Pearl Hoel - The First Lady of Sturgis Dies

The Rapid City Journal reported today that Pearl Hoel, affectionately referred to many as the "First Lady of Sturgis" died Sunday at Sturgis Community Health Care Center at the age of 99.

Pearl Hoel cooked dinner for all 150 people who attended the first Sturgis motorcycle event in 1938. In 2004, she remained a high-profile supporter of the Sturgis motorcycle rally, an event that now draws as many as half a million bikers from all over the world.

"Everyone in town referred to her as the First Lady of Sturgis," Pepper Massey-Swan, head of the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame, said. "She loved the event, she loved the people. I don't what we'll do without her."

The article goes on to describe how Pearl and her husband "Pappy" were involved in getting the famed Sturgis Rally started back in 1938.

Who's going to be the first come out with a Pearl patch or pin?

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Using Engine Guards as an Oil Cooler

The DIY Network aired an two-part episode explaining how to turn your engine guards (freeway bars) into an oil cooler.

In the first two segments host Kevin Tetz flushed out the oil tank and created a magnetic drain plug for DIY's project 1965 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide. Expert mechanic Bill "Dunk" Dunkelberger joins him this segment and next to demonstrate how to create unique integrated homemade oil cooler with the engine guard.

In the first part, Tezt drilled a hole in both ends of the engine guard. In the second episode he runs an oil line through the guard.

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A Kinder Gentler Cook's Corner

An article written by Los Angeles Times writer Daniel Yi describes changes taking place at Cook's Corner. If you're not familiar with Cook's Corner it's a road house located in Orange County, California. Bikers from Los Angeles, San Diego, San Bernardino, Riverside, and other parts around, make Cook's Corner a riding destination.

A few months ago, it was bought by a couple of Greek business partners. They've replaced the paper plates with dishes, hired a new cook, and apparently improved the pastrami sandwich.

According to the article, they:

are focused on cleaning up the place. They've ordered 170 new barstools, and the graffiti-ridden bathrooms are next in the list of improvements.

"We are keeping it the same," said Katelaris, "but making it nicer."

It's actually pretty good read. There's quite a bit of history going back to the 1930's.

I was actually at Cook's Corner today, having ridden there with a few of my riding buddies. The place was just packed solid. There was easily 300 bikes there, maybe 400, along with cars parked all the way up Live Oak Canyon road. A bluegrass band was playing there.

As the article said, they've replaced the paper plates with "real" plates. I hadn't noticed this today, but having read the article now, sure enough, I remember everything being on paper plates. The place could definitely use a bigger restroom. Pissing in that trough full of ice cubes with 2 or 3 guys in there gets too personal for my comfort. In fact if they added more parking, that would be the biggest improvement. And then get more tables, more patio covering, more room for vendors, and I'm not sure there would be a more popular biker hangout in all of Southern California.

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Old Motorcycle Injury

i still love motorcycles, part three
Originally uploaded by goodoltup.

"Saggital plane of the lumbar lordosis. Instrumentation consists of Harrington rods, pedicle screws, and a plate of some kind.

We can rebuild him.
We have the technology.
We have the capability to make the world's first Bionic man.

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The Real Holy Rollers

I read through a lot of motorcycle and biker related news stories, but every once in awhile, I come across a story that reminds me what blogging is for.

Pastor Ron Baptiste, a biker and ex-con, stands behind his pulpit fashioned out of a motorcycle front-end, and reaches out to those people who need reachin' out to.

The parishioners are ex-cons and former prostitutes, recovering drug addicts and alcoholics - some devoted bikers and some not. They gather here for an alternative to the traditional churches where they don't feel wanted, says Pastor Ron Baptiste, himself a biker and ex-con whose scarred and twisted chin is but one remnant of his own violent past.

His church is done up to look like a Vegas gambling casino, and there's pool tables in the back for the teens. He begins his sermons by revving up a Harley, while a band plays Southern Rock songs. But Baptiste is serious about his congregation. He says that other churches mostly serve those who have already been saved, while his church serves those who need saving.

I don't consider myself "religious" in the sense of attending church and following one of the established religions. But that's not to say that I don't have my beliefs.

I believe that the gifts we possess, mainly our ability to think, design, express, and our ability to put our thoughts into motion, were given to us so that we can do something useful. We have the choice of what to do, and whether to do something good or bad.

It doesn't matter how many times you've done bad things. What matters is that you've paid your debts and left behind something good for the next generation. I think that's what this story is describing.

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Operation Harley Teen Machine

In Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, an project called "Operation Harley Teen Machine" is underway. The project is a hands-on class where high school students build a Harley Davidson from the frame out. The finished bike is then auctioned off, with the proceeds benefitting another project called "Time for Teens", an independent volunteer project devoted to improving the personal development and interpersonal relationships of teenagers in the county.

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Japanese Custom Choppers

MasaManiA has published photos of some odd-looking custom choppers/motorcycles/scooters. Some really freaky stuff.

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Harley Davidson Bagger

Harley Davidson
Originally uploaded by happymutant.

"2004 Steamworks Concours d'Elégance"

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Honda Announces New Navigation System

Honda Access Corp, a subsidiary of Honda Motor Co., said today that it will release a motorcycle navigation system costing ¥173,250 ($1,651.00) on April 28.

Published on Forbes:

The navigation system, with a 3.8-inch touch-panel screen, will be installed for Honda's Forza large scooters. It is attached to the center of the handlebars. In addition to showing a map, the navigation has a voice message to tell directions, Honda said.

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Outlaw in Penny Loafers

outlaw in penny loafers
Originally uploaded by dustym.

"Took this yesterday and was going to save it for the perfect occasion.

Today is the day.
news.google.com/news?hl=en&lr=&c2coff=1&client=firefox-a&...

