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100 WFC: Wild, Free & Alive

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100 word fiction contest continues…. #100WFC

Wild, Free & Alive
by Jeffrey
with illustration by Wayfarer

I woke up flat on my back in tall golden prairie grass, the sun warmed my face. My right arm felt like it was on fire, my neck hurt like hell, and breathing was difficult. Able to move my fingers and toes, I sat up placing my elbows on my knees. The tires on my Suzuki DR 650 were still spinning, the motor humming quietly. A white tail doe stood near my bike, she shook her head and stumbled off, both of us feeling the effects of the collision. After a few minutes, I straightened the handlebars and rode home.

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Read all the entries at:
https://www.bikernet.com/pages/100_Word_Fiction_Contest.aspx

Yup, its a weekly contest open to all. Just sign up for the free weekly newsletter by clicking here. Then email us your 100 word limit fiction to wayfarer@bikernet.com

WINNERS SO FAR:
1. for the month of May 2023: “Been There Done That” by Steven Sanner
2. for the month of June 2023: “A Hundred” by Chris Dutcher
3. for the month of July 2023: “First Time” by Rhys
4. for the month of August 2023: “Hilary” by Gearhead
5. for the month of September 2023: “Mountain” by Koz Mraz
6. for the month of October 2023: to be announced soon

100 WFC: Shallow Grave

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100 word fiction contest continues…. #100WFC

Shallow Grave
by Rhys
(illustration by Wayfarer)

Gary finished his Triumph chopper metal flake gold with helmet to match. Out for a shakedown run. Cruising back roads all seemed good, until a truck rounded the bend on the wrong side. Both rider and bike slid off the road.

Gary awoke in the ditch his bike several feet away. In incredible deep pain, a bone protruded through his jeans. He yanked off his helmet and flung it up onto the road hoping a passerby would see it. A car stopped. The driver snatched the lid and left. Did he hear Gary’s screams?

The DWP crew found Gary’s lifeless body a week later.

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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

WINNERS SO FAR:
1. for the month of May 2023: “Been There Done That” by Steven Sanner
2. for the month of June 2023: “A Hundred” by Chris Dutcher
3. for the month of July 2023: “First Time” by Rhys
4. for the month of August 2023: “Hilary” by Gearhead

Recall of Harley Softails 2018 to 2023

By General Posts

Some 2018-2023 Harley Softails Could Have Breaking of Rear Shock Hardware. A fastener could break, causing the rear shock adjuster to loosen and increase the risk of a crash.

Harley-Daivdson announced the safety recall on 29 August 2023. They filed the same with US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

On motorcycles that have the faulty fitting, the fastener used on a particular style of rear shock adjuster may potentially fracture. If it breaks, the shock absorber may then make contact with the rear tire. This could increase the risk of tire damage, and potentially lead to a motorcycle crash.

Approximately 65,224 bikes may potentially be involved in this recall but not all of them may have this fault. Some of the models from 2018 to 2023 use the affected rear shock adjuster whereas some do not.

The motorcycles that were produced between June 28, 2017 and August 7, 2023 are potentially at risk. No VIN number ranges are specified in the official safety recall notice.

A warning sign that riders and passengers should look out for is any noise that seems to come from under the seat. When you remove the seat and find a loose shock adjuster, that may be another sign of faulty fastener. When shock adjuster makes contact with the rear tire, riders may notice unusual handling and/or atypical tire wear on the rear tire.

Since June 2023, a total of 33 Warranty Claims regarding this issue has been recorded. Softails made after 7 August 2023 do not have this problem. Related accessories from Harley-Davidson have also been separately recalled.

Owners may contact Harley-Davidson customer service at 1-800-258-2464. Additionally, owners may contact the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153) or go to www.nhtsa.gov. NHTSA’s number for this recall is 23V-591.

