Hey,
I just took a tour of Jay Leno’s garage, with Doc Robinson of Heavy Duty Magazine. Jay’s collection of motorcycles, over 100, from Boss Hoss to Brough Superiors, and cars from Duisenbergs to McClarens is amazing. He has a staff of eight who keep every vehicle primed and running. He drives or rides a different vehicle daily.
I find collections interesting. I’ve had the privilege to tour incredible estates, collections and exhibits. Sure, they represent wealth, but more so they stand for American ingenuity, confidence and desire. I don’t know if I will ever have the opportunity to discuss it with Jay, but I would like to say that we all, rich or poor, have the opportunity to collect, restore, refurbish and share our accomplishments.
I believe the joy is finding, building and creating the collection. It’s like an artistic work in progress. I hope he digs it as much as the folks who wander through. Let’s hit the news. At the end I’ll tell you what we’re building with Bikernet. Exciting shit.
Girls of Bikernet appearing at 4th and Lazalle St during Sturgis Rally……… Jessie Layne will be signing calendars in the Bikernet booth at 4th and Lazalle St. July 31 to Aug 5th. Stop by the booth early in the weekend to make sure you get one of the calendars before they sell out.
Jessie and Trista will both be doing photos as well. The bikernet booth hours are 9am to 6pm everyday during the rally. The girls are set up directly across from the beer stand on the lot so come by and grab a cold beer and hang out for awhile with the girls.
After dinner, if you’re heading into town, stroll into 2Wheelers on Main and meet more calendar girls.
Calendars are also available for dealers. Just click on the banner below.
HARLEY-DAVIDSON ROLLS OUT NINE NEW MODELS FOR 2010–More Performance, Features and Value Across Six Motorcycle Platforms.
MILWAUKEE (July 25, 2009) – Harley-Davidson roars into 2010 with nine new motorcycle models, the most expansive new-product introduction in the history of the Motor Company. Across six model platforms, Harley-Davidson achieves a fusion of tradition and technology in a motorcycle product line that offers more power, luxury, and style, and more value.
“We are thrilled to offer our customers nine new models and a full selection of products for 2010 that lets their enthusiasm for enjoying great motorcycles continue at full throttle,” said Bill Davidson.
Highlights of the 2010 Harley-Davidson? line include:
As the new king of the Harley-Davidson Touring line, the Electra Glide? Ultra Limited model delivers the performance upgrade of a Twin Cam 103? engine, and features standard equipment items previously offered only as accessories on regular-production Harley-Davidson Touring models.
The new Road Glide? Custom model looks lean and mean, with a slammed suspension, 18-inch front wheel and a new 2-into-1 exhaust system.
The Wide Glide? returns as an all-new Dyna? model done in old-school chopper style, with black laced wheels, a chopped rear fender, black “wire” sissy bar, 2-1-2 Tommy Gun exhaust and an optional flame paint scheme. Priced starting at $14,499, the Wide Glide is also a great new value.
The new Street Glide? Trike brings stripped-down, hot-rod styling to the three-wheel category, and joins the Tri Glide? Ultra Classic? in an all new Trike family for 2010.
Dressed in satin chrome and denim black, the new Fat Boy? Lo presents a darker and lower interpretation of the motorcycle that still defines the fat-custom segment.
The 2010 Street Glide model gets even more hot-rod soul, with updates that include a larger front wheel, slimmed-down exhaust, and a new tail light assembly. Street Glide takes a classic Harley-Davidson Touring profile to a low, light and lean extreme.
No motorcycle on the road today matches the modern street attitude of the three exciting models in the Harley-Davidson VRSC? family: V-Rod?, Night Rod? Special and V-Rod Muscle?. The explosive performance of the liquid cooled Revolution V-Twin engine keeps VRSC at the top of the power cruiser food chain in 2010.
The American motorcycle legend that is Harley-Davidson Sportster? features six models for 2010, including the $7,999 Iron 883? introduced mid-year 2009 and four others priced less than $10,000.
Harley-Davidson Custom Vehicle Operations (CVO), masters of shimmering chrome and bold paint, offers four new limited-production models for 2010. The CVO Softail Convertible is a versatile urban touring motorcycle, while the CVO Street Glide is a high-performance hot-rod bagger. The CVO Ultra Classic Electra Glide and CVO Fat Bob models are refreshed for 2010 with new paint schemes and styling details. All CVO models are powered by a Twin Cam 110 engine, the largest displacement V-Twin offered by Harley-Davidson.
