Hey,
It’s another crazy day in podcast land. Somebody else tried to throw me under the bus with lies. They even said I was rich. Unfortunately, I’ve never been rich. Sure, I’ve been successful, generally because I work my ass off. But any guy who has been married six times, had five Mrs. Balls and lived with Sin Wu for 17 years, ain’t rich.
Ah, but there’s always good news around the digs. We just received a merch licensing agreement and I sent it to my attorney, but I also groked it. Grok studied the contract and make a few suggestions. Then Grok offered to make contract suggestions and I went for it. Then it offered to rewrite the contract to our benefit. It did this all in 30 minutes. Fuck.
Life is so nuts, but we’re having a blast. Get this Ann is selling her jewelry out of the emporium. She started to look at Facebook where crazy happens. She and her husband are involved with the Knuckle saloon. They are building a massive deck on the front and just renovated the interior.
So they went in the basement to clean it out and found a ton of old cool shit. So, they announced an auction this weekend. Immediately, on Facebook folks wrote the Knuckle is going out of business and selling all their antiques. Bullshit…
Let’s hit the news.
The Bikernet News is brought to you by our resilient team: The Redhead, Wayfarer, Danial James, Sturgis Vicky, LA Laura, Palma, Freak Show and Sturgis Prospect Kendra.
BILTWELL HEADS TO BORN FREE–
We are stoked to team up with Born-Free again on a new collab Gringo S helmet. This time based on a design by the super-talented @nathantsykes. These helmets will only be made in a single batch and we will not be doing a second run.
Exclusively available for purchase this weekend at Born-Free in the Biltwell booth, and any remaining stock will go on our online store after the event. Swing by and get your lid before they’re gone, good chance we’ll run out of popular sizes at the event.
It’s time to vote for the Champ!
The People’s Champ builders just keep getting better and better every year. For 2026 there isn’t a single slacker and every bike is worthy. Who can decide the Champ? YOU! That’s who. Voting is now live and the Champ will be crowned Friday night at Cooks Corner 19152 Santiago Canyon Rd, Trabuco Canyon, California. The party starts midday and the Champ will be crowned around 9:00PM or so. Come see the bikes, meet the builders and have a good time. Hard work pays off!
If you need to dig deeper, you can go back through the posts here to see the journey:
@biltwell_peoples_champ
Note: Voting closes 9:00AM Friday morning
LONG ROAD UPDATE–
Hello everyone! Sorry for the delay, but I finally got the final campground nailed down this past weekend for the 2026 Long Road. So the details are as follows:
Sunday September 6th 2026 – The Meeting at Lake Clear
We meet at Charlie’s Inn, Bar and Grill, and Junction Inn Campground
44 Junction Rd, Lake Clear New York 12945. 518-891-9858
Camping is $15/person. Rooms and suites are available from $80 to $175. call for prices & reservations
Facebook: Charlie’s Inn Bar & Grill And Junction Inn Campgrounds
A restaurant is available onsite for dinner until 8PM
Monday September 7th – Downsville NY (Catskill Mountains)
Our 1st stop is Peaceful Valley Campsite
485 Banker Rd, Downsville NY, 607-363-2211
Camping is $20/person Cabins are available from $75/night for basic and up. Some are two night min so check their website. Www.nypeacefulvalley.com
Please note Cabins AND camping must be booked ahead by either cheque, money order or through Venmo (US residents only). Visit their website for further details on how to book. A form must be printed and filled out to send with your cheque or money order.
Tuesday September 8th – Port Matilda, Pennsylvania
2nd stop was a popular one a couple years ago at Godspeed Events And Lodging
7897 S. Eagle Valley Rd, Port Matilda PA 814-554-0024
Camping is $20 per person. Lodge rooms and cabanas are available for $50/person for the small group rooms of 4 and the larger for 6. As well, a few Cabana rooms, suitable for a couple, are available for $95. Check website for details info@godspeedevents.com. Bart was in the process of updating his website to allow online booking. Please wait until July 1st to start booking cabins.
Wednesday September 9th – Elkins West Virginia
3rd stop – an old favorite Revelle’s River Resort
5 Rainbow Drive, Elkins West Virginia 304-636-0023
Unfortunately, their camping is $55/site but can fit up to 4 tents per site with your choice of location in the campground. Split 3 or 4 ways gets it down to less than $20/person. No group site is available.
If riding solo, and you want to tent camp, let me know and I can try to arrange for another solo rider or two to share a site before you book.
Cabins are available from $105/night and up. Check their website https://revelles.com/
Call the campground to book, not online as it won’t allow a one night stay.
Unfortunately, for those who remember the restaurant/bar, it has been closed for a few years, but a pavilion is available for us to gather under in case of inclement weather.
Thursday September 10th – Woodlawn Virginia
4th stop – our annual stay over at The Roadhouse
1203 Woodlawn Rd, Woodlawn Virginia 24381
Visit them on Facebook for all kinds of pics! Lookup “The Roadhouse” Facebook
This stop is a rather inexpensive one at $10 for camping and $20 – $40 for a bed in the communal sleeping quarters. Call John Devonshire at 276-233-6974 or Tracy at 276-237-0557 or FB message to reserve a bed. Camping can be paid for upon arrival.
