Hey,

Truth and integrity has been one of our mantras at Bikernet since Al Gore’s film “Inconvenient Truth.” I assumed he was honest since he was the Vice President of the United States. right? But I started to read and discovered he basically lied to the public, because he hates the Fossil Fuel Industry.

 I have tried to always stay true to my mantra. I’m just another grubby biker. I’m not a scientist, so I need to keep my mind open, and if I find I’m off base about anything I need to be honest about it.


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, Iron Trader News, ChopperTown, BorntoRide.com and the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum.

The News was provided by the Bikernet Team including the Redhead, Bob T. Sam Burns, Laura, Barry Green, El Waggs, J.J. Solari, Amy White, Jenn and the rest of the crew.





TWELVE MYTHS—Government-Dictated Green Energy is Cheaper than Fossil Fuels

Today I will be testifying for the House Budget Committee at a hearing called “The Costs of the Biden-Harris Energy Crisis.” The main point I'll be making is that the policy of government-dictated “green” energy, practiced by Biden-Harris and many other governments, is ruinous.

When you shackle the most cost-effective and scalable source of energy, fossil fuels, and subsidize unreliable solar and wind, energy necessarily becomes more expensive, less reliable, and less secure.

In preparation for the hearing, I wanted to see what the witness in favor of the Biden-Harris energy policy, Trevor Higgins of Center for American Progress, would say in its defense economically. I saw that he testified recently on this very topic.

I found his claims in favor of government-dictated green energy to be appallingly inaccurate and misleading, so I wanted to make sure that the elected officials at today’s hearing and anyone else hearing these claims had access to refutations of them.

Myth: “Clean electricity has become the most affordable source of energy there is.”

Truth: If this were true “clean electricity” wouldn’t need enormous preferences in the form of subsidies, mandates, and no price penalty for unreliability—and “clean energy” opponents wouldn't feel compelled to cripple fossil fuels by punishing investment, production, refining, transportation, and use.

In reality, since “clean electricity” from unreliable solar and wind can go to near zero at any given time, it depends on reliable electricity. It doesn't replace the cost of reliable electricity, it adds to the cost of reliable electricity. That's why the more solar and wind we've used as a nation the higher our prices have gotten.

Myth: Inflation has slowed since the passage of the IRA, so the IRA worked.

(Higgins: “Since the enactment of the Inflation Reduction Act, overall inflation has slowed by two-thirds, grocery price inflation in particular has slowed by nine-tenths, and energy price inflation has not only slowed but fully reversed and dropped 7 percent. Meanwhile, wages have risen 8.5 percent, far outpacing inflation. Since enactment, total employment has grown nearly 4 percent and economic output is up 10 percent. This is an exceptionally strong record.”)

Truth: This is a blatantly dishonest example of the “post hoc” fallacy—the first thing happened before the second thing, therefore the first thing caused the second thing.

The IRA couldn’t have possibly lowered inflation because its significant effects are not in force yet.

And when the IRA’s effects are in force, they will obviously be inflationary due to its huge subsidies, which will increase our debt burden and therefore inflation.

Myth: “investments in clean energy specifically are a primary strategy in the fight against inflation”

Truth: Subsidizing energy sources that can't compete on a free market is by definition inflationary. It makes us pay more for energy that we otherwise would. And when coupled with restrictions on the most cost-effective form of energy, fossil fuels, it makes us pay far more for energy.

Myth: “Federal grants, loans, and tax incentives are unlocking record-breaking levels of private investment in building the clean energy economy.”

Truth: The “record-breaking levels of private investment” consist of investors chasing free money from the government instead of investing in truly cost-effective energy projects.

Myth: Thanks to the IRA we are “restructuring global supply chains and unlocking a domestic manufacturing renaissance.”

Truth: Thanks to the IRA Americans will pay a fortune in taxes and inflation to prop up industries that have no prospect of being internationally competitive.

If we want to be internationally competitive we need to liberate domestic development from the “green energy” movement’s hostility to human impact on nature and therefore human development. Given that under the current administration we cannot even open a promising domestic mining project in Minnesota, there is no chance we can wrestle critical mineral dominance from China this decade or in the next 3 decades.

Myth: “Fossil fuel dependence renders the daily costs of operating our energy systems vulnerable to supply shocks after extreme weather.”

Truth: The naturally-stored energy in fossil fuels is available in any weather, which is why they are the centerpiece of reliable, resilient grids in every climate. Meanwhile solar and wind can’t survive the “supply shock” of a calm, cloudy day.

Myth: “Fossil fuels push electricity prices higher...through the price volatility of the natural gas market”

Truth: Even when natural gas prices are high unreliable solar and wind can’t compete without special preferences.

