Hey,
I’m going to jump right into the news. We are planning for our SEMA meeting next week, and I’m edgy. Plus a major storm is due to hit the coast next week and last all week long. I hope we don’t float away.
I’m sure you’re aware of the SoCal wimp. We generally receive 10 inches of rain annually. Just the thought of a sprinkle terrifies us.
SEMA is a massive aftermarket Auto organizations, sort of the grassroots hot rod group. We are investigating a motorcycle council within SEMA to help our legislative efforts and connect the aftermarket motorcycle guys to the motorcycle rights groups all over the world. I’ll bring you a report next week in the Thursday News. So let’s hit it, then I’ll spill my guts about shop projects and content coming to Bikernet this week:
BIKERNET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT– A first grade girl handed in the drawing below for a homework assignment…
After it was graded and the child brought it home, she returned to school the next day with the following note:
Dear Ms. Davis,
I want to be very clear on my child’s illustration. It is NOT of me on a dance pole on a stage in a strip joint. I work at Home Depot and had commented to my daughter how much money we made in the recent snowstorm. This drawing is of me selling a shovel.
Mrs. Harrington
2009 YEAR END BIKERNET MONTHLY READERSHIP REPORT–According to Google Bikernet Readership dipped 4.3 percent in December, which is usually the case during the Holidays. Here’s the numbers from Web Trends and Google. This will be interesting to follow throughout 2010. If we miss a month, remind me. I believe we will see substantial growth.
Unique Users (web trends) 254,865
Google unique visitors: 92,104
Google Visits: 139,195
Web trends visits: 459,233
Google Page views: 509,523
Web trends page views: 708,998
Google average time on site: 3:49
Web trends average time on site: 7:49
Our visitors came from 173 countries
72 percent from the U.S.
5 percent from Canada
2.5 percent from Australia
2.3 percent from England
1.6 percent from Germany
1 percent from France
.8 percent from the Netherlands
I just got off the phone with my new web master. He went to Alexi and did some checking. He host 200 web sites. He was blown away. Bikernet is listed in the top 100,000 web sites world wide. He said he’s worked with folks who spent millions and are not in the top 300,000 sites. He also works with a site that spends $5,000 a month with google enhancements and isn’t even close. Good times ahead.
We recently spoke to one of our advertisers who also advertises on a blog. “I get about the same number of click-throughs, but let’s check something,” he said. He studied his Google report. He discovered that the Bikernet readers stayed on his site twice as long as the blog, and Bikernet delivered half the bounce rate.
It’s all about finding what works for your company and sticking with it. Let us know whenever we can assist your company’s growth.
–Bandit
MO’ CANNONBALL RALLY RULES–This event started with a handful of entrants and quickly grew to nearly 100. Hang on for regular reports:
THE TIRES……..Well, the tires are very important. The argument for or against the safety of clincher tires has long been a debate. If you don’t want to run clincher rims and tires, then you don’t have to. Spares allowed.
THE LIGHTS ………At this time we are developing a universal, battery powered lighting system that resembles the the early carbides of the day. Simply hook up a brake light switch and you should be legal. If your machine has lighting already then thats great, just add a brake light switch. Spare batteries allowed.
LICENSE AND REGISTRATION……… Each machine, like any other motorcycle on the road, will need to be registered and licensed. The rider also needs to have auto liability insurance as well as a drivers license.
BIKERNET CHANGES OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS–We are in the process of upgrading Bikernet from a tech standpoint, plus adding some services that we feel will be beneficial to our readers. One might be enhanced classifieds section and perhaps a section for jobs applications.
We know of brothers looking for jobs, and we might be able to help companies find sharp, hardworking employees. This section will be offered in the Bikernet Free Department to all readers. Let me know your thoughts.
–Bandit
RED SKELTON’S RECIPE FOR THE PERFECT MARRIAGE– 1. Two times a week we go to a nice restaurant, have a Little beverage, good food and companionship. She goes on Tuesdays; I go on Fridays.
2. We also sleep in separate beds. Hers is in California, and mine is in Texas.
3. I take my wife everywhere…. but she keeps finding her way back.
4. I asked my wife where she wanted to go for our anniversary. “Somewhere I haven’t been in a long time!” she said. So I suggested the kitchen.
