Hey,
Life is nuts. We cleaned the shop while the girls shopped for fixin’s. Then they cooked a goose and a duck for an entire day. The girl’s kids came over, but didn’t spend five minutes with us. They grabbed their chow and split. I brought my 86-year-old ma over, and we ate and chatted. I took ma home, returned for a glass of Jack on the rocks and we spent another day cleaning up. What the hell? Where’s the Holiday relaxation in that?
Need to return to my outlaw ways, show up wherever I want on my chop, eat, chase the broads and peel out. There’s nothing like screaming across town on empty roads when the entire world is filling their hungry traps with turkey.
Let’s hit the news, then I’ll tell you about a couple of pure biker Xmas days. It’ll make you drool:
2WHEELERS MAKE THE HOLIDAY BRIGHT–2Wheelersmc is at the Cream de la Chrome Car Show in Denver this Thanks to Giving weekend. It’s the place to be in Denver this time of year lots of cool cars and in the basement of the place the best RAT RODS in the area.
Check the 2Wheelers site for those hard to find mudflap girls, dice valve covers and quirky gifts for Christmas.
–Denver Arlin and Donna
VICTORY MOTORCYCLES 2010 NEW MODEL LAUNCH COMING– in what is by far the most comprehensive launch of new models at the NEC Motorcycle show in 2009 – Highlights will include:
CROSS SERIES unveiled – Victory will be introducing two new touring models in the summer of 2010 and both will be revealed on the Victory stand on Thursday 26th November. These models are CROSS COUNTRY and CROSS ROADS. These stunning new models feature the next generation of Victory Motorcycles chassis design and have not been seen in the UK previously.
CORY NESS Jackpot Limited Edition – Only 300 are produced, of which just 20 of this model come to the UK for 2010 ? past NEC shows have seen all of these limited edition models sell out before the end of the show.
VISION 8-BALL – Blacked out and cut down, stealthy version of the award winning VISION tourer; the Vision 8-Ball is sure to turn some heads at the show, designed as a riders motorcycle, stripped of all unnecessary electronics to give a pure riding experience for those looking to cross continents with ease.
HAMMER 8-BALL – Blacked out, entry level version of the popular HAMMER Muscle bike is aimed at tempting Sports Bike riders into the Victory family.
HAMMER S ? The ultimate Victory Muscle Bike, gets new black, white & red ?Suede? livery for 2010
VEGAS and VEGAS 8-BALL ? Victory?s popular all rounder comes of age with the addition of the 106/6 (1731cc) freedom engine for 2010
CORE Concept unveiled – Perhaps one of the most significant bikes featuring on the Victory stand will be a one-off Victory Concept bike ? CORE ? Designed and developed by Victory Motorcycles to show the possibilities for a performance cruiser of the future.
Victory continue to offer a range of styles and prices to make sure there is a bike for every requirement; torquey, effortless big-bore cruisers and touring models to suit all budgets. With its latest push into Europe, and confident range, Victory is demonstrating that the future of American motorcycles is as much about pressing forwards as looking back.
BIKERNET ENGLISH PROFESSOR FOUND DRUNK IN THE PARK LAST NIGHT, BUT IS IT GERMANE TO THE NEWS?– germane juhr-MAYN, adjective:
Appropriate or fitting; relevant.
The issue is not germane to the present discussion.
— Richard Wollheim, On the Emotions
As long as the argument remains germane, he listens attentively, putting on and removing heavy tortoise-shell glasses and leaning across the bench.
— Philip Hamburger, Matters of State
I have many secrets, most of which are not at all germane to the topic . . . and would probably be completely inappropriate to tell.
— David Gewirtz, “I Have a Secret”, PalmPower Magazine, August 2000
Germane comes from Middle English germain, literally, “having the same parents,” ultimately deriving from Latin germanus, from germen, “a bud, a shoot.”
DELTA AREA FOWL WEATHER REPORT– Went out cruising yesterday and caught a few sights I thought I’d share. It turns out we’re in a migratory flight path for several species of fowl, which explains the attack birds I’ve been telling you about. This time I came prepared. The sky blackened as a bazillion redwinged blackbirds took to the air, while one lonely egret stood watch from below.