See the whole line and the CVO units tomorrow in the Bikernet Road Test Department.
INDEPENDENT CYCLE CHANGES– Hello everyone, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone I have been in touch with over the past few years and let everyone know I will be moving on looking towards some new opportunities.
Together we have made the very difficult decision after 5 1/2 years at Independent Cycle Inc/ Legend Air Suspension. Mutually it has been decided that I will no longer be working with ICI/Legend.
I started in this great industry and you all welcomed me with open arms and I thank you for that it has been a great experience.
I have been able to see most of the USA and Europe and enjoyed meeting so many great people and memories that will last a lifetime.
It would be impossible for me to put into words how thankful I am to everyone for their kindness, support and friendship.
I can be reached through my personal e-mail ulvestad_5@hotmail.com and my cell phone number will remain the same. Please feel free to contact me anytime.
Ryan, Courtney and the crew at ICI/Legend are there to support you, call them anytime.
Ryan Jenks
ryan@independentcycleinc.com
(605) 737-4200 ext *820
Courtney Kochutin
Courtney@independentcycleinc.com
(605) 737-4200 ext *811
— Jeff Ulvestad
WEEKLY FINDINGS FROM BIKERNET SCIENCE LAB– Where Do You Find a Dog With No Legs?
Right Where You Left Him.
Why Do Gorillas Have Big Nostrils?
Because They Have Big Fingers.
Why Don’t Blind People Like To Sky Dive?
Because It Scares The Dog.
What Kind Of Coffee Was Served On The Titanic?
Sanka.
–from Donna O.
Victory 2010 model launch VICTORY Motorcycles has launched its 2010 model range with the introduction of two completely new touring models – Cross Roads and Cross Country– Speaking at the 2010 model launch, Mark Blackwell, Polaris VP Motorcycles, said of the Cross Roads and Cross Country: “The Vision was a very bold brand statement, and it’s been very successful, but it’s not for everybody; the styling is very ‘out there’. It’s a flagship for the brand. These two new bikes, while they have Victory DNA, are much less polarizing and have much broader appeal. I think they will introduce a whole new range of people to the brand.”
A key feature of both new bikes and the Victory Vision is the use of CORE frame technology. The cast aluminum CORE chassis used in the three bikes for 2010 is said to reduce the number of parts used, while at the same time increasing quality and providing consistent alignment. Added benefits of the design include increased airbox volume and chassis rigidity. The airbox on the Vision now features an internal silencer to create a quieter ride.
The Victory Cross Roads takes touring bikes to a new level, boasting a class-leading 21 gallons of on-bike storage, capable of carrying 580lbs. The rear suspension travel is also claimed to be the longest in its class at 4.72in, with the same “best in class” claim being made about the low seat height of just 26.25in, and the floorboards measuring 18in being the longest too.
Performance from the Victory 106/6 Stage 1 motor used in the bike, which produces a claimed 109 ft/lbs of torque and 92hp, also provides impressive figures with Victory claiming the bike is the fastest from 0-60mph and fastest over a 1/4-mile in its class.
Like the Cross Roads, the Victory Cross Country boasts class-leading specifications, sharing the luggage capacity, suspension travel, seat height and straight-line performance as the Cross Roads. The main points that set the Cross Country apart from the Cross Roads is the use of a batwing style fairing, passenger footboards, two-speaker stereo and cruise control.
Completing the Victory Motorcycles’ touring range is the Victory Vision line. For 2010, Victory will be offering the Vision 8-Ball alongside the Vision Tour Premium and Arlen Ness Signature Vision.
The Victory Vision 8-Ball is a stripped-down version of the company’s premium touring bike that runs 2in closer to the ground than the regular version and features Roulette wheels, which are 3lbs lighter, further reducing the bike’s weight, in addition to the removal of cruise control, radio, winglets and bag shocks.
The final new introduction to the Victory range for 2010 is the Hammer 8-Ball with blacked-out components, lowered suspension and wide rear tire.
www.victorymotorcycles.com
Swagger for Your Bagger– Brighton, MI ? Hell?s Foundry proudly introduces yet another industry first for your Ultra/King Tour Pak equipped Harley-Davidson Bagger.
