It’s Quick, Dirty, Informative and Controversial
We live in the best of times, but control freaks can’t stand it. You can’t just have fun, not possible.
But bikers do and so do surfers. We know about the wind. We know about riding free, building what we want and rolling wherever it will take us.
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New highly anticipated 2-1 High Mount Exhaust System
Now available for purchase! Fits 2016 and up Gear Up, Patrol, cT
Designed specifically for off road use only
Contact your local dealer, supply is limited.
MSRP* 1,399.00
*MSRP does not include shipping, installation, dealer prices may vary
Could it be the Streetfighter V4, the 2020 Multistrada or something else entirely?
Ducati is set to unveil its 2020 range of motorcycles on 23 October 2019. What’s more interesting is that the company has teased a mystery motorcycle, which has left us scratching our heads and wondering what it could be?
Now, the obvious answer could be the production-ready Streetfighter V4. And this would make sense considering that the CEO of the company, Claudio Domenicali, had mentioned that the stripped-down version of the Panigale V4 will be the highlight of the event.
But if we had to put on our tin-foil hats and speculate, we think it could also be the 2020 Ducati Multistrada V4 considering the fact that the flagship adventure-tourer was spied testing near Bologna, Italy recently.
Other wild guesses include a new and updated SuperSport or the XDiavel. Both motorcycles are due for an update, but what remains to be seen is if they continue to sport the same L-twin setup or come with the Desmosedici Stradale V4 motor instead.
While the Italian manufacturer might unveil the bike in October, we expect to see it in the flesh only at the 2019 EICMA show in Milan, which is scheduled to take place in November. Yes, we will be bringing you all the updates from there as well.
STURGIS, S.D. — Law enforcement agencies in Meade and Pennington counties are hiring more officers, temporarily opening a second jail and keeping a courthouse open seven days a week for the Sturgis motorcycle rally and the hundreds of thousands of free-wheeling visitors it will attract over the next several days.
“We’re already busy,” Sturgis Police Chief Geody VanDewater said before the rally officially began Friday, Aug. 2.
VanDewater wouldn’t say how many temporary officers he hires but said they come from South Dakota, North Dakota, Colorado, Minnesota and other neighboring states. Some are working the rally for the first time while others, like one officer who is returning for his 41st rally, are repeat visitors.
Permanent officers will continue to work 12-hour shifts with no days off during the 10-day event, VanDewater said.
Meade County Sheriff Ron Merwin also hires temporary deputies, mostly relying on the office’s own reserve deputies and officers with Game, Fish & Parks. The Pennington County Sheriff’s Office hired eight deputies from South Dakota and neighboring states and will also have about 10 of its reserve deputies working full-time, said Chief Deputy Willie Whelchel.
The eight temporary deputies are assigned to two-person foot patrols in the office’s contract communities of Wall, New Underwood, Keystone and Hill City, Whelchel said.
The Rapid City Police Department didn’t hire extra staff and isn’t requiring its officers to work overtime as they have in past years, said Captain James Johns.
During the rally, the Meade County court remains open during the weekends and the old jail — located in the basement of the courthouse across the parking lot from the new jail — is reopened, Merwin said. Extra staff from the area is hired to help the corrections officers, but they don’t carry handcuffs or weapons.
The old jail has large group cells made of “old iron bars” and “doors that clang and bang” that hold about 25 people, Merwin said. When people are arrested, they’re first brought to the old jail to be booked and detained until their court date the next morning. Guards take away their belts and shoes for safety reasons, but let them wear their street clothes. If defendants can’t make bond, they’re moved to the new jail.
“Every day, we clean out the old jail and get ready for a new batch,” Merwin said. “It is quite a procedure. It’s been working for years and everybody is pretty conscientious about everybody’s rights, and we try not to do anything different than we do any other time of the year.”
The Pennington County court functions as normal during the rally and while no extra jail staff is hired, workers aren’t allowed to take vacation or do any special training, Whelchel said.
