I got to thinking the other day.
Bikernet and being a member of Bandit’s Cantina makes you a member of a radical, freedom fighter group. I’ve often been pointed at by other agencies as a notorious helmet law fighter, a freedom fighter, a gun owner and supporter, a veteran, and a climate denier. Of course, there’s also the girls and whiskey!
That puts you in an elite group of people who don’t believe in doomsday because your wife drives an SUV. It places you squarely with folks who don’t want to torture the entire population with laws that might save one life or kill another. It puts you in a group who believes in the freedom to build whatever you want, to take risks with your life, to protect yourself and your family and to ride with the wind. Sounds good to me. Let’s hit the news.
The Bikernet Weekly News is sponsored in part by companies who also dig Freedom including: Cycle Source Magazine, the MRF, Las Vegas Bikefest, Iron Trader News, ChopperTown, BorntoRide.com and the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum. Most recently the Smoke Out and Quick Throttle Magazine came on board.
AMERICAN BIKER OF CHARLOTTE– Come on in and visit us for bragging rights to an exclusive Limited Edition Indian Motorcycle T-shirt.
While supplies last. Bring a motorcycle t-shirt to swap out with this new one.
All traded t-shirts will be donated to a charity of our choice.
BIKERNET Facebook Page Wildfire Fuell of Buell
– Wayfarer chews the heated popcorn for you
Erik Buell’s new venture, an electric motorcycle branded “Fuell” was our top trending story on Bikernet Facebook Page and Bikernet Blog.
On Facebook over 10,000+ users viewed it with 700+ engagements including clicks, likes, sharing, comments and more – all within just 24 hours of posting the story to Facebook. The new electric bike by Erik Buell is catching on like wild-fire with haters and admirers both sharing, commenting and reading it on – Facebook Page and Bikernet Blog.
Traditional motorcycle business success of Erik Buell suggests he is being taken seriously when he has turned ELECTRIC. Lot of Wall Street and Silicon Valley investors throwing money at electric vehicles.
Fuell is a 125cc equivalent promising 125 miles per charge with top speed of 20mph to 28mph. It is expected to retail at MSRP $10,995.
Facebook users branded it a lowly commuter vehicle suitable to compete in European markets with the Vespa and other mopeds in the Eastern hemisphere.
While a few Facebook users are glad Erik Buell is back in motorcycle business, others rightly comment that he was never good at aesthetics and makes ugly vehicles.
The brand name “Fuell” for an “electric” bike that has top speed of 20mph itself is subject to much ridicule in social media.
Facebook users commented that Erik Buell’s Fuell will kill the overpriced Harley-Davidson LiveWire costing more than $30,000. Harley’s electric effort just like their petrol engine is a premium segment motorcycling business – not catering to the masses who just want to reach office during rush hour everyday. Although, Harley-Davidson is aspiring to capture the masses with its Street 750 and then further with Street 500 – especially in the damned Eastern Hemisphere.
Erik Buell’s Fuell is more likely to replace mopeds and scooters and those who can’t afford the true leaders of electric motorcycles such as ZERO Motorcycles which have ruled the technolgy and racing since it was started in 2006 by Neal Saiki, a former NASA engineer, in Santa Cruz, California, USA.
In 2012, Brandon Miller set a Bonneville Land Speed Record on a Zero S ZF6 model. He achieved an average speed of 101.652 mph over a one-mile course. This beat the previous record for modified production motorcycles weighing less than 150 kilograms by over 23 mph.
SO THIS IS FOR REAL – not just social-media bickering. You are going to see more electric motorcycles fighting it out on Bonneville Salt Flats. Maybe electric Flat Track Racing is next.
Pretty bikes or not, Erik Buell has launched Fuell bikes and intends to build his unique line of electric bikes for the millennials who apparently killed the motorcycle industry.
Japanese bike manufacturers are seemingly very silent in the media on this electric Silcion Valley boom. European companies are very much into the electric tech especially on four-wheeled vehicles. California of course where the AI and the angel investors merge into the silicon god of greed – is the vortex where zero emission madness is driving normal regular folks out of business under the futuristic dream forced down everyone’s throats without due diligence or freedom of choice.
Of course, clean air is important but then it is already achievable with petrol engines of today. Batteries and microchips on a billion mobile phones are itself destroying most of the planet – imagine the billion batteries on these electric cars and motorcycles – and the use and throw policy of the modern manufacturers of computers and mobile phones applicable on all on-road vehicles.
Keep it simple, we are still driving on Earth not intergalactic space. Simplicity is the Soul of all engineering and management. Automation is required for some, for others – it is a hindrance, an obstacle.
We build, weld and customize. We restore and re-use and swap parts. We are not crazy. We care. We are Bikers.
Love from the gray mountain,
–Ujjwal Dey
Bureau News Chief
Bikernet News Desk India
wayfarer@bikernet.com
GOTH GIRL PASSES—We are sad to report the distant and dark Goth girl has passed into the ether where all creative thoughts are free and life will begin again.
She and Kristina were goofing around, man that young lady could play the piano! Still haven’t figured out what happened?–RFR
We will miss her.
–Bandit
Photos courtesy of RFR
BUFFALO MOTORAMA The Largest Indoor Custom Car and Bike Show this side of New York–March 29-31, 2019 – Buffalo Convention Center
Just over 3 weeks until the 2019 Buffalo Motorama – March 29-31, 2019
On March 29-31, 2019 the Buffalo Convention Center in Buffalo New York will host the BIGGEST and BEST indoor custom car and bike show this side of New York.
2019 Marks our 9th year showcasing some of the best vehicles from across the country, vendors, and something for the entire family to enjoy.
For up-to-date information on the show, sponsor/vendor information, features, and more, visit our website www.BuffaloMotorama.com
Like our Facebook page to be eligible for prizes and contests
www.facebook.com/buffalomotorama
Contact Joe at show@buffalomotorama.com or 716-222-2590 for more information
“CODE YELLOW!”–The Nordschleife „YELLOW ALERT!“ 24-hour watch
„Code Yellow!“ This is the motto of the new Nordschleife „YELLOW ALERT!“ wrist watch with 24-hour face.