?Woof Pak?? is the first commercially available subwoofer system designed to fit into your H-D Tour Pak. This is not a generic bass tube, but a complete form fitted liner/enclosure packed with an 8? Polk Audio marine rated subwoofer, a 500 watt Sony Xplod? mono-block amplifier and simple ?plug and play? wiring. It can easily be added to any system to add serious depth and punch.
Hell?s Foundry offers complete audio upgrade solutions for your Bagger. Please call or check out our website. A version for the ?Chopped Tour Pak? is coming soon.
MSRP $649.95
www.hellsfoundry.com
or 866.999.HELL (4355).
HARLEY RALLY IN SPAIN– Some photo’s from a Harley bike rally I came across in Loret De Mare in Spain. I thought you may like to look at them.
–RayR
BIKERNET STARTS GUN CLASS– “Shoot what’s available, as long as it’s available, until something else becomes available.”
“If you carry a gun, people will call you paranoid. That’s Ridiculous.. If I have a gun, what do I have to be paranoid for.”
“Don’t shoot fast, shoot good.”
“You can say ‘stop’ or ‘alto’ or use any other word you think Will work but I’ve found that a large bore muzzle pointed at someone’s Head is pretty much the universal language.”
“You have the rest of your life to solve your problems. How long You live depends on how well you do it.”
–Buckshot, Bikernet Gun Editor
The Bulldog Bash is widely acknowledged as the safest live music festival in Britain ? but it is much, much more than just a gig; The Bulldog Bash is the best biker event in Europe. A huge variety of attractions include???..
DragStrip
The Bulldog is still the only UK event offering live entertainment along side Run-wot-you-brung sessions; so leave the car at home, ride to the Bulldog Bash and run your own bike on the Shakespeare County Raceway dragstrip Compare track times with your mates, or just because you can – it’s an experience not to be missed. RWYB (Run Wot You Brung) Track times are between 9:30 am to 5:00 pm on Friday and Saturday, 9.30 to 1.00pm on Sunday. Your bike must pass scrutineering before you run; which begins at 8:30am and continues throughout the RWYB sessions. The costs for RWYB are just ?10 per day Friday, Saturday and ?5 for a half day on Sunday; you can run as many times as you like within the days sessions. The Fireforce 3 Jet car will be joined by the all new Fireforce 4 Pick-up truck and Eric Teboul?s rocket bike will be performing exhibition runs along side Sammy Millers legendary Vanishing Point rocket car. Stunt displays from Terry Grant, the Starboyz and Vertical Brits will punctuate the action on the drag strip all weekend.
Custom Show
Shakespeare County raceway is set to play host to some of the world?s finest examples of custom bike building, as the Bulldog Bash celebrates the 10th anniversary of its huge indoor custom show. Custom bike enthusiasts will have the rare opportunity to meet internationally renowned bike builder Russell Mitchell of Exile Cycles: hailing from Gloucestershire, Russell has forged an illustrious career in the USA over the last 20 years. Commenting on the Bulldog Bash he said ??I am really looking forward to seeing how the Event has grown and the custom bike scene has developed since my last visit to the Bulldog Bash twenty years ago. In fact, I have only been to one UK bike show in the last two decades so you can imagine how excited I am to be back at Britain?s biggest and best biker bash! See you there!?
See www.exilecycles.com
The custom show organisers are planning some real treats for visitors including a selection of the best show-winning bikes from years past; alongside custom creations and their builders competing for the coveted Bulldog Bash best in show award; visitors can expect an amazing array of custom machinery, from high end art-bikes, to bobbers, trikes, streetfighters and choppers; stunning classic bikes and 50?s style hot rods.
Dance tent
Hosts Distorted Identities are going all out and no holds barred to give you the best dance tent experience ever. They have scoured the dance music universe and pulled in the finest talent in the genres of hard dance, Trance, Acid techno, Hard house and Psy-tance, as well as a few other tasty little audio morsels which will tickle your dance buds.
This year will see the very welcome return of Adam lab 4 and DJ X lab 4, with Adam doing his full live set on Saturday and a Thursday night dj set; and DJ X doing something we?ll wager you?ve never seen him do before. We also see the return of the heavy weight champion of Acid techno, Stay up Forever?s Chris liberator, this year being accompanied by Rackit also of S.U.F. Dan Basely (Detekted records, Slinky fm) will be heading up the trance side of things, with last years firm favourite Rodi Style giving us his unique spin on hard house and generally scratching the holy hell out of it.