The motorcycle model years, models, and the number of bikes affected are:

Model Year Softail Model Number of Bikes Affected
2018 FLDE 2018
2018 FLHC 2917
2018 FLHCS 3504
2018 FLHCS ANV 898
2019 FLDE 1858
2019 FLHC 2078
2019 FLHCS 3384
2020 FLHC 1896
2020 FLHCS 3713
2020 FXLRS 7073
2021 FLHC 1865
2021 FLHCS 3134
2021 FXLRS 5811
2022 FLHCS 3957
2022 FXLRS 5186

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A Minibike Enduro Race Completely Out Of Its Mind

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WATCH THE VIDEO: Insane 3 Hour Mini Bike Enduro Race is a Nonstop CRASH AND BURN!! | 2022 GPS 180

Three hours of mini bike racing on a grueling 3.5 mile rocky race track. Bikes hold up astoundingly well considering the terrain, but the competition is fierce! Some built an awesome full suspension racing mini bike, and racers do their absolute best on this mini bike race trail.

by Janaki Jitchotvisut from https://www.rideapart.com

Only about half the bikes that started this race made it to the finish line.

When you see the number 180, what’s the first thing you think of? For many, it’s a complete reversal—you’re going in exactly the opposite direction from which you came. If you’re Go Power Sports, though, it’s a three-hour enduro race run entirely on minibikes in the wilds of its Texas grounds.

The guys behind the Cars and Cameras YouTube channel participated in both 2021 and 2022. Naturally, the most recent 2022 run was all about improving on mistakes made last year. I mean, that’s what all racers do, isn’t it? Overall, the experience did go a bit better, but there were definitely some hiccups that could be improved upon for 2023.

About 60 or so bikes (give or take) lined up to compete on the day, divided into three different classes. There was a junior class, for young racers. There were also two separate classes for riders with full suspensions, and hardtail riders (who were allowed to have front suspensions). The Cars and Camera crew, in their infinite wisdom, built their full-suspension entry and got it together just one day prior to race day.

While the bike and riders did pretty well, considering, as you’ll see throughout the video, building a bike the day before you plan to race it may not necessarily go how you planned. Although the team was hoping to get on the podium this year, unfortunately, that didn’t end up happening thanks to things like a chain that kept continually trying to pop off the rear sprocket. Also, have you ever had to hold a loose carburetor onto a running bike with your knee?

As they later noted, these are the kinds of things that could have been avoided if they’d had a day or two to properly shake down and test the bike prior to taking it racing. Fixing small issues and tuning the bike would have been a definite plus—and it’s something that the team is planning to do right for next year’s competition.

The attrition was pretty serious, with maybe about half the racers (or possibly less) actually finishing the race at the end. The team was very proud to have finished the race at all, which it did—and although it didn’t end up on the podium, the C&C crew did manage to bag fifth place in the softail class. The mud and memories will last a lifetime—and hey, there’s always next year.

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International Motorcycling Advocate Deb Butitta Dies in Crash

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June 4, 2022: International Motorcycling Advocate Deb Butitta Dies in Arizona Crash

It is with a heavy heart and a great sense of loss that the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) shares the passing of Deborah Butitta. Deb had been committed to serving and protecting motorcyclists’ rights at the state, federal and international levels during the last four decades. Deb was taken from us due to internal injuries suffered in a motorcycle crash after a truck turned left in front of her on June 3, 2022.

Deb was particularly active with ABATE of Arizona, holding many different offices through the years, and in 2001 was selected as the first designated lobbyist for the Arizona Confederation of Motorcycle Clubs (AZCMC). Deb was a member of many state motorcyclists’ rights organizations, including the MMA of Arizona. She also served on the MRF Board of Directors for many years and was instrumental in the formation of MRF A&E (Awareness and Education), a 501(c)(3) charitable, non-profit organization created to assist the MRF in providing resources to promote motorcycle awareness and ‘share the road’ programs, along with all aspects of motorcycle safety education including rider training. A highly successful businesswoman in her own right, Deb was extremely well connected, not only in the motorcycling community and industry, but legislatively and in some very influential social circles as well. These relationships were of incredible value to the bikers of Arizona and the entire country.

