Motorcycles

Evel Empire: Knievel’s Stranglehold on the Seventies

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Evel Knievel had a stock answer for reporters when they asked him: Well … why? “There’s three mysteries to life,” he said, with practiced conviction. “Where we came from, why we do what we do, and where we’re going to go. You don’t know the answer to any of those three, and neither do I.” Standing next to the Snake River Canyon in Idaho in 1974, as crew members prepped his water-powered rocket cycle to fly the chasm in what would be his ballsiest cheat of death yet, he added: “I’m going to jump it to get to the other side, and I don’t want to drive across that damn bridge.” Click Here to Read this Article on Bikernet. Join the Cantina – Subscribe Today. https://www.bikernet.com/pages/custom/subscription.aspx

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Lowes storms to season opening victory in the desert

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Sam Lowes crowned a perfect weekend by winning the first Moto2 race of 2021 in Qatar as Augusto Fernandez scored important points and gained valuable experience by finishing 14th. The 2021 season started in style under the floodlights at the Losail International Circuit with the 20-lap Moto2 race demonstrating the full potential of Sam Lowes, who rode to a brilliant victory. Sunday evening’s track temperature (23 degrees) was nine degrees lower than qualifying (32 degrees) and the wind had picked up considerably, adding another challenge for team-mates Lowes and Augusto Fernandez. After a tough qualifying on Saturday, in which he placed 21st, the 23-year old made some drastic changes to bike set-up ahead of the race. He confirmed these improvements on Sunday afternoon by placing eighth in warm-up. Fernandez was then involved in an epic six-rider fight for eleventh place for the majority of the race. He maintained a strong rhythm until the end, and came home 14th, 17.540s behind the winner. “I’m happy with what we changed with this bike” “I’m happy because we did a lot of work all weekend. Yesterday we changed the setting of the bike completely. So today was like a test. We had a quick warm-up, a new setting and then we had to try and understand as many things as possible before the race. Coming from the back of the grid is always difficult so I’m happy with the performance. We have to improve some things, especially in sector three, where I was struggling a lot. But we will analyse everything because I’m happy with what we changed with this bike. If we can improve in sector three, we’ll make a big step. My last two laps of the race were fast – top seven or top eight pace. I can’t wait to

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Harley-Davidson Has Missed the Mark in Electric Transportation

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by Travis Hoium from https://www.fool.com The company can’t get over its past success. The iconic Harley-Davidson (NYSE:HOG) brand is in trouble. The company has seen revenue fall for a half-decade, and earnings have evaporated. Strategies to get into electric motorcycles have largely failed, and the core business doesn’t show any signs of a turnaround. Despite all of these challenges, Harley-Davidson stock is up 82% over the past year, and investors seem optimistic about a turnaround. But there’s good reason to think that won’t happen for this leisure stock. Harley-Davidson’s motorcycle market is shrinking One thing is clear: Harley-Davidson’s market is getting smaller as the culture that brought the company to industry dominance diminishes. The customer base is aging, younger consumers are no longer interested in the look or sound of Harley-Davidsons, and growing markets adjacent to the motorcycle market have been difficult for the brand to enter. The biggest challenge is that Harley-Davidson was always a culture brand, and that’s what made it so powerful for decades. It wasn’t just motorcycles — it was people’s apparel, the sound the bikes made, and long rides on the open road. As more people move to urban markets and look for less disruptive means of transportation, the culture looks out of date. Going electric isn’t enough Harley-Davidson hasn’t been completely surprised by the industry’s changes — it saw the electric vehicle market coming to motorcycles. But it miscalculated what kind of products consumers want and where its brand can connect. The current LiveWire products are a similar form factor to traditional motorcycles, but that’s not where consumers are trending. Electric scooters are really where the growth has been, with Statista estimating that about 50 million electric scooters and bicycles were sold in 2020. Grand View Research estimates the electric scooter market will grow

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Bikers inside the Beltway Meeting for May 2021

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BIKERS INSIDE THE BELTWAY 2021 FLEXIBLE & MOVING FORWARD The pandemic and the events of January 6 brought changes to meetings with members of Congress and large gatherings. The MRF has restructured Bikers inside the Beltway to comply with pandemic mandates and directives for assemblies. The 2021 Bikers inside the Beltway will take place in Washington, D.C., May 18. “It is our right to address Congress” said MRF President Kirk Willard. “While attendees will need to take a flexible approach to scheduling meetings with their members of Congress, Bikers Inside the Beltway will take place as scheduled.” New security restrictions necessitate that visitors to Congress establish appointments before arriving in D.C. The MRF will provide members with contact information to begin the process of setting your D.C. agenda. Flexibility with appointments and expectations is a must. Some congressional offices will welcome in person meetings within the Capitol Complex. Other offices may seek meetings outside the official government buildings. Still others may only do a meeting over the phone or via zoom. Bikers inside the Beltway will be dual-faceted to accommodate in-person visits to Congress plus visits to local offices. To ensure that the mission of getting our message to Congress does not fail, here are a few items to consider: Once infrastructure funding legislation is assigned a Senate and House number, that information will be shared. Make your appointments locally or in Washington. Familiarize yourself with the briefing points. Confirm your appointment locally or in Washington. Virtual or in person, make notes on your meeting. Share your meeting notes with the MRF. Although bill numbers have not been assigned to the infrastructure funding legislation, Congress has classified it as a high priority. Language that the MRF amended into the 2020 highway funding legislation has not changed. The MRF’s 2021 High