Throw in the absolute finest in up and coming talent, and after parties in the back bar on Thursday and Friday night. 2009 sees the very first Bulldog Bash DJ Sound Clash (7-8pm in the back bar), which will see rock dj?s pitted against dance dj?s to see who can play the best tune in a given category: with show goers deciding the winner of each round – best response and biggest cheer decides the winner – one thing is very clear, you really don?t want to miss this.
Tickets are available to buy on the gate at just ?55 for the entire weekend?s camping and live entertainment, visitors can also enjoy browsing in a massive village of trade stalls selling all kinds of biking and alternative lifestyle kit. Among many other highlights promised are the Ken Fox ?Wall of Death?, the ?Topless Bike Wash? and a fairground full of ludicrous white knuckle rides.
YOU KNOW YOU?RE A CALIFORNIAN IF? You pass an elementary school playground and the children are all busy with their cell phones or Ipods.
It’s barely sprinkling rain outside, so you leave for work an hour early to avoid all the weather-related accidents.
HEY!!!! Is pot illegal????
Both you AND your dog have therapists, psychics, personal trainers and cosmetic surgeons.
The Terminator is your governor.
If you drive illegally, they take your driver’s license. If you’re here illegally, they want to give you one!
–from Vern
Subject: Beer & Cigar or Milk & Cookies– A five year old boy and his grandpa are sitting on the front porch together, when gramps pulls a beer out of his cooler The little boy asks: ‘Can I have a beer Grandpa?’
Grandpa replies: ‘Can your pecker touch your ass?’
The little boy answered : ‘No Grandpa. It’s just a little pecker’.
Gramps says: ‘Well then, you’re not man enough to have a beer’.
A little later Grandpa lights up a cigar.
The little boy asks: ‘Can I have a cigar Grandpa?’
Once again, Grandpa asks: ‘Can your pecker touch your ass?’
Once again the little boy replies, ‘No, it’s too little’.
Gramps replies, ‘Then you’re not man enough to have a cigar’.
A little later the little boy comes out of the house with milk and some cookies.
Grandpa asks, ‘Hey there young feller, can I have a cookie ?’
The boy ask, ‘Can your pecker touch your ass?’
Gramps replies, ‘Hell yes, my pecker can touch my ass’.
The little boy replies, ‘Then go fuck yourself’. Grandma made these for me !
–from J.W.
Weld On Hardtails for Modern Triumph Bonnevilles– New from LCFabrications and exclusively available from Lowbrow Customs, weld-on hardtails for your modern Triumph motorcycle! Want to have a chopper or bobber with modern reliability? These hardtails fit any new Bonneville, Thruxton, T100 and Scrambler models, and feature 2? of stretch and 1? of drop compared to stock bikes.
Using stock rear wheel, axle, and adjusters, these hardtails allow you to turn your stock bike into a bobber or chopper without having to do a ground-up build. Made out of .120″ DOM tubing. All Brackets, gussets, axle plates etc are either laser cut or CNC machined for accuracy.
In stock now at $375 and ready to ship at www.lowbrowcustoms.com.
PIRELLI Welcomes the Return of Chris Wall– Rome, Georgia: Pirelli Tire North America is pleased to announce the return of Chris Wall to its Moto Division. Wall comes to Pirelli with more than 15 years in the motorcycle industry and 10 years of experience in marketing and public relations. In his role as Director of Marketing, Wall will be responsible for the development and management of the marketing, advertising and public relations activities for the Pirelli Motorcycle Division.
?Chris Wall brings a wealth of talent and experience to Pirelli and we are very lucky to have him back,? said Pirelli Moto Vice President, Scott Griffin.
?It is such a pleasure to come back home to my family at Pirelli. I am ecstatic about our new products and look forward to pushing our brand to the forefront. If we can get a consumer to try our motorcycle tires, we have a customer for life.? said Wall.
Chris Wall can be reached by phone at Pirelli?s North American Headquarters in Rome, Georgia at (706)368-5800 or by email at
christopher.wall@pirelli.com
HARLEY MARKET IN MEXICO EXPLODES–For decades one distributor controlled the Harley market south of the border and owned all the dealerships, rumor has it. His contract expired this year opening a new world to Harley-Davidson sales in Mexico. Hang on.