Enforcement priorities
“You name it, we have it here,” VanDewater said about the crimes he sees during the rally.
But he said the most common issues Sturgis police officers deal with are people parking where they’re not allowed to, followed by drunken driving and drug use.
Cars and motorcycles illegally parked in alleys, handicap spots and other off-limits areas are ticketed and towed to impound lots, the police chief said. “If we just leave them there, we’re not fixing the problem.”
“We allow officer discretion. We just ask that the issue is addressed,” VanDewater said when asked if his officers have to let some violations slide since they’re so busy. “We give more verbal warnings than we do citations.”
VanDewater said officers may give warnings to people urinating in public, carrying open alcohol containers and breaking traffic rules by speeding or not wearing a seat belt. But anyone charged with violent crimes or DUIs will be arrested.
“They will go to jail, and we don’t need them hurting themselves or especially someone else,” he said of drunken drivers.
James said most of the Sturgis activity in Pennington County takes place outside city limits, on the highways, and in Wall and the Mount Rushmore areas. Rapid City officers are mostly focused on road safety and noted some popular stores and venues, such as the Harley-Davidson dealership in Rapid City, provide their own security. He said the department’s goal is to make sure things go smoothly and seem normal for those who work and live in Rapid City.
Pennington County deputies focus on traffic safety and stopping drunken drivers as they prepare for six or seven major motorcycle rides that cross through the county, Whelchel said. Deputies make sure they’re visible and stationed around the county so they can quickly respond to emergencies.
“We want to be able to save lives. That’s our goal every day we come to work,” he said.
Whelchel and James agreed that it’s important to distinguish between those who are recklessly breaking traffic laws and those who may make a mistake because they’re tourists who aren’t familiar with the area.
“We got to help educate folks and guide them,” Whelchel said.
James and VanDewater said they’re not worried about how the rally will be impacted by South Dakota’s new law that says permits aren’t needed to carry a concealed weapon. They said officers are already trained to act as if anyone could be armed.
Call to Action! This is your chance to help Freedom and Choice Ring
It’s amazing, in a world gone nuts with regulation, one state is considering freedom. Check it out, in the news. Missouri has an adult helmet repeal in front of their Governor. Did you know about half of our states have adult freedom and in most cases free states have a better accident record than states with helmet laws.
Co to launch a more affordable bike in the 250cc segment, open 350 small outlets in hinterland
Royal Enfield, the cult-bike brand from Eicher Motors, is considering a new 250 cc variant to arrest a slide in volumes and market share, and as part of a broader push to make it more accessible to buyers.
The Royal Enfield brand had gone off the radar of aspiring youth looking for an upgrade, as enthusiasm dampened somewhat due to an increase in prices of about 8-10% over the last couple of years on account of a transition to BS IV emission norms, a spike in insurance cost and the introduction of a mandatory anti-lock braking system.
A slowing economy and about a dozen product launches in the 1 lakh to 1.5 lakh price band also added to the company’s woes.
From strong double-digit growth over the last five to six years, Royal Enfield has slipped into a double-digit decline in the last four months.
Under new CEO Vinod Dasari, however, the bike maker has rolled out a plan to set up 350 small outlets in the hinterland, apart from considering a new 250 cc bike variant. The 250 cc study is being carried out by the Indian R&D centre, even as the UK Technical Centre moots new, bigger displacement bikes for the global markets.
RE is also planning to debut a no-frills bike for all its brands, giving a prospective buyer the choice of personalisation and accessorisation.
RE will be able to address the value and premium segment, giving power to prospective buyers, according to the idea pushed by Dasari.
If a prospective buyer does not require all the bells and whistles, he/she can buy a no-frills version, and if the customer wants to spruce up the motorcycle, he/she has the option of adding hosts of accessories to make the vehicle stand out.