The turkey was another story. Saw a bunch of huge critters as I rattled up the road, but they seemed none too worried by my presence, in fact, they got a little pissy when I tried to push ’em off the road. The guy here hopped off the fence and scowled, gobbled, and warned me to back off his women folk. A bit ballsy from a guy who I was considering packing home for a guest appearance at the Thanksgiving dinner.
The hawk, my personal raptor, was just amazing to watch as he hunted along the river. I tossed in the bike shot so you’d not have to break the “code”…
–River Rat
D&D DEALER DIRECT PROGRAM CONTINUES HOLIDAY EXPANSION– Here are last weeks new dealers, if I don’t speak with you before hand have a great Thanksgiving–
1) Attitude Customs LLC 63003 Plateau Dr #2 Bend, OR 97701 541-385-3090
2) Naked City Cycles 4851 W Hacienda Ave # 8 Las Vegas, NV 89108 702-483-6505
3) Shamrock Cycles 24125 Railroad Ave Newhall, CA 91321 661-212-0837
4) No Chance Garage 3624 Spotted Jack Loop N. Billings, MT 59101 406-671-8044
5) MNA Customs 14450 East Broad St Reynoldsburg, OH 43068 740-927-3600
6) Premier Cycle Works 12245 Dakota St Canlisle, IA 50047 515-210-8678
— Jennifer Millican
D & D Performance Ent
And as always RIDE SAFE & LOUD PIPES SAVE LIVES
817-834-8961
Fx: 817-831-4260
SOUTHERN ALABAMA HOLIDAY WEATHER PATTERNS, BIKERS RAID TALLAHASSEE HOME– For days clouds hung heavy over the south east and the dampness made your bones ache. Cabin fever took hold and we were anxious for the sun to shine, so we could ride. Thanksgiving morning, with the sun rising over the rooftops, we rolled the motorcycles out of the garage, the acrid smell of burned pecan leaves hung in the damp cold air. (For some strange reason people in the South love to burn leaves and all the neighbors can be damned. I never have understood not caring whether your neighbors can breathe or not and burning leaves when you live in a town with houses on small half acre lots so everybody gets the full effect, but then that is just one of my pet peeves. It will be addressed at a later date.)
The temperature dropped to 40 degrees the night before. Dressed in layers of clothing, so I looked and felt like the Michelin tire man, we prepared to ride to Tallahassee, FL to see our kids and have Thanksgiving dinner with them. (Somehow Richard can ride comfortably without all the extra clothing I require, go figure.) It was a real good excuse for a ride.
Admiring the quiet of the early morning and the crisp air we watched the sun continue to rise. At precisely 6:45 AM we hit the ignitions and both Harleys roared to life. Those Screaming Eagle II pipes sound crisp in the cold still morning air, so much for sneaking out of the neighborhood. The marquee at the bank read 43 degrees when we rolled past at 6:50.
We have really dense winter gloves from Aerostitch with liners, but they did not keep the tips of our fingers from aching like they might fall off while we rode through the back roads in the tree shadows headed toward I-10 at Cottondale, FL.
After reaching I-10 we cranked the throttles up to 70 and headed East. Amazingly, at 70+ miles per hour on the interstate and riding in the sunshine most of the way, it was not cold even with the temperature still hovering in the 40s. We made the trip most of the way without incident, except when some jerk from California decided to pass and then cut me off to get ahead of us, then slowed down below the speed limit, while talking on a cell phone. Needless to say he was given the one finger salute by both of us as we roared past and sped away. Don?t think he liked it much, but he kept his distance after that, even though he did pace us till we exited I-10 at the 203 mile marker.
Tallahassee has grown considerably over the past 30 years. It used to be relatively quiet and most everyone commuted in from the outlying towns to work. There were no clover leafs or six lane highways just two lane streets and a few traffic lights. Now it is a huge metropolitan area with clover leafs, six lanes, traffic lights every block or two and tons of traffic with drivers speeding around the circle, talking on cell phones and doing who knows what while supposedly driving their cars. It being a college town also it is not a place conducive to safety on a motorcycle during regular business hours. Thanksgiving Day, with most of the workers home for the day and the college kids gone too it was an almost pleasant ride around the circle to the kids place. We arrived around 10 AM ready for lunch, it had been a long time since our breakfast of oatmeal (with bananas, honey, flax seed and cinnamon, we try to eat healthy most days).
