Skip to main content
search
Tag

money

Jan 10
Love0

Understanding the World of Chopper Magazines

By General Posts

The Ups and Downs of Print Media
by Bandit and a handful of Editors

I thought I might check in on the Motorcycle Magazine industry, specifically the chopper guys. F***, I didn’t know what I was diving into. A couple of years ago only one magazine survived the cost issues, the internet competition and the distribution expenses, Cycle Source.

Some magazines went sorta underground, changed their formats and dropped out of the retail market. Then Chopper Magazine returned with a large glossy format, quality printing but subscription only.

Click Here to Read this study of the Chopper Print Media Business, only on Bikernet.com

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

What is the Cantina? Its Freedom to Ride your Motorcycle! Check out Membership Benefits by clicking here.

Nov 27
Love0

Craft and Punishment

By General Posts

A Tale of Twisted Fates of Artisans

Deus Ex Machina was arguably the most popular and most impressive global brand for custom built motorcycles.

Deus Ex Machina was built upon the development and creation of custom motorcycles. A clothing line got added for those fans of the brand who found it more satisfactory to order a Deus tee-shirt. This motorbike brand is now a luxury apparel handling the biggest names in fashion, peddling dreams to people, nay, to the masses.

“Deus Ex Machina makes high-end motorcycles and loses money on each one” announced the newspapers.

“That’s why we make clothing,” said Deus founder and owner Dare Jennings in that news report. “Otherwise, we’d go broke.”

How could this be true? Why would one of the most successful and iconic custom motorcycle brand of the 21st century lose thousands of dollars on every bike they sell?

CLICK HERE To Read this Photo Feature Profile of Deus Ex Machina.

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

Bikernet Blog

Click to Sign up for the Weekly Newsletter from Bikernet Blog for free. Stay updated, stay ahead of the curve.

Oct 26
Love0

Isle Of Man TT Announces 2023 Schedule

By General Posts

Two UK Bank holidays should help IOMTT attendees enjoy more racing.

by Dustin Wheelen from https://www.rideapart.com

The Isle of Man TT (IOMTT) returned to the Snaefell Mountain Course in 2022 after a two-year hiatus. As expected, drama unfolded over the two-week period, but officials are always searching for ways to make the Tourist Trophy even better. With the aim of enhancing the event’s long-term sustainability by increasing overall visitor numbers, the new 10-race schedule addresses issues identified by IOMTT organizers.

“This research revealed that the existing TT schedule, the Island’s travel capacity, the Island’s accommodation infrastructure, costs factored against the current economic climate, and customers’ changing habits are no longer compatible and do not meet the needs of the event’s customers,” stated MHK Minister for Enterprise Lawrie Hooper.

To optimize the TT’s crowd-welcoming ability, organizers scheduled the opening-day qualifying on May 29, 2023, the U.K.’s Spring Bank Holiday. Authorities also deemed Friday, June 9, 2022, the “TT Bank Holiday”, bookending the racing event with two three-day weekends.

The 2023 Isle of Man TT schedule follows:

Qualifying Week

  • Monday, May 29, 2023 – Morning & Afternoon Qualifying
  • Tuesday, May 30, 2023 – Evening Qualifying
  • Wednesday, May 31, 2023 – Evening Qualifying
  • Thursday, June 1, 2023 – Evening Qualifying
  • Friday, June 2, 2023 – Afternoon Qualifying

Race Week

  • Saturday, June 3, 2023 – Supersport (Race 1) and Sidecar (Race 1)
  • Sunday, June 4, 2023 – Superbike TT
  • Tuesday, June 6, 2023 – Superstock (Race 1) and Supertwin (Race 1)
  • Wednesday, June 7, 2023 – Supersport (Race 2) and Sidecar (Race 2)
  • Friday, June 9, 2023 – Superstock (Race 2) and Supertwin (Race 2)
  • Saturday, June 10, 2023 – Senior TT

Of course, many IOMTT attendees predicate travel plans based on their work schedules. By recognizing two Bank Holidays over the course of the 2023 IOMTT, organizers hope to increase the economic benefits to local businesses. From hotels to restaurants to pubs, the extended schedule should help Isle of Man commerce to better accommodate visiting sportbike fans.

‘The Island’s current TT capacity is limited to around 28,000 visitors at any one time, with the current visitor curve highlighting infrastructure pressures in the middle weekend,” added Hooper. “In its simplest form, the new schedule aims to sustain current visitor numbers while promoting growth. We expect this new schedule to encourage new visitor patterns and capitalize on capacity, driving an additional 50,000 bed nights over time, representing an additional spend on the Island of £6 million (~$7M USD).”

