if the celebration was going to impact Sturgis, but I don’t think it did. My other major take-away from this rally was the custom and performance side. I studied packs of bikes, bikes in parking lots, rows of bikes waiting to roll into Deadwood and I didn’t see a lot of bone stock scooters. Even baggers were modified with performance upgrades, sound systems, travel accessories or custom components.

Choppers, bobbers, antiques, FXRs, baggers and custom bikes filled shows. And aftermarket vendors were here in Sturgis, at the Chip and packed around Black Hills Harley. The custom world was here to see, touch and feel. It was happening even in the rain.

The next question includes demographics. There are way more women riders with new, improved, more reliable, more creature comfort laden motorcycles. But what about age groups. My grandson rode out for the second or third time. His buddies are in their late 20s, but the demographic study research continues.

Ever since I turned 50, 25 years ago, journalists wrote about the aging biker population, as if the whole outlaw biker would dry up and disappear. But then my son started riding, and then my grandson and at least one of my granddaughters. The study continues.

Let’s hit the news

–Bandit

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