A lot of the ideas and iconography birthed in the 50's and 60's and 70's died long before HST put a shotgun to his head. "

The thing is that I've done this many times myself! There are times when I'm too lazy to put on my boots. It harkens back to the old days when I used to jump on my old KZ400 wearing nothing more than a t-shirt, shorts, sandals.

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New Hampshire to Hear Testimony on Loud Pipes

Published today in Citizen Online, a news service in Laconia, New Hampshire, is a report that the New Hampshire State Legislature will hear testimony on a bill to muffle noise coming from motorcycles.

I blogged about this earlier this month.

Today, the House Transportation Committee is scheduled to hear testimony on House Bill 326, which seeks to simplify enforcement of motorcycle noise.

"This isn't really a law enforcement issue; it's the result of a number of complaints in our area," said Portsmouth Deputy Police Chief David Young. "The way the law is written now, it's almost impossible to enforce. We're looking to simplify the process to end the frustration we have in not being able to enforce the law, and at the same time address the concerns of the public."

The bill, sponsored by Rep. MaryAnn Blanchard, D-Portsmouth, would make it illegal for motorcycles to produce a noise level of more than 110 decibels.

The bill also requires makes it illegal to remove baffles from the exhaust pipes.

The issues I see here are that #1, locals are disappointed with noise and traffic that comes with Laconia Bike Week, in which last year, saw 400,000 bikers attending, and #2, that the city has an opportunity to score some big revenue from issuing citations, that rarely get challenged because the visitors are from out of state.

But the existing law on motorcycle noise is very difficult to enforce. According to the Citizen Online:

The existing law requires that a decibel meter be held 20 inches from the exhaust pipe at a 45 degree angle, while the engine is operating at 2,800 revolutions per minute for motorcycles with one or two cylinders and 3,500 rpms for motorcycles with three or more cylinders.

In order to properly conduct the test, a police officer would need a decibel meter, which Young said many departments do not have. In addition, at least two officers are needed to conduct the test, one to operate the meter and the other to check the rpms.

So this proposed law makes it much easier to enforce by simply requiring exhaust pipes have baffles in them. This will allow State and Local governments to cash in on the thousands of motorcycles entering their domain.

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The Roads that Lead to Biker News Online

Lately, several bloggers have been publishing odd and interesting keyword search terms found in their log files. James at Why Bike? has found some curious keywords in his log files. I've seen many other political blogs doing the same. So I thought I'd share some of mine, by analyzing the last three days worth of logs.

Here are the most frequent ones:

1. "suicide shifter" (4)


2. "harleys for big men" (3)


3. "malaysia bikers" (4)

Here are some interesting ones:

1. "drawing of policeman"


2. "custom yamaha road star motorcycle ostrich seats"


3. "orange county choppers getting sued"


4. "pictures from hawaiian tropic children's pageant from herrin illinois"


5. "should a first time chopper owner have a suicide shifter"

I'd recommend that a first time motorcycle rider not have a suicide shifter. And if anyone is looking for Hawaiian Tropic Children's Pagent from Herrin, Illinois, don't click on my site.

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Honda Valkyrie Engine

Meta_1
Originally uploaded by Rash.

"Thats the flat-six engine of the Valkyrie..."

A guy I ride with has a Valkyrie, with the engine chromed out. He always gets people asking about his bike.

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The New Peregrine V-4 Motorcycle Engine

According to a press release issued by Wayne R&D Inc. last Tuesday, they've announced the launch of their new Peregrine V-4 motorcycle engine.

The radically new, V4 Engine, is designed to satisfy the ever-increasing demand for more power by adding more cylinders, rather than increasing bore and stroke to the extreme. By utilizing the vast array of Twin-Cam Style engine components available on the market today, we can offer endless combinations, increasing torque and horsepower, not to mention a look that will surely turn heads! An internal drive system that allows for an optional drive ratio of 1:1.19 (overdrive) provides for lower cruising RPM and higher top speed.

Intended for use in custom street bikes and trikes, our four base models to choose from, are the "Falcon-176", "Falcon-190", "Falcon-190HO" and "Falcon-206", ranging in horsepower ratings of 125-hp to well over 200-hp. For those who desire still more power for racing or other demanding applications, engines can be built with off the shelf "Big-Bore" and "Stroker Kits", to obtain an insane 300-hp or higher.

What I like is that while it's a V-4, it still carries the classic look of a V-Twin.

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Motorcycle Tombstone

Motorcycle Tombstone
Originally uploaded by Stelis.

"Found at a cemetery in Southern California."

So the question is, what kind of motorcycle is that? Looks like some kind of vintage Harley Davidson.

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Motorcycle Club Sues Rochester Bar for Discrimination

From KAAL TV 6, members of a motorcycle club are suing the Rochester Bar because it was denied access for wearing their colors:

The attorney representing the Sons of Silence motorcycle club says its members were refused entrance to the bar because they were wearing their "colors," or motorcycle apparel. He sent a letter to the bar warning of legal action, saying a 1998 state law prohibits that kind of discrimination.

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Biker shirt

Biker shirt
Originally uploaded by pjphotos.

"Say it all for a biker."

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Ugly Fairing

Originally uploaded by minusbaby.

""

Can't handle the wind at 50mph? What's with that green thing on top?

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Victory Trike on the Horizon

Victory Motorcycles, which is a division of Polaris Industries, is working with a Canadian company, Lehman Trikes Inc., to develop a new trike.

Basically, Lehman is going to do all the building, and the folks at Victory will be lending them their unique technology, to develop a trike that resembles the same stylings of Victory motorcycles. Victory will slap its logo on the finished product, and both companies will help to promote it.

According to a press release from Lehman:

"As the trike market moves into the mainstream, our consumers are asking us for more modern, more custom-looking and more technologically advanced V-Twin (engine) trikes, and Victory is a brand that is designing, engineering and manufacturing a platform that can really help us deliver."

Cool. Maybe we'll see something to compete against those gawdy-looking yellow Honda Goldwing trikes.