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

Gear up to ride to your favorite Motorcycling Events – Click to view the all-new 5-Ball Racing Shop

Oct 13
Love0

Something to learn from 4 failed land speed attempts

By General Posts

This Custom Land-Speed Bike Build Failed 4 Times: Here’s What We Can Learn

You’re going to fail a lot when you try something new, but keep going.
by Janaki Jitchotvisut from https://www.rideapart.com

Have you ever had a project not go exactly like you planned? If you noticed that I didn’t say “project bike” there, that word choice was intentional—because maybe you’re just at the beginning of thinking about your first project bike. However, as a person who has worked on many a passion project prior to ever even thinking about a project bike, I’m here to tell you that some of that precious knowledge you’ve already gained completely carries over into project bike territory.

In this video, YouTuber SuperFastMatt takes us on a detailed breakdown of how he tried to build a custom land speed record attempt motorcycle four separate times—and how (and why) he failed. His analysis is unsparing, hilarious, and incredibly relatable—even if you’ve never personally tried to build a custom land speed record attempt motorcycle of your own.

Why? Probably because, at their heart, most projects—be they bikes or other things—share a number of traits in common. As he spells out toward the beginning of the vehicle, all projects require some mixture of time, money, space, and motivation to complete things—from your individual sub-tasks, all the way up to full project completion.

Most people don’t have unlimited supplies of any (or all) of these things—but if you have motivation, you can usually find creative ways to bend the other three parts to your will. The problems usually happen when motivation runs out. A setback may only seem tiny to an outsider, but if it feels utterly soul-crushing to you, then you may set something aside for weeks, months—or even years until you’re ready to deal with it again.

This video is particularly great because it works on multiple levels. On the one hand, you’re getting a blow-by-blow synopsis of what was clearly years of Matt’s attempts at getting this particular build off the ground—or, at least, more quickly across the ground than was probably advisable for this vehicle. On the other, you’re getting a close-up look at the inner workings of one curious, mechanically-minded person’s thought process in working through failure—which could, ultimately, help you work through your own failures.

The fact is, most of us have to keep trying, falling down, getting back up again, and learning from our mistakes when we attempt new things. Very few people are automatically good at just about anything. Most of us just have to keep trying, keep learning, and keep improving. That stubbornness may not seem like a good thing, but it is. Then again, so is learning to recognize when it’s time to light something on fire and shove it into the sea. Cheers.

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

Build Your Own Fastest Motorcycle, get yourself a copy of full-color, high-quality book on 5 Ball Racing Shop, click here.

Sep 06
Love0

XDA’s Bike Bash Delivers Big Numbers this Summer

By General Posts

Rodney Williford at Virginia Motorsports Park

For the second time this race season, the XDA brought the best show in motorcycle drag racing to Virginia Motorsports Park for the 5th Annual Bike Bash. This event paid out over $80,000 to Pro, Sportsman, and Grudge racers over three days.

If you do not attend the XDA events, you do not get to witness Rodney Williford’s swagger. For the last two seasons, Williford has held the number one qualifying spot at all the XDA events.

Don’t miss the DME Racing Fall Nationals at Maryland International Raceway on September 23-25; the fall air will have Orient Express Racing Pro Street delivering more records!

READ The Complete Race Report with eXciting Photos at Bikernet.com – Click Here.

Check out the XDA Drag Racing Events near you – Tell ’em Bikernet.com Sent Ya….!!!

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

Did you know the 5-Ball Racing Shop has a DVD Documentary with rare footage on “History of Motorcycle Drag Racing” ? Click and Buy it at only $24

Written by John Stein, Directed and Edited by Agusta Einarsdottir

Jun 06
Love0

Used Volkswagens and Autonomous Cars

By General Posts

Auction Market Growth

This is for those committed to keep driving alive

Never Stop Driving ! Two things are on my mind: A recent sale of a used Volkswagen and a podcast in which Elon Musk said Tesla cars will have Level IV autonomous capability in 2023. I think the two are related. Let me explain.

While I would not mind an autonomous pilot myself from time to time, I am first and foremost a driver. The one thing I’ve had in common at all my gigs is that I have no off-hours from cars. I spend nearly every waking minute either working on cars; driving cars, whether around town or, my favorite, long road trips; racing; or passing on my enthusiasm.

Your humble narrator fathoms deep in the car thing.

–by Larry Webster from Hagerty.com

Read this Editorial Article on Bikernet.com by Clicking Here.

* * * *

If you haven’t already, Check Out the Brand New 5-Ball Racing Garage Online Shop !!!

CLICK HERE: You will find unique Motorcycling Gear designed by Lifelong Bikers & Custom Builders.

Riding Free for 25 Years, celebrate Bikernet.com

May 25
Love0

XDA Racers Beat the Heat at the MTC Summer Nationals

By General Posts

The XDA’s 36th Annual MTC Engineering Summer Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park was hot on and off the track this past weekend, with temperatures in the high 90s.

XDA racers got the Trifecta in track prep at VMP’s world-renowned facility, with Tyler Crossnoe, Jimmy Bradshaw, and Jason Miller all on hand for this event. The track prep was on point and done right to keep the surface in optimal shape as the warm temperatures wreaked havoc on the racing surface.