World Championship set to buck the recession– With a week to go before bike registration gets underway on Saturday August 1st at Champions Park on Lazelle Street, Sturgis, entries for the 6th annual Official World Championship of Custom Bike Building (OWC) look set to defy advance estimates and buck the assumption that, in this of all years, Sturgis attending dealers and builders would be under pressure.
Competition Director Neil Blaber says that “common sense dictated that this year’s Championship field would be impacted by economic conditions, but we remained confident that the event would still attract something in the 50 to 70 bike entry range that is the typical level we would expect.
“However it does look like this year’s OWC is set to be at least at the upper end of that expectation. In all probability we’ll see over 70 bikes competing, which is remarkable.
“Based on the advance entry level, and the contacts we have been having with prospective competitors in the past few weeks, there may even be closer to 80 bikes competing this year, entered by some 60 or so builders.
“There’s no question that, despite the market’s economic woes, the OWC certainly has again ignited the passion and excitement of those who see themselves as being at the cutting edge of forward-facing custom design and engineering” Neil concluded.
One big growth area has been in the number of Modified Harleys being entered. With that class alone carrying a $10,000.00 cash prize fund down to 5th place, thanks to Harley-Davidson’s decision to join the program’s long-standing Official Partners in funding the development of the event program.
The World Championship will be open from Sunday August 2nd through to the awards ceremony at 3:00 pm on Wednesday August 5th. The Champions Park vendor facility is open to the end of the Sturgis Rally, with the Rat’s Hole Show and its new ‘Bobber’ based show being staged in Champions Hall on Thursday 6th and Friday 7th respectively.
For all World Championship competition information contact Neil ‘ShowMaster’ Blaber: neil@amdchampionship.com
For all Champions Park information contact Mary Beth Crowe by e-mail: marybeth@dealer-world.com
2 WHEELERS HEADING FOR THE BADLANDS– Here we are heading to the Black Hills. Got the signs up ready to go .
–Donna
FIRST ANNUAL BROOKLYN INVITATIONAL– Saturday, September 19th, 2009 We are a group of people in Brooklyn, NY who takes pride in and enjoy custom motorcycles. It is not as easy to live the custom motorcycle life style as in other places. Traffic, pot-holes, restrictions, no work spaces. Most of our apartments don’t have a garage to work on motorcycles ,etc., but believe it or not, there is a huge crowd that do it no matter what the circumstances are. It takes more than just a fondness for custom motorcycles, it takes hardcore love and commitment for motorcycles.We stepped forward and decided to organize a custom-only bike show in the heart of Brooklyn to represent, stimulate and inspire others to the custom motorcycle lifestyle in the east coast region.
The first annual Brooklyn Invitational Motorcycles Show will take place on September 19th in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. This event will feature custom built choppers by some of the most innovative and well respected builders from the East Coast as well as well-known artists, carpenters, and old-timers just to give diversity of creations that reflects their vision with different backgrounds to the show.
The show will be held at Autumn Bowl a well-known skate board park in an abandoned industrial building located at 73 West Street between Milton and Noble. The event will feature select vendors, live music, food and drink, and a juried motorcycle exhibition. The builders selected to display motorcycles for round one of this event are as follows:
Lock Baker of Eastern Fabrications
http://easternfabrications.com
Andy Camay
http://www.americaniconmerch.com/
Paul Cox of Paul Cox Industries
http://www.paulcoxindustries.com/
John Copeland
http://www.johncopeland.com/
Bill Dodge of Bling Cycles
http://www.blingscycles.com/
Neil Fenton of Mr. Tinker
http://mistertinker.blogspot.com/
Krazy Kevin
Alex Lerner
Rich Phillips of Rich Phillips Cycles
http://www.bikersaddles.com/
Jeffery Schad
Keino Sasaki of Keino Cycles
http://www.keinocycles.com/index.php
Walt Siegel
http://www.waltsiegl.com/
Tim Vander
Any and all are welcome and encouraged to ride to the show?there will be plenty of parking for all bikes. We are hoping to provide one of the best two wheeled weekends Brooklyn has seen in a long time and hope to have future versions, so stop by and spread the word. Further updates and information can be found at http://brooklyninvitationalbikeshow.blogspot.com/
Continued On Page 2