Registering for the ride:
Registration fee this year is $40US/person, which gets you the commemorative ride t-shirt, a souvenir map/poster with optional scenic route with directions on reverse, a Long Road sticker, and helps pay for the cherished Long Road medallion for first time riders. Depending on the number of riders, there is the possibility of a free pizza night at one of the stops(to be determined)
Please send a cheque or money order made payable to:
Brian Sauer
161 Inkerman St
Guelph Ontario
N1H 3E1
Please include your name, address, phone number, e-mail address, t-shirt size and whether you have done past Long Roads or not for each rider who the cheque or money order covers. Also, include if it is a woman’s size shirt. Extra shirts can be ordered for $15 each (include quantity of each size) If you can shoot me an e-mail when you send your cheque or money order to let me know it’s on the way, that would help to know how many people are coming as I await the cheques. Once I receive it, I will confirm with an e-mail and send the optional route direction for everyone to peruse.
Registration cut off date will be August 8th, 2026 to enable t-shirt order to be placed, so get your cheques out before that date! Please do not send cheques or money orders past that date due to delivery time crossing the border. Anyone who decides to do the ride past that date can just pay at the start point in Lake Clear but will not receive a tshirt as no extras will be made.
Look forward to seeing y’all again this year!
–Uncle Ben
BABE OF THE WEEK–
–Photos from Sam Burns
THE INDISPENSABLE ROLE– of Fossil Fuels in Modern Civilization
In a world increasingly obsessed with rushed net-zero targets and unreliable renewables, we’re proud to share our latest episode of Climate Chronicles: Fossil Fuels.
This engaging, fact-filled video powerfully explains why coal, oil, and natural gas remain essential to human prosperity.
Far from being dirty relics of the past, fossil fuels are nature’s ultimate solar-powered batteries — storing millions of years of concentrated solar energy in an incredibly dense, reliable, and affordable form. No other energy source matches their energy density or delivers dependable baseload power with such minimal land use, except for nuclear energy.
As artificial intelligence, data centers, and global energy demand surge, we simply cannot afford to abandon the fuels that built modern civilization. This Climate Chronicles episode makes it clear: fossil fuels are not going away — nor should they. They continue to lift billions out of poverty, extend lifespans, drive technological innovation, and support the very progress alarmists often take for granted.
At the CO₂ Coalition, we’re committed to telling the full story with scientific clarity. Additional CO₂ has helped green the planet, while fossil fuels have delivered unprecedented human flourishing. Our Climate Chronicles series was created to counter alarmist narratives with straightforward truths that too often get ignored.
Whether you’re a policymaker, energy professional, educator, student, or concerned citizen who values evidence over hype, I encourage you to watch this short video and share it widely. It is concise, visually compelling, and packed with perspective-shifting facts.
Realism matters now more than ever. Understanding the true value of our most practical and abundant energy sources is critical as we navigate the energy challenges ahead.
–CO2 Coalition
QUOTE OF THE WEEK–
“Carry out a random act of kindness with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge one day someone will do the same for you.”
— Diana, Princess of Wales
MILWAUKEE, WI ––,
A leader in the electric two wheel industry, today announced it has acquired the assets of Dust Moto, bringing deep off road knowledge and expertise to LiveWire, thereby marking a strategic expansion into the electric off road segment.
The acquisition strengthens LiveWire’s strategy to grow beyond on road electric motorcycles and address the rapidly expanding electric off road market, which is being driven by riders seeking incredible torque and performance with the added benefits of reduced noise, lower maintenance, and an accessible riding experiences through simplified operation and single speed drive.
With the completed transaction, LiveWire is advancing Dust’s electric dirt bike platform toward production, leveraging LiveWire’s engineering capabilities, manufacturing scale, and global marketing, sales, and service network to accelerate development and go to market execution.
“LiveWire pioneered the on‑road electric motorcycle market, and this acquisition allows us to build on that leadership as we expand into off road, continuing the journey that began with STACYC ten years ago,” said Karim Donnez, CEO of LiveWire Group. “Dust Moto is a strong strategic fit and an accelerator of our vision, bringing proven off‑road insight that will contribute meaningfully to LiveWire’s leadership position in electric powersports.”
“Joining LiveWire marks an exciting next chapter in our journey,” said Colin Godby, CEO of Dust Moto. “LiveWire shares our fundamental DNA as an American brand focused on performance, innovation, and putting riders first. With LiveWire’s scale, resources, and global reach, we can bring our electric off-road bike to market with a worldwide audience and deliver an unmatched off-road experience.”
The acquisition reflects LiveWire’s continued focus on expanding its product portfolio and addressable market while reinforcing its commitment to innovation across electric powersports. LiveWire intends to share more information on the launch of the product in the second half (2H) of this year.