However, our son had invited one of his coworkers to lunch and we were going to wait till noon for him to arrive. But when we found Richard in the kitchen gnawing on a turkey leg we decided to go ahead and start eating. The kids had a great lunch prepared, baked turkey, dressing, collard greens, cornbread, sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce and for dessert we had apple pie and cheese cake. We were stuffed when it was all over. We stayed around for a while and talked with the kids and walked around outside to settle our lunch and acted like a family of lizards basking in the sunshine.
The temperature had steadily risen and by the time we decided to leave it was in the mid 60?s, almost tropical from the early morning low. We suited up once again and headed back to Hartford, AL. The cold front finally made its way to Tallahassee, heading west on I-10 was a real workout, at times, with the blustery head wind blowing us around but the ride across the interstate was beautiful with the different colored leaves sparking in the late afternoon sun. As the daylight receded, we kept alert for deer and other late afternoon critters. Carcasses were seen here and there along the way of too slow moving animals, and we did not want to add to the litter. We made it safely home around sunset.
We had had a good visit with our kids, a good meal, and a good ride. We have a lot to be thankful for. We saw no accidents along the way and nothing major went wrong. The only flaw I saw in the entire day was there were no leftovers at our house when we got in. We did manage to get some cheesecake and apple pie to bring home but the kids did not give up any turkey. Bummer! This is the first Thanksgiving in many years that I did not have a kitchen full of leftovers to put away and dishes to wash. It felt good for a once in a while thing.
I hope everyone had as good a day as we did. A good ride, good food, good family time, it does not get any better than that. ?Course, the turkey may not have felt that way.
–Camy
Travel Channel has new episodes again with Saxon Motorcycles Henry Cole in The World?s Greatest Motorcycle Rides– The Travel Channel is broadcasting new episodes of the television program called ?The World?s Greatest Motorcycle Rides?. They ride only the finest bikes. After a previous positive experience with Saxon, they chose to ride another Saxon model, this time a Griffin chopper.
Henry Cole, presenter of the program, picks the USA based routes and documents each marvelous ride. In this particular episode Henry rode throughout America?s Wild West, while Riding The American Dream.
Saxon Motorcycles Europe is very excited. ?It is a real compliment and confirmation that our motorcycles are not only beautiful to see, but also fit to make every kind of ride, this shows the comfort and experience of riding a Saxon.? says Rinke Andringa, owner. ?In this program you can again see the Saxons in action, being driven throughout the most beautiful motorcycles rides in the World.? adds Frank Vermeulen.
Saxon Motorcycles presents summaries of the earlier shows on their website and on YouTube.
More information about Saxon Motorcycles Europe and their custom models can be found on the internet www.SaxonMotorcycles.eu. Information of the tv show can be found on
www.travelchannel.co.uk/Series/ourprogrammes/worlds_greatest_motorcycle_rides_4.htm
–C.S. Berg
AUSTRALIAN LEATHER MASTER HONES HIS SKILLS– I just did a workshop with a very well known saddler and I would like to pass something I learned on to you. We were working with black dye and finished it off with a boot polish called “Kiwi Parade Gloss” black. Then I installed a wool pad in a drill and proceeded to buff it up. It came out super Niceeee!
I was thinking of the seat I did for your Shovel. If you can get the polish over there, try it out. Check out this Mexican tradition seat based on “Dia de los Muertos” day of the dead.
–Glenn
Toby Keith Kick-Starts Bikenight With A Bang– In case you have not heard: Country music superstar Toby Keith has his name on a chain of restaurants, and the latest addition to the locations is open in Mesa, Arizona, at Mesa Riverview. Don’t take the name that open-air mall literally, though. You may be able to see a river when you climb on the roof of the place, a mostly dry riverbed that is the Salt River. Thanks to the reservoir created by mainly the Roosevelt Dam in the northeast we don’t get much, if any, water in the Salt River, yet have a save supply of drinking water in the valley of the sun. Totally different story that, so back to the Big Dog Daddy of country music.
