The history of Deadwood’s Chinese, and the tragic loss of an important landmark.
Editor’s Note: Bikernet got a hold of an historic home in Deadwood in the Presidential area. We decided on a Chinese whorehouse theme. We discovered this 110 year-old home was built over the original cemetery where Wild Bill was buried. Someone got the bright idea to dig up the bodies and move them up above Lincoln Street. Here’s some of the Chinese history in Deadwood.
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from https://www.motorcycleprofilingproject.com/
The National Council of Clubs, representing the interests of motorcycle clubs and thousands of their members in every state in America, is both concerned and appalled at recent reports of Veterans organizations, including some VFW, American Legion, and Eagles posts, among others, denying access to individuals expressing membership in motorcycle clubs.
So what’s the solution? The Texas Council of Clubs & Independents recent campaign in response to a policy of discrimination announced by the state VFW serves as an example of a successful strategy for others facing similar acts of discrimination by private Veterans organizations in their states.
Texas VFW General Orders of discrimination
Dated October 2019, the Department of Texas VFW sent General Orders to all VFW Posts throughout the state outlining a new written policy which includes a provision excluding all 1% MC members, employing gang labeling, from VFW events and property.
The TCOC&I quickly became aware of the General Orders through local VFW posts in numerous areas of the state and immediately began a campaign responding to the new policy of discrimination. Motorcycle clubs have a long history of having events at VFW posts, many motorcyclists are members, and relationships are strong in many places in Texas, as they are throughout America.
TCOC&I uses social media to apply pressure
Representatives of the TCOC&I began spreading the VFW letter through social media channels. Thousands in Texas and across the country became aware. On October 9th, a direct response from the TCOC&I in the form of a formal letter was sent to the Texas VFW outlining the community’s request that the policy be reversed. The TCOC&I emphasized the historical ties between the MC community and VFW’s throughout Texas. 38% of the club community are Veterans, more than five times the national average. MC meetings, benefits, and social events are a common occurrence.
According to a TCOC&I representative, this letter resulted in a meeting between representatives of both the Texas VFW and TCOC&I, including the local Austin VFW President. On Saturday, October 12, 2019, the TCOC&I emphasized the importance of not allowing the actions of the few influence how the VFW regards all motorcycle clubs, including 1%’ERS, and how they are treated. The TCOC&I also made a formal request for written explanation of the specifics that led to the General Orders and confirmation of a policy reversal. VFW representatives committed to bringing the TCOC&I’s concerns to Keith King, Texas VFW State Commander.
The Texas VFW reverses policy of discrimination
On October 22, 2019 Paul Landers, representing the TCOC&I, reached out to the Texas VFW for an update or statement following the October 12 meeting. Landers was notified that King would meet the following day to personally discuss the General Orders at Issue.
After meeting on October 23 the VFW State Commander opened his mind and listened, according to. Landers.
“King explained that the policy was due to publicized incidents of violence and 1% MC’s in Texas. But after listening to our perspective he changed his perspective. The actions of the few should not impact the rights of the whole. King agreed to a written policy change that does NOT exclude MC’s and 1% clubs from VFW property”, says Landers.
A model response to discrimination
The TCOC&I serves as a model example on how to respond to Veteran organization discrimination against the motorcycling community.
First, social media channels were flooded with the VFW’s General Orders in order to increase awareness and generate independent complaint streams. The more individuals that reach out and complain means the more leverage an official complaint will have.
Second, an official complaint and request for policy reversal was drafted and sent to the Texas VFW. The complaint outlined the close connection between MC’s and Veterans and argued the VFW is profiling and discriminating against the very people they exist to serve.
Third, meetings were arranged with VFW representatives in order to resolve the issue. Capable spokespersons persuaded the VFW to not punish all MC members for the actions of the few. The final result was a reversing a discriminatory policy.