The matte black timepiece made in Germany captivates with its sporty design and bright yellow watch face. What is more: Contrary to a conventional watch, the black numerals don’t just show 12, but all 24 hours in the day!
This also makes the Nordschleife® „YELLOW ALERT!“ 24-hour watch the perfect companion for the annual 24-hour race on the Nürburgring. The black Nordschleife® 1927 Logo commemorates the inauguration of the legendary roller coaster circuit in the Eifel.
The new timepiece is an eye-catcher par excellence and thanks to its 24-hour movement offers lots of food for discussion. While the sweep of the minute hand is identical to that of a conventional watch, the hour hand’s familiar positions indicate different hours of the day. For example, the position of the hands that would indicate 9am on a standard watch would reveal that it is precisely 6pm on the Nordschleife® „YELLOW ALERT!“ 24-hour watch.
A Swiss movement ensures the watch keeps time with quartz precision. It is housed in a robust, electronically blackened XL-sized stainless-steel case with a diameter of 43 millimeters and black leather strap.
The Nordschleife® „YELLOW ALERT!“ 24-hour wristwatch sells for 129 euro exclusively at www.nordschleife.us.
HANG ON! California lawmakers considering cryptocurrency alternatives to “Duffel bags and suitcases full of cash” flooding tax offices
The bill, known as AB-953, was introduced just days after California State Treasurer, Fiona Ma, testified before the U.S. House Committee on Financial Services that her state’s tax collection agencies were being forced to deal with “duffel bags” and “suitcases” full of cash being dropped off at their offices from cannabis-related business owners.
Ma testified (PDF) that “Duffel bags and sometimes suitcases of cash would arrive quarterly,” from cannabis business owners, noting that she participated in educational tours in Humboldt, Mendocino, and Trinity counties, also known as the Emerald Triangle – where legal outdoor harvest can generate nearly half a billion dollars annually in revenue. In her testimony, Ma noted that some business owners “had to drive up to 350 miles” with massive quantities of cash in order to pay their taxes.
The situation is brought on by the fact that California state law, like other states that have legalized medicinal or recreational use of cannabis, is in conflict with federal law, which bans its cultivation and sale. And because, as Ma noted in her testimony, “federally regulated banks and financial institutions risk severe penalties if they inadvertently aid and abet – no matter how remotely – activities the federal government deems illegal,” cannabis-related businesses lack access to mainstream financial and banking services.
AB-953, introduced to the California legislature by Assembly members Ting and McCarty, looks to cut down or eliminate the need for California’s legal cannabis growers, dispensaries, and other related businesses to stockpile and transport these massive amounts of currency to state tax authorities by allowing these business to pay their taxes and other compliance obligations in cryptocurrency that would be authorized by the state. Califronia has not collected as much as they should have — precisely as a result of the fact that it is all in cash and untraceable.
Jay Lindberg, founder of the cannabis-focused blockchain startup Cangea, believes his company’s cryptocurrency, known as CNG, along with the company’s cannabis-focused financial, supply chain, and compliance solution known as CanPass™ is the solution to California’s cannabis cash problem and says he and his company will be vying for California lawmakers’ attention as the bill makes its way through the legislature. “We have precisely the solution that lawmakers are looking for in AB-953, and we’re hoping for the opportunity to share our offering and expertise as lawmakers debate this important bill,” Lindberg says.
Lindberg also believes that his solution would enable CA sales tax collection to happen in real-time — during the precise time of sale. This could also facilitate both automation of sales-tax compliance and transparency between business and government.
Mr. Lindberg is also accepting opportunities to speak with the media about this important topic. Potential topics include how large sums of cash as they currently exist in the cannabis industry pose a potential risk to public safety and potentially jeopardize the integrity of the financial system; why traditional financial institutions are unable to serve the needs of the cannabis industry; the challenges posed to businesses forced to operate completely in cash; why lawmakers are finally considering cryptocurrency to solve the state’s cannabis cash problem; and how such a move could reinforce the state’s legal cannabis industry’s sovereignty from federal law through the use of its own currency on the Cangea and CanPass platform.
We’re doing interviews on a first-come, first-serve basis, and we’d like to get you connected with Mr. Lindberg as soon as it makes sense. Is there a time yet this week that would work?
–Darren Shuster
Media Representative
Cangea
818-745-6508
MONSTER ENERGY Pro Circuit Kawasaki Determined To Keep Streak Alive in Daytona
Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Austin Forkner and Martin Davalos head to Daytona International Speedway this weekend for a round unlike any other on the supercross circuit. Inside the famed superspeedway, Forkner looks to collect a fourth win on the season, while Davalos has his sights set on keeping his top-10 streak alive. In total, the Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki riders have led 149 of 195 laps (76%) this season, claiming seven out of nine wins.
After a third-place finish at the east/west showdown, Forkner is eager to get back to the top step of the podium. He’s led 91 out of 101 total laps and is focused on improving that percentage in Daytona. The mix of supercross and motocross styles on the Daytona track will favor Forkner who’s also had success outdoors during his young professional career. Last year, Forkner adapted well to the track, finishing third.
“I enjoyed mixing up the track style at Daytona last year,” said Forkner. “We’ve had a lot of different things thrown into the season with a Triple Crown, a showdown and now we get to go outside to a different style track. It would be nice to keep up the streak for the team.”
Davalos has now earned three-straight top 10 finishes and isn’t looking to stop anytime soon. Last year, Davalos enjoyed a fifth-place ride inside Daytona International Speedway. Now that he’s back to 100 percent he’s hoping to make it another solid finish in 2019.
“I always like going to Daytona and getting a little feel for the outdoors,” said Davalos. “It’s also close enough to home that I sometimes have that boost of seeing people that I know come out. I feel like I’ve been riding good but know I can do much better than my results show. I hope that changes this weekend.”
The Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki riders will be signing autographs on Friday, March 8 from 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. at the Kawasaki Display in the vendor area of Daytona International Speedway.
Saturday’s race from Daytona International Speedway will be broadcast live on NBC Sports starting on Saturday, March 9 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
BENNETT’S PERFORMANCE TAKES HOME A CHICAGO WIN– Custom Harley-Davidson winner Eric Bennet of Bennett’s Performance Inc. took home $2,000 and prizes with a 1977 Harley-Davidson frame. The water-cooled engine was the front engine out of the Jammer Streamliner that set the AMA record at 276.376 mph on the Bonneville Salt Flats in October 1978.
