Hey,

Here’s the recent challenge. A brother called the other day. He spoke to some kids recently and they had never heard of Arlen Ness. They were riders. We had an interesting discussion about the changing face of motorcycling. Of course, some kids don’t know the Beatles or Elvis Presley, so what’s new?



I’m going to have a similar discussion with Chris Callen and Ken Conte tonight on the Cycle Source Podcast or whatever they call it. Where some feel like we’re sinking in a disconnected mess, I believe the opposite.

Take for instance the SmokeOut or Born Free. They are wild events featuring young builders, building wild unruly choppers and bobbers. Remember a few years ago, when brothers said choppers are dead forever. Not so fast Kemosabe.



So, all these new enthusiasts who are building bikes in their garages with leftover anything will emerge into the industry. If they fall in love with motorcycling they could become dirt bike guys, flat track racers, Bonneville enthusiasts, drag racers, HOG members, Hells Angels, dyna club guys, touring riders, shop owners, dealership guys, Booze fighters, family group riders, you name it. Hell, they could become Sons of Speed racers on vintage bikes. So, you get the picture. Our world is splintering and every segment is growing.

So, maybe the key is to stay connected and informed. Give the young guys lots of info and see which direction they roll. I had to learn this code, to stay true to what you love. That’s the formula for Nirvana. Don’t push yourself in direction you weren’t meant to take. Let’s hit the news.



The Bikernet Weekly News is sponsored in part by companies who also dig Freedom including: Cycle Source Magazine, the MRF, Las Vegas Bikefest, Iron Trader News, ChopperTown, BorntoRide.com and the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum. Most recently the Smoke Out and Quick Throttle Magazine came on board.







Harley-Davidson and the Petersen Automotive Museum Announce the Opening of “Electric Revolution”--

• Exhibit to be the World’s First Museum Exhibit exclusively featuring Electric Motorcycles
• Opens April 6, 2019 at Petersen Museum in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES, CA. - The Motorcycle Arts Foundation (MAF) and the Petersen Automotive Museum announced today the opening of “Electric Revolution,” the world’s first museum exhibition exclusively featuring electric motorcycles. This exhibit, which is supported by Harley-Davidson, will open at the Richard Varner Family Gallery at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles California on April 6, 2019. Curated by MAF co-founder Paul d’Orléans, the exhibit will explore the history and current state of the electric motorcycle and e-bike industry with 21 examples of 2-wheeled electric vehicles from both custom builders and established manufacturers.

Harley-Davidson is the lead sponsor for this exhibit and has provided three recent prototypes from their electric portfolio, including the 2020 LiveWire, which will be available to the public in Fall 2019.

“We are creating history with the world’s first exhibition of any type to feature two wheeled electric vehicles exclusively.” states curator Paul d’Orléans. “The electric motorcycle industry is exploding with new players investing in an electric future, and this exhibit will showcase contemporary manufacturers as the trail blazers of the industry and pay homage to electric pioneers.”

“We are thrilled to support the Motorcycle Arts Foundation and participate in the Electric Revolution exhibition at the Petersen Museum.” states Harley-Davidson Senior Vice President of Marketing and Brand Heather Malenshek. “Harley-Davidson is at the forefront of the changing consumer landscape within motorcycles and we are excited to showcase our halo product, LiveWire, within the powerful narrative this exhibit presents to the public.”





NMA TRACKS LEGISLATION--
Today we complete the first full calendar quarter of reporting motorist-related activity that is passing through state and federal legislatures. The NMA Bill/Regulation Tracker (Bill Tracker) was introduced in the Winter 2019 issue of Driving Freedoms and went live on Motorists.org in early January when most states began new legislative sessions.

Only three months in and it has already been an interesting experience. We want to share a few takeaways. We also encourage you to provide feedback on any specific legislative activity you think should be covered in the Bill Tracker but isn’t.

Legislators are paying attention to motorist issues. That’s the good news. That’s also the bad news.