Orient Express Racing Pro Street
Orient Express Racing Pro Street was incredible as the performance numbers were shocking for this unseasonably warm event where tack temperatures exceeded 140 degrees. Rodney Williford and Justin Shakir lead qualifying with big numbers. Williford ran a 6.415 at 232.03 mph to qualify number one, followed by Shakir with a 6.484 at 230.57 mph.

In qualifying Gaige Herrera on the only nitrous motorcycle reset his record to 6.588, and then went on to lower that ET to a 6.535 in eliminations. Herrera holds the title as the quickest Nitrous Hayabusa in the World.

Rudy Sanzoterra also lowered his personal best in qualifying to a 6.653 to move himself up the GOAT List.

Greg Wallace ran a 6.486 and 6.468 in eliminations, but surprisingly the 6.468 did not turn on a win light as Rodney Williford ran a 6.420 in the semi-final round to end his weekend.

Jason Dunigan and Gaige Herrera both ran a 6.56 and 6.55 in round two of eliminations and looked to put on a good show in the semi-final. However, Dunigan turned on a -.002 light to send Herrera to the final against Williford.

Herrera and Williford faced off last season and Herrera was looking for redemption as he took the starting line advantage with a .036 reaction to Williford’s .057. However, Herrera wasn’t out in front for long as Williford barreled around him and stayed out in front of him to put an astonishing 6.396 at 232.03 on the board that Herrera’s 6.572 could not compete with.

The Pro Street action continues in just one month at the 5th annual FuelTech Superbike Showdown on June 17-19, 2022 at Maryland International Raceway.

DME Racing Real Street
The DME Racing Real Street class was again led by champion David Stewart in qualifying with a 7.615, followed by Rickey Gadson with a 7.625.

David Stewart made it to the semi-final, where fellow class champion Mark Hylton took him out on a holeshot win with a .004 reaction time, running a 7.618 to Stewarts’ quicker 7.564.

Ben Knight, who won the season opener, made it to another final round after taking wins against Caleb Holt and David Fondon.

Hylton and Knight on their all motor Hayabusa’s, seemed unaffected by the heat of the weekend as they kept their performance numbers up round after round. Knight cut an uncharacteristic .108 light in the final, giving Hylton’s .059 light the starting line advantage. With Hylton getting off the starting line first, Knight struggled to catch him, and Hylton took the win with a 7.15 to Knight’s 7.667.

MaxxECU Pro Xtreme
Ronnie Procopio entered his first MaxxECU Pro Xtreme race this past weekend and dominated like a veteran. Procopio qualified #1 with a 3.970, putting the only three-second pass on the boards during qualifying.

Procopio had an earned bye in round one. In round two, he won over Chris Cutsinger to place himself in the final to John Collins, who qualified number two with a 4.032. Collins took wins against Travis Davis and Chris Theodoridis before the final.

Despite the heat, these two machines had the potential to put three-second passes on the boards in the final round. It was looking to be a good round of competition, but Collins turned on the dreaded red light with a -.004. The red light did not slow either competitor down as Procopio, with the secured win, ran a 3.961, and Collins came close with a 4.002 pass.

MaxxECU Pro Xtreme is presented by Billy Vose Racing, Fast by Gast, Dunigan Racing, DME Racing, Grothus Dragbikes, Harley Haul, Rob Bush Motorsports, Robinson Industries, Schnitz Racing, Timblin Chassis, and Worldwide Bearings.

HTP Performance Super Stock
For the second straight event, HTP Performance Super Stock had us feeling like it was Déjà vu. Again, Curtis McDougald took the #1 qualifying spot with an 8.867 to lead the eighteen-bike field of clutch hand racers.

Mike Davis and Darion Payne fought their way back to another final round appearance. Payne took the win at the first event, and Davis was eager for his turn in the winner’s circle, a little too eager as he left before the bulbs dropped to hand Darion Payne his second straight win of the season.

Vance & Hines 4.60
The Vance & Hines 4.60 class didn’t disappoint at the MTC Summer Nationals with five rounds of tough competition. Six racers ran a 4.60 in qualifying, but Jeff Jones got the #1 qualifying spot with his high mph of 150mph as the tie breaker.

Mac McAdams won against Troy Hausmann, Spencer Allen, Michael Stewart, and Jimmy Shifflett to make it to the final round. On the other side of the ladder Joe Rodney took wins over Durwood Rawlings, Brayden Davis, Wes Hawkins, and Kenny Cornell.

With two big names in the final round, it all came down to who was hungrier. McAdams cut a .004 to Rodney’s .022, but Rodney caught McAdams quick, and they were side-by-side approaching the eight-mile finish line. Rodney may have been too hungry as he broke out, crossing the finish line first with a 4.592 to McAdams’s 4.615. The margin of victory on this run was .005 seconds.