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The Doomed Bikernet Weekly News for March 25th, 2021

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There are two premises at play here. Threats of doom and control freaks. Some folks are constantly hunting for more control over you. At one time bikers made up one of the largest activist groups in the country. We were right up there with the NRA. We fought hard for freedom to choose to wear a helmet or not. We won until a control freak (Joan Claybrook) took over the DOT and came up with the public burden theory, so she could take our freedom again. We faced an uphill battle gallantly and in many states succeeded. I never understood the media. They supported helmet laws and taking our freedoms. But the media relies on freedom or there would be no media just government propaganda. Hell, you might also read a book I wrote in 1999, Sam Chopper Orwell. It explains what’s happing in biker style. Hang on. You’ll see this topic pop-up numerous times in the news. It’s not about exhaust smoke and plastic containers. It’s about honesty, freedom and good times. Let’s hit the news. It just bothers me, because we are actually living in the best of times. Sure, there’s stuff to do and improve. But we are not doomed. Let’s party or as the brothers say, “Support Good Times.” Ride Fast and Free Forever. –Bandit Click Here to Read the Weekly News on Bikernet. Join the Cantina – Subscribe Today. https://www.bikernet.com/pages/custom/subscription.aspx

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Barre Harley-Davidson Dealer Will Give Free Motorcycles to Those in Need

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by Sasha Goldstein from https://www.sevendaysvt.com Last year, as people looked for new ways to enjoy the outdoors, the folks at Wilkins Harley-Davidson in Barre saw dozens of would-be riders stream through its doors. All had a common goal: to hop on a motorcycle and escape. “Motorcycles provide a kind of release and a way to get away from our troubles and anxieties,” said Mark Frano, the dealership’s customer experience manager. “There’s a fair amount of people who could probably use that release but don’t have the means to get on a $20,000 Harley-Davidson motorcycle.” Intent to spread the joy of riding, the dealership came up with the Freedom for All Project. For every 50 bikes it sells this year, Wilkins will provide a free one to someone in need. The dealership is taking applications from people in northern New York, Vermont and New Hampshire who can “describe why they feel like they’re a candidate for this program,” Frano said. “It’s definitely resonated with folks who just can’t make this happen on their own,” he added. New riders are encouraged to apply. If chosen, they’ll be trained to ride safely at the dealership’s riding academy, which allows people to get a motorcycle endorsement on their driver’s license. Frano said it’s a way of giving back, something the company has done since it opened its doors in 1947. Founder Harry Wilkins used to run the shop out of his Barre garage and provide free sandwiches to riders who showed up, often from distant towns. In honor of that tradition, the dealership holds a “bologna sandwich Saturday” each year, Frano said. Giving away motorcycles adds up to a lot of bologna sandwiches. Frano estimated that the dealership sells about 300 bikes a year, meaning it would give away six in 2021. While the

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Design and styling of the Triumph Project TE-1 electric mototrcycle

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from https://www.financialexpress.com Triumph Project TE-1 electric motorcycle design sketches out! Powertrain prototype unveiled The design and styling of the Triumph Project TE-1 appear heavily inspired by the 2021 Speed Triple 1200 RS, however, it will not simply be the Speed Triple with an electric powertrain, but an all-new bike built from scratch. Having been announced back in 2019, Project TE-1 is now beginning to take steps towards completion with the official revealing of the design sketches of Triumph’s upcoming electric motorcycle and also the prototype of its powertrain and battery. Delivering on the objectives announced at the start of the TE-1 project in May 2019, focused on developing specialist electric motorcycle technology and integrated solutions, the collaboration between Triumph Motorcycles, Williams Advanced Engineering, Integral Powertrain Ltd, and WMG at the University of Warwick funded by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles, today took the wraps off its achievements so far. Triumph has announced the completion of Phase 2 with the reveal of the battery and powertrain prototype, initial performance results and the first design concept drawings for the Project TE-1. The prototype of the motorcycle will be unveiled sometime by the end of this year. The design and styling of the TE-1 appear heavily inspired by the 2021 Speed Triple 1200 RS with a similar headlamp, suspension and single-sided swingarm. However, the Project TE-1 will not simply be the Speed Triple frame bolted with an electric powertrain, it is being built from the ground up. The British manufacturer states that test results show significant innovation in mass, battery technology, and powertrain performance that exceeds the target set by the UK Automotive Council for 2025. Project TE-1 is a collaboration between four major UK industry and academic leaders – Triumph Motorcycles, Williams Advanced Engineering, Integral Powertrain Ltd’s e-Drive Division, and WMG