Bills Supported by the NMA that Passed

Georgia Senate Bill 25
Clarifies statutory language of when a driver is obligated to stop for a school bus

Utah House Bill 149
Traffic code amendments referring to lane splitting by motorcyclists

Bills Opposed by the NMA that Failed or were Withdrawn

Mississippi Senate Bill 2580
Authorizes sheriffs and deputies to use radar speed detection equipment

Utah Senate Bill 80
Forces drivers in the queue to turn left at traffic signals to stay out of the intersection until each turning vehicle ahead of them has made the turn

Virginia Senate Bill 1555
Allows counties to double fines for speed limit violations on non-limited access highways having four or more lanes

Bills Supported by the NMA that Failed or were Withdrawn

Maryland House Bill 32
Would prohibit the Motor Vehicle Administration from basing a suspension or revocation of the registration of a vehicle on the vehicle owner’s failure to have the vehicle inspected and tested as required under the Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program

Maryland House Bill 984
A lane courtesy bill

North Dakota House Bill 1264
Would allow 75 mph speed limits on paved, divided multi-lane highways (unless otherwise restricted) and 80 mph on access-controlled, paved, divided multi-lane highways under the same provisions

North Dakota House Bill 1442
Would prohibit police from setting up DUI roadblocks to detain and question motorists without any reason to believe they are engaged in wrongdoing

Bills Opposed by the NMA that Passed
None



Fortunately, these guys believe in freedom and are on our side mostly.—Bandit





Motorcyclist profiling has been a growing problem in America.

Stopping and questioning motorcyclists based solely on their manner of dress is reprehensible and discriminatory in nature. Two states, Washington and Maryland, have passed legislation seeking relief from this practice.

On March 4, 2019, a despicable display of acrimony took place in the Idaho State Capitol. Motorcyclists arrived to witness a floor vote in the Senate on S1109, a bill written to reduce profiling of bikers. In a cruel twist of irony, two men were denied access to the hearing room until they removed clothing signifying affiliation in a motorcycle club. One was a member of the Brother Speed MC, and the other was an associate of the Vagos MC. This blatant display of disrespect for the principle of free speech in a government building, a supposed bastion of free speech, was outrageous.

It was Capitol Security, acting on orders from the Sergeant at Arms to the Senate, to deny the two men access into the hearing room. The riders complied with the order, because they did not want to miss the vote on S1109. Unfortunately, the bill failed passage by one vote, adding insult to injury.

ABATE of Idaho drafted a letter to every legislator in Idaho after the vote, demanding that the practice of denying entrance to a hearing room, based solely on clothing, cease and desist.

ABATE wrote, “Any government agent denying an individual access to Senate Chambers because they are wearing motorcycle club colors is a clear violation of speech, association and due process rights protected by the US Constitution. Motorcycle club colors are First Amendment protected expression and wearing motorcycle club colors is considered expressive conduct, particularly when that expression is political.”

ABATE received a response from the President Pro Tem of the Senate, Senator Brent Hill. In his response, Hill apologized for the inconvenience, but never offered a clarification of procedures. ABATE wrote back stating it wasn’t an inconvenience, but rather an unjustifiable act of discrimination. ABATE also asked Hill what the policy going forward would be concerning manner of dress at the Capitol

Hill replied that Senate Rule 46 (E) prohibited lobbying in the Senate or hearing rooms without permission, but ABATE pointed out that simply wearing motorcycle attire did not constitute lobbying under the definition of the term. Finally, Hill stated on March 13 that it was not the practice of the Senate to deny access solely based on the color of certain clothing.

The clarification of the policy, along with recognition by the Senate that the motorcyclists of Idaho were not going to allow this sort of contemptible behavior to go unchecked, marked a decided victory against the practice of profiling.

For more information on this and other issues concerning discrimination and profiling, visit the Motorcycle Profiling Project webpage http://www.motorcycleprofilingproject.com/

 

BIKERNET WELDING CLASS--What’s the difference between Mig and Tig Welding?

The major difference between Mig and Tig welding is that one process uses a continuously feeding wire (MIG) and the other you use long welding rods and slowly feed them into the weld puddle (TIG). MIG and TIG welding both use an electric arc to make the weld.