HTP Performance Grudge
The rain came in on Saturday night and put a swift end to Saturday night grudge racing. The Tommie’s Motorsports DMV Bulls class decided to split the purse as some racers couldn’t run on Sunday. The APE Nitrous Bulls class and the 3 Sixty 5 Transport Monster Bulls classes voted to finish their shootouts on Sunday.

Boosted Bulls
Malcom Phillips was the only rider that came to win at Virginia and was uncontested. That didn’t stop ‘Billy Mays’ from laying down some lightning-fast laps that left everyone in disbelief while he gained valuable points towards his championship.

APE Nitrous Bulls
In round one of APE Nitrous Bulls, Busa Benjamin on ‘Mister Jay’ got the jump on Lavar Delee on ‘High Roller’, but by the eighth mile, Delee was hard-charging around him for the win light. Malcolm Phillips on ‘Black Jesus’ got an easy win over DeSean Jones on ‘Jimmy Hendrix’ when he broke on the starting line. And Desmond Spalding on ‘Sho Nuff’ had an earned bye in round one.

Spalding was fighting wheelies in round two from start to finish as Phillips controlled pass turned on the win light to send him to the final to face off with Delee who had a bye this round.

‘Black Jesus’ said a prayer in the final while ‘High Roller’ threw the dice. Phillips got off the line first and stayed in front of Delee until the finish line for the win, proving prayers over gambling is always the way to go.

3 Sixty 5 Monster Bulls
3 Sixty 5 Monster Bulls was a ‘Flawless Victory’ delivered by Antonio Williams. Williams put the voodoo on his opponents who struggled in the rounds they faced him. In round one ‘Tik Tok’ struggled to get off the line; in round two, ‘Pickin Pockets’ suffered the same fate. And then, in the final when Williams faced Jamael Jones on ‘Stimulus Check’, Jones left before the bulbs came down to give Williams his first XDA win with a leisurely cruise down the track.

Tommie’s Motorsports All Motor Shootout
Tommie’s Motorsports put together an All-Motor Shootout on Friday night that Edward Thomas on ‘Da Setup’ won over Henry Wise on ‘Henry’.

1 Stop Speed 5.60
The 1 Stop Speed 5.60 class was on fire at the MTC Engineering Summer Nationals as the lanes were packed for a chance at the eight-mile title. Steve Holden qualified on top with a 5.604, leading the thirty-three bike field.

When Sunday eliminations started, nothing stopped sixteen-year-old racer Brayden Davis from making his mark at his first XDA event. Davis took out big names on his way to the final with wins against Mike Sweeney, Dave Cornell, Stephen Moye, and Jimmie Miller. In the final, he would face class champion, Dustin Lee. Lee put a .006 light on the tree for the starting line advantage to Davis’s .040, but when it came to covering those six hundred and sixty feet, Davis would clear it first, running a 5.606 to Lee’s 5.656. It was an exciting final as Brayden Davis’ margin of victory was a mere twelve inches over Lee.

Mickey Thompson Tires Top Sportsman
Mickey Thompson Tires Top Sportsman features the quickest ET racers on the property. Bill Maturo Jr took the number one qualifying position with a 7.741. Maturo, however, would not survive round one as he broke out against Orlando Johnson with a 7.701 on his 7.73 dial.

George Shriver and Jim Shifflett survived four rounds of competition to face each other in the final. The final was set to be a close race with Shriver dialing an 8.04 and Shifflett an 8.17. However, Shifflett gave the win to Shriver at the starting line when he turned on a -.009 red light to end his chance for a winner circle finish.

MPS Racing Pro ET
In MPS Racing Pro ET, the competition saw red in the Virginia heat. The first round saw a whooping twenty-one red lights as racers pushed the tree for that starting line advantage. James Farmer and Nick Hamlett won their seven rounds from their side of the ladder to meet in the final round of competition for a bar vs. no bar final.

Hamlett dialed an 8.77 and Farmer an 8.16. Farmer got the starting line advantage with a .020 light to Hamlett’s .060. Farmer left second but quickly caught Hamlett for a side-by-side race to the finish. As the two took the stripe, Hamlett broke out, running an 8.757 giving the win to Farmer, who ran an 8.172.

VooDoo Components Bracket Bash
Over a hundred racers braved the heat and entered the Saturday VooDoo Components Bracket Bash class. Four rounds of competition were completed until the rain came in and shut down the race Saturday night. Ten racers split the prize money and started their Saturday night celebrations early.

Brock’s Performance Street ET
In Brock’s Performance Street ET, the competition was at its best despite the high temperatures of the event. Class champion Derrick Milbourne started the weekend off with a win on Friday night and carried that right into Sunday’s competition. After winning six rounds, he faced Shayne Proctor in the finals. Proctor dialed a 9.14 and cut the better light with .033; Milbourne left the tree second with his 8.81 dial and chased Proctor down to get to the stripe first, winning with an 8.834 to Proctor’s 9.178.