The entire TCOC&I campaign was implemented and completed within days of the original letter being sent by the VFW. The campaign was cost-free and 100% relied upon active volunteer participation.
Conclusions
The shortsighted policy of excluding MC’s from Veteran’s organizations is appalling and unacceptable. Many in the MC community are loyal veterans, and Americans, and should not be the target of discrimination at home, particularly at the hands of other Veterans.
The TCOC&I blueprint can be modeled and implemented anywhere, in any state. No need to recreate the wheel.
Silence is consent.
by Rachit Vats, Ankit Ajmera from https://www.reuters.com
(Reuters) – Harley-Davidson Inc (HOG.N) beat expectations for profit on Tuesday and stuck to its full-year shipment forecast, allaying fears of another major hit from European import tariffs and a further slump in sales in its main U.S. market.
Shares of the company rose as much as 8.8% to $40.36, as it posted the first rise in international sales in a year during the third quarter and a 3.6% dip in U.S. retail motorcycle sales – the smallest decline in nearly three years.
Profits continued to sink – by 24% – but the results offered some hope that one of the biggest names in motorcycles was finally beginning to arrest a slide in global sales that it has been fighting for years.
Sales in the world’s biggest motorcycle markets in Asia, which Harley has targeted with smaller bikes that go against its traditional profile, rose 8.7% in the quarter and are up about 1.6% this year overall.
The company plans to source half of its revenue from overseas by 2027 and international retail sales rose 2.7% to 23,619 motorcycle in the quarter.
While worldwide shipments fell 5.8% to 45,837 motorcycles, they topped analysts’ estimates by over 1,000 motorcycles, and the Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based company stuck to its 2019 shipment target of 212,000 to 217,000 bikes.
“As we look to the remainder of 2019, we are encouraged by the momentum of retail sales trends through the first nine months of this year but also recognize substantial headwinds that we continue to face,” Chief Financial Officer John Olin said.
The company is also cutting spending and said it now expects 2019 capital expenses of $205 million to $225 million, about $20 million less than its previous estimates.
Excluding items, the company earned 70 cents per share, beating Wall Street expectations of 52 cents while revenue from motorcycles and related products overall fell 4.9% to $1.07 billion.
The company, which has been criticized by President Donald Trump for its plan to shift some U.S. production overseas, has also been battling the effects of trade tensions on its business globally.
Harley said on Tuesday retaliatory import duties imposed by the European Union and China on its bikes would cost the company about $105 million in 2019, up from its prior estimate of $100, with about $90 million of the hit coming from EU tariffs.
Brussels in June raised import duties on U.S.-manufactured Harley bikes to 31% from 6%, and the company said the impact from tariffs more than doubled in the third quarter from a year ago to $21.6 million.
In response, Harley plans to begin shipping bikes from its Thailand plant but a delay in regulatory approval from the trading bloc means it will not see any benefit in earnings before the second quarter of 2020.
By Jim Weiker from The Columbus Dispatch at https://www.cantonrep.com
When Honda celebrated its 40th anniversary in Ohio this week, the milestone carried special meaning for employee Neil Vining.
Vining was 22 in 1979 when he landed a job at a new motorcycle factory Honda was opening in Marysville.
Today, Vining is a chief engineer at Honda. He is one of two employees still at Honda who were there when Honda of America opened its first U.S. operation in Ohio.
Vining’s journey with Honda is an illustration of the company’s journey.
Like many Americans, Vining didn’t know what to expect from the company. By the 1970s, Japanese cars and motorcycles were well-established among consumers, but not among employees.
Vining worked at Tecumseh’s Marion factory but was weary of the laid-off, back-to-work cycle of the plant. (Tecumseh closed the factory in 1984.) He was curious about Honda, which he had followed in the newspaper since the manufacturer announced in October 1977 that it would build a factory in Ohio.
“Every week I watched the paper looking for that final notice about when I could send my application,” said Vining, who had bought his first Honda motorcycle when he was 16.
