Hey,
I’m slightly hung over this morning. I tried Blue Agave tequila last night. “It’s the finest Teguila in the world,” Chris Hill muttered making margaritas at the headquarters. I didn’t trust him before he brought the blue bottle to the Bikernet headquarters. Anyone who drowns the finest Tequila in the World in margarita mix is certain to be nuts.
I’m open to suggestion, but it tasted of chemicals like plastic. I wasn’t impressed, besides I’m not sure I cotton to blue margaritas. Greg Friend from Street Choppers drinks Casadorez straight, “Because it’s a fine Tequila and shouldn’t be fucked with by adding mixes,” Greg said and we drank the fifth straight that summer afternoon.
I’ll go get another cup of coffee so we can get to the news:
Bike Week home away from home– DAYTONA BEACH — Fritz Braun fell in love with motorcycles at 14, in 1972, when he bought a poster of a woman on a customized Harley trike in a Florida graveyard on his way home from school in Ulm, Germany. The gothic image lured Braun here for Bike Week in 1981, and he has come every year since. About 10 years ago he and his wife, Marina, bought a house to use during their stays.
The 10-day special event begins Friday , and the Brauns, along with many out-of-town bikers who have invested in local real estate, are already in town.
“I know a lot of people who own properties here who come in only for Bike Week,” said Richard Sluzewski, president of the Daytona Beach Area Association of Realtors and manager of Port Orange Watson Realty.
The Braun’s house is in Port Orange, and this year they plan to be here five weeks. Before Bike Week has even started, they’ve bought a new Harley-Davidson, groceries and a cell phone.
Though no statistics are available, the Brauns clearly aren’t the only visiting bikers paying property taxes rather than hotel bills in Volusia County. One area Realtor, Sandi Blackmer, thrives on selling to bikers.
“I am known as the ‘Riding Realtor,’ ” said Blackmer of Port Orange Watson Realty. Her business card and a billboard on U.S. 1 show her with her motorcycle.
“Probably 50 percent of my sales are to bikers. A lot will buy condos, duplexes or second homes. They might come three or four times a year and some rent them to friends, but they all want a place to stay for Bike Week and Biketoberfest.”
The event has a $300 million in economic impact on the area.
— By AUDREY PARENTE, Daytona Staff Writer
–from Rogue
ANOTHER DANNI SUNDAY– We started running Danni Ashe banners several years ago for several reasons. Danni posed for me a couple of times during my tenure at Easyriders. She’s was cool, I like lesbians and she has the greatest tits on the planet. I also ran ’em because the added spice to the Sunday Post and they paid us for people who joined their site. You know that affiliate program bullshit. Affiliate programs don’t generally work because they’re put together by rip-off artists who don’t monitor their numbers.
We didn’t take in much bling annually, but I still liked the sexy banners. Then the payments stopped and we couldn’t reach anyone. That was unsettling. If you go to her site or join, let us know. Below is the Sunday note from Danni:
It’s an exciting start of the week here at Danni’s! Sign up now and you won’t miss a single event! We’re ready to begin another week of pumping out the hottest video updates with the sexiest models on the planet! You won’t believe what we have planned this week here at Danni’s! Sign up now and you won’t miss a single event! http://info.danni.com/directors/mailers?mid=44934&url=01
Model of the Day: Mikayla – This HOT latina knows what YOU want!! Don’t miss her! http://info.danni.com/directors/mailers?mid=44934&url=01
With over 1,600 models, Danni.com will keep you coming back again and again!
*KISSES*,
–Kat.
I don’t mind running Danni’s stuff as long as she treats our readers well and is straight with us.–Bandit
Mistrial Declared For BSO Deputy Accused Of Tampering With Crime Statistics– FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A mistrial was declared Thursday in the trial of a Broward sheriff’s deputy accused of falsifying police reports to deflate crime statistics. Wednesday, a circuit judge stopped Christian Zapata’s trial after five hours of testimony. Judge Michael Gates said he would review evidence after the defense claimed that the prosecution had produced new evidence. Gates agreed that prosecutors had not given new evidence to defense attorneys, but said the omission was not deliberate.
Zapata is accused of making up confessions and pinning burglaries and thefts on people already incarcerated. The discovery of falsified crime reporting came about after Fort Lauderdale police, who took over the Melrose Park area from the Broward Sheriff’s Office, said that crime numbers skyrocketed, raising questions about whether deputies had kept crime figures down by how they were reporting crimes. Two other BSO deputies involved in the scandal have pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges and are no longer working for the sheriff’s office. Three others have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial.
Sheriff Ken Jenne said the BSO uncovered nearly 60 cases in which investigations were closed and crimes were blamed on people who could not have committed them.