2027 USA Cannonball
FROM Portland, Maine → Portland, Oregon · June 8 – 16, 2027
ADV Cannonball Rally — USA Edition
4,047 Paved miles
9 Days
11 States
126,450 Total ft elevation gained
1 Continent crossed
0 Support
Rally Check-In — Portland, ME — All day
Mandatory rally check-in runs all day at the official start hotel. Riders are encouraged to arrive one or more days early to register and crush some practice checkpoints in the area. Riders can also check-in on Saturday, just arrange this with the Rally Master when you arrive.
Official Hotel
Holiday Inn Portland-By The Bay
Recommended hangouts: Little Tap House, The Downtown Social
OFFICIAL Rally Schedule at https://www.advcannonball.com/2027-usa-adv-schedule
Pro-Class
$1,199 USD per rider
Mile-Crusher-Class
$1,099 USD per rider
INSPIRATIONAL WORDS FROM THE BASE OF THE BIKERNET MOUNTAIN–Winning
“The past has no precedent over the present.”
The past is done. Today is a brand-new day to recharge, refocus, and move forward toward our goals. As I have said many times, the lessons of life are repeated until they are learned. The key is not to dwell on what did not work, but to learn from it and move on.
It is time to let go of the excuses, stories, and reasons why we have not yet accomplished what we set out to do. If we want different results, we must be willing to make different choices. We cannot continue doing the same things while expecting our lives to change. Growth requires action, and action requires courage.
Today offers us an opportunity to pause and take inventory. What have we been doing? What results are we getting? Are we happy with where we are? Are we winning? These are important questions. Not to judge ourselves or dwell on past mistakes, but to gain clarity. Every setback contains a lesson. Every disappointment carries wisdom. The purpose is not to criticize ourselves but to identify what needs to change so that we can move forward with greater success.
Many people quit when they are closer to victory than they realize. Winning requires character, persistence, and consistency. Throughout history, nearly every great success story was preceded by failures, setbacks, and disappointments. The difference between those who succeed and those who do not is often very simple—they refused to quit.
Remember that you do not walk this journey alone. There is a Divine Presence within you, supporting and guiding you every step of the way. That Infinite Power responds to your faith, your commitment, and your willingness to keep moving forward. No challenge is greater than the strength that resides within you.
Today Know:
I am a winner. I meet this day with enthusiasm, determination, and peace. I have learned from the past, but I refuse to be limited by it. I release yesterday and embrace the opportunities of today. I have faith and trust that the Infinite Power within me is guiding, energizing, supporting, and supplying me in every way.
I know there is enough success, abundance, and opportunity for everyone. I boldly move toward my dreams and allow them to unfold in right and perfect order. I remain steadfast in my vision and committed to my purpose.
Today, I dare to live the life I have dreamed of. I move forward with confidence, courage, and gratitude. I give thanks for this Truth and for the Divine Presence that walks beside me each step of the way.
And So It Is.
Namaste’
“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson
Contemplative Questions
What lesson from my past am I ready to fully learn so that I no longer need to repeat it?
What one change can I make today that would move me closer to the life and goals I truly desire?
Where in my life am I being called to show greater faith, persistence, and commitment rather than giving up?
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,
When funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won if he’d stuck it out.
Don’t give up, though the pace seems slow –
You may succeed with another blow.
Often the goal is nearer than
It seems to a faint and faltering man;
Often the struggler has given up
When he might have captured the victor’s cup,
And he learned too late, when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.
Success is failure turned inside out –
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are –
It may be near when it seems afar;
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit –
It’s when things seem worst that you mustn’t quit.
–Yale
QUICK, IT’S WHISKEY THURSDAY–
The new issue is out there and the girl on the cover works at the Buffalo Chip during the rally and at the Mountain Grand in Deadwood the rest of the year. Here name is Cayla and she’s cool. But Hang On, the rest of the issue is a knockout.
We just had this Sportster chop shot in Toledo, Ohio at Chop Machine. I can’t wait to put this feature together and share with you how he builds these Sportster chops at a very resonable price.
In the meantime
Adam Croft is still at it with new leather paints, which are amazing. He’s a talented brother who need support. Reach out.
We have just a handful of these Harley emblem and Chevy massive laser cut paper weights. We’re not shipping them. They are about six inches call and four inches thick solid steel. They must weight 50 pounds.
This is a Freddie Cuba Sportster powered, flat track racers with a pure American Indian model. Don’t ask me.
Kristen’s dad made these, handmade, all wood plaques. He offered to make a few, but they would cost a bundle.
A brother asked about a one-off patch for his vest, but I pointed out that artists can paint on leather and it lasts. Here are two examples.One was painted over 15 years ago. The top one was painted maybe 15 years ago. I need to remember the artist, and I’m working one it.
I fired up the ’58 after the winter and took it to Freak Show Customs. They filed the radiator with coolant and adjust the carb. It’s running sorta regular like. We are going to have their interior guy line the trunk with insulation and carpeting, to keep the noise down and detail the trunk. It’s for sale.
A brother brought up this early David Mann Painting. I had a version and it’s cool, early Mann. It’s never dull around the headquarters. Keep the faith and ride fast and free Forever!
–Bandit