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Rapid City Considers Motorcycle-Only Parking

In South Dakota, the Rapid City Council is proposing to create a motorcycle-only parking area in downtown during the Sturgis Rally. According to the Rapid City Journal:

The committee's recommendation is to limit Sixth Street to motorcycle parking only between the railroad tracks and the alley south of St. Joseph Street for the duration of the rally. Main and St. Joseph streets would remain open to through traffic, but those portions of Sixth Street would only be open to motorcycles, emergency vehicles and delivery vehicles.

Actually, what these towns ought to do is set aside parking for trailers. A lot of folks I know plan to tow their bikes in trailers to some town close to Sturgis. A city like Rapid City could set aside a huge trailer lot and charge $10.00 a day to each trailer.

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Motercycle

sign_motercycle
Originally uploaded by Chad Johnson.

"No motercycle left behind.
Pronounced: mow-der'sï-kəl. "

Obviously, this guy doesn't ride.

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Reflective Stickers on License Plates

In Malaysia, a pilot project is underway to see if reflective stickers placed on motorcycle license plates will reduce the number of night-time accidents. An army of volunteers will be going around the country and sticking the stickers on motorcycle license plates.

"We will be going to car parks in mosques, shopping complexes and other public places to stick these strips," said centre director Professor Radin Umar.

"If (this pilot project) helps to reduce night-time accidents, then we will implement it nationwide."

The volunteers are expected to hit the streets in a fortnight armed with 80,000 stickers.

Apparently, they tried this before, but by placing stickers on the back of people's helmets. However, it didn't work because the headlights of vehicles were not high enough to illuminate the stickers.

I would be kinda alarmed to walk out to my motorcycle and see that someone placed a sticker on my license plate. My initial reaction would be to take it off. But then again, technically, license plates are the property of the government. So, I guess they can do it.

UPDATE: Kudos to Uncaged Librarian for finding this first.

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Saxon Motorcycles Announces New Dealer Network

Saxon Motorcycles announced today that it has set up its first network of dealerships. Nine dealers in ten states were selected to begin selling the Saxon line of semi-custom motorcycles.

Based in Casa Grande, Arizona, Saxon opened up operations last August. Their bikes are priced similar to high-end Harleys.

You can watch a video depicting their line of bikes.

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Future WSB Champion!

Future WSB Champion!
Originally uploaded by curiouskiwi.

"Can't reach the handlebars; can't reach the throttle; can't reach the
clutch; but still a champion!"

Ahhh Yeah! This is the future of motorcycling right here. Sitting on the seat for the first time, grabbing the handle bars, and going "vrooom vrooom".

Even as adults, the excitement never goes away.

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LoJack for Motorcycles

LoJack Corp., the company that pioneered stolen-car tracking devices in the 1980s, is unveiling a similar device for motorcycles. This is according to an article published today in the Boston Globe.

The company has wanted to develop a stolen-motorcycle recovery device for quite some time, but couldn't develop a device small enough that could be concealed on a motorcycle. Until now, that is. The units are priced at $595.00 each.

I think this is very good news. When you've got Harleys running $20K to $30K, you're talking about the same price of a car. And most bikers seem to prize their rides more than their cars. I think LoJack has a winner on it hands.

The only thing is that I doubt these devices will actually help you get your bike back. These motorcycle theft rings will strip a bike down so fast, that I doubt a LoJack device will remain hidden long enough.

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Recall Notice - Big Dog Motorcycles

Big Dog Motorcycles, LLC issued the following recall notice last week:

Make / Models /Years:
BIG DOG / BIG DOG / 2005

Manufacturer: BIG DOG MOTORCYCLES, LLC

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 05V052000

Recall Date: FEB 10, 2005

Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Potential Number Of Units Affected: 1,586

Summary: ON CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES, AN ELECTRONIC COMPONENT FAILURE COULD OCCUR IN THE ELECTRIC HARNESS CONTROL (EHC) MODULE.

Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN A TOTAL SHUT DOWN OF THE MOTORCYCLE'S ELECTRICAL POWER INCREASING THE RISK OF CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL ADD A RESISTOR HARNESS TO ELIMINATE THE SUSCEPTIBILITY OF THE COMPONENT IN THE ELECTRIC HARNESS CONTROL MODULE TO FAIL. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN MARCH 15, 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BIG DOG MOTORCYCLES AT 316-267-9121.

Notes: CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236.

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Bikers Protest Helmet Law in Oregon

If it seems that there's a lot of news about helmet laws recently, it's because February is typically the month when new legislation gets introduced.

Yesterday, on Valentine's Day, a group of bikers showed up in the State Capitol of Oregon trying to get the state's helmet law repealed. A bill was introduced to allow motorcyclists to decide whether or not to wear helmets.

According to Oregon Public Broadcasting:

Former governor John Kitzhaber vetoed one helmet bill in 1997, citing injuries he'd seen as an emergency room physician.

Governor Ted Kulongoski has not had to take a position on the issue, but his son survived a motorcycle accident in part because he wore a helmet. A committee in the Oregon House takes testimony on the bill this week.

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Destination Daytona

An article published in the Orlando Business Journal says that a local Harley Davidson dealer is spending $50 million to create a Harley-themed attraction located near his dealership.

The dealer, Bruce Rossmeyer, says the attraction will be spread out over 150 acres, and will be named, "Destination Daytona":

"I'm not building this for Bike Week," says Rossmeyer, referring to the biker-crowd festivities held 10 days each year in early March. "I'm building it for 12 months a year."

Destination Daytona will include a combination hotel-and-condominium project, retail shops, seven restaurants, two bars and a new 109,000-square-foot Harley dealership. There will also be a Coca-Cola-sponsored outdoor amphitheater, a 15-acre motorcycle repair school, 80,000 square feet of motorcycle-related businesses and Rossmeyer's own Boss Custom Motorcycles.