That’s why forcing solar and wind on us has led to much higher electricity prices than we had when natural gas prices were high.

If it weren’t for government-dictated green energy, including restrictions on gas production and pipelines, and subsidies for unreliable solar and wind, plummeting natural gas prices would have led us to pay far less for energy than we are today.³

It is particularly disingenuous for people who are for strangling the natural gas industry to complain about high natural gas prices. This would have been like Tonya Harding criticizing Nancy Kerrigan’s difficulty skating after Harding’s team physically assaulted Kerrigan.

Myth: “Fossil fuels push electricity prices higher, including through... uneconomic utility investments in coal plants.”

Truth: Utility investments in coal plants were extremely economic until government-dictated energy shut them down.

Myth: “Fossil fuels push electricity prices higher, including through...the surge in wildfires exacerbated by climate change.”

Truth: The main cause of wildfire damage is “green” policies that allow forest “fuel load” to build up in the name of leaving forests untouched.

No credible projection says the IRA will have any meaningful effect on the conditions of wildfires so to claim that it’s saving us these costs is a lie.

Myth: “In Texas, for example, wind and solar saved $11 billion in wholesale electricity costs in 2022 alone.”

Truth: To know the cost of solar and wind one has to look at the full system cost, not the “wholesale electricity costs.” The full system cost of solar and wind has been disastrous for Texas, as evidenced by their total failure to provide meaningful electricity during Winter Storm Uri, which Texans are still paying a fortune for.

Myth: “The prospect of swiftly declining domestic demand for oil and gas is provoking the industry to build new export facilities, hoping to find overseas markets for liquefied natural gas (LNG).”

Truth: Industry is not “hoping” to find markets, US natural gas is desperately needed across the world! This includes European countries that desperately need more natural gas to support their unreliable solar and wind capacity on their expensive power grids.

Myth: “As a report from Energy Innovation has documented, states that are investing in clean electricity, such as Iowa, New Mexico, and Kansas, have seen less increase in electricity prices than states who have remained most dependent on natural gas.”

This “report” is pure propaganda. Looking honestly at the cost of adding unreliable solar and wind would mean looking at relatively self-sufficient grids that add a lot of solar and wind, such as California’s—which has experienced huge price increases and reliability problems. But the report evades California’s higher electricity prices by absurdly blaming them on wildfires. (“Wildfire costs and risks have significantly increased electricity rates in California.”)

The “report” instead focuses on states like Iowa, New Mexico, Kansas, and Oklahoma, which are embedded within much larger grids and socialize the costs of unreliability to others. Another example of ignoring socialized costs: the report acknowledges that transmission and distribution costs are rising nearly twice as fast as inflation but misattributes this to things like “grid hardening.” In reality, the high demand for more transmission and storage is driven by the need to enable more solar and wind capacity.

In addition, recent high natural gas prices are largely a product of government-dictated green energy.

Natural gas in general has kept electricity prices low, and had we not added so much unreliable solar and wind, the long-term fall in natural gas prices would have made our electricity cheaper.

--Alex Epstein







THE ROYAL ENFIELD REPORT--Motorcycle.com keeps getting these new models for free test-rides and promotions.

Refer: https://www.motorcycle.com/bikes/manufacturer/royal-enfield/2025-royal-enfield-guerrilla-450-review-first-ride-44605597

It looks like Enfield has realized that just like Triumph and Honda-- and home-competitors Hero, Bajaj, TVS -- it needs to look beyond its iconic style and look to make nit just volume sales but to make new customers and in-roads into a new generation of riders, or even in-roads into a new type of riders.

Enfields of today have no resemblance to anything understood by the brand name Enfield, except its original bread-and-butter models Bullet 350 and Classic 350.

So far, since May 2023, I have spent Rs. 1,50,000 on my 2004 model Enfield Bullet 350 not including the petrol it guzzles. Its market value or as they say in India, "resale value" is Rs. 30,000. Why? No, not because it is poorly maintained or ugly or anything to do with the owner's capabilities to keep it in shape---because,

1. does not have electric start
2. has gear shift on right-hand side
3. insurance companies have established the norm that vehicle value depends on manufacturing date instead of actual condition of the vehicle
4. Government demands Fitness Certificate and Green Tax for any vehicle older than 10 years.

One of these days, either I will gift it to a fool as a bad gift or sell it for the Rs.30,000 and consider it better than what a scrap dealer gives for metals based on weight of the various metals.