MIG welding is a very simple and easy process to learn compared to learning how to TIG weld. The technical names for these are metal inert gas (MIG), and tungsten inert gas (TIG).

A MIG welder works by using a continuously feeding spool of welding wire that burns, melts and fuses both the base and parent metals together. You can weld a variety of materials such as mild steel, stainless steel and aluminum.

A range of material thicknesses can be welded from thin gauge sheet metal right up to heavier structural plates.

TIG welding on the other hand is more commonly used for your thinner gauge materials. Items that are made with this process are things like kitchen sinks and tool boxes. The biggest benefit is that you can get your power down really low and not blow through the metal.

Pipe welding and other heavier tasks can also be performed, you just need to have a unit that is capable of putting out the amount of power that you need.

The main difference between MIG and TIG welding is that one method uses a continuously feeding electrode and is a very fast way of putting down welds. The other way is a much more fine and delicate welding technique.

The most versatile machine is the TIG welder as you can weld many different types of metals. The downside is that it is very slow. For anybody wanting to do some welding at home your better choice of machine to buy would have to be the wire feeding MIG welder.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Apalais





Florida Toddler Hijacks Dad's Can-Am Spyder, Miraculously Survives Heavy Crash

It appears the three-year-old didn't suffer any injuries, but the footage is still difficult to watch.

News from January 2, 2019 - A Florida man’s Can-Am Spyder was hijacked by his three-year-old daughter who proceeded to speed across an intersection and slam into a wall at a high rate of speed. Luckily, the little girl was flung from the vehicle before the crash and the latest reports claim that she is okay and already walking around.

The Spyder, however, not so much.

 

Not many details have emerged in regards to how the toddler gained control of the vehicle, but it appears that the owner of the Can-Am Spyder simply left the keys in the ignition and the vehicle parked within reach of the toddler. Allegedly, the man's daughter was playing in the garage and suddenly the family heard the engine rev and rushed outside to see what was happening.

Next thing they knew, the toddler had commandeered the Spyder and was leaving the premises.

News at https://www.thedrive.com/news/25744/florida-toddler-hijacks-dads-can-am-spyder-miraculously-survives-heavy-crash





MOTO MADNESS--We spent Saturday at a great local event in Tellico Plains TN called March Moto Madness. We met some awesome people from all over the US, ate some tasty food and watched riders attempt to climb the hill on their dual sport motorcycles.

It was an impressive sight to see. One guy rode an electric dirt bike up the hill and it got hung up on the same ditch everyone else had trouble getting through and the bike came out from under the rider and went airborne doing a complete 360 in the air!

Holy cow that was awesome! Thankfully no one was injured and the rider rode the bike back down the track. Check out the Southern Biker Magazine Facebook page for videos of the runs.

If you have an event you would like to see printed in our magazine, feel free to submit that to www.SouthernBikerMagazine.com and we will add it.

--Southern Biker Magazine

 

 

SALT TORPEDO UPDATE—looking for lead rods for weight.

We are building a Harley-powered streamliner for Bonneville and need weight in the front. We need lead rods about 1-inch in diameter. We will need at least four about 2-feet long. Can you help? About how much would they weigh and cost?

Today will be damn exciting. We bought Wilwood calipers from Summit racing at a considerable discount. We will check the JIMS cooling fan installation. We have all the final fasteners for the front end and a safety clamp for the steering.

We now have a thumb throttle to test and all the gear to install the parachute release system. 

 

BRAKING INTO THE U.S. MARKET--Accossato Group, a leader in racing components — including brake master cylinders, throttle controls, brake calipers and rotors — is now available exclusively in the U.S. and Canada through MOTO-D Racing.

“Confidence to keep going when your competition is slowing because you have the best in brake stopping power, control, and feel can be the difference between earning a podium or not in today’s competitive series” says MOTO-D President Scott Diamond. “We are extremely proud and excited to offer the best from Italy in brake master cylinders and stopping components to our customers.”