Zapata, who has been suspended from the BSO, is charged with eight counts of official misconduct. He has said he is not guilty.
–from Rogue
Motorcycle Hall Of Fame Member 2005
HEIST OF THE WEEK, Thieves make off with $26,000 of beer– WEST BEND, Wis. (AP) — Authorities are hoping to break up what must be quite the party after beer thieves made off with almost $26,000 worth of suds from a delivery truck. A semi trailer loaded with cans and bottles of Miller beer was stolen from a trucking company in Richfield, according to a Washington County Sheriff’s Department report. The trailer was found four days later – sans beer – at an Oak Creek trucking firm. The trailer had been dropped off at the Millis Transfer Co. sometime on Feb. 17 for delivery to a beer distributor in Menomonie, authorities said. Later that night, the trailer was discovered missing. Company officials didn’t report the loss immediately because they thought a driver must have picked up the wrong load.
–from Rogue
BILLY JOEL BIKES BEING BUILT– Billy Joel has been working with Lighthouse Harley- Davidson in NYC to create some Vintage Harley’s using brand new bikes. All these bikes are 2005’s and 2006’s.
–Johnny Humble
BIKERNET BONNEVILLE EFFORT UPDATE– I started on this…. but I’m not sure if I went over the top with the stanchions….. I’m starting to work on another idea. Call or e-mail and stop me if you like what you see if not, I’m going to burn some time on another idea.
– -Slick
We’re not building a fucking rocking chair. You’ll see the final outcome next week.–Bandit
BIKERNET READER WINS LOTTERY– A woman came home, screeching her car into the driveway, and ran into the house. She slammed the door and shouted at the top of her lungs, “Honey, pack your bags. I won the damn lottery!”
The husband said, “Oh my God! What should I pack, beach stuff or mountain stuff?”
“Doesn’t matter,” she said. “Just get the hell out.”
–from Joe Lankau
BIKERNET MARRIAGE COUNSELING– One day, a man came home and was greeted by his wife dressed in a very sexy nightie. “Tie me up,” she purred, “and you can do anything you want.”
So he tied her up and went golfing.
–from Joe Lankau
Wild Hogs: Martin Lawrence/John Travolta in Biker Movie– Actors Martin Lawrence, John Travolta and Tim Allen are to star in a motorcycle movie entitled “Wild Hogs” produced by Touchstone Pictures. The movie deals with a group of middle-aged suburban biker wannabees (RUB – Rich Urban Biker) who go searching for adventures. Of course down their path they meet up with the Hells Angels.
It sounds like the same plot as City Slickers. Wanna be weekend cowboys meet real cowboys and lives are changed.
The movie is scheduled for filming in April, so we’ll probably see it next year.
–Tbear
Here’s a Sunday thought– A bike on a trailer ain’t a bike … IT”S CARGO!
–TwoDawgz
BIKERNET IRISH FUNERAL SERVICES–Gallagher opened the morning newspaper and was dumbfounded to read in the obituary column that he had died. He quickly phoned his best friend Finney.
“Did you see the paper?” asked Gallagher. “They say I died!!”
“Yes, I saw it!” replied Finney. “Where are ye callin’ from?”
–from Joe Lankau
THE FRAME-UP REPORT– This is a frame up project that I really enjoyed. Just waiting on the seat and D&M Spike air cleaner. Right now I ride around sitting on a folded towel. It has a 100″ Rev Tech 4 X 4, 6 speed RSD Trans, Grumpy’s Twisted Sister exhaust, PM wheels and hand controls, BDL 3-inch primary and 280 rubber in the back.
–Ray Clark
crcprop@adelphia.net
Ten Thoughts to Ponder for 2006–
Number 10
Life is sexually transmitted.
Number 9
Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die
Number 8
Men have two emotions: Hungry and Horny. If you see him without an erection, make him a sandwich.
Number 7
Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day; teach a person to use the Internet and they won’t bother you for weeks.
Number 6
Some people are like a Slinky…..not really good for anything, but you still can’t help but smile when you shove them down the stairs.
Number 5
Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing.
Number 4
All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism.
Number 3
Why does a slight tax increase cost you two hundred dollars and a substantial tax cut saves you thirty cents?
Number 2
In the ’60s, people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world is weird and people take Prozac to make it normal.
AND THE NUMBER 1 THOUGHT FOR 2006:
We know exactly where one cow with Mad-cow-disease is located among the millions and millions of cows in America but we haven’t got a clue as to where thousands of illegal immigrants and terrorists are located. Maybe we should put the Department of Agriculture in charge of immigration!