And there's more:

"We're building a helipad, and I'm going to get it painted to match my plane," he says. "We'll be doing fly-and-drive packages with motorcycle rentals. I want to do one big event here a month -- boat shows, antique shows, recreational vehicle shows -- things that will draw people from Orlando and Jacksonville to visit us."

Good luck to him!

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Motorcycle Photo of the Day

I'm going to run a "Motorcycle Photo of the Day" on Biker News Online. Here is how it works:

1. I run a search for "motorcycle" on Flickr.com


2. I go through the photos uploaded for that day


3. I blog the photo that I like best

If you want to see your photo on Biker News Online, you'll have to upload it to Flickr, tag it with "motorcycle", in order for me to find it. There's no guarantee I'll use your photo. Right now, there's only a handful of photos tagged with "motorcycle" uploaded each day there. So, you've got a good shot.

Of course, I reserve the right to do whatever I want.

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G Force

G Force
Originally uploaded by Catherine Jamieson.

Running Nitrous Oxide on the bike. For those of you who need a face lift.

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Pine Valley Ride

The ride down to Pine Valley, located in south-eastern San Diego County, California, offers some breath taking views of the mountains and desert. And once you get into town, be sure to visit El Rancho Grande, a biker friendly bar and mexican restaurant.

Yesterday, some friends and I from the Temecula Motorcycle Riders, we headed south along Highway 79 and rode all the way to Santa Ysabel. If you've never been to Santa Ysabel, be sure to stop in at Dudley's Bakery for some delicious bread and coffee.

From there we gased up, and headed south along highway 78 into Julian. In Julian, we turned down Highway 79 South again, and rode it to County Road S1. The S1 takes you through rolling hills and then leads you into a forest of Pine Trees, offering you a scent fresh Pine. There is a rest stop here where you can get an awesome view of the Colorado Desert floor.

The road continues on through lots of twisties, more trees, and fog! There were some places where the fog bank was just above your head, and it was almost like you could hold your arm up and scrape it. When we rode down from the mountains, we pulled into another rest stop that offered a view of Pine Valley, and a glimpse of Interstate 8 in the distance.

The town of Pine Valley was only few miles from here. Once in town, we stopped at El Rancho Grande. The bartender and owner is a very nice guy and welcomed us all. I ordered the Carne Asada French Fries, which was a plate of cheese fries, but with chunks of carne asada beef and green onions, and dollops of guacamole and sour cream. Very good!

From there, we continued through town along Old Highway 80, until we found Highway 79 and took it back up north. This part of the highway offers a lot of tight turns with a small brook running along side of it. There was water running in the brook as it had just rained in the days before. The highway takes you into the town of Cuyamaca, which was totally burned down during the "Cedar Fire" of 2003. But it also takes you past gorgeous views of Lake Cuyamaca.

Eventually, we came back to the town of Julian, and turned back on to Highway 78 and rode it down to Santa Ysabel. We gassed up, and backtracked on Highway 79 until it met up with Highway 76. We took the 76 west until we reach the Pala Indian Reservation, and rode through town to Pala Road. We took Pala Road north into Temecula, headed into Old Town, and stopped in at Texas Lil's for some beer.

All in all, a great day's worth of riding, about 176 miles I believe.

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Indian Man to Break Hands-Free Motorcycle Riding Record

A guy in India is confident he'll break the world's distance record for riding a motorcycle without holding on to the handle bars. His name is Gautam Meena, and he's a police constable in Jaipur city, in northwest India.

He said: "From Jaipur to Delhi is about 250 kilometres. I have covered this route many times. I have complete mastery over my bike, and can ride non-stop without touching the handle bars."

250 kilometers is about 155 miles. The present world's record is 5.5 kilometers, about 3.4 miles.

He says he spends about 8 to 10 hours a day practicing riding his motorcycle standing up, not sitting down. And this guy is a policeman!

I think it would be cool to see motorcycle cops in the USA cruising the freeways while standing up on their bikes!

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A 320 Horse Power Harley Custom

Mike and Don Klosinski who run Tu Bruthers Motor Sports in Fallon, Nevada have built a 320hp customized Harley drag bike. The thing looks mean. According to the Lahontan Valley News:

Their pet project is a 320 horsepower Harley-Davidson drag bike. The custom-built bike breathes through four carburetors on a 158.6 cubic-inch engine, which is powered by 123 octane racing fuel and a shot of nitrous oxide. Under ideal conditions, the flame-wrapped bike could top out near 200 mph.

The bike was built by the brothers from the ground up, though they contracted the skills and technology of drag motorcycle experts for certain parts.

I just like the look of it. You can see a full-size photo at the newspaper's website.

When asked what it feels like when cracking open the throttle, Mike Klosinski responds:

"Have you ever sat back in a recliner too fast, like you're in mid-air?" Mike asked. "It's like that."

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Honda To Build New Motorcycle Plant In Philippines

Honda announced that it will build a new manufacturing plant in the Philippines. Apparently, the demand for motorcycles there is so big, that they can't keep up:

Honda's move to bolster its production base in the Philippines comes amid strong growth in demand for motorcycles there.

The company said the local motorcycle market grew to 475,000 units in 2004, up 53% from 2003, and it projects the market will increase to 600,000 units this year.

Honda says the new plant will have an initial annual production capacity of 500,000 units. But according to the statement above, the demand is projected to be 600,000 units this year (2005). So, it sounds like motorcycles will continue to be a hot commodity in the Philippines.

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Viper Motorcycle Company Withdraws IPO

Viper Motorcycle Company, based in New Hope, Minnesota, who builds the "Diablo Cruiser", one of the hottest looking production bikes around, withdrew its initial public offering last week due to increasing debt and losses. Production of the Diablo came to a screeching halt just shortly after it started. Viper received 300 orders for the Diablo in 2003.