5. We always hold hands. If I let go, she shops.
6. She has an electric blender, electric toaster and electric bread maker. She said “There are too many gadgets, and no place to sit down!” So I bought her an electric chair.
7. My wife told me the car wasn’t running well because there was water in the carburetor. I asked where the car was. She told me, “In the lake.”
8. She got a mud pack, and looked great for two days. Then the mud fell off.
9. She ran after the garbage truck, yelling, “Am I too late for the garbage?” The driver said, “No, jump in!”
10. Remember: Marriage is the number one cause of divorce.
11. I married Miss Right. I just didn’t know her first name was Always.
12. I haven’t spoken to my wife in 18 months. I don’t like to interrupt her.
13. The last fight was my fault though. My wife asked, “What’s on the TV?” and I said, “Dust!”
–from Chris Ederer
“Biker: Perception or Truth?– The word Biker, conjures up an image of a leather-jacketed, long-haired man (not to insult my riding sisters or Rippen Kittens as they are sometimes referred) on the open road livin’ life on his terms. The biker has long been a symbol of freedom, and of rebellion, which continues to be immortalized and romanticized, in iconic movies like ‘The Wild One’ and ‘Easy Rider’
Harley-Davidson motorcycles have been a huge part of that iconic image. Many metric riders would disagree, however my standard response is, “98% of all Harleys ever sold are still on the road. The other 2% made it home.”
Portrayed as brutish thugs and criminals, essentially demons on hogs, some journalists, law enforcement agencies, criminal ‘experts’, and politicians have become willing perpetuators of the misconceptions. Sensationalized stories of any given event result in the public perception that packs of bikers are looting and pillaging small towns across the country. Bikers are somewhat easier to profile than your average person, because for many, they could care less about opinion, seeing ‘assumption’ as another’s loss of getting to know a really great person.
Are bikers simply a brotherhood, from whom the public has nothing to fear, apart from the occasional bad apple? Or are they billion dollar crime organizations, involved in drugs, gun-running and murder?
There has always been a dark side to the lifestyle. It is that dark side that attracts or repels people.
For many, opinion is formed through productions like the live action TV series Sons Of Anarchy – a California-based motorcycle gang (conveniently named the Sons of Anarchy) possess a ridiculous amount of money, this is partly justified in their illegal firearms smuggling. Also the bikers are shown to be fairly nice people, and not crazy ruffians, with the occasional violent encounter. It is also hinted in the show that the Sons of Anarchy is the only thing keeping other, more violent gangs from invading the town. Sure, why not.
How about the show where two desperate biker gangs, both of the Hells Angels variety, invade a town in Knight Rider. I think that’s the episode where David Hasselhoff scares the bikers away wearing nothing but a red Speedo. I know that would do it for me.
Villainized, demonized, criticized, homogenized, Bikers put up with a lot of things. Most just want to enjoy the lifestyle without judgment. For me, I keep laughing, remaining easy-going about life in general. My rich-interior life allows me to image the ‘bad a-s’ me riding my Hog with a hot babe, like Shania Twain…no…Kristeen von Hagen…in leather, sitting behind me, with her arms wrapped around my waist….oops!… was that my outside voice again?
–William Perry
Victoria, BC”…
BIKERNET Blonde Mortician– A man who just died is delivered to a local mortuary wearing an expensive, expertly tailored black suit. The female blonde mortician asks the deceased’s wife how she would like the body dressed. She points out that the man does look good in the black suit he is already wearing.
The widow, however, says that she always thought her husband looked his best in blue, and that she wants him in a blue suit.
She gives the Blonde mortician a blank cheque and says, ‘I don’t care what it costs, but please have my husband in a blue suit for the viewing.’
The woman returns the next day for the wake. To her delight, she finds her husband dressed in a gorgeous blue suit with a subtle chalk stripe; the suit fits him perfectly …
She says to the mortician, ‘Whatever this cost, I’m very satisfied. You did an excellent job and I’m very grateful. How much did you spend?’
To her astonishment, the blonde mortician presents her with the blank cheque.