–from Scooter
BIKERNET REPORT EMBEDDED IN BOMBAY PARKING LOT– As you can see from the picture the two-wheeler is an essential mode of transport here. Mileage is critical issue. These pictures are of one of two parking lots for motorcycles in the 36 acre campus of my office in Navi Mumbai (a.k.a.New Bombay). I used my mobile camera to take the pics so the clarity is not so good.
–Ujjwal Dey
Legally Lewd: A Right Reserved Only For Cops– Spotsylvania county, Virginia seems like a quiet place; the kind of place where cops get pretty bored. The population for the entire county is just over 100,000. Needless to say, in between harassing harmless motorists and arresting the occasional drunk in public, cops in Spotsylvania probably have lots of time on their hands. Perhaps that’s why, over the past three years, they’ve decided to really get tough and take down some of the county’s most vile and dangerous criminals – prostitutes.
After all, someone’s got to stop consenting adults from paying and receiving money for acts that are perfectly legal if no money is exchanged. I mean, if two strangers meet in a bar or at a party and want to get it on that’s fine, as long as all they want is physical and egotistical gratification. But if one of them wants money and the other is willing to give it to them, well that’s downright criminal. It’s good to know there are selfless men out there willing to sacrifice their virtue to put a stop to this villainy.
Getting to first or second base isn’t enough for the dedicated officers of Spotsylvania. They want to make sure they get convictions and the only way to do that is to round third and come on home. But that’s not all. It isn’t enough to catch these girls in the act once. In order to build up a rapport with these malefactors, they evidently need to round the bases three or four times over the course of a month. Of course this kind of important operation costs money. That’s why Spotsylvania detectives spent over $1,200 at the Moon Spa massage parlor last month alone. And being the gentlemen they are, they of course tip very generously ($350 on one occasion). When you’re willing to throw other people’s money around like that it really shows your level of commitment to maintaining law and order.
All joking aside though, this is a sobering story. Police officers repeatedly engaging in sex acts with prostitutes using tax dollars I mean where do these guys get off? Okay, maybe that was a bad choice of words, but something is seriously wrong here. If ever there were a case where the perverse logic behind the idea of victimless crime was evident, this is it. Prostitution, however morally repugnant and socially abhorrent we may think it is, is still a consensual act. No one’s rights are violated, no property is stolen or destroyed and no contracts are broken (except perhaps marriage contracts). Laws against this kind of behavior are destructive of the very foundation of law itself. They violate the fundamental right that law is supposed to uphold: the control and use of private property.
–Aaron Singleton
–from Rogue
Debate about whether mass-produced motorcycles are worthy of gallery exhibitions roars on– This BMW R32, circa 1923, is featured in the “Art of the Motorcycle” exhibition currently on display at the Orlando Museum of Art. The touring show was inspired by and features items from a 1998 exhibition that was housed at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. Photo courtesy Orlando Museum of Art
“Art of the Motorcycle” Where: Orlando Museum of Art, 2416 N. Mills Ave. When: Through July 23. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends. Last ticket sold one hour before to closing Cost: $15 general, $12 seniors 65 and older, students and active military, $5 ages 6 through 18, free for children 5 and younger Information: (407) 896-4231 or visit http://www.omart.org/
— BY PAM HARBAUGH, FLORIDA TODAY
West Coast Choppers sued over test-drive wreck– West Virginia Record, WV – CHARLESTON – Following a wreck that is being alleged as a result of negligence, two men are suing West Coast Choppers and DNA Specialty, Inc., a pair of California corporations. Donald Mason Jr. of Elkview states in a claim filed in Kanawha Circuit Court on Feb. 1 that the two companies are responsible for his being flipped over the handlebars of a motorcycle during a test drive.
On May 12, 2005, Mason says the front wheel of a West Coast Choppers motorcycle locked up while he was driving, causing him to be thrown over the handlebars and onto the highways.
Mason, who is represented by Charles M. Love IV of The Masters Law Firm of Charleston, claims that West Coast Choppers, which manufactured the motorcycle’s rolling chassis, and DNA Specialty, which manufactured the wheel that Mason alleges locked up, “negligently, carelessly and wrongfully made, designed, conceived, manufactured, tested and distributed the products for sale.”
Bryant Krepps of Pinch is also listed as a plaintiff. Krepps says he incurred damages to his personal property because of the defect in the motorcycle he purchased from Nancy Lovejoy, who had bought the motorcycle directly from the defendants.
Krepps and Mason state in the complaint that the defendants had a duty to warn potential users of dangers associated with the use of their products and to provide appropriate manuals and instructions to users, and that the companies breached those duties with their negligence.