The company is now trying to line up private financing with new investors and hopes it will kick-start the company by securing production resources and erasing most of its debt. John Lai, the chief financial officer and co-founder of Viper says the details are still being worked out, but that he plans to make an announcement within 30 days.

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Bikers Protest Proposed Helmet Law in Maine

The Bangor News reports that yesterday motorcyclists from across Maine gathered at the State House to speak out against a proposed mandatory helmet law for bikers. Maine had a helmet law before, but was repealed back in 1977.

Maine's governor, John E. Baldacci is a biker himself, who always wears his helmet despite not being required to do so. Balducci was also a strong advocate of the State's mandatory seat belt law. However, he's not so quick to sign a bill requiring helmets for bikers. So far, Balducci has not given his opinion on the proposed law.

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13 Year Old Boy Starts Mini-Chopper Business

Thirteen year old Ross Peterson may not be old enough to get a motorcycle license, but he's probably a bigger biker than a lot of us. He's already started his own chopper building business, albeit mini-choppers, and he's won some awards too. Below is his story written by his dad:

Ross has always been a mechanical kid. From his RC car at 2 years of age and rebuilding his Odysee to trade for an almost new Honda 4-wheeler at 10 years old.

Ross started on his chopper after helping with his dad's frames and rollbars. Working with metal-fab equipment. January of 2004 Ross started in on what is now called "The Slapper".

We were flooded with drawings and ideas for his chopper. Ross bought tubing and after a few bends he has his bender figured out. From that point on he worked every spare moment in his shop building The Slapper.

Ross has entered it in the county fair and won 3rd place. Then in Eugene, Oregon at the Extreme Autofest placed 2nd.

Ross used mostly donated parts from local people and shops. He started with Suzuki forks, tire and triple clamps. His design required a front pointing cylinder. Ross used a Honda 90 with automatic 3 wheeler motor. He wanted the fat tire look. He went with an 8 x 8 4-wheeler rear wheel. He then needed an axel that wide. He fabricated a hub for a sprocket to fit a 3-wheeler front axel and hub for use in the rear. He had to run a jack shaft on the chain to off set so the motor could stay in alignment. Ross built an intake manifold to forward point the carborater. Made an aluminum velocity stack/air cleaner out of maglite bell. Shifter was left to be made. Ross went with suicide shifter which he made from Hurst shift handle with skull shift nob with adaptor to motor.

Then came the body work. With plasma cutter in hand, Ross started cutting pieces of sheet metal out. He used every inch of scrapmetal from his dad's stuff, car fenders to motorcycles he found and cut enough metal to form the metal body that he drew out.

Then there was the rear fender seat combo. After hours and hours of grinding and sanding it was time for primer and also a test drive.

The Slapper handles great, cruises from 30 mph to 50 mph without any problems.

Ross had to choose his paint and paint the chopper within 4 days to deadline to the fair. Working 24/7 with friends and family's help it turned out beautiful.

The color is sun shades lime pearl, assembled and ready the fair. Ross has been collecting parts already for his next chopper.

Between girlfriend, wrestling and a 3.4 grade point average he still finds time to work out in his chopper shop.

He named his chopper company R.P.M. (Ross Peterson Mini) Choppers. He would love to build the big ones one day.

If you'd like to contact Ross, or even have him build a chopper for you, contact his marketing manager, Peggy Stewart of Cosmic Entertainments, LLC at (608) 754-0083, or visit online at: http://www.cosmicentertainments.com/

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Big Bike Riders Association Takes Charity Seriously

The Big Bike Riders Association of Florida is a 501 C 7 Non-Profit organization that takes charity seriously. In 2004, its first year, the BBRA grew its membership to 97 members. In that same year, members and supporters raised $5,904.00 to the Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital, by selling a specially designed pin for $5.00, and also through selling Christmas trees.

They have now designed another pin for the Chris Evert Children's Hospital.

The BBRA also helped kids during the holidays by arranging a visit from Santa Claus, to both Children's Hospitals, as well as giving each child a hand made wooden toy from www.happyfactory.org.

The BBRA was started in 2004 by three guys who wanted to combine their passion for motorcycles with children's charities.

Membership in the BBRA requires each member to participate in a BBRA event within 90 days. Because of their close work with children, members are required to present a positive image, including strict adherence to club rules and motorcycle safety practices.

The BBRA wants to express that if you have a special wish for a child, to give them a call, and they will do their best to fulfill that wish. Call them at (954) 346-3343, or visit their website at: http://www.bbrafla.com.

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New Hampshire to Ban Loud Exhaust Pipes

The Associated Press reports that the Legislature in New Hampshire is considering a bill that will outlaw motorcycles with exhaust pipes or engines that produce more than 110 decibels of sound.

Police said the measure would make it easier to enforce noise limits at events like Laconia's annual Bike Week. But enthusiasts said louder engines make a bike flashier and safer because others can hear the machine coming.

To me, this sounds like the government is not making enough money from the popularity of motorcycles, so they create laws that allow police to write more tickets.

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Connecticut to Consider Requiring Helmets

Legislators in Connecticut are considering creating a law that will require motorcyclists to wear helmets. Connecticut originally had a helmet law, but repealed it back in 1975.

A group of riders with the Connecticut Motorcycle Riders Association showed up in the State Capitol building to plead their case against the legislation.

"The legislature governs on the consent of the governed. In the case of the seatbelt law, the public at large did not object, but with the helmet law, the riders do object, and that's the different," said Rich Paukner with the Connecticut Motorcycle Riders Association.

Proponents of the law argue that safety is the issue:

"I'll have less business if we have motorcycle helmets in Connecticut. I'll be happier to have less business, I don't need that kind of business," said Dr. Phil Brewer, formerly the president of the Connecticut College of Emergency Physicians.

Sounds like Big Brother doesn't want us getting killed.

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Virginia House Rejects Helmet Repeal

The Virginia House of Delegates voted 51-46 against legislation that will repeal the State's mandatory helmet law.