Produced in Italy, Accossato Racing products are known around the world for their leading design and strict adherence to the highest quality standards possible. Accossato radial brake master cylinders are used extensively throughout World Championship racing in addition to Moto 2, Moto 3, British Superbike, Italian CIV, and MotoAmerica where maximum brake feel and power is required.

For more information about Accossato Racing products, including detailed specs and performance figures, parts and service, click on:

www.motodracing.com/accossato-racing

--Dealernews

 

2019 Officers Selected for MIC Board of Directors--The MIC board voted last week to re-elect Paul Vitrano of Indian Motorcycle and Polaris Industries as chair, Chuck Boderman of Honda as vice chair and Jim Woodruff of National Powersport Auctions as secretary/treasurer.

The 12 directors also retainer-elected Tim Buche as MIC president and CEO. Buche has served as the leader of the MIC’s staff since 1996.

In addition, Derek Brooks recently became Yamaha’s new representative, appointed to the board, replacing Mike Doughty. Jeff Brown of EagleRider and Tim Calhoun of Helmet House were recently elected new members of the board.

“I’m excited to have these dedicated dozen powersports veterans donating their knowledge, skills and time to serve our industry and consumers,” Vitrano said. “Together with the MIC staff, we are hard at work on three strategic initiatives – ridership, research and government relations – plus three functional priorities – events, membership and communications. With a changing marketplace, continuing challenges on land access, and the need to keep motorcycles in the traffic mix as autonomous vehicles emerge, we have much to do on promoting, preserving and protecting the powersports industry.”

“I am proud to serve with such a dedicated group of industry professionals at the MIC, and excited about the strong one-team spirit it embodies," Boderman said. "I am optimistic that through board and member involvement, we will realize our strategic initiatives and successfully navigate the transformation of mobility for current and future generations of powersports enthusiasts.”

The MIC Board of Directors

Chair
Paul Vitrano
Senior Assistant General Counsel
Indian Motorcycle and Polaris Industries
Appointed - no term limit

Vice Chair
Chuck Boderman
Vice President, Motorcycle Division
American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
Appointed - no term limit

Secretary/Treasurer
Jim Woodruff
Chief Operating Officer
National Powersport Auctions
Elected - term expires January 2020

Eric Anderson
Founder, President
VROOM Network
Elected - term expires January 2020

Derek Brooks
Motorcycle Product Line Manager
Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A.
Appointed - no term limit

Jeff Brown
Co-Founder and Chief Administrative Officer
EagleRider
Elected - term expires January 2021

Tim Calhoun
National Sales Manager
Helmet House, Inc.
Elected - term expires January 2021

Kerry Graeber
Vice President MC/ATV Sales & Marketing
Suzuki Motor of America, Inc.
Appointed - no term limit

John Hinz
President
KTM North America, Inc.
Appointed - no term limit

Bill Jenkins
Senior Vice President Sales and Operations
Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.
Appointed - no term limit

Andrew Leisner
Senior Vice President, Managing Director
Bonnier Motorcycle Media
Elected - term expires January 2021

Mike Peyton
Vice President
BMW Motorrad USA
Elected - term expires January 2020

Note: Six maximum dues MIC members, based on market share, appoint directors to the board.





TRAILBLAZERS CELEBRATE 75 Years--
Still a hot ticket after all these years, it only took eight hours to sell every one of the 800 seats for the 75th annual Trailblazers banquet set for April 6 at the Carson Event Center in Carson, California.

Trailblazers Motorcycle Club President Don Emde authored this feature story about the long history of this incredible community, which functions as a sub-committee of the MIC Aftermarket Committee with a mission of helping to preserve motorcycling’s heritage. The MIC is proud to be the home of business operations and support for the Trailblazers.

Trailblazers banquet in 1947 – Don Emde Collection
For 75 years, the Trailblazers have been a group of fun-loving motorcycling enthusiasts and racers. Our mission has been, and continues to be, to keep the spirit of motorcycling alive by gathering annually to reconnect, remember and honor fellow motorcycling friends and associates.