In March, 1979, he had his chance and interviewed for a position, not knowing what to expect. After all, there was no track record of Japanese automotive manufacturers in the U.S.
“Remember that the Japanese automotive industry was initially considered a curiosity. They made econoboxes no one wanted,” said Giorgio Rizzoni, director of the Center for Automotive Research at Ohio State University.
“Then they became real competitors to Detroit. For a long time, there was quite a bit of resentment in regard to Japanese automakers in the U.S. But Honda managed this transition in an extremely elegant way.”
Three months after he interviewed, Vining was hired and almost immediately discovered this job would be different.
“I was at my girlfriend’s house on a Sunday afternoon and they called and asked if I could go to Japan,” he recalled. “I really wasn’t expecting that.”
Vining grew up on a farm near Ostrander and had graduated from Buckeye Valley High School in 1975. He had never been out of the country.
After learning how to weld motorcycles in Japan, Vining returned to Ohio to help install equipment that would be used to turn out Honda’s Elsinore CR 250 motorcycle. The first cycle rolled off the line Sept. 10, 1979, a modest start to Honda’s U.S. journey.
Vining recalls how unusually clean and orderly the assembly line seemed — an impression magnified by the ubiquitous white uniforms — and received another clue that this was a different company.
“Within the third or fourth week of working here, they asked, ‘Where would you like to be in a few years at Honda?’ ” Vining said. “That’s was a surprise. I don’t think people recognized the potential the company had.”
That approach was revolutionary in an industry famous for labor-management battles.
“There’s a culture at Honda where every individual, no matter what their rank, every voice counts, everyone wears the Honda white and every voice is important,” Rizzoni said. “Everyone is encouraged to speak up to look for ways for improvement.”
On the day the Elsinore came off the line, Honda announced it was building an automotive assembly plant near the Marysville motorcycle plant.
“When I realized it was going to be a career for me was on our initial launch date of Sept. 10,” Vining said. “That day our president announced that they would start the auto plant, so we knew it was going to be around for a while.”
Vining helped install equipment for the plant, and shifted to the auto line to help launch the first U.S.-built Honda Accord in November 1982, the first car built in the U.S. by any Japanese manufacturer.
That plant launched decades of growth for the manufacturer in Ohio: a research and development facility in 1985; an engine plant in Anna, in 1985; a second assembly line in 1986; a second automotive plant, in East Liberty, in 1989; a transmissions plant, in Russells Point, in 1996; and the Performance Manufacturing Center, in 2016.
Honda’s initial investment of $35 million in the motorcycle plant was dwarfed over the decades. The company now estimates its total Ohio investment at $11 billion. Those 64 original Ohio workers grew to 15,000 in Ohio and 25,000 throughout the U.S.
Over the years, motorcycles were joined by a string of Hondas and Acuras, including Vining’s favorite, the Acura NSX performance car. Together, the three Ohio plants have turned out more than 20 million vehicles. (The motorcycle plant closed in 2009.)
As Honda grew, so did Vining. He worked on the automotive line until 1990, when he was assigned to plant engineering, examining manufacturing capacity in Ohio and beyond. Far from the wide-eyed country kid on his first trip overseas, Vining has now traveled to Japan 20 times.
Vining and his wife, Tami, continue to grow soybeans on their Ostrander farm and he is starting to ponder life after Honda.
“How often in your life do you get a chance to work with a team of people to build something important?” Vining said. “Honda also built me, so when you talk about retirement, and the next adventure, I feel like I have a lot of experience now that I can use to help people.”
200 strangers give dying man a rousing sendoff.
To many who ride, motorcycles are far more than a means of transportation. Bikes are a culture, an identity, and a way of life. Even after health issues or old age force some riders to call it quits, that passion never diminishes. Recently, as one terminally ill life-long biker prepared to say goodbye to this world, he decided his final wish was to hear the roar of an American V-Twin one last time.