‘There’s no charge,’ she says.
‘No, really, I must compensate you for the cost of that exquisite blue suit!’ she says.
‘Honestly, ma’am,’ the blonde says, ‘it cost nothing. You see, a deceased gentleman of about your husband’s size was brought in shortly after you left yesterday, and he was wearing an attractive blue suit. I asked his wife if she minded him going to his grave wearing a black suit instead, and she said it made no difference as long as he looked nice… . . . . . . …
So I just switched the heads.’
BIKERNET COPY EDITOR TRANSFERRED TO COLORADO SPRINGS– Trip was uneventful but long – too long for my 58-year-old ass. Glad I double-tied the front end of the bike down on the trailer and checked connections at every stop, because one strap broke and the hook on another strap gave up the ghost. Off-loaded the bike today with the help of a co-worker, so I can go out and play a little this weekend. My trailer is a Kendon single-rail model and loading/unloading, especially a heavy touring bike, is a two-man job due to the skinny ramp.
–Bruce
Bikernet copy editor
NEW BOOK FROM MOTORBOOKS– I wanted to check with you to be sure a recently published Motorbooks title landed on your desk. Maximum Control: Mastering Your Heavyweight Bike by Pat Hahn and photography by Darryl and Lori Cannon just hit bookshelves and I think your audience would find it immeasurably helpful.
As I?m sure you know, reported motorcycle injuries resulting from accidents nearly doubled between 1998 and 2008 (49,000 in 1998 to 96,000 in 2008 according to NHTSA). With so many motorcycles on the road and an increase in popularity of heavyweight motorcycles, it is imperative that riders be given all the resources they need to be safe riders. Maximum Control addresses every aspect of riding a heavyweight bike –steering, positioning, braking, and carrying a passenger or heavy load. As you will see in Mr. Petterson?s feedback below, this book should be at the top of your recommended list, especially when considering your efforts to keep your readers safe on the road.
?What I?ve read and seen so far is excellent. Combining the “police type” slow speed stuff in chapters 2-5 with the braking, cornering and hazard avoidance stuff make this book unique. The text and the drills make a perfect course. I already know it will be at the top of the list of the books/resources I recommend to others.? — Dan Petterson, Ed.D., Skilled Motorcyclist Association – Responsible, Trained and Educated Riders (SMARTER at www.smarter-usa.org
–Nichole Schiele
Quayside Publishing Group
Motorbooks / MBI Publishing
Senior Marketing Manager
400 First Ave North
Suite 300
Minneapolis, MN 55401
Ph: 612-344-8161
Fax: 612-344-8692
e-mail: nschiele@motorbooks.com
www.motorbooks.com
ACTUAL EXPERIENCE AT BANDIT’S CANTINA WINE TASTING FACILITY–A man asked a waiter to take a bottle of Merlot to an unusually attractive woman sitting alone at a table in a cozy little restaurant. So the waiter took the Merlot to the woman and said, ‘This is from the gentleman who is seated over there,’ and indicated the sender with a nod of his head. She stared at the wine cooly for a few seconds, not looking at the man, and then decided to send a reply to him by a note.
The waiter, who was lingering nearby for a response, took the note from her and conveyed it to the gentleman.
The note read: ‘For me to accept this bottle, you need to have a Mercedes in your garage, a million dollars in the bank and ‘7’inches in your pants’.
After reading the note, the man decided to compose one of his own in return. He folded the note, handed it to the waiter and instructed him to deliver it to the lady.
It read: ‘Just to let you know things aren’t always what they appear to be. I have a Ferrari Maranello, BMW Z8, Mercedes CL600, and a Porsche Turbo in my several garages. I have beautiful homes in Aspen and Miami , Sweden , and a 10,000 acre ranch in Louisiana . There is over Two Hundred million dollars in my bank account and portfolio. But, not even for a woman as beautiful as you, would I cut off three inches. Just send the wine back….
–Chris T.