DAYTONA BIKE WEEK ALERT–Motorcycle Profiling is Official Daytona PD Policy
In the words of Daytona PD Chief Craig Capri, “If you wear your colors [in Daytona Beach], you’re going to get stopped.” This o?cial policy is unconstitutional and exposes the entire Daytona PD to civil liability. This video evidence also justifies a cost-free legislative solution in the form of a simple prohibition against motorcycle profiling combined with relief for victims.
Chief Capri’s Statement Proves Unconstitutional Practices Are Policy
Without any other evidence, Chief Capri’s Statement alone proves that the Daytona PD profiles motorcycle club members as a matter of policy. This o?cial policy irrefutably violates the 1st, 4th, and 14th Amendments to the US Constitution.
Federal courts have confirmed that motorcycle club colors are protected by the 1st Amendment. To punish an individual through seizure in the form of a profiling stop anyone “who wears the insignia of [a 1% motorcycle club], without regard to or knowledge of that individual’s specific intent to engage in the alleged violent activities committed by other members, is antithetical to the basic principles enshrined in the First Amendment and repugnant to the fundamental doctrine of personal guilt that is a hallmark of American jurisprudence. see Coles v. Carlini 162 F.Supp.3d 380 (2015).
Chief Capri’s statement also violates the 14th Amendment because it represents Selective Enforcement of the law. Capri’s statement proves that the strategy to use tra?c stops as a way to punish those exercising their rights of expression and association is premeditated and selective. In terms of the 4th Amendment, any minor tra?c pretext used to stop a club member in Daytona Beach should be presumed invalid.
Exposure To Civil Liability
Motorcycle profiling as a matter of policy implicates the entire Daytona PD at an organizational level. Independent of individual o?cers and incidents, each profiling stop exposes the Daytona PD as an entity to civil liability. Chief Capri is the highest authority at the Daytona PD and clearly articulates a policy of discrimination and Selective Enforcement. 42 U.S.C. Section 1983 provides:
“Every person who, under color of any statute, ordinance, regulation, custom, or usage, of any State or Territory or the District of Columbia, subjects, or causes to be subjected, any citizen of the United States or other person within the jurisdiction thereof to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the Constitution and laws, shall be liable to the party injured in an action at law, suit in equity, or other proper proceeding for redress.“
An Epidemic in Florida
The National Motorcycle Profiling Survey validates Florida’s profiling epidemic. The 2018 NMPS lists Florida as one of the top motorcycle profiling concerns in America. According to the 2018 NMPS, 65% of Florida survey participants reported being the victims of motorcycle profiling at least once since 2012. These survey statistics are 99% reliable with less than a 2% margin of error. (See NMPS Executive Summary 2018).
Despite promises, Daytona PD has failed to address motorcycle profiling
There is a long history and pattern of evidence establishing that motorcycle profiling is engrained in the Daytona Beach PD. And the Daytona PD has made empty promises when caught with their hands in the cookie jar.
While attending the 2017 Biketoberfest rally in Daytona Beach, Florida, members of the Iron Horsemen Motorcycle Club (IHMC) were the target of blatant profiling and discrimination at the hands of the Daytona Beach PD. The incident, caught on videotape as a result of quick thinking, is irrefutable. The impact on civil liberties motivated the combined e?orts of the North Florida Council of Clubs, the National Council of Clubs, and the Motorcycle Profiling Project to immediately respond with a formal complaint and public record requests. These inquiries, based on the video, sparked an investigation into the actions of the o?cers involved and a review of Daytona PD policies regarding motorcycle clubs, said a source inside of Chief Craig Capri’s o?ce. As a result of the State Attorney’s inquiry, a curriculum was supposed to be constructed and all Daytona PD o?cers were to be re- trained relating to motorcycle profiling.
Unfortunately, almost 2 years later, motorcycle profiling is alive and well in Daytona Beach. As articulated, motorcycle profiling is still o?cial policy.
A Legislative Solution
Motorcycle profiling is a legitimate national policy discussion. In December, the US Senate unanimously approved S.Res.154 which directs all states to follow the lead of Washington State and Maryland by legislatively addressing and condemning the practice of motorcycle profiling. A prohibition combined with injunctive and actual relief for victims is a simple solution with no fiscal impact. A legislative prohibition would immediately increase exposure to the issue therefore reducing incidents of profiling.
–Motorcycle Profiling Project
BILLY LANE PREPS FOR SONS OF SPEED RACES—The shop is bustling with activity. Wrenches are flying and parts are surfacing to make the event the best ever.
–photos from Barry Wardlaw
Mechanic on the spot
Choppers Inc.
Sons of Speed
Accurate Engineering
[page break]
SIMPLE WORDS FROM THE BASE OF THE GRAY MOUNTAIN–Old Farmer’s Advice:
Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight and bull-strong.
Keep skunks and bankers at a distance.
Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.
A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor.
Words that soak into your ears are whispered… not yelled.
Meanness don’t jes’ happen overnight.
Forgive your enemies; it messes up their heads.
Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you.
It don’t take a very big person to carry a grudge.
You cannot unsay a cruel word.
Every path has a few puddles.
When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty.
The best sermons are lived, not preached.
Most of the stuff people worry about ain’t never gonna happen anyway.
Don’t judge folks by their relatives.
Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
Live a good, honorable life… Then when you get older and think back, you’ll enjoy it a second time.
Don ‘t interfere with somethin’ that ain’t bothering you none.
Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a Rain dance.
If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin’.
Sometimes you get, and sometimes you get got.
The biggest troublemaker you’ll probably ever have to deal with, watches you from the mirror every mornin’.
Always drink upstream from the herd.
Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment.
Lettin’ the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin’ it back in.
If you get to thinkin’ you’re a person of some influence, try orderin’ somebody else’s dog around..
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply.
Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God.
Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.
–from the Bikernet Monk
Sam Burns
Custom Show Emirates 2019–
Billed as the largest custom car and bike show in the Middle East, the 2019 Custom Show Emirates (March 28-30) will again be staged at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC).