61-year-old Indiana resident and cruiser enthusiast Jon Stanley—who’d previously been diagnosed with brain and lung cancer—was on his last leg, and his family sadly knew it. Stanley had recently bought himself a Harley Softail, though after taking it out on only a handful of occasions, the progression of his illness forced him to park it for good. Even though he could no longer ride, Stanley nonetheless relayed to his family that he just wanted to hear a motorcycle through his window.
Stanley’s brother-in-law reached out to a local South Bend rider named David Thompson, via Facebook, explaining Stanley’s situation and request. Not only did Thompson oblige, but he took it one step further, putting out a call to action on social media, asking other bikers in the region to join in. Just 12 hours after David was initially contacted, he and some 200 other riders were on their way to Stanley’s home.
Once there Stanley—a longtime ABATE member and military vet—was treated to his final wish, as more than a collective quarter-million CC’s of America V-Twin sang out. With the assistance of his family, Stanley was carried outside and helped into a sidecar, where he sat and enjoyed the bellow of a big-bore twin for the last time. Stanley finally succumbed to his battle with cancer later that same night, surrounded by his wife and family in his Indiana home.
Big kudos to David Thompson for getting the ball rolling on this, along with every other rider who showed up to grant a dying man—and fellow rider—his final wish. Definitely one of the more touching examples of bikers helping bikers. Ride In Peace Jon Stanley.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Sam & Dave’s 1967 hit single “Soul Man”; the classic radio western “Gunsmoke”; Ritchie Valens’ groundbreaking 1958 sensation “La Bamba”; the revolutionary 1968 Broadway musical “Hair”; and Neil Diamond’s 1969 “Sweet Caroline,” which became a popular sports anthem, are the newest recordings inducted into the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress.
Isaac Hayes, the “Soul Man” song’s creator, found the inspiration for the song that’s become an anthem in the turmoil of the civil rights movement of the 1960s. The dynamic vocal duo of Sam & Dave (Sam Moore and David Prater) recorded it with Hayes and Porter producing, backed by Stax Records regulars Booker T. and the M.G.’s and the Mar-Keys’ horns. “Soul Man” is instantly recognizable by its first few notes, with its distinctive horn lines and guitarist Steve Cropper’s trademark sliding sixths. The engine that powers “Soul Man” is Donald “Duck” Dunn’s infectious, ebullient bassline.
“The National Recording Registry honors the music that enriches our souls, the voices that tell our stories and the sounds that mirror our lives” said Hayden. “The influence of recorded sound over its nearly 160-year history has been profound and technology has increased its reach and significance exponentially. The Library of Congress and its many collaborators are working to preserve these sounds and moments in time, which reflect our past, present and future.”
More information on the National Recording Registry can be found at www.loc.gov/programs/national-recording-preservation-board/about-this-program/.
The new recordings to the National Recording Registry bring the total number of titles on the registry to 525, a small part of the Library’s vast recorded-sound collection of nearly 3 million items.
The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library.
About The Legendary Soul Man™ Sam Moore: https://sammoore.net/
The first 20-plus years of Sam Moore’s sensational career began by lending his unmistakable lead vocals to soul duo Sam & Dave. The 1967 smash hit “Soul Man,” catapulted the duo’s career up the Pop and R&B Charts, selling more than 10 million records worldwide and ultimately an induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Moore also scored critical acclaim and numerous awards as a solo artist for more than 35 years, performing at some of the world’s most iconic and notable venues, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, The Hollywood Bowl, The Ryman Auditorium, The Grand Ole Opry, Royal Albert Hall, Nippon Budokan, The John F. Kennedy Center, The White House, Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument. Moore has recently joined Florida International University (FIU) as an Artist in Residence for their Center of Humanities to build a program around the artist histories that shaped our culture through music.