Hard Times Parts & Service Gambler’s Race
The Friday night Hard Times Parts and Service Gamblers race kicked off the weekend, putting cash in sportsman’s pockets. Derrick Milbourne and Rico Brown won five rounds to make it to the final to face each other. Both riders were cutting lights and running well on their dials to make this a tremendous final-round matchup. Dialed an 8.86, Milbourne, a veteran racer, cut a.004 light for the starting line advantage. Brown dialed an 8.76, and chased Milbourne to the stipe but broke out running an 8.758 giving the win to Milbourne, who ran an 8.887.

For full qualifying and round-by-round results of the event, visit www.xdaracing.com.

The XDA will head back to Maryland International Raceway for the 5th annual FuelTech Superbike Showdown on June 17-19, 2022.

There will be over 700 Professional, Sportsman, and Grudge motorcycle racers in competition, battling it out for over $80,000 in cash purse. Make plans now to watch the best drag racers in the country put on the quickest and fastest show on two wheels the East Coast has to offer.

About XDA Racing: The Xtreme Dragbike Association (XDA) is an east coast motorcycle drag racing series with 700+ motorcycle racers competing at each event. Every XDA event hosts professional classes, sportsman classes, grudge racing and a vendor midway. Lifestyle activities such as bike shows, bikini contests, DJ and live bands are also held at select events. For more information on the XDA, please visit xdaracing.com or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube @xdaracing

click the book to visit the 5-Ball Racing Shop

Hey, ever wondered how you can build a motorcycle for racing it as an amateur or a professional ?

Well, 5-Ball Racing built and raced one at Bonneville Salt Flats – broke a record. The entire process was also documented. In this book, you can get all the details – from concept to the racing venue – with high quality full-color printing.

Have a look at it in the all-new 5-Ball Racing Shop – click here.

Titled “How to Build a Bonneville Salt Flats Motorcycle”, it documents the construction of “The Worlds Fastest Panhead,” conceived and assembled by Keith Ball, former editor or Easyriders magazine and current owner of Bikernet.com, the most popular biker stop on the internet.

All 5-Ball Books will be signed by the Author and contain 5-Ball Bling—Amazing!

May 20
Love0

NHDRO’s Three Race “Trilogy” Was Fast Fun in Sun

By General Posts

The Midwest’s largest motorcycle drag racing series—NHDRO—kicked off their 2022 season with the Midwest Race Trilogy—three full races over three days at West Salem, Ohio’s beautiful, sunny Dragway 42.

NHDRO motorcycle drag racing series race coverage report
event: NHDRO’s Midwest Race Trilogy
when: May 13-15, 2022
where: Dragway 42, West Salem, Ohio, USA

Friday Shootouts

“I love the three races in one weekend,” said defending two-class champion Jeremy Teasley. “Because you normally mess up, so you got two more shots. But I ended up winning the first day over my buddy Dave Page. We left together, then his bike had problems.”

Teasley actually had a small .018 advantage over Page at the tree in Friday night’s Schnitz Racing Top Gas 8.20 all-no-bar Shootout final, and was able to cruise across the stripe when Page’s Suzuki Hayabusa went off song at 1000 feet.

“It was a good weekend at the track seeing everyone,” continued Teasley. “The weather was perfect and (NHDRO owners) Brian and Niki Welch did a great job.”

The event also served as a celebration of life for Page’s wife Rhonda, who passed away May 5thafter a courageous battle with cancer. Rhonda, you are missed.

Friday’s Big Show Shootouts were 100% payback races, and in addition to Schnitz Racing Top Gas also included NHDRO Road Course, Delay Box and No-Box Shootouts.

Tom Klemme and Jeremy England ran an awesome wheelie bar (Klemme) vs. no-bar Box Shootout final. In his new root beer and orange leathers, Klemme took the tree by a scant .004 on his matching KZ900 and ran .004 over his 8.84 dial-in for the win.

The No-Box Shootout also came down to a wheelie bar vs. no-bar final, and was also won by a Klemme—Tom’s bother Joe. He faced Teddy Thompson, usually known for riding a slow streetbike to considerable bracket racing success. On this occasion, however, Thompson was riding a piece with a 9.52 second dial-in. He took the tree with an .011 against Klemme’s .058, but broke out while Klemme won dead-on with a .007.

“The win Friday night was great, especially since as a team my brother Tom and I won two of the three shootouts that we entered,” said Joe Klemme.

“The rest of the weekend wasn’t quite as successful (for us). There is some very tough competition out there. That is a good thing and that’s what keeps us coming back.

“As far as the three races in one weekend, I think that is a no-brainer. All the other expenses remain the same. The second and third races are expense free besides entry fees and race vehicle maintenance.

“As always I would like to thank our team KPM: Tom Klemme, John Mealy, and Tim Genung, for everything they do.”

The NHDRO Road Course (instant green, no-time class with road course requirement) final was close for a moment, as a mere .003 separated Carlo Testa and Justin Hodge at the tree. But after that it was all Testa, who took the win by a wide margin.