--Wayfarer
meditation in disruption





QUOTES OF THE WEEK BEGIN--

"One lives not just for oneself but for one’s community."
- Ruth Bader Ginsburg

from 1440 Daily Digest





HISTORY LESSON FROM COMPETITION DISTRIBUTING--Class C Racing

Excerpt from The Vintagent

The Great Depression of 1929 took a big bite out of American racing, as the Big 3 of 1930 – Excelsior-Henderson, Indian, and Harley-Davidson – shrunk to the Big 2 when Ignaz Schwinn quit making Excelsior-Hendersons in 1930. Neither Indian nor Harley-Davidson had the capital to develop exotic racing machines for Class A racing (the 8-Valves, the OHCs, the super-tuned flatheads), so they worked with the AMA to create a production-based racing class for the dirt. Announced in 1933 for the 1934 racing season, Class C racing was open to 45CI (750cc) sidevalve motorcycles, and 30.50CI (500cc) OHV bikes.

The races included flat track, hillclimb, TT/Steeplechase (flat track with jumps and turns, which was open to larger-capacity bikes in the Open Class as well), and even road races (rare). Eligible machines were production models available from factory catalogues, which meant AMA-sanctioned, national-level racing was suddenly an affordable proposition for anyone who could to buy (or sponsor) a motorcycle, and as the bikes were based on standard roadsters, they weren’t particularly expensive.

See the whole story at Competition Distributing website.







STURGIS MOTORCYCLE MUSEUM WEEKLY UPDATE—

Wow, it’s been a wild week. We thought we were low on funds, but then discovered all was just hunky-dory.



We moved these two historic racers built by Mike Parti to a more convenient location, so Haul Bikes can pick them up and transport them to Sturgis. We need to thank Dr. Hamster for making it happen.

Speaking of Dr. Hamster, the good doctor and I developed two Friends of the Museum systems to build troops to help out with projects, and of course to build funds to support the Museum projects. We might start a competition between the two.



Regarding companies the museum staff is creating a Sturgis Motorcycle Museum Sponsorship program and it should be released next week.

Just in the nick of time, we received a draft RFP from Bob at Gustafson Contractors. The board will give us input as we refine and submit the plan to the city for approval. It’s an exciting process. We only need 20-some million to make it happen.



What else, I know there’s something. Tim from the Flat Earth Studios is finishing up a street sign for the museum.

--Bandit







QUICK, THE LIFESTYLE CYCLES DEAL OF THE WEEK--2023 Harley-Davidson RH975S - Nightster Special

2023 Harley Davidson Nightster RH975 with only 2,174 miles!

Keeping up with the times means giving you something newer and better, which is why Lifestyle Cycles is more than ready to see you leave with this '23 Nightster!

* Blue and Black factory Paintjob
* Dunlop Front and Rear tires
* 19-Inch front and 16-Inch Rear Aluminum Cast Wheels
* 975 CC Revolution Max Motor
* Liquid Cooled
* Mid Controls
* Wrinkle Black 2 into 1 Exhaust
* 4-Inch TFT Display with Bluetooth, USB, and Safety Display Settings
* 27-Inch Low Profile Seat
* 5-Inch Risers with 2-Inch Bars
* Brembo Front and Rear Brakes
* Stock Rear Suspension
* Showa 41 Millimeter DUal Bending Valve Conventional Forks



This bike is only $10,995.00

Plus license, $85.00 documentation fee, and local sales tax. NO HIDDEN FEES like some dealers. And we have no reconditioning or prep fees. This bike has passed Lifestyle Cycles rigorous 92-point safety/mechanical/structural inspection. This motorcycle has not been refurbished and does not come with any warranty expressed or implied! EXTENDED WARRANTIES are available!

Lifestyle Cycles is located at 1510 State College Blvd,Anaheim,CA,92806. Open 7 days a week.

NOT LOCAL? WE HAVE SHIPPING AVAILABLE! Call today (714) 490-0155.







CHARITY AUCTION--by Hero MotoCorp

Hero MotoCorp has announced that it has raised Rs 8.58 crore (US $ 1,023,000 ) by selling 75 units of the limited edition Centennial CE100 bike via auction. The highest bid received for one of the units was Rs 20.30 lakh (US $ 23,900)

The Centennial Edition was launched to celebrate the 101st birth anniversary of the late Dr Brijmohan Lall Munjal. The money raised from the auction will be donated to charity. The remaining 25 units will be part of a giveaway for employees.

The Centennial Edition features a sporty semi-faired design. It is finished in a dual-tone colour scheme of grey and black, along with a few carbon fibre elements, while the frame is painted in metallic red. Even the front fork, rear swingarm, and crankcase are finished in the same shade of red.