According to people in the know, the brand’s prominence and consumer interest remains high. Yet, it is not translating into sales, and factors such as price and features have become critical, which the company needs to address immediately.
When contacted, a company spokesperson declined to comment on future product plans, but said that accessibility had always been important for Royal Enfield in product development and experience.
“We will continue to focus our efforts on bringing classic, evocative and fun-to-ride motorcycles for our customers. We have persistently worked on keeping our motorcycles accessible, from the perspective of availability, ride experience, as well as ownership experience,” the spokesperson said. On the role of customisation, the spokesperson added, “We have a range of genuine motorcycle accessories that allow buyers to customise and personalise their motorcycles. We believe it is a core aspect of self-expression for our riders. We will continue to work towards making this experience more seamless for the customer.”
The company has enjoyed one the highest operating profits among automakers, thanks to its ability to pass on higher costs to customers with ease. However, the moderation in volumes over the past one year suggests that customers’ ability to buy at any price point is gradually waning and rising product prices is emerging as a deterrent to convert enquires into sales. The company’s volumes grew a measly 0.6% in the last fiscal year, its lowest volume growth since 2010.
With a double digit decline in sales for four consecutive months, Royal Enfield is staring at the first year of de-growth in almost a decade and the company is unlikely to meet its production guidance of 9.5 lakh units.
The company admitted that the current dip in volumes is largely related to an economic slowdown rather than brand fatigue. Over last five years, it has been a case of both volume and realisation, where the brand enjoyed a strong pricing power. Experts, however, differ to say that the impact of price increases on volumes in the last nine months indicates brand fatigue is setting in.
To be sure, Royal Enfield has 28.5 million searches on Google, up 9% YoY, which is around 2.37 million searches per month compared with the next three competitors, who rack up searches in the range of 0.6-1.1 million.
The Street is currently pricing in volume growth of 807,000-856,000 for the current fiscal year, which implies growth of -2% to plus 3%. The company has given a production guidance of 950,000 units after the March quarter earnings. This indicates that the Street is not expecting any improvement in volume growth in the near-term.
A new initiative, of Royal Enfield Studio Format Stores, is another step towards ensuring wider accessibility across smaller towns in India.
Royal Enfield has planned to add 350 new Studio Format Stores in 2019-20. This will take the retail touch points to 1,100 towns and cities with 1,350 stores. These stores will have a complete ecosystem of sales, service, spares, apparel, accessories and also rides and events
The small stores will be 225 square feet for sales and 275 square feet for the workshop, compared with 1500 square feet for full-size stores.
The company is expecting sales of 12-20 units per month from the small format stores.
Besides, if the small format stores formula clicks, it plans to open more than 1000 outlets in future.
New Rides Listed! Tons of Cool Places to Go!
THIS SATURDAY!!!
GROUP RIDE FROM LIFESTYLE CYCLES.
SKIP THE LINE!
PRE-REGISTER, COFFEE & DONUTS AT 8:00AM.
KICK STANDS UP AT 10:00 AM!
At Lifestyle Cycles, we LOVE hitting the open road. Like no kidding, any chance we can, we jump on our bikes and take a run somewhere. Doesn’t matter where … anywhere. Sometimes just to be on the road, feel the wind, and hear the roar of the exhaust pipes is all it takes. And while it’s cool to take a solo run now and again, we also love taking trips with others. We figure you’re that way too, so that’s why you need to join the Lifestyle Cycles Riding Group! All you need to do is click this link to our Meetup page and click “Join This Group,” and you’re an official member! Seriously, that’s all it takes, and you’re in! We do a TON of rides from quick lunch runs to full day trips. So check it out, join our group, and be a part of our family.
You read right, our Riding Group has 3,315 members!