With International Women’s Day on 8th March, we would like to showcase two stories from Women on Trikes series. Read how Susan and Nerolie got into triking and why they are living the dream with Trikes.
https://www.touroztrikes.com.au
Susan – “Wild and crazy and it felt a little bit rebellious”
A surprise and spontaneous ride to high school on the back of a friends new Trike while living in a small country town in New Zealand, was the very moment I knew I wanted one. It was love at first ride, I was hooked.
At the time I was not old enough to have a car licence, but I will never forget how it felt to be on the back of the Trike. It was cool and it was different, lots of people had two-wheeler bikes, but this chopped up, backyard, custom made Trike was the real deal, it was wild and crazy and felt a little bit rebellious.
I moved back to Australia a few years later, and I never really saw many trikes. Every so often I would look around to buy one, but they were hard to find and never quite what I was looking for.
Most trikes were motorbike conversions but I wanted a long-raked style trike with a low centre of gravity but also one that would not spend more time in the garage being pulled apart and repaired. I’m not a mechanic, I just wanted to ride.
Life got in the way of my dream – kids, family, work all took priority for many years, and a trike was not something I could afford and it was not practical. How would I fit a baby seat to a trike?
In my early forties, the internet had made looking for a trike a lot easier, but they were still hard to find. I was prepared to travel to America to find a trike and bring it back to Australia, as there seemed to be a much bigger selection of trikes overseas than there were in Australia.
I finally came across the custom-made German Rewaco Trikes and could not believe my luck when I discovered they had a dealer in Australia.
I collected my trike around Valentine’s Day and it is still the love of my life. Since owning my trike and racking up nearly 50,000Ks I have met people from all walks of life, been involved in charity and fundraising events which give me a great amount of satisfaction but most of all I just love the wild, crazy rebellious feeling of cruising around Australia.
People young and old still stop and stare, and most fuel stops involve a conversation with a stranger asking what sort of motor it has. I still giggle at the reactions I get and the shocked whisper of “oh and it’s a girl riding it”.
Kids stare out the back window of their parent’s car waving at me, and I always wonder if one of them will grow up remembering the first time they saw my trike cruising down the highway and want one when they are older.
Nerolie fell in love with a Trike too
“Geez, that’s bright green, not sure about the colour. Then the green seemed to grow on us and now I absolutely love Kermmi!”
Growing up on a farm allowed me to ride motorbikes all the time…this sadly all changed once I moved into a town. Years went by and at the age of 38, I decided life is too short and went and got a motorbike licence. Read more…
I started with a Yamaha 650 Vstar. Due to an injury, I struggled to ride it or even get it out of the garage.
My partner Brendon and I had heard about trikes. We decided to look into buying one as this would enable me to still enjoy riding and it was something we could both still do together.
April 2016, we headed off to Bendigo to have a look at TOUROZ Trikes and maybe have a test ride to see if we liked them.
Col had a green and black demo RF1 LT sitting there.
First thoughts were: Geez, that is a bright green, unsure if I like that colour.
After some chatting with Col the green seemed to grow on us. Well the test ride did not happen, we said stuff it, you only live once!
We came home with that beautiful green machine nearly 3 years ago, and I haven’t looked back…
I absolutely love Kermmi. I feel so great riding, and the freedom you feel with no pain! I would not change it for the world.
Season Opening Events Taking Place March 22 – 24 at Showrooms Nationwide
Mountain View, Calif. (February 22, 2019) – Ducati North America is celebrating the warm riding weather just around the bend by bringing its national Season Opening to participating dealerships March 22 – 24. The annual event offers Ducati owners and new fans their first opportunity to experience the Italian brand’s new line of motorcycles in person, which includes 10 new models for 2019, built for every riding level and encompassing all the Ducati worlds, ranging from Racetrack, Travel, Lifestyle and Scrambler, to Sport & Fun.