Deb’s accolades and awards are many, including being inducted into the MRF Hall of Fame in 2020 and the Sturgis Hall of Fame and Museum in 2021. Deb is a past winner of the MRF President’s Cup (2003), the MRF Founder’s Award (2017), and the MRF Lifetime Achievement Award (2020). Among her many other duties, Deb served as the MRF’s State Representative for Arizona for 14 years. For several years now, the MRF has given the ‘Deborah Butitta Award’ to it’s highest performing State Representative in her honor.

A true leader, Deb had a profound influence on many of her fellow activists. Few people have dedicated so much of their life or contributed as much to motorcycling as Deb Butitta. Personally and professionally, her passing leaves a tremendous void in our “family”.

About Motorcycle Riders Foundation: The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) provides leadership at the federal level for states’ motorcyclists’ rights organizations as well as motorcycle clubs and individual riders.

Visit: http://mrf.org

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“America’s Queen of Speed” vacates record setting BUB 7 Streamliner after mass team resignations

By General Posts

PRESS RELEASE December 13, 2021

Valerie Thompson Vacates Pilot Seat in Manning’s BUB 7 Motorcycle Streamliner

America’s Queen of Speed cites lack of confidence after mass team resignations

Bonneville Salt Flats, UT (Dec. 13, 2021) – Ten-time land speed record holder Valerie Thompson announces, effective immediately, her separation from Denis Manning and the BUB 7 Streamliner Motorcycle team citing loss of confidence in the streamliner and designer Manning. Thompson has been piloting the former world-title holding motorcycle since 2016 and was Manning’s top funding source for the team.

Considered the “world’s fastest female motorcycle racer” after inking a 328 mph speed record, Thompson is an independent team owner/driver who competitively drag raced before focusing on land speed racing, eventually earning 10 Land Speed Records on two continents.

“We lost some essential crew members over the last few months,” said Thompson about her eroding confidence in the project. “The remaining crew contacted me late last week with the sad news they had quit and removed all their tools from the Team 7 Racing shop. Without this ‘super crew,’ I’m highly doubtful about the performance potential of the BUB 7 to re-capture the worlds fastest motorcycle title. More importantly, I’m concerned for my safety. These are not just my team mates, they’re my guardian angels.”

Each of the departing team members helped extract Thompson from the BUB 7 wreckage after a devastating 363 mph crash on Australia’s Lake Gairdner salt flats in 2018. “While I’m disappointed, I won’t be setting the fastest motorcycle record with Team 7 Racing, I’m heart broken the crew won’t see the results of their 36 months of painstaking re-building work. Each of them has volunteered countless hours in this quest. They deserve better,” added Thompson.

Thompson remains the principal driver of the dual-engine Target 550 streamliner owned by Oregonian and veteran land speed race team owner Marlo Treit. Treit’s 43-foot, 9,000-pound speed machine is vastly different than the BUB 7 motorcycle. The team’s goal is to break Tom Burkland’s 415 mph World Record set in 2008. Thompson exceeded the team’s testing goals on her first three test runs, clocking 218, 270 and 291 mph.

Thompson, often referred to as “America’s Queen of Speed,” is a lifetime member of multiple 200 and 300 MPH Clubs, a Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame inductee, only female in the “World’s Top 10 Fastest Motorcycle Racers” rankings and aspiring pickleball pro.

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Valerie Thompson Background

Valerie Thompson is the World’s Fastest Female Motorcycle Racer and 10X land speed record holder with membership in the Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame. She is a member eight 200 MPH Clubs, one 300 MPH Club and the only female in the World’s Top 10 Fastest Motorcycle Racers rankings.

In addition to her relentless pursuit of new speed records, Valerie’s goals include earning a professional rating in her favorite sport of pickleball. She started playing less than a year ago and has already collected 6 medals in her first five tournaments playing women’s singles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles.