Finding a category for Toby Keith’s Bar and Grill is difficult. The place has the attributes of a sports bar with monitors hanging from the ceiling at the bar, yet may also be a music saloon for it’s stage and live bands. The food is great down-home cooking you would expect from your neighborhood diner and the servers are good-looking sexy girls you would expect in more hip places. So what exactly is Toby Keith’s? Hell, just get over there and find out yourself!
The perfect opportunity to do so, for the Mesa location anyway, was last Thursday night, the official kick-off for the ?American Ride?, a kind of bike night extended to custom-ride night. Having the perfect spot and atmosphere to attract a huge crowd of custom bike and car fans along with the space inside and out to accommodate them, the guys at Toby Keith’s turned to local custom builders Paul Yaffe, John Shope, Sucker Punch Sally’s and others to line up an impressive display of bikes around their place. Equally represented was the custom car and hot rod scene with prime examples of what a car can be when sprung from the right creative mind. Additional contribution to the car lineup was provided by the Good-Guys 12th Southwest Nationals that were in town the same weekend.
And a good time was had by all… You know what normally comes at this point of the post-event report, so we spare you the usual. It was a great evening, the place was packed, the parking lot front and back full of eye-candy, perfect for a stroll after the hearty meal. Enough said.
While Toby Keith’s is a great destination for a weekday evening ride-and-dine excursion as well as on the weekend anytime, the jury is still out on the repetition of an America Ride event with program. As far as this writer is concerned, the kick-off was highly successful and one can hope the guys at Toby Keith’s make this a regular institution. Without a doubt they already put themselves on the map in the custom bike and car scene as a big red X with this one.
– – C.S. Berg
CAST STEEL AXLEPLATES– Bandit , I just stuck it to V-Twin catalog big time. I am now the only American I know of taking orders for cast steel and stainless steel axleplates, sidecar loops and necks for wishbone Panhead frames.
I am just getting this into production, but I have already cast all parts I described. These were tested at foundry, but it all went well. They are making me my first run of 30 set of plates, 25 steel, 5 stainless steel. I ordered 20 more sets poured yesterday.
Hardtail Choppers Forever ! jg You ever need parts. check my site. I’ll hook you up. www.hardtailchoppers.com
Motorcycle Union Making a Difference in the Lives of Many– 3Nails Motorcycle Union is building a special custom old school bobber that will be given away to a contributor who gives a tax-deductible donation to Renovation House, an alcohol and substance abuse rehabilitation and renewing program that has been ?renovating? the lives of men for over 25 years; Renovation House has two facilities– one is located in Perth Amboy, N.J. and the other is in Spencer, N.Y. ?The birth of the 3Nails motorcycle brand grew out of a team of men consisting of pastors, executives and business owners that wanted to volunteer their time, talent and treasure (money) to fund the Renovation House program,? explains Gary Capone, who is part of a volunteer group that has been dubbed the ?Dream Team.?
The ?Dream Team? has been involved in supporting Renovation House for six to seven years, and the 3Nails Motorcycle Brand is the team?s latest idea that was created to help raise funds and awareness for the charitable cause; in the past, a variety of events like golf tournaments and dinners were held to support the rehabilitation program.
The group of volunteers meets several times each year to discuss the progress of existing programs and to develop new, creative ideas and events that will continue to raise the funds needed to keep Renovation House equipped with the resources they need. One of the new and creative ideas that were born out of a brainstorming session was the 3Nails Motorcycle Union Brand and Company.
The motorcycles resemble 1940’s and 50’s style bobbers and choppers that could have been restored from a collected pile of parts. The motorcycles are custom-made, one at a time, with small detail differences on each bike, so that each one is original. After several years of preparation, the 3Nails brand is now being launched with the bike giveaway promotion. A donation of $25.00 or more will make you eligible to own the bike that will be given away shortly after the Cycle World International Motorcycle Show in Chicago, on February 21, 2010.
