Hey,

Another day in Paradise. I’m itching all over. I’m forced to read more reports about the EPA attacks on business. I don’t get it, but I’m just an old biker. Why would anyone want to attack your neighbors, put stress on employees, put businesses out of biz, fine your brothers and sisters and destroy whole industries.

You would think the government would step in and try to find balance and freedom for peace within our society. But no, regulation becomes the priority. Regulation against our own peeps, not even peeps in other countries. How does that make any sense?

At one time we lived in paradise, we partied and danced in the streets. Hell, we only had to fight for helmet choice freedoms. We could build what we wanted, when we wanted. At one time all I had to think about included finding another redhead and another bottle of Jack.

Let’s his the news:
The Bikernet Weekly News is sponsored in part by Cycle Source Magazine, the Motorcycle Riders Foundation, Iron Trader News, Born to Ride.com, Las Vegas Bikefest, Choppertown and the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum.



VALERIE THOMPSON NAMED first female member of Bonneville 200 MPH Club Board of Directors--World’s Fastest Female Motorcycle Racer Appointed to Prestigious Land Speed Racing Board

The world’s fastest female motorcycle racer, Valerie Thompson, was appointed to the Bonneville 200 MPH Club board of directors during their recent meeting on January 28th at the National Hot Rod Association Museum in Pomona California.

Thompson is a seven-time land speed record holder, team owner/driver and member of six different land speed racing 200 MPH Clubs. She made history at the 2016 Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials, winning the “The Fastest Time of the Meet” award with a speed of 304.263 mph (489.6 KMH) piloting the Team “7” Racing streamliner. Thompson is the first female rider over 300 mph, earning the title of “Worlds Fastest Female Motorcycle Racer.”

Thompson joins 8 other board members who are responsible for the direction and business of the club. The Bonneville 200 MPH Club recognizes those drivers and motorcycle riders who are able to set class record over 200 MPH against an existing record or minimum. There are currently over 750 members since the founding of the club in 1953.

“We are delighted to have Valerie as our first female member of the board,” said Dan Warner, President. “Valerie’s many accomplishments, both on and off the track, make her a valuable new board member. I’m confident her unique insights and marketing expertise will be highly valued as we address a wide variety of issues for our members,” added Warner.

With a top speed of 208.812 mph, Thompson became a member of the Bonneville 200 MPH Club on her BMW S 1000 RR at the 28th Annual World of Speed event in September 2014.


The next meeting of the Bonneville 200 MPH Club board is scheduled for June in Pomona, CA. Her first two land speed records were accomplished with the 5-Ball Racing team aboard the World’s Fastest Panhead built by Keith Ball and his team of Bikernet Renegades.

www.metalsportwheels.com

GARTH BROOKS JOINS LINEUP FOR FEBRUARY 8 TRIBUTE TO RANDY TRAVIS-- Tickets On Sale Now to 1 Night. 1 Place. 1 Time: A Heroes and Friends Tribute to Randy Travis


Joining the star-studded tribute to Randy Travis on February 8, 2017, will be CMA Entertainer of the Year, Garth Brooks. Tickets for the historic night are on sale now at all Ticketmaster locations and the Bridgestone Arena Box Office.

“Mary and I are so blessed to have amazing friends all over this industry. Garth Brooks is an amazing artist who always entertains everyone in the house, I am humbled by his involvement," said Travis.

The event, titled 1 Night. 1 Place. 1 Time: A Heroes and Friends Tribute to Randy Travis, will also feature performances from over 30 artists including Alabama, Rodney Atkins, Kane Brown, Mark Chesnutt, James Dupre, Jeff Foxworthy, Montgomery Gentry, Ben Haggard, Chris Janson, Jamey Johnson, Alison Krauss, Neal McCoy, Scotty McCreery, William Michael Morgan, Joe Nichols, Paul Overstreet, Shane Owens, Michael Ray, Collin Raye, Ricky Skaggs, Kenny Rogers, Daryle Singletary, Michael W. Smith, The Bellamy Brothers, The Randy Travis Band, Ricky Traywick, Travis Tritt, Tanya Tucker, Josh Turner, Phil Vassar, Chuck Wicks, Wynonna, Chris Young with more still to be announced.

A portion of the proceeds will go to the Randy Travis Foundation; a 501(c)3 non-profit that raises money for stroke research and rehabilitation.