Additional Information
Valerie Thompson Racing (Website): http://www.valeriethompsonracing.com

Rockets and Titans Movie Teaser: https://youtu.be/obtG4f3-c8k

Valerie Thompson Racing (Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/ValerieRacing/
Valerie Thompson Racing (Twitter): https://twitter.com/valeriethompson
Valerie Thompson Racing (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/valeriethompsonracing

300+mph Bonneville Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oT4fmXPol0&feature=youtu.be
363+ mph Australia World Speed Trials Crash Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yl8NDTyeHqg&feature=youtu.be
Team Target 550 & Marlo Treit: https://www.target550.com/
Target 550 Video: https://youtu.be/_F8Mi6hWzmo

Contact Governor Gavin Newsom TODAY about AB43- Traffic Safety Bill

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National Motorists Association (NMA). California

Immediate Attention: Contact Governor Gavin Newsom TODAY about AB43–the Traffic Safety Bill

Dear California NMA Members,

AB43 is a “hair on fire” situation. The bill, generically titled “Traffic Safety,” was passed by the state Senate and Assembly earlier this month by votes of 30 to 5 and 68 to 5 respectively, with a few abstentions in both chambers. AB43 was forwarded to Governor Newsom on September 17th and is awaiting his action. That’s why the urgency. (Please send this out to family and friends as well).

Members should email their opposition to the bill to:
Governor Gavin Newsom
c/o Ronda.Paschal@gov.ca.gov –Deputy Legislative Secretary

The main issue is that the bill would reverse nearly 100 years of California speed limits being based on fact-based engineering by allowing the lowering of limits without any particular rationale. By disregarding proven traffic engineering standards and posting unrealistic limits, many more drivers traveling at conventional, safe speeds will be stopped and ticketed for noncompliance.

Police and community relations will be poorly served by a dramatic increase in traffic stops that serves no safety purpose. Speed traps will become much more prevalent.

The forced lowering of speed limits will also create a surge in traffic accidents. Most drivers obey their instincts of what is a safe rate of travel on a particular road. That’s why the prevailing methodology for setting the safest speed limit is based on the prevailing behavior of 85 percent of drivers. Studies have shown repeatedly that the 85th percentile rule for establishing speed limits minimizes crashes.

By reducing speed limits below those levels, there will be a wider variance of driving speeds on the road, some obeying the new numbers on the speed limit signs and more following natural driving patterns. The result will be more vehicular interactions between regular and slower drivers, creating the conditions for more crashes.

Write from your own perspective, which will give a much more impactful statement to the governor. We urge you to do it today!

Thank you for your support of motorists’ rights in California.

National Motorists Association – www.motorists.org

Do You Own a Motorcycle Airbag if You Have to Pay Extra to Inflate It?

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by EditorDavid from https://tech.slashdot.org

“Pardon me while I feed the meter on my critical safety device,” quips a Hackaday article:
If you ride a motorcycle, you may have noticed that the cost of airbag vests has dropped. In one case, something very different is going on here. As reported by Motherboard, you can pick up a KLIM Ai-1 for $400 but the airbag built into it will not function until unlocked with an additional purchase, and a big one at that. So do you really own the vest for $400…?

The Klim airbag vest has two components that make it work. The vest itself is from Klim and costs $400 and arrives along with the airbag unit. But if you want it to actually detect an accident and inflate, you need load up a smartphone app and activate a small black box made by a different company: In&Motion. That requires your choice of another $400 payment or you can subscribe at $12 a month or $120 a year.

If you fail to renew, the vest is essentially worthless.

Hackaday notes it raises the question of what it means to own a piece of technology.

“Do you own your cable modem or cell phone if you aren’t allowed to open it up? Do you own a piece of software that wants to call home periodically and won’t let you stop it?”