“It was such a great weekend,” said Testa. “I’ve invested a lot of time and effort, not to mention all the money, into my craft, and the education I’ve received has come by way of all the lumps I’ve taken along the way. I’ve been going to a Dragway 42 since I was in diapers, so it was extra special this past weekend when I got my first win at that race track.

“I knew going in I had as good a chance as anyone of winning the Road Course Shootout. The bike has been so incredibly reliable and consistent for the past four years that I felt I could lean on it a little bit harder and give heads-up racing a shot. It made my job much easier knowing all I have to do is line up straight and cut a light, and the bike will make a clean A to B pass damn near every time.

“I was very lucky to have the help of a great group of teammates: Nino Zana, Joey Brandgard, and Jerome Gordon. Without them I might even forget to put fuel in the bike.

“I want to thank Brian and Niki Welch and family for their hard work and commitment to us racers. Their events are ALWAYS first class. Without folks like the Welch’s, Man Cup’s Jay Regan, and SDBA’s Sonny Vick, motorcycle drag racing wouldn’t be where it is today. Thank you also to Ron and Mary Anne Matcham, and their entire staff for such a great race track. They really make me feel like family every time I’m there. I’m hoping this is the first of many wins to come at my home track, Dragway 42.”

Saturday and Sunday

Testa and his no-bar ‘Busa went on to runner-up in Saturday’s Top Gas final against Bradley Shellhaas and his wheelie bar Kawasaki. Shellhaas took the tree .022 to .047 and went unchallenged from there.

“I was fortunate enough to have several family members travel there to watch this weekend, so those wins always feel more special,” said Bradley. “It also was my son’s ninth birthday, so he provided me with the luck when I needed it. No winlight was possible without my dad (Brad) building the most reliable and consistent antique that a rider could ever ask for. That bike makes my job easier and myself more confident than I ever should be on the track.”

No-Bar Shootout runner-up England nailed a .007 Bond Bulb on O’Dell Williams in Sunday’s Top Gas final, offsetting Williams’ 8.209 ET for the win.

“This weekend was a great start to the season for me,” said England. “I showed up Friday with my new bike and I hadn’t had a chance to use the nitrous much this season. So Friday morning, me and David Ligouri worked diligently to make the bike happy using nitrous, and within a couple runs it was working great. So I took a swing at 8.20 and went 8.177 at 179 mph.

“I left that tune alone and used it all weekend. It ran 8.16-8.18 all weekend long. This is my first no-bar Top Gas bike and I couldn’t be happier with it, showing up and winning the first weekend out. With a runner-up Friday in the Box shootout, 9.30 semifinal on Saturday, Pro ET semi and the Top Gas win on Sunday, I feel pretty good about my performance.

“I have the FuelTech plug ‘n play harness from David Ligouri and Ryan Schnitz, and man has that turned out to be a phenomenal system them guys created. I owe a huge thanks to David for his efforts with my motorcycle, Dave Page for building me a top flight engine every time, Marcus McBain for a killer shock combo, Dustin Lee for unbelievable clutch support, and Tim Hailey for being here with excellent coverage of the event.

“The next NHDRO is in my backyard at Edgewater Motorsports Park and I cannot wait to be there.”

Jeremy’s brother, Andrew “The Big Island” England, gave up .028 at the tree but still pulled out Saturday’s MPS Pro ET win against Perry Sowers in the final.

“Was a blast like always,” Andrew said about his weekend. “My first big win in the NHDRO and I was super pumped about it. Could not have done it with out the help of my dad Butch, my mom Anita, and my bother Jeremy. Had a hard road to get there, a lot of .00 stripes. Just lucky it fell my way.”

Not that he needs much luck, but Greg Mallett received heaps of it on Sunday. Kyle “Dolemite” Dolamore redlit by -.003 in the MPS Pro ET final, and David Beshara made it even easier for Mallett in the MTC Super Comp final when his bike pulled through the beams on the 2-step. That made for two wins for former Top Gas champ Mallett.

“Being the first race of the year for me, I really struggled Friday and Saturday,” said Mallett. “My lights weren’t consistent and I wasn’t riding well. I knew I needed to improve on Sunday or I’d be going home early. I worked a little harder, had a few lucky rounds, and things fell into place.

“It’s always helpful to have Dustin Lee, David Liguori, and Dan Rudd help me with my program. Those guys are the best at what they do!

“Dragway 42 is a great facility. I always enjoy racing there. Brian, Niki, and their crew do a top notch job at every event!”

Defending two-class champion Marty White also scored two wins at Dragway 42, both of them in M2.Shocks 8.70 Quick Street

Saturday’s Quick Street final was a true battle of titans—White vs. veteran rider Big Joe Holt. The champ’s .015 advantage at the tree was pretty much all he needed, as both bikes ran 8.73s to give White the win.

Sunday’s QST final was like a replay for White, but with a different bike and rider in the other lane. Eric Yost gave up .024 at the tree, ensuring another White win when both bikes ran 8.77s.