In October, Randy Travis was officially inducted into The Country Music Hall of Fame. The multi-platinum country giant suffered a massive stroke in 2013 and has since made miraculous strides towards recovery. He recently sang “Amazing Grace” at his Country Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony as well as the tagline to his iconic “Forever and Ever, Amen” at the 2016 CMA Awards in November alongside numerous country legends and stars.

1 Night. 1 Place. 1 Time: A Heroes and Friends Tribute to Randy Travis is produced by Mary Travis along with Tony Conway of Conway Entertainment Group /Ontourage Management , Mike Smardak of Outback Concerts of Tennessee, Inc. who is also the promoter of the event and Kirt Webster of Webster and Associates.





JUST SEVEN weeks away until the 2017 Buffalo Motorama!-- On March 24-26, 2017 the Buffalo Convention Center in Buffalo, NY will host the BIGGEST and BEST indoor custom car and bike show in Western New York.
2017 marks our 7th year showcasing some of the best vehicles from across the country, vendors, and something for the entire family to enjoy.

For up-to-date information on the show, sponsor/vendor information, features, and more, visit our website: www.BuffaloMotorama.com

Like our Facebook page to be eligible for prizes and contests: www.facebook.com/buffalomotorama

Contact Joe at show@buffalomotorama.com or 716-390-6848 for more information.




BRANDENTON DRAGSTRIP-- Thursday All Welcome Test & Tune
6pm to 11pm

Anyone can come out and run the 1/4 mile dragstrip with their race car, street car, truck or motorcycle!




QUOTE OF THE DAY--
When asked what he thinks about General Mattis being considered for Secretary of Defense, Rob O’Neill (the man who killed Bin Laden) said: “General Mattis has a bear rug in his home, but it's not dead - it's just afraid to move”.

--from Vern




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EPA's Grundler: VW emissions violations, fines a deterrent to auto industry
'We need to avoid being too predictable in our compliance oversight'



Christopher Grundler, director of the EPA's office of transportation and air quality, at the agency's emissions laboratory in Ann Arbor, Mich., in July. Grundler said Wednesday that aggressive enforcement is key to automakers complying with emissions rules, adding "we need to avoid being too predictable in our compliance oversight

WASHINGTON -- The massive fines paid by Volkswagen AG and criminal indictment of seven of the company's executives are a "very strong deterrent" to cheating by other automakers, a senior career EPA official said on Wednesday.

Christopher Grundler, director of the EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality, told reporters after remarks at a meeting of automotive engineers in Washington that the penalties have had a big impact.

"It gets everybody's attention," he said.

Asked if the EPA under President Donald Trump could reverse the Obama administration's decision to finalize the 2022-25 vehicle greenhouse gas emissions limits in its final days, Grundler noted that EPA nominee Scott Pruitt told a Senate panel earlier this month he would review the decision.

"We will be prepared to brief him and his team on the work we did," Grundler said, noting that a new EPA administrator can revisit a regulation but must follow the same process.

VW earlier this month agreed to plead guilty and pay $4.3 billion in U.S. civil and criminal fines to resolve its diesel emissions scandal. In total, VW has now agreed to spend up to $22 billion in the United States to address claims from owners, environmental regulators, states and dealers.

The EPA launched a new round of real-world compliance testing in September 2015 after VW, which prompted its findings that Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV were illegally using hidden software to allow excess diesel emissions to go undetected.

Fiat Chrysler has denied wrongdoing.


--David Shepardson
Reuters
--from Automotive News

Read the whole article at Automotive News--Bandit




SAILOR’S SOFTAIL STOLEN— This is always something we hate to hear. A brother who lives on a boat in the Wilmington Marina keeps his pride and joy, his custom Softail in a gated area. It was chained and locked, but someone set up the area, got a gate key and had enough guys to load it in the back of a truck or van.



If anyone has any information regarding Tim’s bike, let us know quick.

Call or drop me a line to Bandit@Bikernet.com

Cell 310-528-9258




BIKERS ROLL INTO TEXAS-- With a Unified Voice: End Motorcycle Profiling

The roar of hundreds of motorcycles echoed through the halls of the Texas State Capitol in Austin. This year, January 23rd marked the day where bikers from all walks of life, representing all corners of Texas and beyond gathered together in unity to send a strong message to lawmakers: end the unconstitutional practice of motorcycle profiling.

Citing a survey issued by the Motorcycle Profiling Project completed last year, instances of profiling of motorcyclists is on the rise in the U.S. With a participation level of over 5,000 motorcyclists nation-wide, over 50% reported being unjustifiably stopped by police at least once while riding their motorcycles.