This Motorcycle Airbag Vest Will Stop Working If You Miss a Payment
by Aaron Gordon from https://www.vice.com

Airbag vests are pretty much exactly what they sound like, garments worn by people who undertake exceedingly dangerous personal hobbies in order to slightly reduce the risk of severe bodily harm or death. For example, in 2018 the motorcycle racing circuit MotoGP made airbag vests mandatory.

Since then airbag vests have become steadily cheaper and therefore more popular among recreational riders. One motorcycle apparel company named Klim, for example, sells an airbag vest called the Ai-1 for $400. In the promotional video launching the product, product line manager Jayson Plummer called the vest “a whole new era of a platform where analog meets digital and results in a superior protection story.” Which is an interesting way of framing the fact that the vest includes an additional subscription-based payment option that will block the vest from inflating if the payments don’t go through.

This is possible because the vest includes two components: the vest itself made by Klim and the airbag system including a small black box made by a French company called In&Motion called the “In&Box detection module.” The module has the sensors and computer components that detect a crash and make the bags inflate.

The customer buys the vest for $400 which comes with the module, but then they must download an app and choose how to unlock the module so the vest actually works: either plonk down another $400 to own the whole shebang outright—bringing the total vest cost to $800—or, as Plummer put it in the video, opt for the “subscription-based model” of $12 per month or $120 per year.

In the video, Plummer promotes this as a good option for people who don’t ride year-round and therefore may only need a functioning vest a couple of months a year. But when Motherboard asked Klim about what would happen if, say, the customer forgot to turn the subscription back on and got into a crash, a customer service representative confirmed “then, no, it will not go off.” Likewise, if the customer’s card is declined, they will have a 30-day grace period to update their payment information before the vest stops working, according to Klim communication manager Lukas Eddy.

“When it comes to missing payments and airbag functionality, In&motion’s payment notifications and 30-day grace period are reasonable—at some point, if a person stops paying for a service, that service has to be suspended, just like your utilities or a cell phone plan,” Eddy wrote to Motherboard in an email. “Further, if someone pauses their subscription and forgets to restart it, they won’t actually be able to get their In&box into ride-ready status when they go to turn it on. If they then choose to ignore the indicators and ride with the In&box inactive, that’s on them and we can expect it not to inflate in the event of a crash.”

Considering all the truly impressive technology that goes into the Ai-1 airbag vest, the prospect of someone getting seriously maimed or even killed in a motorcycle crash because their subscription to their life-preserving physical barrier got turned off occupies a particularly morbid corner of Internet-of-Things dystopian horror. Sadly, it is also not that distant from what automakers have been doing for decades by making safety features premium offerings that cost extra, and what they will likely do now that over the air updates are rapidly spreading to every new vehicle.

Car companies are increasingly seeing dollar signs at the prospect of paywalling features that need to be unlocked via a software update. It is so easy for me to imagine automakers paywalling airbags just like this motorcycle vest does if it wasn’t federal law they must provide them. So think of the paywalled motorcycle airbag vest as just another glimpse into how much worse our late capitalism horror show would be without previous generations of lawmakers on both sides of the political spectrum understanding the importance of regulation.

Update: This article was updated with comments from a Klim representative provided to Motherboard after publication. It also corrected a statement a Klim customer representative told Motherboard that the vest would be deactivated after a week of non-payment. A Klim spokesperson said customers will have 30 days.

Unlucky end to French Grand Prix for Lowes and Fernandez

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Both Elf Marc VDS Racing Team riders crashed out of promising positions in the early laps at Le Mans after showing podium potential in tricky conditions.

After heavy rain through the morning, the 2.6-mile Le Mans Bugatti Circuit was soaking wet for Sunday’s warm-up sessions, but dried sufficiently to give riders a clear tyre choice ahead of the 25-lap Moto2 race.

All the field ran slick tyres on a track with numerous wet patches, providing a real challenge for the field. Both Augusto Fernandez and Sam Lowes unfortunately crashed out when fighting for the podium places.