Gary estimates that the bike will be handed over to the new owner in the early spring of 2010; a date has not yet been set.
Donations will be collected at event booths at the New York and Chicago motorcycle shows and on 3Nail’s Web site www.ride4rh.org; you can also mail donations to Renovation House Fund/ 3 Nails, 43 South Jefferson Road, Whippany, N.J. 07981.
Schedule: Project Bike Unveiling: New York, NY Jan. 22, 2010 Cycle World International Motorcycle Show: New York, NY Jan. 22-24, 2010 Cycle World International Motorcycle Show: Chicago, IL Feb. 19-21, 2010 For more information about Renovation House, go to www.rhrehab.org
Story by: Becky McLaughlin
BIKERNET METRIC BLOG COMING TO LIFE UNDER NEW EDITOR– Hey all you metric riders! Have you heard about the best place to discover metric motorcycle news? It’s the Bikernet Metric News blog http://bikernetmetricnews.blogspot.com and it’s loaded with tons of photos and links to things you’ve never seen before.
You’ll find out about new bikes from around the world as well as parts and accessories info. You can post your own comments and let the world know what you think!
In the last week alone, we’ve posted almost 40 photos and information about Ducati, BMW and Honda, while profiling custom metric builds by Slingshot Cycles, Last Ride, Thunderbike and the amazing Dave Cook. On top of that, renowned motorcycle photographer Colleen Swartz sent us some killer shots of a 1954 Victoria Bergmeister. “What is that,” you wonder? Click http://bikernetmetricnews.blogspot.com to find out, and remember, METRICS KICK ASS!
BLACK FRIDAY BLOWOUT!! 30% OFF ALL ITEMS OVER $99.00!! Sale Effective Nov. 27th Thru Nov. 29th– Don’t miss your chance to SAVE 30% on the purchase of any Hell’s Foundry accessory valued at $99.00 and above. We would also like you to pass it on and allow your friends to cash in on the same savings. Attached to this email is the complete Hell’s Foundry 2009 product catalog.
Any questions on our products and their pricing can be answered by visiting http://www.hellsfoundry.com/. All pricing on the Hell’s Foundry website has been pre-adjusted to reflect the 30% savings. Don’t miss your chance to save big on Hell’s Foundry exclusive accessories.
–Brandon Bollwahn
Hell’s Foundry
866.999.4355 Ext. 102
SEMA ARTICLE COMING TO BIKERNET FROM CRAZYHORSE CORRESPONDENT– I’ll get my article turned in tomorrow. I had a few interesting experiences at SEMA. I joined SEMA’s SBN (SEMA Business Women’s Network.) It was a very good move for me and I feel very positive about becoming more involved in SEMA. I met some very nice people and they were all very interested that I am involved in the motorcycle business.
Next year I will be airbrushing in the SATA Spray Equipment booth. I’ll be working even more closely with SATA this year.
I’m going to try and start doing my paintjob of the week again in the Thursday News. I got lots of cool stuff I have done over the last year and much of it has neat little stories behind the paint. Plus I have updated my website quite a bit.
There’s lots of new work posted on it.
JoAnn
www.crazyhorsepainting.com
BACKROADS BETSY ON TV– Hey, the series that Richard Terry did for Animal Planet, “Stranger Among Bears” is running all day tomorrow on Animal Planet. I don’t have that channel, but I hope to find someone to tape it for me so I can watch it at a later date. My sister already saw it and says it was awesome!
Betz
KEEP YER BAIL MONEY IN YER SOCK… HERE COMES THE NEW YEAR’S NUISANCE ART SHOW & PARTY, PART TWO. THE EL SEGUNDO POLICE DEPARTMENT CAN’T BE HAPPY ABOUT THIS!!
–Geno
ANOTHER BLACK FRIDAY SPECIAL– Torian Market is the center for Old Skool Torian Chopper Leathers. Our jackets are made from the finest naked cow medium-weight leather. They come with multiple jackets and high-quality zippers. It’s designed for you, bikers that ride.
Checkout the Friday specials.
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