According to state laws passed in Washington and Maryland, motorcycle profiling is defined as, the arbitrary or illegal use of the fact that an individual rides a motorcycle or wears motorcycle-related attire as a factor in deciding to stop, question, take enforcement action, or make an arrest.

Dozens of other states have already introduced similar legislative proposals in 2017. Even the U.S. Congress addressed the issue in 2016 through the introduction of a bill in the House of Representatives. Though its unclear if the Texas legislature will introduce an anti-profiling bill, the dynamic between law enforcement and the motorcycle community continues to be tense after an incident in 2015 in the state that left nine people dead and hundreds arrested.

But despite the controversy in Texas, many see value in continuing to raise concerns over motorcycle profiling on a national scale; especially considering the outcome in the states that already passed anti-profiling laws. In Washington state, which passed their profiling measure in 2011, reported incidents of motorcycle profiling have dropped approximately 90 percent since legislation was signed into law. And in Maryland, though the law was only passed last year, preliminary reports suggest the number of incidents of motorcycle profiling are down.

Back in Austin, motorcyclists communicated these statistics to any lawmakers that would listen. “Riding a motorcycle or wearing a leather jacket doesn’t make me a criminal,” said Russell Radke, a member of the National Council of Clubs, the National Coalition of Motorcyclists, and a Member of the Board of Directors to the Motorcycle Riders Foundation. Radke is also International Vice President for the Soldiers for Jesus Motorcycle Club. “We need to send a strong message to lawmakers – unlawful profiling of motorcyclists will not be tolerated.”

The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) has led the fight in Washington, DC to bring awareness to the issue. Through work with its partners within the Anti-Profiling Action Group, the MRF will continue to advocate in 2017 for a national solution to end the practice of the profiling of motorcyclists and support its members at the state level in their own advocacy efforts.








5-BALL RACING DEAL OF THE WEEK— We have adjusted the pricing on many leather items and added the must watch Climate Hustle into our line-up. Save the motorcycle performance industry and watch it.

Hell, don’t miss my latest book, World Run.

--Bandit




JIMS TOOL OF THE WEEK-- No. 5502 Ultimate Clutch Adjusting Tool

As flat rate technicians go about their work day, saving time and convenience make their productivity rise. JIMS No. 5502 Ultimate Clutch Adjusting Tool is one tool that can make their job more productive.

By combining the tools necessary to perform a clutch adjustment on 1985-present Big Twins, it couldn’t get any easier. Having the ability to hold the adjuster in place while tightening the jam nut eliminates multiple attempts to get the adjustment just right. The Allen hex key fits into the ergonomic handle for storage, saving time looking for the right tools.

With a retail price of $65.50, this tool will eventually pay for itself. It has JIMS® lifetime tool warranty and is made in the USA. And you don’t have to be a professional Harley technician to use and appreciate this tool.






BORN TO RIDE Motorcycle Media publishes monthly motorcycle magazines that are some of the most popular biker magazines in America.










ICE GLADIATORS and X-Trial riders are back--download FIM Apps now!

The FIM is delighted to announce that the latest in its range of dedicated sports apps, the 2017 FIM ISG and FIM X-Trial Apps are now available!

Don’t miss out on the fast and furious action of the Astana Expo FIM Ice Speedway Gladiators World Championships and the FIM X-Trial World Championship.

For fans, the media, riders and teams, the ISG app delivers Live results with heat-by-heat results displayed in a new real time scrolling format and with section-by-section scores for both qualification and the final in the FIM X-Trial World Championship.

As well as live information, users can access a full calendar of events with venue details for each event including an interactive map for each competition. The Riders index provides access to profiles of all the permanent entrants for both the individual and team championships.

The FIM apps also offer news, photo gallery, video and partners sections to bring you all the latest words, photos and moving images from this amazing disciplines as the Championships unfold throughout the year.

Don’t miss any of the action - Download the FREE 2017
FIM ISG and FIM X-TRIAL Apps today!








BOSCH UNDER EPA FIRE-- Bosch will disclose provisions related to VW diesel scandal in May


FRANKFURT -- Robert Bosch will disclose provisions in May for costs related to its involvement in Volkswagen Group's diesel-emissions scandal as the German supplier continues its probe into possible misconduct by employees.