Starting in the late 1920s, a Los Angeles area motorcycling enthusiast named A.F. Van Order would round up a number of riders and racers and they’d have get-togethers devoted to bench racing about the first generation of motorcycling in Southern California.

Many of the new and previous Trailblazers Hall of Fame inductees who attended the 2018 Trailblazers banquet. Back row: Larry Huffman, Kel Carruthers, Bill VanTichelt (behind Carruthers), Dallas Baker, Scott Autrey (behind Baker), Bryon Farnsworth, Bill Cody, Rob Morrison, Jim Odom (in front of Morrison), Judy Whitson, Lori Conway, Debbie Evans Leavitt (in front of Conway), Tom Horton, Susie Ellsworth, Buddy Stubbs, Alan D’Alo, Chuck Miller (behind D’Alo), Steve Storz, Sonny Nutter, Dennis Mahan, CH Wheat (behind Mahan), Ralph White, Chris Carter, Thad Wolff, Don Emde, Tony Murphy. Middle row: Jim Buchanan, Chuck Palmgren, Mike Konle, Del Kuhn, Stu Peters, Sammy Tanner, Bob Bailey, Neal Fergus, John Hateley, Steve Scott, Gary Jones. Front row: Jim Connolly, Preston Petty, Dan Haaby, Ernie Aragon. Photo by Dennis Suter

By 1940, it was time to get more serious, and formal, and “Van” organized the first official Trailblazers banquet. It was a “stag” event – men only – and one requirement was that you had to be riding motorcycles for 20 years or more. Pioneer motorcyclist Paul “Dare Devil” Derkum was elected the first president of the Trailblazers at the 1940 banquet and served for more than a decade. Others continued the tradition through the years, notably Floyd Clymer, publisher and legendary racer from the early days, who served as president until his death in 1970.

After Floyd’s passing, the annual gatherings were in limbo for several years. Spearheaded by Earl and Lucile Flanders and others, the banquets were reactivated a few years later, and women were more than welcome to attend. Eventually, motorcycle editor and publisher Bill Bagnall took the helm and presided over the Trailblazers for many years, later turning over the leadership duties to others. Bagnall passed away in 2006.

A wide variety of motorcycling enthusiasts and celebrities have attended the Trailblazers banquets through the years. Early day legends such as Erwin “Cannon Ball” Baker, Jack Milne, Joe Petrali, Ed Kretz, Bud Ekins and others were regulars, as were Hollywood stars such as Lee Marvin, Steve McQueen and Keenan Wynn. Through the years, numerous motorsports superstars and celebrities became Trailblazers, including Sammy Tanner, Dick Mann, Dan Gurney, Kenny Roberts, Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey, Bruce Brown, Malcolm Smith and many more.

The Trailblazers M.C. has for many years honored members with interesting and notable accomplishments in the sport. There are currently more than 200 members who have been inducted into the Trailblazers Hall of Fame. In 2002, the club adopted the “Dick Hammer Award,” given annually to an individual who represents the level of “Drive, Determination and Desire” of the award’s namesake, Dick Hammer.

This year’s Hall of Fame inductees include race promoter Chris Agajanian; 1970s desert racing legend A.C. Bakken; motocross champion-turned industry exec Mark Blackwell (a former MIC chair); former Yamaha design guru Ed Burke; enduro champion who created his own motorcycle brand, John Penton; factory motocross star Rex Staten and pioneer trials rider and motocrosser Jim Wilson. Additionally, two American multi-time world champions, Eddie Lawson and Wayne Rainey, will each receive the Dick Hammer Award.

For more information, check out the Trailblazers website at www.trailblazersmc.com and on Facebook (Trailblazers Motorcycle Club).

Current Trailblazers president, Don Emde, is a lifelong motorcyclist whose family has been involved in the motorcycle sport and industry for more than a century.

A former professional racer, he and his father Floyd hold the distinction of being the only father and son to have each won the prestigious Daytona 200 motorcycle race. Don Emde Inc., publisher of motorcycle books and magazines, has been an MIC member since 1990.

More at EmdeBooks.com.