Custom Show Emirates is a partner of SEMA USA and cooperates with major bike shows across Europe and many Arab nations. MS Artrix of Italy will compete against Transfigure Custom House from India in the Middle East Biker Build-Off – both teams will build a bike live on stage for the title of Middle East BBO Champion!
The bike show will see Arab customizers compete against European bike builders in a show that features everything from stunt shows to international exhibitors from the UAE, Europe, Australia, China and the USA.
There will also be a car show in cooperation with SEMA, “where internationally known tuners and parts suppliers will exhibit the latest in aftermarket technologies. Tuners from over 10 countries have already confirmed their attendance and will present an eccentric mix of sports and American muscle cars.
“Visitors will also be entertained with drift shows with Japanese drift cars and 4×4 drifts in the style of the Fast & Furious films, and a custom car competition with live tuning.”
The event is located about 10 minutes by car from the Yas Marina Circuit and Ferrari World, and Dubai can be reached in about 1.5 hours by car. Hotels and facilities to suit all budgets can be found close to the event site.
www.customshowemirates.com
— DealerWorld
Will Electric Bikes Save Harley?–
My father had a Harley in the mid-1980s, which I would ride from time to time. It was an ’83 Sportster, and it leaked oil, and the electrical system would cut off when you turned a corner.
Back then that was called “character.” Today, we’d call it sloppy workmanship.
Insiders bought the company from conglomerate AMF in the early 1980s, and by the end of the decade they’d returned the storied brand to its historical place – a well-made American icon.
Harley Davidson (NYSE: HOG) rode through the 1990s and early 2000s like a company on a mission. It sold a zillion “hogs” to aging professional Baby Boomers (like my father) who longed to connect with some distant part of their DNA that called for rebellion.
The Boomers were the right age, their early 40s, and Harley had the right product.
Then came 2006.
Note that I didn’t say, 2008 or 2009, referring to the financial crisis. Harley’s problem came sooner.
In 2006 the highest number of Boomers reached the prime motorcycle-buying age of 45. Our research suggested that Harley was going to struggle after that, which is exactly what happened.
Since then, Harley has tried to move mountains to regain its pace in selling motorcycles, but to no avail. In its latest earnings report, Harley noted it sold fewer bikes in 2018 than it did in 2017, and expect to sell fewer again this year.
But they have a plan. Harley will introduce the LiveWire Electric Bike later this year, and two electric scooters by 2022.
Unfortunately, it won’t work.
— Rodney Johnson
Rodney is wrong. There’s nothing wrong with Harley-Davidson a new movie or motorcycle television series won’t cure. I remember in the ‘70s when there was a motorcycle downturn and the doomsday folks came out. Harley struggled then came back stronger than ever before. Watch out. –Bandit
THIS JUST IN FROM THE CLIMATE DEPOT–‘We’re F*cked!’ Do you dare read it?! ‘The Climate Paper So Depressing It’s Sending People to Therapy’ – End Times! ‘Societal collapse is indeed inevitable’
Warmists at Vice promote climate doomsday ‘study’: What if I told you there was a paper on climate change that was so uniquely catastrophic, so perspective-altering, and so absolutely depressing that it’s sent people to support groups and encouraged them to quit their jobs and move to the countryside? Good news: there is. It’s called “Deep Adaptation: A Map for Navigating Climate Tragedy.” I was introduced to it via an unlikely source—a guy formerly in advertising who had left his job to become a full-time environmental campaigner. “We’re f*cked,” he told me. “Climate change is going to f*ck us over…
“Deep Adaptation” is quite unlike any other academic paper. There’s the language (“we are about to play Russian Roulette with the entire human race with already two bullets loaded”). There’s the flashes of dark humor (“I was only partly joking earlier when I questioned why I was even writing this paper”). But most of all, there’s the stark conclusions that it draws about the future. Chiefly, that it’s too late to stop climate change from devastating our world—and that “climate-induced societal collapse is now inevitable in the near term.”
How near? About a decade. …
Erik Buitenhuis, a senior researcher at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, tells me that Bendell’s conclusions may sound extreme, but he agrees with the report’s overall assessment. “I think societal collapse is indeed inevitable,” he says, though adds that “the process is likely to take decades to centuries.” Bendell’s view, that governments need to start planning emergency responses to climate change, including growing and stockpiling food. He minces his words even less in his paper: “When I say starvation, destruction, migration, disease, and war, I mean in your own life. With the power down, soon you won’t have water coming out of your tap. You will depend on your neighbors for food and some warmth. You will become malnourished. You won’t know whether to stay or go. You will fear being violently killed before starving to death.”
Climate Depot’s Marc Morano comment: “I hope these people get the help they need. There are always endless ways people can allow themselves to be scared without basis and put into a panic. Climate fears seems to be some kind of stimulating drug for these sad souls. Enjoy the read below. The ultimate antidote to this nonsense?” See:
Skeptical ‘Politically Incorrect Guide To Climate Change’ book surges to #1 Amazon Best Seller in ‘Climatology’ – Goes into its 4th printing as it surpasses Carl Sagan’s ‘Cosmos’ book
By: Marc Morano
AT LAST MOTORCYCLE DESIGNATED LANES–PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia – Providing designated motorcycle lanes on all roads is likely to reduce the risk of accidents involving the vehicle, especially those with small capacity engines, according to Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research Chairman Datuk Suret Singh.
Sol Wallerstein was at the country club for his weekly round of golf. He began his round with an eagle on the first hole and a birdie on the second.
On the third hole he had just scored his first ever hole-in-one when his cell phone rang… It was a doctor notifying him that his wife had just been in an accident and was in critical condition and in ICU. The man told the doctor to inform his wife where he was and that he’d be there as soon as possible.
As he hung up he realized he was leaving what was shaping up to be his best ever round of golf. He decided to get in a couple of more holes before heading to the hospital. He ended up playing all eighteen, finishing his round shooting a personal best 61, shattering the club record by five strokes and beating his previous best game by more than 10. Then he remembered his wife.
Feeling guilty he dashed to the hospital. He saw the doctor in the corridor and asked about his wife’s condition.