"We started investigations right away in September 2015 and want to know in-depth what has happened," CEO Volkmar Denner told journalists Thursday in Bosch’s home city of Stuttgart, Germany. “We had internal compliance systems before, of course, and we’re constantly reviewing them.”

Bosch, the world’s largest car-parts maker, supplied control software for the 2.0- and 3.0-liter diesel engines at the heart of Volkswagen’s emissions-test cheating scandal, though its exact involvement remains unclear.

Bosch reached an agreement in principle last month to largely resolve class action litigation at a U.S. federal court in San Francisco, but details won’t be disclosed until a definitive deal has been signed off by Judge Charles Breyer. The company said at the time that it neither acknowledged plaintiffs’ allegations nor accepted liability.

Denner confirmed that details of the settlement are due to be presented to Breyer at the end of the month. The closely held manufacturer is set to outline the provisions when it publishes detailed full-year earnings figures on May 4. Bosch employees aren’t subject to travel restrictions, Denner said when asked about the arrest of a VW manager in Miami earlier this month.

--Christoph Rauwald
Bloomberg




See the whole story at AutomotiveNews.com






BRAND New Bikernet Reader Comment!--

New York Myke at Trump Inauguration


I was in D.C. for the inauguration ceremony. We ride our bikes in and for the most part and got a nice welcome.

The Chief of Police and several of his officers pulled over where we were parked and welcomed us personally. There were a lot of civilians asking to have their picture taken with us.

We never made it to John Marshall Park. The rioters had the security check point choked and we couldn't get through. There was a large presence of police and military there.

I don't understand why these asshats weren't being arrested. On our way out of town we were almost attacked by BLM rioters. One young black man stood between "them" and us, and shouted go go go, get out of here. God bless that young man. I hope he's ok.




-- Kim Curtis

Hookstown, PA







THE HUPY AND ABRAHAM INVESTIGATOR REPORT-- I was with Jay Jackson in Michigan last weekend for the ABATE of Mich. State Seminar. I presented a workshop entitled "Activists, Regulators and Meri-go-rounds."

He didn't attend my workshops (2) so I assume he was sitting in on some others that were going on at the same time. Mine dealt with who we are (activists, freedom fighters and grass roots lobbyists), who the regulators are and what they are doing to harm our lifestyle (EPA, NHTSA, DOT, ATF, FBI), and the meri-go-rounds mention has to do with where I think this is all going.

I touched on the clean air act and global climate change, the myth and reality, but my final message was about autonomous vehicles, the intelligent highway system and whether or not motorcycles even fit in the picture for the future.

My fear is the only place to ride a motorcycle in the future might be the meri-go-round at a county fair. It was well received and would have been good for Jay to attend, since I'd be interested in his opinion. I think all the ethanol scares and the bragging about keeping helmet reinstatements at bay by the MRF, etc. are false bravado.

By 2025, all car-makers plan on manufacturing only autonomous vehicles. By 2030, the European Union wants a ban on all internal combustion vehicles. Meanwhile, Honda and BMW are already making motorcycles that can't fall over and will follow you around like a puppy dog.

A little over 100 years ago, horse and buggy was a common site on the roads. Today, unless your Amish, there are no horse and buggies around. Is that the fate of motorcycles?

Or are going to have to settle for an electric, autonomous cycle that just takes us where we want to go by programing some guidance computer on board. To me, that's taking a bus with handlebars, not riding a motorcycle.

I hope I'm wrong, but I think in a generation or two, motorcycles might go the way of the dinosaurs or at least the horse and buggy. My conclusion to my seminar; keep fighting for the few rights we still have and continue on course with our legislative agenda.

Meanwhile, as Jim Morrison said in song, "I'm going to go out and have my kicks before the whole shithouse goes up in flames."

--Pan

Tony “Pan Sanfelipo
Investigator
Hupy and Abraham, S.C.
1-800-800-5678







The THIRD ANNUAL TWIN RIVERS CHOPPER CAMP OUT-- is being held August 18-20th in Crumpler, NC.

Three days spent riding through the Appalachian mountains and two nights camping on the banks of the New River. August is a great time to ride in western NC with milder temperatures and less traffic as everyone flocks down to the beach for the end of summer. You can spend all day riding the twisties or kick back on a tube in the river with a cold one. Either way you'll want to be back at the campground by dark for nightly bonfires, music, prizes and one hell of a party.

You can find out more about the event over at:

http://www.ridingvintage.com/2017/01/twin-rivers-chopper-camp-out.html
Panhead Jim