PPG?S NEW LOW-VOC ETCH PRIMERS APPROVED BY CHRYSLER FOR WARRANTY REPAIRS– STRONGSVILLE, Ohio ? January 15, 2010 ? PPG?s new SX1071 and Nexa Autocolor? P565-9880 Etch Primers have received approval by Chrysler Group, LLC., for warranty repairs on its vehicles. SX1071 is a low-VOC, 2-component acid etch primer specifically designed to provide excellent adhesion and corrosion resistance to properly prepared steel and aluminum surfaces while offering fast dry characteristics. It is part of the PPG OneChoice? product line. P565-9880 has comparable properties and is compatible with the Nexa Autocolor? product line.
The approval was granted following a series of wide-ranging and thorough tests and evaluations to ensure SX1071 and P565-9880 meet Chrysler?s rigorous quality standards. With the approval, SX1071 and P565-9880, become part of an extensive list of other Chrysler-approved PPG coatings from the Global Refinish System?, Deltron? and Nexa Autocolor lines.
SX1071 and P565-9880 are both 5.5 pounds-per-gallon VOC products that are compliant with the low-VOC auto refinish regulations in California. Canada will put similar regulations into effect in 2010. Both products also feature a fast dry formula, are chromate free and secure adhesion to most metal substrates.
OneChoice is PPG?s universal ancillary brand of specialty products designed to be used with any PPG automotive coatings system.
For more information about PPG SX1071 and Nexa Autocolor P565-9880 Etch Primers and other PPG products, call 800/647-6050 or visit the PPG Automotive Refinish website at www.ppgrefinish.com.
NOTE FROM THE BIKERNET PSYCH WARD– What do you get when you mix PMS with GPS? A crazy bitch who will find you
— Scooter
www.ScooterShoots.com
Attorney tells judge he only gave Highwaymen leader one Viagra– Detroit — Prosecutors are trying to portray a respected local attorney as the consigliere of an outlaw motorcycle gang because he advised a defendant in the racketeering case to remain silent until he had an attorney, a lawyer alleged in a court filing Thursday.
Hatim “Tim” Attalla, 50, of Northville, a lawyer at Miller Canfield, was indicted on a drug conspiracy charge in May, accused of acting as general counsel to the Highwaymen Motorcycle Club. He is one of 83 defendants in the racketeering case, one of the largest cases ever brought in the eastern district of Michigan.
But Attalla’s lawyer, Thomas Cranmer, argued in a court filing Thursday there isn’t a shred of evidence against Attalla.
“Far from serving as a member of a rogue band of alleged murderers, drug dealers, and thieves, Mr. Attalla has been a respected member of the State Bar of Michigan over the past two decades and won numerous peace awards for his leadership and service to the Detroit community,” Cranmer said.
“Mr. Attalla has never owned a motorcycle helmet, let alone a motorcycle.”
And the only drug the government has linked him to is “the prescription drug Viagra based on his provision to a single co-defendant of a single pill that was given to him as a sample by his personal physician.”
Prosecutors have not yet filed a response to Cranmer’s motion to dismiss the charges against Attalla.
The indictment alleges Attalla advised arrested club members to keep quiet about former club vice president Aref “Steve” Nagi’s involvement in drug dealing, supplied Nagi with a variety of pills, and acted “as general counsel to the enterprise.”
But Cranmer said Attalla only advised defendant Don Watson of his right to remain silent and once gave Nagi a single Viagra pill.
“The simple and disturbing reality of this prosecution is that Mr. Attalla has done nothing to deserve being labeled as a lawyer-criminal,” Cranmer said.
“If the simple act of informing a criminal defendant of his Fifth Amendment right is enough to inculpate an attorney as a co-conspirator … then every criminal defense lawyer practicing in this state is guilty of a crime.”
Attalla has been active in local groups such as Seeds for Peace, which attempts to build bridges between Israel and Palestinians.
Paul Egan / The Detroit News
–from Rogue
AUSTRALIAN ‘Anti-bikie’ laws to drive criminals underground– One of Australia’s biggest crime-fighting bodies has cast doubt over the long-term success of a so-called “anti-bikie” legislation being introduced in WA and across Australia, claiming it will only drive serious and organised crime groups deeper underground to avoid detection.
The Australian Crime Commission also said it would not take long for such groups to circumvent the proposed anti-association legislation – which would make it illegal for members of declared groups to associate with each other – and carry on with their activities.