Mason claims he was severely injured in the wreck and will in the future suffer the following damages: “Pain and suffering; sorrow, mental anguish, solace, loss of society, companionship, comfort guidance and kindly offices; compensation for his reasonable and expected loss of income; compensation for loss of services, protection, care and assistance; expenses for the care, treatment and hospitalization relevant to the incident resulting in his injury; and punitive damages. The two plaintiffs request a trial by jury and are seeking compensatory damages in an amount to be determined by a jury and the costs and disbursements of the trial. Circuit Judge Irene Berger has been assigned the case.
–from Rogue
Attention Ohio Motorcyclists!– As you may know, legislation has been introduced in the Ohio General Assembly to hold all motor vehicle operators more accountable for their actions.
SB-158, introduced by Senator Charles Wilson (D-Bridgeport) and HB-388, introduced by Representative Jon Peterson (R-Delaware), propose enhanced penalties for those convicted of or pleading guilty to a right-of-way, an assured clear distance ahead (rear-end collision), or a marked lane (sideswipe) violation that results in serious injury or death to another roadway user. A portion of the fines collected would be designated for use by the Ohio Department of Public Safety (ODPS) for highway awareness programs.
HB-388 has been scheduled for proponent testimony before the House Criminal Justice Committee on Tuesday, February 28 at 2:30 p.m. in room 121 of the Statehouse. You may present written or oral testimony before the committee or just attend the hearing to demonstrate your support of HB-388.
Visit the AMA Rapid Response Center at http://www.amadirectlink.com/ to learn how you can get involved in supporting HB-388. Click on the “Rapid Response Center” on the left side of the home page, then select “OH” from the pull-down menu next to StateWatch.
IF BIKERS RAN THE COUNTRY– 1. The wearing of ties to work by men would be frowned on, as would the wearing of bras and panties for women.
2. The opening days of Sturgis and Daytona would be national holidays.
3. Third world dictators would be dealt with in the same manner as one would deal with a wino who just puked on his scoot.
4. All money from traffic violations would go into a huge keg fund.
5. Anyone who used a firearm to defend his home or property from vandals would have a street named after him.
6. Tattoos would be funded by the National Endowment for the Arts.
7. The money currently being spent on Mars probes and other useless junk would be used to fund research into finding the cure for the common hangover.
8. Sexual harassment laws would be more open to interpretation and would allow for the fact that most men are really basically just pigs.
9. Global warming would be encouraged since riding in the snow is such a pain in the ass
10. Prostitution would be immediately legalized.
Don’t Wait to Get Your Hands On These– Doug Keim Creative Cycles’ (DKCC) exclusive line of anodized billet aluminum grips is named just that-The Grip. Available in gold, green, red, blue, and black, it’s important to note because The Grip has an anodized finish, it will resist scratches and general wear and tear better than its powdercoated equivalents.
The Grip also features a wide-knurled band for positive grip, improved bike control and less hand fatigue. CNC-machined from solid 6061-T6 aluminum, The Grip is fully polished, knurled, color-anodized and then re-polished for a show quality, final finish. The DKCC grip will fit all Harley-Davidson models (without air suspension fittings) and any custom applications using 1-inch handlebars. Matching pegs will soon be available as well.
For more information, contact: Doug Keim Creative Cycles, (732) 751-1403, http://www.creativecycles.com or http://www.dougkeim.com.
Someone’s Marriage Code– Marriage is a relationship in which one person is always right, and the other is a husband.
Bullshit-Bandit
–from Joe Lankau
MARGARITA TIME, MAYBE NOT–I?m working on the Girls of Big Dog Feature with an interview with Michael Lichter, the esteemed biker photographer. It will contain descriptions of every 2006 model, no not the girls, the bikes. There will be info on the girls, if I can find some. I?ll research the calendar, the company and the bikes.
I?m also working on the seat mounting for the Panhead Sportbike. It?s a trip trying to give a sportbike chassis an old school approach. Donnie and Jeff, from SPS, would do a masterful job, like the bike below.
Katmandu sent me this shot of the first Sucker Punch Sally with a 120-inch Accurate Engineering Panhead on board. What a sharp bike. I?m hoping she can send us a feature.
That?s enough. I need to hit the water bottle, down a handful of vitamins, the shop and get my ass in gear. Have a helluva week. We?ll bring you nearly daily Daytona Reports as Florida Bike Week heats up.
Watch for Bikernet to be represented at the Seminole Hard Rock Roadhouse, Billy Lane?s Blood Sweat and Gears and American Motorcycle 1902 booth where Branscombe Richmond will be looking for Bikernet Radio Interviews. The American Motorcycle 1902 Booth will be located in the Trike Shop on Beach Street next to Carl?s Speed Shop. Stop by, especially if you have a story that needs be told. I don?t care how wild it is, Branscombe will listen. American will also have a bike on display at the Easyriders 35th Anniversary tent near Bruce Rossmeyer?s new H-D megastore.
Ride Forever,
–Bandit