If you’re looking for family and a place to belong, welcome home! We’re an easy going, laid back group, looking for others who just enjoy safe group riding! Our Riding Group has rides all over California … and even journeys to other states from time to time! We LOVE seeing amazing sites, riding fun roads, going to all kinds of events, having half and full day rides, overnight stays, 2-3 day journeys, and of course, eating at some of the most amazing, off-the-beaten-path places most people don’t even know exist! But the absolute best part is meeting and hanging out with some amazing people, and making some new friends. Join us and be part of an awesome riding group family!
Everyone is welcome (as a side note, we also have members in multiple states), and ALL motorcycles, trikes/can-am’s are welcome. We’re all brothers and sisters that really just enjoy each other’s company and riding. We try to have rides a couple times a month, and even some quick breakfast and lunch rides. We love and encourage our members to suggest places they want to go to or have been and want to share.
So at this point you’re probably asking, “So how do I join?” Super easy. Just click here to go to our Meetup page and click “join.” Easy, right? Welcome to the family!
Seriously. Lifestyle Cycles is so committed to getting you on one of our awesome pre-owned motorcycles (check them out here: https://tinyurl.com/yysd4e7e) that we’ll take just about anything in on trade toward a bike! We’ve taken classic cars, boats, ATVs, slot machines, boats, jewelry, watches, pinball machines, and of course, motorcycles. So take a look around your place and see what you have that might be of value. It just might be the very thing to get you closer to the pre-owned Harley of your dreams! We’re not kidding, bring in whatever you’ve got and let’s take and look and see what we can do! Call us at (714) 490-0155. We’re at 1510 N. State College Blvd, Anaheim, CA 92806
COME SEE WHY LIFESTYLE CYCLES IS THE NUMBER ONE MOTORCYCLE DESTINATION IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA!
We carry Street Glides, Road Glides, Tri-Glides, Road Kings, Ultras, Sportsters, Softails, Dynas, and much more! We have a bike to fit just about every budget! You know you’ve been wanting to get a bike, and now is the perfect time! So what are you waiting for? Stop on in today and let’s turn your dream into a reality!
Sales/Parts/Apparel Hours:
Monday – Friday: 9AM – 6PM
Saturday: 9AM – 5PM
Sunday: 10.AM – 4PM
Service Dept Hours:
Monday-Saturday: 8AM – 5PM
We Will Be Closed Thursday, July 4th.
In a world gone insane with regulation you see that freedom still matters. In Missouri they are about to repeal the adult helmet law. The accident rate for motorcycles hasn’t increased in a decade, yet the number of riders on the road has, but who cares. We ride for freedom and excitement, not to improve safety statistics.
The Bikernet Weekly News is sponsored in part by companies who also dig Freedom including: Cycle Source Magazine, the MRF, Las Vegas Bikefest, Iron Trader News, ChopperTown, BorntoRide.com and the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum. Most recently the Smoke Out and Quick Throttle Magazine came on board.
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With the 2019 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb quickly approaching, Zero Motorcycles has released new details surrounding the preparation of its new SR/F for the race.
Zero’s internal engineering team, in collaboration with several brand partners including Gates Carbon Drive, Showa, Pirelli Tires, SME Group, Dymag and Hotbodies Racing, have transformed the powerful streetfighter into a full-blown racer for the June 30th event. Come race day, AMA-professional racer Cory West will pit the bike against some of the biggest names in the industry, testing adaptations including an upgraded suspension, handlebar-mounted brake levers, custom rearsets and more.
SANTA CRUZ, Calif., (June 20, 2019) – Zero Motorcycles, the brand that defined the category of electric motorcycles, introduced their most innovative and powerful motorcycle yet with the launch of SR/F earlier this year. Now, Zero’s internal engineering team, in collaboration with multiple partners, has transformed its new streetfighter into a full-blown racer, which AMA-professional racer Cory West will put to the test at the 2019 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on June 30.