In its submission to the parliamentary joint committee inquiry into the legislative arrangements to outlaw serious and organised crime groups, the ACC said the impact of these new laws would suffer over time due to the “flexibility and adaptability” of organised crime to change their practices when confronted with legal obstacles.
“There is also a risk that legislation based on identification of specific groups may result in a displacement effect that makes members of these groups more difficult for law enforcement to monitor or target,” the ACC said.
It went on to say that legislation on its own might not be able to “effectively deal” with the ongoing threat posed by serious and organised crime.
ACC chief executive John Lawler told WAtoday.com.au the organisation welcomed all measures that made it tougher for motorcycle clubs to conduct unlawful activities. But he reiterated the ACC’s concerns that more needed to be done to reel in suspected illegal money-making practices.
“The ACC has observed the resilient and flexible nature of serious and organized crime including outlaw motorcycle gangs, and their ability to adapt to and challenge legislation and law enforcement strategies,” he said. “Given this resilience and flexibility, a process of constant enhancement to strategies employed to counter serious and organized crime will be required.” In its submission, the ACC discussed several UK legislative arrangements that could be adopted in Australia, including Serious Crime Prevention Orders (SCPO) and Financial Reporting Orders (FRO).
The SCPO is a tool to prevent, restrict or disrupt serious criminal activity by prohibiting, restricting or imposing requirements on individuals, partnerships or unincorporated associations for a maximum of five years. The order could relate to financial, property or business dealings or holdings or working arrangements, among others for an individual. Also, if a person has been convicted for people trafficking, money laundering or some form of drug offence, they could be slapped with an FRO for up to 15 years.
The submission noted that prior to the introduction of anti-association legislation in South Australia, there were indications some groups had already relocated to other jurisdictions – highlighting concerns the new legislation could lead to the displacement of criminal activities to new locations, new targets or other crime types.
–from Doc Robinson
INSIDE CALIFORNIA SMOG RESTRICTIONS REPORT FROM THE BIKERNET INSURANCE AGENT–The following is an excerpt from Jim Lombardo?s article for the next Bailing Wire: ?Senator Fran Pavley’s Motorcycle Smog/noise bill, SB 435, will not be heard in Assembly Transportation in January, due to our efforts. I worked hard to not have it heard to give us some more time to defeat it. Keep gathering signatures on the petitions, ? SB 435 has been amended.
Supposedly, the provisions forcing motorcyclists to smog check their bikes are out. Or are they? Upon carefully reading the amended bill, future amendments will concentrate on tampered motorcycles! How do you check for motorcycles with tampered emission systems? Maybe a biennial visit to a smog inspection station? That’s why your petitions against any kind of motorcycle smog check are STILL important.
I will keep close tabs on this bill, because there is no telling what it can be amended into. ?.? The rest of the article you can read when the Bailing Wire has gone to print.
PAC COMMITTEE, From Dennis Stadler, State PAC Rep : It appears they?ve removed the smog check provision from SB 435 as promised to get it out of the Senate Transportation Committee and added language which indicates their intent to stiffen enforcement and penalties for motorcyclists who tamper with their smog equipment.
The first thought is that stiffening penalties and enforcement for only motorcycles as opposed to all vehicles is discriminatory and that may be our best angle of attack. (From Jeff Diamond) It seems discriminatory because it is discriminatory; and there already are laws on the books against tampering with catalytic converters and other emissions equipment. We don’t need another layer of redundant laws.
The continued existence of this bill is political party ego stroking for Fran Pavely and nothing more Existing law exempts from biennial inspection all motorcycles until the department implements test procedures applicable to motorcycles There is a problem with this part, (until the department implements test procedures appli
Your Trusted Agent,
Marc J. Beaulieu, CPCU, ARM
BossMan
Bikernet Insurance Center LLC
“Where Bikers Go To Get Insurance”.
Email: ClientService@Bikernet-Insurance.com for fastest service.
You can also fax us at 858-693-8703.
Want to talk with one of our Insurance Pros? Phone: 858-566-8703 or Toll Free: 888-467-8703.
Continued On Page 2