The Centennial Edition is powered by the same 210cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine as the Karizma XMR. It is mated with a 6-speed gearbox via a slipper clutch.

The bike features an upside-down front fork and a monoshock at the rear. It has disc brakes at both ends and even gets an Akrapovic exhaust.

--Wayfarer
Associate Editor
Bikernet.com™





MEETING OF THE MINDS UPDATE--It's Late, But...Not Too Late To Register

The “early bird” deadline has passed. However, it’s not too late to register for Meeting of the Minds 2024.

The MRF celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Meeting of the Minds and opens the book on motorcyclists’ rights activism for the next 40 years! Sixteen information-packed workshops! A panel discussion about what legislative threats keep influencers awake at night. Plus, panelist solutions that will help ward off those nightmares.

The Meeting of the Minds 2024 will be a venue to strengthen alliances between SMROs, Independent Motorcycle Aftermarket (IMA), and Sustaining Motorcycle Club members. Taking us beyond “bridging the gap” that brought us together to moving forward and keeping the roads open.

The insights and training in workshops will serve motorcycling well when Bikers Inside the Beltway returns to Capitol Hill in May 2025.

The future of motorcyclists’ rights goes beyond the legacy rider-activists who have led motorcyclists’ rights advocacy for years. Your attendance at the Meeting of the Minds 2024 is key to protecting the future of motorcycling and motorcyclists’ rights.

It is still about fighting for freedom, unity, and change that brought us together forty years ago. We look forward to seeing you in St. Louis at the 40th Annual Meeting of the Minds conference!







VANCE & HINES HARLEY-DAVIDSON RACER ROCCO LANDERS SCORES FIRST KING OF THE BAGGERS VICTORY AT COTA-- HARLEY-DAVIDSON FACTORY RACER KYLE WYMAN HOLDS KOTB SERIES POINTS LEAD HEADING INTO SERIES FINALE

Team Saddlemen Harley-Davidson Racer Cory West Claims Super Hooligan Championship

RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson rider Rocco Landers scored his first series victory and Harley-Davidson Factory Racing rider Kyle Wyman maintained his series points lead in a double-header weekend of MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers racing action at Circuit of the Americas in Travis County, Texas. Landers won the Saturday race and finished third on Sunday. With a fourth-place finish on Saturday and second place on Sunday, Wyman holds a two-point championship lead heading into the final double-header weekend of the season.

West Crowned Mission Super Hooligan Champion
Team Saddlemen/Harley-Davidson rider Cory West on Sunday won the 10-race Mission Super Hooligan championship aboard a race-prepared Harley-Davidson® Pan America® 1250 Special motorcycle. A consistent front-runner all season, West scored three series race wins and was on the podium in six other races. The veteran racer from Eureka Springs, Ark., took over the points lead with a win and a second-place finish at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on September 18. At Circuit of the Americas, West locked up the title with a third-place finish on Saturday and second place on Sunday, holding off the challenge of the defending Super Hooligan champion, S&S Indian rider Tyler O’Hara.



“The Saddlemen Harley-Davidson Pan America, I can’t say enough. That bike worked awesome,” said West after locking up the title. “This was a really stressful race. I had to finish at least third and I knew Tyler was going to go out and try to win it. I just kept my head down and did what I could. This is a dream come true. It’s something you always wanted when you were a kid and started racing. To be a champion, it’s just complete. I really have to thank everybody. Dave, Amy, Chris. My beautiful wife, who is due in eight days. Jake, Taylor, Kento, Eric, Matty, Fury, Ricky, everybody. I love you guys. My family is here this weekend. I’ve got so many friends. We brought home the number-one plate, and I couldn’t be happier.”

For the season, West scored 183 points to take the title. O’Hara finished second with 179 points, followed by Team Saddlemen/Harley-Davidson rider Jake Lewis with 146 points.



Landers Breaks Through
The race win by 19-year-old Landers followed a string of four consecutive Mission King of the Bagger podium finishes. Landers qualified third at Circuit of the Americas and led each of the six laps in Saturday’s main event on the 3.472-mile, 20-turn road course. Landers held off the determined challenge of Factory Indian riders Troy Herfoss and Tyler O’Hara to win by 1.347 seconds.

“I got a decent start and then took advantage of some of the other riders getting caught up in traffic,” said Landers. “Everyone on the Vance & Hines team has been working so hard all season, so a big shout-out to the team and my family for all the support.”