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Triumph Electric Motorcycle Prototype Project

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from https://motorcycles.einnews.com PROJECT TRIUMPH TE-1 CREATING UK ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLE CAPABILITY TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES ANNOUNCES PHASE 2 – POWERTRAIN PROTOTYPE Atlanta Georgia, USA, March 24, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Triumph Motorcycles reveals the innovative advanced electric powertrain and battery and the first styling sketches for the final Project TE-1 Prototype, of this landmark four-phase collaboration in British design and engineering as Phast 2 reaches a successful conclusion. Delivering on the objectives announced at the start of the TE-1 project in May 2019, focused on developing specialized electric motorcycle technology and innovative integrated solutions, this unique collaboration between Triumph Motorcycles, Williams Advanced Engineering, Integral Powertrain Ltd, and WMG at the University of Warwick funded by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles, has already achieved significant results. Including innovation in battery and powertrain design, initial test performance results far exceed the current benchmarks and industry targets. Developments in performance, efficiency, and range is enabling Project TE-1 to fully deliver the partnership’s objectives to enhance the credibility and profile of British industry providing substantial input into the future electric motorcycle strategy from Triumph. Announcing the completion of Phase 2 – The reveal of the battery and powertrain prototype, initial high level performance results, and the first design concept drawings for the Project TE-1 Prototype motorcycle that will be created at the end of the next phase. Key project achievements to date – Test results show significant innovation in mass, battery technology, and powertrain performance that exceeds the target set by the UK Automotive Council for 2025, meeting the project’s ambitious objectives to deliver genuine innovation for a new standard in fully usable electric motorcycle performance. Project TE-1 is a unique collaboration between four major UK industry and academic leaders       – Triumph Motorcycles, Williams Advanced Engineering, Integral Powertrain Ltd.’s e-Drive Division, and WMG at the University

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The All New Enfield Meteor 350 launch

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Royal Enfield invites you to the launch of the all-new Meteor 350. Please join Krishnan Ramaswamy, President of Royal Enfield Americas, and Breeann Poland, Head of Marketing & Communication Royal Enfield Americas, as they introduce you to the newest motorcycle in the Royal Enfield North American lineup. This interactive launch will take place on April 6 at 2 PM CST. Mark Wells, Head of Product Strategy & Rich Rawlins, Head of Genuine Motorcycle Accessories will join Krishnan and Breeann to discuss the development & design of the Meteor along with details regarding pricing and availability. During this time, information regarding Royal Enfield’s business objectives & brand direction in North America will be shared as well. Royal Enfield is celebrating 120 years of pure motorcycling & with that comes all new initiatives & programs for 2021. You won’t want to miss out on this announcement! Date: April 6th, 2021 Time: 2:00 PM CST Click Here to RSVP to Launch Event Now

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Historic motorcycles poised to visit Laguna Seca raceway

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by Jim Johnson from https://www.montereyherald.com County board to consider three-year pact for event A “vintage” motorocycles festival could be officially added to Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca’s “premiere” event schedule this season, serving as a bookend with the popular MotoAmerica Superbike event in July. The Board of Supervisors are set under its consent agenda Tuesday to consider a three-year deal with the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association for the Monterey Classic MotoFest event at Laguna Seca, running July 16-18 this year. The proposed agreement, which would take effect retroactive to Jan. 1, would require the AHRMA organization to pay the county $480,000 over the term of the pact through the 2023 racing season. It would last through July 31, 2023. The county board is also scheduled to consider another retroactive agreement under its consent agenda Tuesday, this one with the Historic Sportscar Racing from Feb. 1-Dec. 31, 2022 for the Pre-Reunion and Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion events set for Aug. 7-8 and Aug. 12-15, respectively. Raceway spokesman Barry Toepke said the AHRMA has rented the raceway track in the past and the “growing popularity of vintage motorcycles” has offered an opportunity to “celebrate the sport and hobby by creating a larger festival experience and developing a Bike Week following” the GEICO MotoAmerica Superbike Speedfest at Monterey event set for July 9-11. Toepke said the agreement was initiated in November but the holidays, uncertainty around event dates and whether spectators would be allowed delayed finalization of the proposal. The organization touts its national and regional motorcycle road racing events ranging from motocross, dirt track and cross country to observed trials competition for historic motorcycles, as well as “alternative” modern racing with zero emissions electric motorcycles. Raceway management dubbed AHRMA the “preeminent vintage motorcycle organization” in the U.S. and produces events across the

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