The doctor glared at him and shouted, “You went ahead and finished your round of golf didn’t you!” “I hope you’re proud of yourself!” “While you were out for the past four hours enjoying yourself at the country club your wife has been languishing in the ICU!”
“It’s just as well you went ahead and finished that round because it will be more than likely be your last! For the rest of her life she will require round the clock care and you will be her care giver! She will need IV’s; you will have to change her colostomy bag every 3 hours; she will have to be spoon fed 3 times a day and don’t forget the hygiene care.”
The man was feeling so guilty he broke down and sobbed…
The doctor snickered and said, “I’m just fucking with you. She’s dead. What’d you shoot?”
–from El Waggs
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PROJECT BIKE REPORT–
Thank you for taking time for me, and your interest. And I do have an order in with Sugarbear.
Attached is a not too good picture of my chopper and my FL.
The Sporty is my 1st ever build. It is kinda crude, but I wanted it to look like something from late ‘60s, early ‘70s. My pal Mike and I made a lot of the parts ourselves, and got it on the road 5 years ago, when I turned 60.
As you know, you are never done building a bike. This is just the latest condition it is in. The original build included a foot clutch and jockey shifter, but between that and the somewhat long front end, it was a handful to ride. Then a truck blew a stop sign and broadsides me.
I got to take a helicopter ride, which I don’t remember. Then while putting it back together, I came across the basket case FL. Two birds with one stone. Took foot clutch off the sporty and put it on the FL, where it belongs. Made the chopper easier to ride. But the front end wants to flop. Not horrible, but annoying. That is why I ordered the Sugarbear front end.
–Andy
Sugar Bear designs front end specific to your bike and make the trail work so the front end won’t flop, amazing. He’s also building the first Chopper Museum in Sturgis called Chopperville. He needs a partner in the building. He has all the land you will need.–Bandit
CHOW HALL OF THE WEEK— Vito & Nick’s Pizzeria is the Golden Standard for Chicago thin crust style pizza!
Click here to see the full video we just shot there, https://youtu.be/fmIBPEWz58w
Had it for the first time and it was amazing! Perfect thin cracker like crust, they have been using the same Italian sausage recipe for 60 years it is that good, they use a fresh tomato sauce and they cook each pizza well done so the cheese is browned on top to maximize the flavor! Truly the best!
Also order the Italian Beef ( made in-house) and hot giardiniera pizza! Had so much fun and learned a lot hanging out with Rose the owner, such a cool Lady!!
Also if Rose is working, ask for the Pasta dish that Rose made for the Biker Dude, it will change your life!! Get some!!
They are located at,
8433 South Pulaski Road
Chicago, IL 60652
–Bikerdude
THREESOME REPORT RETURNS TO BIKERNET–Threesome Report Trike News is posted for the first time in a long time.
You didn’t think I gave up on Trikes News did ya?
Some great stuff from Florida, New York, Australia – check it out and let me know what you think.
Blast from the past – Two-wheeled Trucks article of mine from 2006 becomes American reality with Trikes as prospective cargo transport vehicles due to increase in online purchases / e-commerce causing rise in parcel postage.
https://www.bikernet.com/pages/TwoWheeled_Trucks.aspx
Ujjwal Dey
Previous Extreme Editor
Bikernet Trikes
wayfarer@bikernet.com
THINKING ABOUT THE STURGIS HALL OF FAME BREAKFAST–
It’s time to start thinking about some of the Sturgis events for 2019. The Induction breakfast is Wednesday morning August 7th. At The Lodge in Deadwood.
All the Museum & Hall Of Fame inductees have been selected and many are people you know and respect. Danny Fitzmaurice ( Zipper’s), Frank Fritz (American Pickers), Jill Parham ( Co-founder J&P), Ron Finch (Finch’s custom Cycle), Ron Paugh ( Paughco), Terry Rymer (Co-Owner Black Hills Harley Davidson,Racer,Promoter), Vince Consiglio ( Freedom Fighter), In Memory of-Lonnie Isam Jr. ( Pappy Hoel Award) Gloria Struck ( Lifetime Achievement Award)
Open seating has gone live today March 1st. All seats are available for purchase online through the Museum website: websitesturgismuseum.com or call 605-347-2001 We are expecting to sell out so don’t hesitate, lock in your seat today!
— Keith Terry
Terry Components
Board of Directors
Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame
TIPS FOR THE 5-BALL RACING SALT TORPEDO–My mother used to do it for my father’s alcohol dragster. She can give you some pointers! LOL This is probably from the late ’70s
— Paul Aiken
Owner
Aeromach USA, LLC
10015 Metromont Ind. Blvd, Ste F
Charlotte, NC 28269
800-990-9392 orders
704-599-1333 office
www.aeromach.net
www.highwayhawk.us
Highway Hawk is a product of Motolux
LIFESTYLE DEAL OF THE WEEK–2012 Harley-Davidson® FLSTN Softail Deluxe $15,995.00
One of the most confidence-inspiring Big Twins, the Softail® Deluxe features an extremely low seat with collapsing sides, pull back handlebars and riser, and easy-reach, extended kickstand.
The powerful, counter-balanced Twin Cam 96B and 6-Speed Cruise Drive transmission are appreciated by many riders. Exquisite style details round out every other corner of this bike, from the clean front light bar, to the tombstone taillight, to the chrome grab rail and luggage rack, to the laced wheels and wide whitewall tires.
The addition of the new Security Package option means riders have the choice of adding anti-lock brakes, giving even more functionality to all this form. Pure nostalgic beauty wrapped around completely modern power and performance.
The Black Tempest and White paint is in very good condition.*NOTE* some chips on rear of front fender. Chrome front end. Chrome axle cover. Chrome wheels with 40 chrome spokes and wide whitewall tires. ABS.
It has 16-inch DNA 1 1/2 Monster Ape Chubby style handlebars with internal wiring. Chrome tear drop mirrors. Chrome auxiliary and headlight are H-D Day Maker bulbs. Chrome bullet style turn signals with amber lenses up front and red out back.
Black wrinkle finish engine with polished fins, chrome rockers covers and push-rod tubes. Arlen Ness Stage-1 Hi-Flow air filter. Chrome Samson exhaust with 32-inch fishtail straight pipes.