There were several statements made for and against the measure:

"There is a valid public safety issue here," said Republican Del. John O'Bannon, a Henrico County neurologist. "We don't let people with bad vision drive, we don't let people with bald tires on their cars drive, and this is in that same category. ...This is a no-brainer."

I think this is a bad analogy. Folks with bad vision or bald tires are a danger to other drivers. But bikers who don't wear helmets are not a danger to other drivers. I don't see how this argument flies.

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Buying a Motorcycle on eBay Can Be Risky

If you're planning to buy a motorcycle through eBay, you might want to know that Al Whidden tried to do the same, and is still waiting for his motorcycle. Whidden paid $4,500 to a guy in Milan, Italy via money order, for a Honda Goldwing, and never received the bike. Moreover, he even paid a company called SquareTrade, who provides buyer protection to eBay users. Now he's suing both eBay and SquareTrade.

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Ewan McGregor Planning Another Long Motorcycle Trek

Actors Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman are planning a second long motorcycle trek, this time through Africa, according to the Irish Examiner this morning. The two had made news before with their motorcycle ride around the world, raising money for charity. The two documented their journey in a book entitled, "Long Way Round"

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Triumph Expects Profits After Celebrity Endorsements

The folks at Just-Auto reports that Triumph is forecasting its profits will double this year on the strength of unofficial celebrity endorsements from the likes of Prince William and the Hollywood actor Tom Cruise.

The paper said a number of famous customers were creating a "halo effect". Prince William had been spotted riding a £7,000 Triumph Daytona 650, while the Formula One driver Michael Schumacher was another Triumph owner. Mantoni told the Daily Telegraph: "It definitely helps sales. Michael Schumacher has chosen to ride a Speed Triple. It's fantastic."

Actor Tom Cruise has bought the company's £11,000 Rocket III model, which has a 2.3-litre engine and a top speed "limited" by law to 150mph, the paper added.

Last month we blogged that Triumph was in debt.

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They Really Love Motorcycles in Africa

AllAfrica.com reports that in Lagos, Nigeria, Yeye Olufunke Daniel, wife of the Ogun state governor, donated several gifts to the less privileged in the society, including brand new motorcycles to three village men.

One of the motorcycle recipients was Pa Adedeji Idowu, a 76 year old native of Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State. According to Pa Idowu:

"This gift from GFF is an answered prayer, because I had been persistently praying to God for years for a means of transportation but it is now that God decided to reward my faith and prayers".

"It is going to serve as a means of livelihood for me and my 11 children. We will hire a rider who will use it to make money for us. The Daniels have been a source of inspiration, joy and fulfillment of hope in my life and my entire people. The motorcycle is a plus to my life."

Another person who got a motorcycle was Chief Vincent Oladipo Ogunsanya, of Ajegunle Street, Isiwo-Ijebu. When receiving his two-wheeler, he responded:

"I am short of words to express my profound gratitude and appreciation to Yeye Olufunke Daniel and her entire family including this Ogidi Omo of our time, Otunba Gbenga Daniel. Daniel has won my heart. He is brilliant and highly humble. I commend his style of administration because he is genuine and he's an accomplisher. He has really made my 2005 hopes and I shall forever be grateful".

"As a matter of fact, the advent of Gbenga Daniel's administration in Ogun State is God's intervention and a direct answer to our collective prayers to God for good things in Ogun State. Hence, we must all strive to protect and guide it jealously because Satan is never happy when people are comfortable and in peace with God and this Satan is not spirit it is always in man that engages in negative and retrogressive activities. Let us beware and pray to God to Give this Daniel long life to serve us well enough."

I suppose if the Daniels had given me a free motorcycle, I would've said the same thing!

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Bad Weather Riding in the Old Days

Allan Johnson writes an entertaining read about riding motorcycles back in the old days in winter weather up in Toronto, Canada, with an emphasis on motorcycle cops. In the winter, the Toronto Police fashioned side cars to their bikes mainly as a way to help keep them from falling over. The icy road conditions probably made it difficult for a policeman to use their feet to keep a bike upright.

While others had to rely on other tricks to keep from losing traction:

I didn't have a sidecar on the Ariel - it was far too small to even think of that - and so I relied on lower tire pressure and careful use of the clutch and the higher gears to get traction in the winter. The gutters often had more grit and dirt than the centre of the roadway, and I can remember chugging up hills clogged with wheel-spinning cars by sticking near the curb and using the third of the four gears the Ariel possessed.

Living in Southern California, I never really had to deal with ice and snow. For us it was mostly water and oil slicks. In the old days, back before California had its helmet law, I rode my Kawasaki KZ400 like a kid riding his bike. It was left parked outside by the curb, and if I needed to go somewhere, I just hopped on and went. No helmet, no gloves, no leathers, no gear. Sun glasses were the only protective equipment me and biker friends wore, and that was only because shades looked cool. I guess those were the days when you could really enjoy the freedom of riding.

But riding the bike in bad weather was a pain. When it rained, those rain drops hurt like Hell. I didn't have a windshield on that KZ400. I only had sunglasses. So when it got dark out, I usually rode without them. Have you ever felt rain drops hitting your eyeballs at 55 mph? I was too proud to wear helmets those days.

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Honda Recalls Goldwings

American Honda Motor Co. issued the following recall on Honda Goldwings:

Make / Models / Years::
HONDA / GL1800 / 2001-2004
HONDA / GL1800A / 2001-2004

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 05V027000

RECALL DATE: JAN 28, 2005

Component: STRUCTURE: FRAME AND MEMBERS

Potential Number Of Units Affected: 34,919

Summary: ON SOME MOTORCYCLES, CERTAIN FRAME WELDS DO NOT MEET MANUFACTURING SPECIFICATIONS. HIGH LOADS CREATED WHEN RIDING ON ROUGH ROAD SURFACES OR THROUGH POTHOLES CAN CAUSE THE AFFECTED WELDS TO CRACK.