For details, motorcyclists – or anyone interested in learning how to ride – can sign up here to learn more about the 2019 bikes or can locate their nearest Ducati dealership online at: https://www.ducati.com/us/en/dealers
One relevant addition to the 2019 Ducati stable is the all-new Diavel 1260, the first significantly new Diavel since its debut in 2010, with a new 1262 cc engine and muscular styling – making it a completely new motorcycle. It’s perfect for experiencing summer winds along the coast, refreshing spring breezes down winding mountain roads or cruising with style down the backroads of America. Power and technology mix in the new Diavel 1260 to create the most advanced Diavel to date and, with low monthly payments, financing for the Diavel 1260 can be priced starting as low as $265.95 per month.
Sign up here to learn more about the new Diavel 1260: https://contact.ducati.com/ww/en/season-opening-2019/light/s
Also, existing 2018 models can be available with APR as low as 0% through Ducati Premier Financing, or with special offers on Ducati Apparel and Ducati Accessories. For more information, clients should contact their nearest Ducati dealership.
Ducati 2019 Season Opening Motorcycles
Scrambler Icon [As Low As $118.17 Per Month] – The Scrambler brand was launched in 2014 and has become Ducati’s best-selling model by volume. For 2019, the new Scrambler Icon continues this vintage-inspired-joy of a motorcycle with important technological updates in the world of safety, including Bosch Cornering ABS. Visually, the new motorcycle continues retro-inspired style with new, beefier side panels to match the steel of the teardrop tank and the glass of the headlight. A black-painted engine, brushed cylinder head fins and machine-finished rims give the new Ducati Scrambler Icon even more eye-catching panache.
Scrambler Full Throttle [As Low As $136.73 Per Month] – The new 2019 Full Throttle takes its cue from the flat track Scrambler ridden by Californian racer Frankie Garcia in the 2018 American Super Hooligan Championship. With its two-tone black-yellow, white-striped tank, all-new rear end with dedicated seat and white-rimmed yellow number holders, this bike has a real dirt track competition feel. A low-slung tapered handlebar – light and ergonomic – stubby front mudguard and dual-silencer exhaust add to the distinctiveness of the Scrambler Full Throttle.
Scrambler Desert Sled [As Low As $148.33 Per Month] – For 2019, the Scrambler Desert Sled rekindles the spirit of classic American off-road bikes without compromising the Ducati Scrambler lifestyle. With its red frame, new seat with color-coordinated stitching and spoked wheels with black rims, it exudes off-road fun. The new Desert Sled also features an Off-Road Riding Mode that allows ABS disengagement for down-in-the-dirt joy. A dedicated riding position and adjustable Kayaba suspension also ramp up the fun factor. Rugged off-road character oozes from the type-approved headlight mesh guard, high mudguards (specially designed for this version) and engine skid pan.
Scrambler Café Racer [As Low As $148.33 Per Month] – The new 2019 Scrambler Café Racer draws its inspiration, and its Silver Ice Matte graphics with blue frame, from the legendary Ducati 125GP Desmo. The new 17″ spoked wheels and aluminum bar-end mirrors give the bike a cool 1960s race look, while a modern radial front brake pump provides braking performance on a par with that of a sport bike. It’s a rare Ducati in blue – one surely to catch the eyes of everyone on the streets.
Hypermotard 950 [As Low As $180.24 Per Month] – With new sharper angles and a lighter weight, the adrenaline-packed Hypermotard takes its look from the supermotard race world and for 2019 comes with completely overhauled ergonomics and an ultra-advanced chassis set-up and electronics package. A full 8 lbs. lighter than the previous model, the Hypermotard mounts a renewed 937 cc Testastretta 11° engine with a more muscular 114 hp.
Hypermotard 950 SP [As Low As $223.73 Per Month] – The spirited and higher-performing Hypermotard SP also on display is Ducati’s offer for those looking for Hooligan-style excitement, featuring a flat seat, increased-travel Öhlins suspension, Marchesini forged wheels and Ducati Quick Shift (DQS) Up and Down EVO, as well as Carbon Fiber components such as front mud guard and timing belt covers.