Young Chanston Moll was able to take the tree and the stripe against Sunday’s Super Comp runner-up Beshera in Saturday’s MTC Super Comp final.

“It was awesome to just get out there and have fun with family and friends!” said 20 year-old Moll. “The bike was super consistent every pass. I knew as long as I kept cutting a good light then I would be able to make it rounds. I also couldn’t have done it without all the help from Crow and Jeremy Teasley. They’re awesome, always there to help out when I need it!”

Jim Swanger grabbed an .044 advantage at the tree against Justin Blackford to give himself some easing room at the stripe for Saturday’s Advanced Sleeve Dirty 30 win.

Sunday’s Dirty 30 race was closer, with Jeff Hall taking the tree by .016 against Drew Nearhoof, who ran a click closer to the number with a 9.35. Still, Hall’s 9.36 took the stripe in the 9.30 index class.

“I’ve been following NHDRO since 2010, have been in many finals and semifinals, and have been number one qualifiers in several events, and this is my first win,” said Hall. “Been a long time coming. My goal was to win one of these races with a THC (True Hand Clutch) bike, and I finally did it.

“I would like to that Dave Page for building my motors throughout the years. If it wasn’t for him this wouldn’t be possible. He takes care of us at all costs. Would like to thank my son Jaden Hall for all the hard work and countless hours helping me work on these machines. And would like to thank Brian and Niki Welch for providing us with the series and continuing to put on the events for us to race in the Midwest. And of course, would like to thank the man Tim Hailey for the amazing photos and awesome coverage!”

Kevin Adams didn’t find the Friday success he was looking for but came through on Saturday for the Kevin Dennis Insurance Street ET win. Kevin’s 9.32 dial-in had to wait over three seconds on Jim Messing’s 12.55, but Adams did his job well with a .126 advantage at the tree that virtually secured the win.

Cincinnati’s Jay Hunter had an easy Street ET final round on Sunday when opponent Josh Costa redlit by -.012. “The track was great, the crew was real good, can’t wait till the next one,” said Hunter, a man of few words.

Riding his dad Ryan’s turbo ‘Busa, Trevor Schnitz was able to win Pro Street on what is essentially a well-tuned Top Gas bike. Schnitz took the tree with a sharp .013 and breezed to a 7.74 at 183 mph win while final round opponent Rob Aston spun in the other lane on his proper PST turbo ‘Busa.

“It was surreal,” said Trevor. “It was not only great to race in the class, but to win the class felt like a dream. I had a lot of help from many amazing people, the most important being my dad and grandfather (Dave). They have helped me grow and become a great racer. Trust me, this is just the beginning.”

VooDoo Grudge was seriously curtailed when heavy showers shut the track down for the night just before dark on Saturday night.

Pro Ultra 4.60 fell short of the number needed to run the class, but champion Dan McCarten won a run-off against Heath McQuinn.

Niki and Brian Welch are excited about the #NHDROohiosummer and are looking forward to seeing every member of the NHDRO family at the APE Raceparts Summer Reunion at Edgewater Sports Park just outside of Cincinnati on July 15-17.

NHDRO thanks M2.Shocks , Kevin Dennis Insurance , MPS Racing , Liguori Drag Racing , Schnitz Racing , Voodoo Custom Motorcycle Components , Vanson Leathers , BB Racing , Hard Times Parts and Service , MTC Engineering , Grothus Dragbikes , Klemme Performance Motorcycles , Green Bay Anodizing , Advanced Sleeve , Rock Auto and APE .

This report was prepared by Tim Hailey. Enjoy everything there is to read, see and watch about motorcycle drag racing and more at https://www.eatmyink.com

Grab her while you can – CLICK for exclusive ballistic nylon vest for the summer. All-new 5-Ball Shop.

Gear up to ride to Motorcycling Events – Click Here & checkout the all-new 5-Ball Racing Shop

May 12
Love0

XDA Rolls Into Virginia to Heat Things Up

By General Posts

Maegan Bowers

On May 20-22, XDA takes Motorcycle Drag Racing back to Virginia Motorsports Park for the 36th annual MTC Engineering Summer Nationals.

XDA offers a quality show with over 700 professional, sportsman, and grudge motorcycle drag racers in competition. This season XDA will payout over $500,000 in purse money and a $130,000 contingency fund that spans all classes. This event alone will pay out over $80,000 in cash purse to the best showcase of racers the country has to offer.

With the combined efforts of Jason Miller’s and Tyler Crossnoe’s track prep on VMP’s billiard table smooth racing surface, racers will continue to reap the benefits of the best-prepped racing surface with the XDA series.