On Sunday Wyman was in second place and chasing Herfoss when the race was stopped for fluid leaked on the track by Factory Indian rider O’Hara. The race was re-started with five laps remaining, and Herfoss again took the lead with Wyman trailing by less than a second as the pair opened a gap on Landers, Harley-Davidson® Factory Racing rider James Rispoli and RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson rider Hayden Gillim. Wyman trailed Herfoss by 0.445 seconds at the finish, with Landers third, Gillim fourth and Rispoli fifth.

“I’m happy with the ride today,” said Wyman after Sunday’s race. “We had a slow build all weekend, and today I had good pace in a couple of spots on the track but not enough to risk a pass for the lead. We’ll leave here with the points lead. I’ve got some great memories from previous races at New Jersey, so let’s go back there make a few more.”



On the opening lap of Sunday’s race, Rispoli suspected a flat rear tire and pulled off the track on the second lap.

“We had podium pace all weekend,” said Rispoli. “We have really found a great setting and I am getting confident on the bike. The finishing positions don’t show the potential we have, and we hope to put the final pieces of the puzzle together at New Jersey.”

After 16 of 18 rounds in the 2024 MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers series, Wyman has 315 points to 313 for Herfoss. Gillim is in third place with 213 points, followed by O’Hara with 198 points, Landers with 179 points, and Rispoli with 175 points.

The final race in the Mission King of the Baggers series is September 27-29 at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, N.J.

Harley-Davidson Factory Racing is sponsored by Mission Foods, Rockford Fosgate, Brembo, Öhlins, Protolabs, SYN3 lubricants, and Screamin’ Eagle Performance Parts and Accessories.



MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers Race Results – Circuit of the Americas Race 1
1. Rocco Landers (H-D) RevZilla/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson
2. Troy Herfoss (Ind) S&S/Indian Motorcycle
3. Tyler O’Hara (Ind) S&S/Indian Motorcycle
4. Kyle Wyman (H-D) Harley-Davidson Factory Racing
5. Hayden Gillim (H-D) RevZilla/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson
6. James Rispoli (H-D) Harley-Davidson Factory Racing
7. Bobby Fong (Ind) SDI/Roland Sands Racing/Indian Motorcycle
8. Cory West (H-D) Saddlemen/Harley-Davidson
9. Travis Wyman (H-D) Saddlemen/Harley-Davidson
10. Jake Lewis (H-D) Saddlemen/Harley-Davidson

MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers Race Results – Circuit of the Americas Race 2
1. Troy Herfoss (Ind) S&S/Indian Motorcycle
2. Kyle Wyman (H-D) Harley-Davidson Factory Racing
3. Rocco Landers (H-D) RevZilla/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson
4. Hayden Gillim (H-D) RevZilla/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson
5. James Rispoli (H-D) Harley-Davidson Factory Racing
6. Travis Wyman (H-D) Saddlemen/Harley-Davidson
7. Cory West (H-D) Saddlemen/Harley-Davidson
8. Jake Lewis (H-D) Saddlemen/Harley-Davidson
9. Max Flinders (Ind) M3/Lyndall Brakes/Cowboy H-D/Moose

Mission Super Hooligan Race Results – Circuit of the America Race 1 (Top 10)
1. Troy Herfoss (Ind) S&S/Indian Motorcycle
2. Jake Lewis (H-D) Saddlemen/Harley-Davidson
3. Cory West (H-D) Saddlemen/Harley-Davidson
4. Jeremy McWilliams (Ind) S&S/Indian Motorcycle
5. Dominic Doyle (YAM) Giaccmoto Yamaha Racing
6. Cody Wyman (H-D) KWR/Harley-Davidson
7. Tyler O'Hara (Ind) S&S/Indian Motorcycle
8. Alessandro Di Mario (Duc) Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati
9. Travis Wyman (H-D) Saddlemen/Harley-Davidson
10. Hunter Dunham (Duc) Ducati Tampa Bay

Mission Super Hooligan Race Results – Circuit of the Americas Race 2 (Top 10)
1. Tyler O'Hara (Ind) S&S/Indian Motorcycle
2. Cory West (H-D) Saddlemen/Harley-Davidson
3. Jeremy McWilliams (Ind) S&S/Indian Motorcycle
4. Jake Lewis (H-D) Saddlemen/Harley-Davidson
5. Travis Wyman (H-D) Saddlemen/Harley-Davidson
6. Hayden Schultz (H-D) KWR/Harley-Davidson
7. Cody Wyman (H-D) KWR/Harley-Davidson
8. Dominic Doyle (YAM) Giaccmoto Yamaha Racing
9. Stefano Mesa (ENE) Tytlers Cycle Racing
10. Hawk Mazzotta (IND) Roland Sands Racing

--Paul James