Augusto Fernandez – DNF
Starting from fifth, his best qualifying result of the season so far, Augusto enjoyed a fantastic first lap, gaining two places to sit third.

But there was heartbreak for the rider from the Balearic Islands on the second lap, when he crashed out of a podium place at turn 11 when hitting a damp patch.

As a result of a second DNF of the year, Augusto drops three places in the championship to twelfth with 23 points to his name.

“We will work to arrive stronger in Mugello”

“It was a real shame again. I was so calm at the beginning, trying to not make a mistake like at Jerez. I had a great start and when (Joe) Roberts passed me, I passed him back. At the beginning there were some wet patches. I went just a little bit wide and touched one wet part with the front and lost it so soon. I couldn’t do anything. We have to take the positives. It’s been a fantastic weekend in all the practice sessions, be it in mixed conditions, wet conditions, or dry conditions. I had the pace to win and now I know we can be there every weekend at every track. The Aragon test was really positive and this weekend we’ve seen evidence of that. Now we have a test in Barcelona so we can continue working to arrive stronger in Mugello.”

Sam Lowes – DNF
The 30-year old enjoyed a solid start and held position in the opening laps from tenth place on the grid and then upped his pace, posting a personal best time on lap three.

But Lowes suffered a fall on the fourth lap of the race when attempting to overtake Xavi Vierge for 7th at turn 8. The Briton crashed when losing the front and was unable to restart.

The result means Lowes drops a place to fourth in the world championship with 66 points, 23 behind leader Remy Gardner.

“I’ll take the positives to come out stronger in Mugello”

“I’m really disappointed. I want to say sorry to the team and to Vierge for the accident. I was passing him, I felt OK and that the move was possible. Another rider was wide ahead of us so that meant there was no margin to go wide when overtaking. This might have made me squeeze the brake a little more so I lost the front and then my bike took him down. I’m sorry for that and to my team as we threw away a great opportunity with our speed. But I’ll take the positives to come out stronger in Mugello. It’s nice we go back there after missing it last season. It’s a track that we all enjoy and love to ride. I can’t wait to get there and put this race behind me.”

5-BALL RACING SALT TORPEDO TEST AND CRASH

By General Posts

 

We had a tough day today. The weather was clear and the roads around the Port of Los Angeles empty as we rolled the Salt Torpedo out of the shop.

 

I was supposed to be a final test run to determine whether the ignition stumble we discovered in the desert was remedied. We had also experienced a slight shimmy in the handling, so I added more rake for more stability.

Today before taking it off the lift we needed to adjust the toe-in and we did. With everything tightened we were ready for a final test run before installing the painted body work and preparations to haul ass to Bonneville. All seemed to be good to go as the Torpedo fired to life and Micah dropped the clutch.

 

He recently discovered that he had another son, Eddie, who runs E2 Metal Works in Bakersfield, with his wife, Emilia. His business is all about CNC Plasma Metal Design and fabrication. Today, Micah arrived with his new son Eddie and his pal, Mike. We immediately set to work prepping for a pass down the street, which has its pitfalls.

 

 

It’s a city street complete with cops, and we aren’t prepped for papers, plates or registration. The torpedo has no lights, no turn-signals, you name it. But since the virus has attacked our lives, the streets were void of traffic, especially on a Sunday as I asked Micah to take it easy and test the handling first.

There’s something about the Salt Torpedo that brings out the speed in a man. As soon as he caught a gear he nailed it and felt the rear tire break loose as it acted like a rocket ship that wants to fly into the next atmosphere. Unfortunately that didn’t happen today. He reached the second block at about 80 and attempted to turn.

This puppy was designed to go straight, and I had added more rake to the dragster front end, almost 15 degrees. It wanted to go straight in the worst way. We’re not sure what happened, but he hit a curb and it flipped the torpedo. He was unhurt, but we lost the front axle and perhaps both front wheels. We’ll bring you a full report in the very near future.–Bandit