With a great track surface, the east coast’s grudge drag racers will be able to put down the fastest passes you will see in the grudge scene. XDA’s elite Running of the Bulls Saturday night grudge event features Boosted Bulls (Turbo Bikes), APE Nitrous Bulls (Nitrous Bikes), 3 Sixty 5 Transport Monster Bulls (Heavyweights), and Tommie’s Motorsports DMV Bulls. And at XDA these racers need to be on point because the schedule is set and the track is on point, NO EXCUSES. Along with the Running of the Bulls, Saturday night action also includes the HTP Performance Afterdark Underground Grudge Racing class and Pro Qualifiers!

And when we say Pros, that includes the Orient Express Pro Street motorcycles. These are the baddest street tire motorcycles in the world that can only be seen at XDA events. The 650+ horsepower motorcycles feature turbocharged, supercharged, and nitrous injected motorcycles running at speeds over 230mph in the 1/4 mile in just 6-seconds!

Champion Rodney Williford grabbed the reigns at the season opener and looks to be comfortably in control of the top spot. But the MTC Summer Nationals already has an additional eighteen riders on the roll call ready to knock him off his thoroughbred. With a great weather forecast for the event, make your plans to be in the stands to watch these guys do the unthinkable on street tires.

DME Racing Real Steet has a new sheriff at the top of the leaderboard, with Ben Knight making a domination appearance on the Ralphie Navarro all-motor Hayabusa. Class champions David Stewart and Mark Hylton had a few bumps in the first race, but they are ready for a shootout on the quarter-mile next weekend.

Mid-west racer Chris Cutsinger is leading the MaxxECU Pro Xtreme class championship chase after an opening-round win and blazing 3.99 pass in the finals. After finishing a race on top he will be eager to throw some more three-second passes on the scoreboards next weekend at VMP.

FOR THE FIRST TIME, the HTP Performance Super Stock class is wide open for a new champion this season. Darion Payne is leading this class of stock wheelbase, clutch hand racers by twenty points. This class features strict modification rules, stock wheelbase, stock motor, MR12 spec fuel, no air shifters, no dataloggers, etc. So if you enjoy a riders class, these guys and gals will give you a show.

The 1/8th-mile killers of the Vance & Hines 4.60 continue to show out as these remarkable machines can put down consistent numbers while their pilots are cutting the best lights over all the classes at every event. With full 32-bike fields at every event, the riders of our quickest index category must make a calculated play for the win light with only 660 feet of asphalt to work with. Veteran Michael Ostrowski comes into the MTC Engineering Summer Nationals as the points leader, but will he remain there after all is said and done Sunday night with a hungry contingent of riders nipping at his heels?

The XDA will also hold competition in the 1 Stop Speed 5.60 Index, Mickey Thompson Tires Top Sportsman, VooDoo Bracket Bash, MPS Racing Pro ET, Brock’s Performance Street ET, and the Friday night Hard Times Parts & Service Gambler’s race. XDA offers up to $28,000 in guaranteed payouts for sportsman racers at each event, all while giving them a safe and professional environment to compete in.

With over 700 of the best motorcycle drag racers from across the world, a massive vendor midway, thousands of enthusiastic fans, legendary track prep, top-notch media coverage, a dedicated team of XDA officials and excellent track partners; the XDA continues to raise the bar as the measuring stick of motorcycle drag racing. You don’t want to miss any of the exciting action this season.

Visit www.xdaracing.com/summernationals for event information, class rules, payouts, entry fees, schedule, and more.

About XDA Racing: The Xtreme Dragbike Association (XDA) is an east coast motorcycle drag racing series with 700+ motorcycle racers competing at each event. Every XDA event hosts professional classes, sportsman classes, grudge racing and a vendor midway. Lifestyle activities such as bike shows, bikini contests, DJ and live bands are also held at select events. For more information on the XDA, please visit xdaracing.com or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube @xdaracing

Sign up for Free Weekly Newsletter from Bikernet.com to stay updated on latest Motorcycle news, events, products, tech, tips, reviews, fun & more
Click Here to Join – it’s Free – you can unsubscribe anytime

 

Apr 14
Love0

Mandate Madness: Latest Episode of Bandit’s Cantina

By General Posts

Bandit’s Cantina Episode 98: Mandate Madness
Trying Business Survival in Los Angeles
By Bandit with George Fleming and Jon Towle Illustrations

Between Covid and multiple mandates, the Cantina business model imploded. It was no longer about food and parties. It was all about survival. Every Monday morning the staff met to discuss how to get through the next week.

More and more young loners came to the Cantina to help or hide out. Walker’s Café on Pt. Fermin closed after almost 70 years as a coastal biker hangout. Between break-ins and anti-fossil fuel zealots Bikers were no longer allowed to ride along the scenic winding coast.

Brothers who needed cash sold extra parts in a small swap area in the Cantina garages. Some gave parts to the Cantina to sell to pay the bills, others brought stuff to sell and split with the Cantina.

CLICK HERE To Read Latest Episode of Bandit’s Cantina – The Series.

Join the Cantina to catch-up on this incredible journey.

Click Here to Sign-up before the 100th Episode Milestone.