Diavel 1260 [As Low As $265.95 Per Month] – Unconventional, unique and unmistakable, the second-generation Diavel 1260 remains faithful to the original spirit of this incredibly special bike, drawing on its key styling elements and putting a decidedly more contemporary slant on it. Its Testastretta DVT 1262 engine is capable of delivering 159 horsepower at 9,500 rpm. The bike also includes an upgraded chassis to make it more responsive on mixed-road routes. The S version on display also features fully adjustable Öhlins suspension, dedicated wheels, and an even higher-performance braking system, with Ducati Quick Shift up & down Evo (DQS) as standard to allow clutchless shifting.
XDiavel (Matte Liquid Concrete Grey) [As Low As $276.18 Per Month] – New for 2019, the XDiavel – famous for representing the best parts of the Ducati performance world and the relaxed cruiser world – now comes available in an uncompromising new color palette, the stunning Matte Liquid Concrete Grey. The finish and style express the motorcycle’s edgy spirit and take the XDiavel’s strong look to new levels.
Multistrada 1260 Enduro [As Low As $322.23 Per Month] – The Multistrada 1260 Enduro is the new generation of the off-road member of the Multistrada family. It has an increased engine size with the 1262 cc Testastretta DVT engine pushing out 158 horsepower, which is an increase from 152 horsepower from the previous Multistrada 1200 Enduro.
Panigale V4 R [As Low As $521.85 Per Month] – The Panigale V4 R features technology taken from MotoGP racing and is a racing bike that can be enjoyed on the streets. Following Ducati’s first mass-production four-cylinder engine, the V4, debut in 2017, the V4 R is now the pinnacle of the new Panigale V4 family and can claim the title as the ultimate road-legal Ducati competition bike. This is the most powerful, high-performance factory bike ever built by Ducati, with new technology like carbon fiber aerofoils that increase stability and allow for reduced reliance on electronic controls.
About Ducati:
Additional information about Ducati, including participating dealers and availability can be found at www.ducati.com.
Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. – A Sole Shareholder Company – A Company subject to the Management and Coordination activities of AUDI AG.
Founded in 1926, since 1946 Ducati has been producing sport-inspired motorcycles characterized by high-performance Desmodromic engines, innovative design and cutting-edge technology. Situated in Bologna, the factory is located in the Borgo Panigale district. The model range covers several market segments with the following families: Diavel, Hypermotard, Monster, Multistrada, and Superbike. In 2015 Ducati presented the Ducati Scrambler: a new brand made of bikes, accessories and apparel that provide the last word in creativity and self-expression. These authentic icons of “made in Italy”, together with an extensive range of associated accessories and technical and lifestyle apparel, are distributed in 90 countries around the world. Ducati competes in both the World Superbike and MotoGP World Championships. In Superbike Ducati has won 17 Manufacturers’ titles and 14 Riders’ titles and in 2011 passed the historic milestone of 300 race victories. Ducati have participated in MotoGP since 2003, winning both the Manufacturers’ and Riders’ titles in 2007.
Biker Culture – “A Poetry in Motion”
by Ujjwal Dey
Diane Wakoski describes biker life as “… just being so joyfully alive/ Just letting the blood take its own course/ In intact vessels/ In veins…/ – the motorcyclist riding along the highway/ Independent/ Alone”.
Shirley Dent says, “There is precise science in the recklessness of both riding a bike and writing a poem. A good Biker Poet is taking life on, in all its mad, fast-paced complexity, and turning out something that is precise, clear, true.”
Lucinda Williams describes, “The perfect man? A poet on a motorcycle. You know, the kind who lives on the edge, the free spirit. But he’s also gotta have the soul of a poet and a brilliant mind. So, you know, good luck.”
Read the adventure of biker life here on Bikernet.
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