Chrome cam and 6 speed covers. Chrome floorboards with chrome heel/toe and brake pedal. Chrome engine guard is DNA matching handlebars. H-D solo seat with chrome grab rail. Pillion pad. Luggage rack. Chrome horn and coil cover.
Chrome primary with 103 derby cover. Tombstone taillight. Chrome belt guard. 4 point docking. This bike has passed Lifestyle Cycles rigorous 101-point safety and mechanical inspection. Whether your looking to commute to work, ride the coast or take that dream vacation, this bike is ready to go!!!
HARLEY-DAVIDSON ELECTRIFIES THE FUTURE OF TWO-WHEELS WITH LIVEWIRE– LiveWire Motorcycle and Groundbreaking Lightweight Electric Concepts Shine at Geneva International Motor Show
Harley-Davidson is displaying the highly anticipated 2020 LiveWire™ along with three lightweight EV future concepts at the Geneva International Motor Show. In addition to updated production specifications for LiveWire, the company announced that European pre-orders for LiveWire will open in April at h-d.com/LiveWire with deliveries expected in Q4 2019 in most European countries. U.S. pre-orders are open now.
Today, Harley-Davidson announced final production-verified performance figures for LiveWire:
0 to 60 mph in 3.0 seconds and 60 to 80 mph in 1.9 seconds
140 miles (225 km) of city range or 88 miles (142 km) of combined stop-and-go and highway range as measured using the MIC City and MIC Combined (70mph) tests*
Standard DC Fast Charge technology which provides a 0-80% of battery charge in 40 minutes or 0-100% in 60 minutes
Harley-Davidson is showcasing two lightweight electrified future concepts recently displayed at CES, along with a new prototype Harley-Davidson- branded two-wheeled electric bike for kids. The new bike is the result of the recently reported acquisition of substantially all the assets of StaCyc, Inc., and further expands Harley-Davidson’s electric portfolio to include electric two-wheelers for young children ages 3 and older, and less than 75 lbs. Full details can be found in the attached StaCyc press release.
“The LiveWire is the apex in a new era of EV propulsion from Harley-Davidson. As leaders in the electrification of motorcycling, we’re fulfilling our commitment by offering a full range of e-two-wheelers for the youngest of riders, all the way to the rider who is looking for a premium, high-performance EV experience,” said Marc McAllister Vice President Product Planning and Portfolio.
Harley-Davidson’s electric motorcycle portfolio is a significant part of the More Roads to Harley-Davidson plan to accelerate building the next generation of riders through new products in additional motorcycle segments, broader access and a commitment to strengthen dealers globally.
An all-New EV Riding Experience
Accessible to new motorcyclists and a thrill for accomplished riders, the LiveWire motorcycle is the perfect combination of power, performance and technology. Features include:
Performance and range optimized for the urban street-rider: The high-voltage battery provides 140 miles (225 km) of city range or 88 miles (142 km) of combined stop-and-go and highway range as measured using the J2982 Riding Range Test Procedure MIC City and MIC Combined (70mph) tests*. A DC Fast Charge (DCFC) may be used to charge the LiveWire™ motorcycle through a SAE J1772 connector (CCS2 – IEC type 2 charging connector in European and some other international markets). All Harley-Davidson dealers who sell the LiveWire™ motorcycle will offer a public DCFC charging station. DCFC can provide a 0-80% of battery capacity in 40 minutes or 0-100% in 60 minutes.
Amazing acceleration: from 0 to 60 mph in 3.0 seconds and 60-80 in 1.9 seconds. The instant torque provided by the H-D Revelation™ electric powertrain can produce 100 percent of its rated torque once the throttle is twisted, and 100 percent of that torque is always available. Top speed is 110mph.
Twist-and-go ease of use: Livewire’s electric powertrain requires no clutch and no gear shifting, greatly simplifying operation for new riders. All riders will appreciate the braking effect of the power regeneration mode as it adds charge to the battery, especially in stop-and-go urban traffic.
Handling and control: The LiveWire motorcycle is equipped with an Electronic Chassis Control (ECC) system that utilizes the cornering-enhanced Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Traction Control System (TCS) and Drag-Torque Slip Control System (DSCS) to monitor and manage front and rear brake torque as well as motor torque to the rear wheel to enhance rider control and balance vehicle performance across diverse riding environments.
The system is fully electronic and utilizes the latest six-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU) and ABS sensor technology. The separate functions of ECC work together to give the rider more confidence and control in less-than-ideal situations.
H-D Connect Service: Subject to available markets, the LiveWire is equipped with H-D Connect, which pairs motorcycle riders with their bikes through an LTE-enabled Telematics Control Unit coupled with connectivity and cloud services using the latest version of the Harley-Davidson Mobile App.
With H-D Connect, data is collected and transferred to the mobile app to provide information to the rider’s smartphone about:
Motorcycle status: Information available through H-D Connect includes battery charge status and available range from any location where a sufficient cellular signal is available. This allows the rider to remotely check the charge status including charge level and time to completion. Riders will be able to locate a charging station with ease thanks to an integrated location finder built into the H-D App.
Tamper alerts and vehicle location: H-D Connect indicates the location of the parked LiveWire motorcycle and alerts can be sent to the rider’s smartphone if the bike is tampered with or moved. GPS-enabled stolen-vehicle tracking provides peace of mind that the motorcycle’s location can be tracked.**
Service reminders and notifications: Reminders about upcoming vehicle service requirements, automated service reminders and other vehicle care notifications.
Premium Components: Premium high-performance SHOWA® BFRC™ (Balanced Free Rear Cushion-lite) mono-shock rear suspension is fully adjustable and designed to deliver a comfortable ride and precise handling. Premium SHOWA® SFF-BP® (Separate Function front Fork-Big Piston) match the performance and adjustability of the rear shock and deliver exceptional low-speed damping control – ideal for composed control in typical urban riding conditions.
Brembo® Monoblock front brake calipers grip dual 300 mm-diameter rotors and deliver outstanding power with a crisp feel for confident braking performance.
Distinctive Harley-Davidson sound, minimal vibration: The H-D Revelation electric powertrain produces minimal vibration, heat, and noise, all of which enhance rider comfort.