Consequence: THE WELDED AREA COULD BREAK, RESULTING IN REAR SUSPENSION COLLAPSE OR LOWER CROSS MEMBER SEPARATION, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REINFORCE THE WELDS ON 2001-2002 MOTORCYCLES. ON 2003-2004 MOTORCYCLES, THE UNITS WILL BE REPAIRED, NO INSPECTION WILL BE NECESSARY. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON FEBRUARY 15, 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HONDA AT 1-866-784-1870.

Notes: HONDA RECALL NO. P66. CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236.

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Virginia Helmet Law Repeal Looking Good

Today, Virginia's House Militia, Police and Public Safety Committee approved the bill that would repeal the State's mandatory helmet law. The law would still require riders under the age of 21 to wear a helmet. The next step is for the House, in full, to take a vote.

The News & Advance, a newspaper in Virginia, wasn't very happy about this. An opinion published in their paper today was critical of this vote, accusing the committee of "igoring reality":

Champagne also cited a University of Southern California study of 3,600 motorcycle crashes that showed that wearing a helmet was the single most important factor in preventing or reducing head and neck injuries. "When you suffer a head trauma injury, if you're fortunate enough not to be killed, you generally end up with such a disability that you may require long-term care for the rest of your life."

And who is going to pay for that? Delegate William J. Barlow, D-Isle of Wight, said that taxpayers are often saddled with the health care costs of crash victims who suffer brain injuries from motorcycle accidents.

However, the opinion ignores other facts and realities, such as these head injuries rarely ever get picked up by State funded health programs, because they are liability cases and are paid for through auto insurance policies, and then secondary through group health insurance policies.

But the newspaper opinion gave itself away in the last paragraph:

If it considers Champagne's testimony carefully, there's no way the full House could repeal the mandatory helmet law. It saves lives. But don't hold your breath. The individual's freedom to pursue his or her own course - no matter how dangerous or destructive - is running rampant in the House of Delegates.

Wow! Individual freedom running rampant in the House! I didn't know that was a problem.

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You Have to be a Biker to Understand

GaijinBiker, who blogs on Riding Sun, wrote an interesting commentary about why cagers tend to drive more recklessly:

OK, here's what I'm talking about. People take steps to avoid risks when they cannot afford to bear the consequences of an undesirable outcome. You might buy a lottery ticket for a dollar, because if you lose, hey, it's just a dollar. But if that same ticket cost $1,000, you might not be so eager to play, even if the prize were worth millions. The cost of being wrong rose above your comfort level.

A biker's comfort level for getting into an accident is very, very low. Zero, in fact. As a result, we tend to be very, very careful, especially when riding close to other motorists, who can make sudden, unpredictable moves.

The driver of a car has a much higher comfort level for smash-ups. No one really wants to wreck his car, unless he's entered it in a demolition derby. But in all but the gravest of accidents, today's automotive safety technology assures drivers that they'll be able to walk, or even drive, away from the scene with nothing more than a higher insurance premium.

Because car drivers are insulated from the consequences of their driving behavior, they take more risks. They speed, run stop signs, put on makeup, light cigarettes, eat food, and turn without signalling. Some even install dashboard-mounted DVD players with miniature widescreens, lest they get bored while waiting at one of the red lights they decide to actually stop at.

In an earlier post, I mentioned that as the number of bikes increased on London's M1 motorway, the number of accidents fell. That's because the bikers had a lower tolerance for error, and acted accordingly.

I've always told my car-driving friends that riding a motorcycle actually makes you a better "driver", simply because bikers tend to be more aware of their surroundings, and hence make fewer mistakes.

And if you've been unfortunate enough like me to have taken spill on your bike while traveling at a fast speed, you'll become an even better driver and rider. When you can feel the Grim Reaper nearby, you don't make very many mistakes.

But maybe there is some truth to that in driving cars too. My first car accident came when I was driving a little Honda Civic. Another driver, driving a 60s era Chevy Camaro, drove down the wrong side of the street, and we smacked head on. My Honda looked like a smashed aluminum can. My little brother, whom I had picked up from school, had his scalp ripped open, from the front to the back.

Since then, it seems that whenever I buy a new car, I buy one that's bigger and stronger. After the Honda I got a Chevy S-10 Pickup, and after that I got a GMC 4x4 full size pickup. I don't know if I did that consciously for protection reasons; maybe a little voice inside me kept reminding me of that accident. I always liked pickup trucks anyways.

For me anyways, trial and error has always been the best form of education. For those folks who drive and never ride, perhaps will never fully appreciate good driving skills.

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World's Longest Chopper Bike - For Sale

There's only one day left in the bidding for what is dubbed as the World's Longest Motorcycle. Apparently, this distinction was bestowed by Guiness.

The bike was custom built in 2003. It has a rake of "70-ish Degrees", a backbone stretch of 6 feet, and a downtube stretch of 4 feet. The whole thing is powered by a 100ci Shovelhead motor.

Looking at the photo, it seems like you can fit several passenger seats and footpegs, and take the whole family out for a picnic.

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Malaysia Discourages Motorcyclists From Riding in Groups

Here's something interesting to think about. There apparently is some public opinion going around in Malaysia that there are too many motorcyclists riding in convoys, or groups I presume, and that this poses a danger to other road users.

Thus far, the government has no plans to do anything about it. According to Malaysia's Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy:

"There are no provisions in our laws relating to road safety that limits the number of motorcycles in a particular convoy but moving in a convoy is generally not encouraged. We hope those going back for this holidays in a convoy will not be a nuisance and cause danger to other road users," he said.

The minister went on to say that he hopes motorcyclists would discipline themselves, and be considerate to other road users.

This seems kinda reverse from what I typically see here in Southern California. It's often the cagers who are not considerate to bikers. Since I haven't done any riding in Malaysia, it's hard to understand what's going on there. But the notion that motorcyclists riding in groups poses a threat to other drivers is a new twist.