“The racing effort for Pikes Pike at Zero is entirely run with internal engineering staff, who mostly commit their lunches, nights, and weekends to the cause,” said Brian Wismann, VP of Product Development at Zero Motorcycles. “No dedicated team members or factory-level budgets here. The bike was built with the support of key suppliers to the Zero production line, plus some clever designs from an engineering team let loose to experiment.”
With 110 horsepower and 140 lb-ft of torque, Zero’s production SR/F already boasts impressive performance stats that challenge competitors representing the biggest names in the industry. Through the company’s “Blue Sky” program, which encourages Zero engineers to explore their creativity and reach for new heights, the SR/F has become an even more formidable contender, thanks in large part to the help of existing brand partners including Gates Carbon Drive, Showa, Pirelli Tires, SME Group, Dymag and Hotbodies Racing.
In lieu of the chain kit typically used for race bikes, Zero engineers opted to stick with the same Gates Carbon Drive belt found on the production model. Their hope is that the smooth delivery of torque from the concentric pivot and constant tension belt will give the SR/F an advantage when pitted against gas bikes, which need to shift and respond to power pulses and surges from internal combustion engines.
In order to upgrade the suspension on the SR/F, Zero tapped Showa for their rare Balance Free Front Fork (BFF) and Balance Free Rear Cushion lite (BFRC-lite) rear shock. The Showa components also serve the dual purpose of adding a contrasting visual accent against the matte black of the bike. Adding utlity and further visual character to the racer, Dymag forged aluminum wheels provide crucial weight savings, plus aesthetic appeal befitting the Pirelli Superbike Slicks fitted to them.
Additional adaptations to the SR/F from Zero’s engineering team include two handlebar-mounted brake levers, which allow for better rear brake modulation while banking deeply into right hand turns – only possible through the clutch-less design of Zero’s direct drive electric motor. Custom rearsets were also designed to accommodate the bike’s unique swingarm pivot, which is concentric with the motor output shaft.
Bringing together the overall concept is designer Tom Zipprian’s custom bodywork, which was 3D printed in-house specifically for Pikes Peak and reinforced with carbon fiber. Large number plates are required per race regulations, and this serves to stylishly accommodate those as well as provide useful data on testing the potential aerodynamic benefits of similar elements that generate downforce.
About Zero Motorcycles
Zero Motorcycles is the global leader in electric motorcycles and powertrains. Designed and crafted by hand in California, Zero Motorcycles combines Silicon Valley technology with traditional motorcycle soul to elevate the motorcycling experience for intelligent, innovative riders around the world.
Weekend Round-Up for June 17, 2019
Major Big Week Coming
It’s nuts. We finally finished the fiberglass top of the Salt Torpedo, sorta. I still needed to build the parachute box and fix some pieces in the bottom. There’s always something else.
CLICK HERE to read the Roundup.
Discovered: Custom Drop Tank Trailer
The Ultimate Motorcycle Hauler
This custom motorcycle trailer was constructed using an A-7 Corsair II drop tank. It is finished in flat grey with Navy livery, and features include functional lights, torsional stub axles, and 16” wheels.
CLICK HERE to read the Custom Trailer Report.
NCOM Biker Newsbytes for June 2019
Louisiana fights Back, Missouri finds Freedom, Texas Bans, Washington and More
Read the NCOM Newsbytes by Clicking Here.
5-Ball Racing Garage Leathers
Jak Shirt 5/8th Sleeve and Pit Crew Vest
The Jak Shirt is made from strong milled Buffalo leather, a top-grain quality leather. 5/8th Jak Shirt is ideal riding gear for cool and warm weather. The 5/8th sleeve hits just below the elbow.
Jak Shirt line is delivered with innovative features like a sunglasses pocket as well as conceal and carry pockets.
The lightweight Pit Crew Vest from 5-Ball Leathers is made from ballistic nylon. Ballistic nylon was originally designed in WWII to repel flying shrapnel.
CLICK HERE to get your 5-Ball Racing Gear
RIDE FREE FOREVER !!!
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