The LiveWire model is designed to produce a new signature Harley-Davidson sound as it accelerates and gains speed. This new futuristic sound represents the smooth, electric power of the LiveWire motorcycle.
For more information on the “More Roads to Harley-Davidson” plan, go to https://investor.harley-davidson.com/news-and-events/accelerated-strategy . For information about career opportunities at Harley-Davidson, including roles supporting research and development of electric products, please visit us at https://www.harley-davidson.com/careers
*Riding range estimates provided following SAE J2982 Riding Range Test Procedure and are based on expected performance of a fully-charged battery when operated under specified conditions. Actual range will vary depending on riding habits, ambient weather and equipment conditions.
**(Requires law enforcement assistance. Available in select markets).
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CREATIVITY OF THE WEEK–Paintings of historic & significant motorcycles—By Lyndell Dean Wolff. An acrylic painting on canvas.
BAD LAWS NEWS–Tolls to be “Deemed Approved” After 15 Days Without Vote By Legislature in Latest Bill
A tolling bill crafted by the Connecticut Transportation Committee contains a provision which allows a tolling proposal by the Connecticut Department of Transportation to pass without a vote by the legislature.
According to Raised Bill 7280, the General Assembly will have only 15 days to vote on tolling recommendations from the Connecticut Department of Transportation after an informational hearing, otherwise the tolling proposal will pass and be submitted to the Federal Highway Administration.
The DOT may then begin construction of the tolling gantries on the proposed roads and enter into agreements with toll operators, according to the language in the bill.
Although the bill specifies DOT shall make recommendations for tolls on I-84, I-95, I-91 and the Merritt Parkway – similar to the governor’s bill – it also leaves open the possibility for tolls on other highways as well.
The tolling proposal “may include implementing electronic tolling systems on other limited access highways, or portions thereof, if the commissioner determines such implementation is necessary and provides the rationale for such implementation.”
The DOT’s latest tolling study called for 82 tolling gantries on all highways throughout the state to raise $1 billion in yearly revenue. Gov. Lamont has proposed tolling only the interstates and the Merritt Parkway, but reversed his campaign pledge to only toll trucks.
Although this is not first time the legislature will have ceded its authority through a deemed approved clause, the fifteen-day limit is short. Until 2017, union contracts were deemed approved after 30 days, resulting in 124 contracts being passed without a vote in either chamber between 1991 and 2017.
Despite the bill’s language allowing the state to immediately begin construction of the toll gantries, the state would still need the approval of the Federal Highway Administration, which has already said Connecticut is in “new territory,” because no other state has undertaken tolling existing highways – and certainly not all the existing highways.
But time may be of the essence for the state’s Special Transportation Fund. Gov. In his budget proposal, Gov. Ned Lamont balances the state budget, in part, by withholding sales tax revenue from the STF, leaving the fund bankrupt within two years and depriving the transportation fund by over $729 million by 2024.
Unless the tolls are up and running by that point, the state’s ability to borrow and spend money on fixing roads and bridges could be in serious jeopardy.
Lamont hopes the tolls will be installed and collecting revenue by 2023.
The bill would also create the Connecticut Transportation Finance Authority, made up of thirteen members including three senators, three representatives, gubernatorial appointees and commissioners of various state departments, including DOT.
The Transportation Authority will be able to set toll rates, approve capital plans, establish an “infrastructure bank” and issue bonds.
The bill crafted by the Transportation Committee constitutes a wish-list for Democratic leadership, which has pushed separate bills in the past for tolls or a transportation authority with the ability to implement tolls and an infrastructure bank.
The bill is one of several which will receive a public hearing before the Transportation Committee on Wednesday March 6, but the anti-toll movement in Connecticut has been gaining steam over recent weeks.
No Tolls CT has held a series of rallies across the state, prompting some local transportation committees to recommend passing town resolutions against tolls in Trumbull and Stamford. The Town of Enfield passed a resolution opposing tolls.
AFSCME Rep. Threatens to “Scorch the Earth” in Small Connecticut Town
What would have been an un-eventful labor contract renewal in the small town of Harwinton became highly-charged altercation on January 18 when AFSCME Council 4 representative Kelly Cashman “stormed” into the office of First Selectman Michael Criss. “She said she would ‘scorch the earth in Harwinton’ and sue me and …
Home- Schoolers Warn of DCF Monitoring After Rep. Email, Descend on Capitol
MARCH 1, 2019
Hundreds of home-schooling families wearing red packed overflow rooms to watch and testify at a public hearing before the Education Committee over fears that a provision in Gov. Ned Lamont’s school regionalization bill will force them to register with their school district and that the information will be monitored.
JIMS SOCKET OF THE OF THE WEEK– Castlenut Socket for Softail Inverted Forks–The new Softail® inverted forks utilize a unique inner fork nut (Castlenut) to secure and compress the fork spring.
For $81.85, this one-piece solid steel socket is designed to help the technician by securing the socket to the joint rod prior to final assembly. For more information please contact us at (805) 482-6913, email us at sales@jimsusa.com, or visit www.jimsusa.com.
If you have any questions, please call me directly at (805) 482-6913. Your time in reviewing these current, past, or future press releases is greatly appreciated. You have been Bcc’d to protect email privacy.
–Greg Thiessen
JIMS
555 Dawson Drive,
Camarillo, CA 93012
Ph: 805-482-6913
www.jimsusa.com
NEW FEATURE AT LOWBROWS–Sam’s 1969 Slabside Shovelhead
The latest edition of the Lowbrow Spotlight just hit our Blog, with Sam Long’s ’69 H-D Slabside Shovelhead. We hope you enjoy!
Click on our banner and let us know what you want to see more coverage of.. choppers, Harleys, vintage stock bikes, Triumphs, race bikes or…..?
BIKERNET POLITICAL COMMENTARY–If the shoe fits….
I used to think I was just a regular person, but
I was born white and now, whether I like it or not, makes me a racist.
I am a fiscal and moral conservative, which by today’s standards, makes me a fascist.
I am heterosexual, which now makes me homophobic.
I was christened as a baby, which now labels me as an infidel.
I am retired, which makes me useless.
I think and I reason, therefore I doubt much the main stream media tells me, which must make me a reactionary.