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Big Dog Motorcycles is a Big Motorcycle Company

If someone was to ask you which company is the second largest motorcycle manufacturer in the United States, would you know?

No, it's not Victory. It's Big Dog Motorcycles.

Big Dog Motorcycles may make Wichita, Kansas famous in the same way that Harley Davidson made Milwaukee, Wisconsin famous.

The company was founded in 1995 Sheldon Coleman Jr., who once ran Coleman Co. He started his motorcycle business after he customized a Harley-Davidson Fatboy in his garage. In the 10 years of operation it enjoyed 50 percent growth. In 2004, it had sales of about $120 million, compared to $5.02 billion for Harley Davidson.

Big Dog recently made news with Coleman purchasing 106 acres in northeast Wichita that is expected to become its new motorcycle plant. Coleman was quoted in the Wichita Eagle that he envisions a spacious campus-style complex there with lakes, offices, warehouses, a museum and a training center, as well as the factory itself. Big Dog currently employs 340 people and expects to build 5,700 motorcycles this year.

Big Dog has evolved from selling what was mostly a customized Harley Davidson, to designing a bike that is completely their own, with the exception of the motor. Prices for their bikes range from $24,000 to $30,000, which is within HD's sights. Last month, DealerNews, a major powersports industry dealer publication, issued its manufacturer report card for the motorcycle class, with Big Dog taking top honors, beating out Harley Davidson, Victory, Yamaha, BMW, and all the others.

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SportVue™ MC1 Heads Up Display for Motorcyclists

Motion Research Corporation announced today the availability of the SportVue™ MC1, described as the world's first "heads up" display for motorcyclists, projecting their speed, RPM, and gear setting across the face shield of their helmet.

The new SportVue™ works in tandem with the Veypor Performance Computer. The Veypor mounts to a motorcycle to read performance data such as speed, engine RPM, and transmission gear. An RF sender is attached to the Veypor which beams information to the SportVue™ MC1 mounted on your helmet. The SportVue™ then displays that information across the face sheild of your helmet.

"Knowing my lap time and gear shift points while maintaining my focus on my riding can be a big advantage at the track," says Motion Research founder and former racer Dominic Dobson. "The new Veypor with SportVue Heads Up gives the rider back that focus, and makes riding on the street more fun."

The SportVue™ operates on 2 AAA Batteries, and retails for $329.00 from its website.

The SportVue™ does not come with the Veypor Performance Computer. You can purchase the Veypor at its website or at selected cycle shops across the world.

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California Helmet Law Violations are "Fix-it" Tickets

A judge in Santa Cruz, California ruled that police citations for not wearing a helmet are actually "fix-it" tickets because they are correctable violations. However, California Highway Patrol officers are saying that they don't agree with this and don't plan to sign-off on these tickets.

This all started with with a biker named Richard Quigley, who was cited nine separate times for not wearing a helmet. Thus far, Quigley has refused to pay the tickets, claiming that the law hasn't been clear enough as to what is an "acceptable helmet".

The problem is that California law doesn't provide specifics on what a motorcycle helmet should do. It simply requires that it have a certification sticker on it.

Prosecutor Brock says state law refers to federal guidelines that don't specify helmet attributes, but outline tests for manufacturers who can self-certify their helmets passed the tests. They include whether the head gear depresses when struck with a metal anvil, which a cap obviously would not.

Federal officials set specifications for manufacturers and do "spot checks" to ensure compliance, said Rae Tyson of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. He admits police complain of trouble proving noncompliance due to fake stickers and says they are working on new labels.

Quigley also maintains that the district attorney is "more interested in a win" than fixing the problem. He says they should admit the law is unclear and ask the attorney general for clarification.

Yet Quigley does not believe the government should tell him what to wear, and he has been fighting the state's helmet law for years.

Gretchen Brock, who prosecuted Quigley, questions how Quigley is supposed to "fix something that wasn't on his head six months ago". Nonetheless, the judge, Michael Barton, has given Quigley a March 11 deadline to get signatures on his tickets.

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Comparing Motorcycles to Airplanes

Rowland Nethaway writes an opinion in the Waco Tribune-Herald about the bikers wanting to change the helmet law in Texas.

His solution is to limit the number of people who ride motorcycles by making it harder to get motorcycle licenses (endorsements):

"A way to improve safety and still allow adults the freedom to risk their bodies would be to require that riders pass a thorough motorcycle training course before qualifying to take a comprehensive riding examination for a license. The state would conduct written and riding tests and approve the private riding schools."

"We don't hand out pilot's licenses like bingo cards. Neither should we do so for motorcyclists and drivers."

Actually, why not make it easier to give out pilot's licenses? I mean pilots are always telling us that we're more likely to die in a car accident than in a plane crash. So maybe if everyone flew airplanes we'd save more lives!

Seriously now. There isn't any clinical evidence that motorcycle safety classes actually reduces accidents and injuries. As I've stated many times before, there are more people getting hurt in car crashes than in motorcycle crashes. Why isn't there a greater emphasis on making cagers wear head and neck gear?

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Student Biker Drinks with Instructor and Crashes

Cambridge News Online reports today that in last September a student motorcycle rider crashed her bike and died, after drinking at a bar with her riding instructor. The two had stopped at a bar for drinks, and she apparently drank enough to give her a blood-alcohol level of 1.5 times the legal limit.

When the two took off, the instructor managed to turn a corner safely, but she didn't, and crashed her bike.

When asked by Coroner Dr Samuel Bass, assistant deputy coroner, if it was not bad practice for driving instructors to take a pupil to a pub to drink alcohol before a lesson, Pc Breeze said the pair had not been engaged in formal instruction, and that they were friends.

Still, when you're teaching a newbie how to ride a motorcycle for the first time, any biker knows that prepping a student with alcohol is bad news.

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