I am proud of my heritage, which makes me a xenophobe.
I value my safety and that of my family and I appreciate the police and the legal system, this makes me a right-wing extremist.
I believe in hard work, fair play and fair compensation according to each individual’s merits, which today makes me an anti-socialist.
I (and most of the folks I know), acquired a fair education without student loan debts and little or no debt, which makes me some kind of an odd underachiever.
I believe in the defense and protection of my country and I honor those that served or are serving, in the Armed Forces, this now makes me a right wing-militant.
Funny …it’s all just taken place over the last 7 or 8 years!
Please help me come to terms with the new me… because I’m just not sure who the hell I am anymore!
As if all this nonsense wasn’t enough to deal with. Now I’m not even sure which toilet I should use!
EDITOR’S NOTE: The magnificent Stealth wrote this one week before the wild Easyriders Bike Show in Charlotte, NC. This show was always one of the best in the Easyrider annual series of shows. It consistently brought out the best in customs from the Easter seaboard. Mike faced stiff competition and a dire deadline to finish this restoration on time. Hang on!
Don’t miss it.
–Bandit
BIKERNET HISTORY LESSON–God & 3 Mistakes
What God did at Pearl Harbor that day is interesting and I never knew this little bit of history.
Tour boats ferry people out to the USS Arizona Memorial in Hawaii every thirty minutes. We just missed a ferry and had to wait thirty minutes. I went into a small gift shop to kill time.
In the gift shop, I purchased a small book entitled, “Reflections on Pearl Harbor” by Admiral Chester Nimitz.
Sunday, December 7th, 1941–Admiral Chester Nimitz was attending a concert in Washington, DC. He was paged and told there was a phone call for him. When he answered the phone, it was President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on the phone.
He told Admiral Nimitz that he (Nimitz) would now be the Commander of the Pacific Fleet. Admiral Nimitz flew to Hawaii to assume command of the Pacific Fleet. He landed at Pearl Harbor on Christmas Eve, 1941.
On Christmas Day, 1941, Adm. Nimitz was given a boat tour of the destruction wrought on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese . Big sunken battleships and navy vessels cluttered the waters everywhere you looked. As the tour boat returned to dock, the young helmsman of the boat asked, “Well Admiral, what do you think after seeing all this destruction?”
Admiral Nimitz’s reply shocked everyone within the sound of his voice. Admiral Nimitz said, “The Japanese made three of the biggest mistakes an attack force could ever make, or God was taking care of America. Which do you think it was?”
Nimitz explained:
Mistake number one: The Japanese attacked on Sunday morning. Nine out of every ten crewmen of those ships were ashore on leave. If those same ships had been lured to sea and been sunk–we would have lost 38,000 men instead of 3,800.
Mistake number two:
When the Japanese saw all those battleships lined in a row, they got so carried away sinking those battleships, they never once bombed our dry docks opposite those ships. If they had destroyed our dry docks, we would have had to tow every one of those ships to America to be repaired. As it is now, the ships are in shallow water and can be raised. One tug can pull them over to the dry docks, and we can have them repaired and at sea by the time we could have towed them to America. And I already have crews ashore anxious to man those ships.
Mistake number three: Every drop of fuel in the Pacific theater of war is in top of the ground storage tanks five miles away over that hill. One attack plane could have strafed those tanks and destroyed our fuel supply.
That’s why I say the Japanese made three of the biggest mistakes an attack force could make or, God was taking care of America.
I’ve never forgotten what I read in that little book. It is still an inspiration as I reflect upon it. In jest, I might suggest that because Admiral Nimitz was a Texan, born and raised in Fredericksburg, Texas — he was a born optimist.
But any way you look at it–Admiral Nimitz was able to see a silver lining in a situation and circumstance where everyone else saw only despair and defeatism.
President Roosevelt had chosen the right man for the right job. We desperately needed a leader that could see silver lining in the midst of the clouds of dejection, despair and defeat.
There is a reason that our national motto is, IN GOD WE TRUST. Why have we forgotten? PRAY FOR OUR COUNTRY! In God we trust!
Americans need to stand with one another!
–from Mr. Wonderful
SALT TORPEDO UPDATE–
Spoke to Dennis Manning about the FIM book and the harness today. He gave me some insight and history.
I spoke to Jeff Cochran, of Speed King today about the master cylinders and the plunger rods. The first GMA was 5/16 and the new 5/8 bore cylinder has ¼-inch rod. I also spoke to him about plunger lift.
I drew up the plans for the garage roll-up door fix. Phillips steel is cutting me one for $25.00. They complimented me on the drawing. We’ll see how it works out…
I went to staples to have the FIM rule books printed. From a streamliner standpoint, Denis said that there would be no differences, but since the Trike category only exist in the FIM book, we need to review it.
The Boob Ride CA 2019 – Not your mama’s kind of charity.
Outrageous, irreverent, and fun? Yep! The Boob Ride is back for its 10th year raising money for breast cancer patients in their last mile of treatment.
100% of the riders’ registrations go to the cause while we challenge social norms and belly-up to the line with our coveted Bra Awards that parody the Tour de France, boob cookies and mammograms, and festive spirit that gets people off their couch and riding.
We have some outrageous fun, while raising money to help low-income breast cancer patients solve their daily needs like transportation to treatment, food delivery, house cleaning, and paying their bills.
Don’t be a boob, register now!
IT’S A STRANGE DAY IN PARADISE—I’m lost, but tonight is Whiskey Night at the Bikernet Headquarters and the crystal ball will clear up again. Yeah right!
I blew through the week without a Weekend Round-up. But I promise the girls for next week.
My Son and Grandson just returned from a San Angelo, Texas tattoo convention. My son is suddenly anxious to open a Ball Dynasty Tattoo Shop in Long Beach, CA and celebrate my history and their tattoo art. Then he said, “I can’t do it until next year.” And I breathed a sigh of relief.
I’m finishing up my Life and Times story about the Chowder Barge and how it changed my life, and it wasn’t the chowder. They need to fix that. It was unique.
Here’s my riding partners for the run to Sturgis in 1997. Dale Gorman on the left, me and Mark Lonsdale, who spend 10 years in Iraq training the troops.
