After 24 years with the company, Lee Chapin, lately Vice President of the carburetors division of Mikuni American Corp, has accepted an early retirement package and left the company. Lee is interested in securing another position within the motorsports industry. Mikuni provides aftermarket carburetors, related parts and tuning components to manufacturers and distributors in the motorcycle, ATV, watercraft […]
Archive for the 'Events' Category
Lee Chapin Leaves Mikuni American Corp.
Published by January 8th, 2010 in Editorial, Engines and Events.Cris Sommer-Simmons To Ride Coast To Coast The Cannonball On A 1915 Harley-Davidson
Published by January 8th, 2010 in Editorial and Events.Cris wants to be the 1st woman to ride the Motorcycle Cannonball. If you don’t know, this event is a 3200 miles run on vintage motorcycles, the name after Erwin “Cannonball” Baker who set many riding records in the early 1900’s. At the time Erwin made the US coast west coast in just 11 days […]
Ridley Motorcycle Company Bankruptcy (Suite)
Published by January 7th, 2010 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.Got a little bit confused this morning when I read new court papers filed in Bankruptcy Court of the Western District Of Oklahoma showing that on December 29, 09 Ridley Motorcycle Company filed not only under Chapter 11 but also under Chapter 7 with a meeting of creditors scheduled February 2, 2010. I am not […]
Ready To Pay $100 For The Freedom Of Riding Without A Helmet?
Published by January 7th, 2010 in Editorial and Events.This post forwarded by Rogue (Sturgis Freedom Fighters, Motorcycle Hall Of Fame Member 2005). “To Pay for freedom? No way! This is what happens when motorcycle rights organizations make compromise deals with state legislative bodies. Motorcycle Rights Organizations need to go back to Protests and Civil Disobedience. That worked before and will again, you just […]
A Letter From Sheldon Coleman CEO Of Big Dog Motorcycles
Published by January 6th, 2010 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.Below the email I received from Sheldon Coleman. “Happy New Year to all!! 2010 is here at last. Personally, I am glad to have 2009 behind us, and am looking forward to all the prospects of a fresh year, with hopefully an improving economy and a more robust industry! As a reminder, we have decided to […]
Breaking News. Ridley Motorcycles In Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Reorganization.
Published by January 6th, 2010 in Builders and Events.Financially exhausted by poor sales and by defending during 6 years a very costly lawsuit filed by Harley-Davidson (I remember President Clay Ridley telling me last September that more than 1/2 million dollars were spent in defense lawyer fees) and settled in 2009 (with Ridley losing the right to use the Auto-Glide name), Ridley Motorcycle […]
Mystery Of The Jeff Decker Bronze Statue Disappearance Is Solved. Almost!
Published by January 5th, 2010 in Customs, Editorial and Events.When managers of Harley-Davidson of Lindon called police last Saturday morning and reported that friend of the industry Jeff Decker 4-ton metal statue called “Land Speed” was missing (see my original post), quite a few people were smiling, including myself. Not because of the audacity of the theft but because many knew that this piece […]
Harley-Davidson Sportster XR-1200 In The Globe Of Death
Published by January 5th, 2010 in Editorial, Events and Videos.The story behind the video. Gavin Walker owner of Harley-Davidson Victoria, Australia and a friend called Steve Butler (an Aussie stunt guy) decide to repair a Globe Of Death and to put a Sportster XR-1200 in it. Round one, the Globe wins against Steve. Round two…
4-Ton Jeff Decker Bronze Sculpture Stolen From A Harley-Davidson Dealer
Published by January 3rd, 2010 in Editorial and Events.We all know that motorcycles are very vulnerable to thieves. Apparently 4-ton bronze motorcycles can evaporate as easily. During the night from Friday to Saturday the Jeff Decker bronze “Land Speed” was stolen front of the Timpanagos Harley-Davidson store in Utah. The sculpture was mounted on a giant rock slab and the thieves, probably with […]
Billy Lane Using His Skills And Helping Others While In Prison
Published by January 3rd, 2010 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.As expected by those who, like me, know him personally, Billy Lane has turned his prison time into a positive by helping other inmates learn how to weld and working on fixing the vehicles of the Avon Park Work Camp where he is serving a 6-year sentence after pleading no contest to one count of […]
Despite paying dealers a $5,000 incentive on every Buell sold, there’s still 1,302 Buell for sale at the time of this writing. Harley wants you to buy one and had set up a bike finder detailing the numbers of each model remaining and its dealer location. Best deals ever on new bikes. Jump to Buell […]
Harley-Davidson Hires Fitness Expert Jillian Michaels To Help Women Channel Their Inner Drive.
Published by January 1st, 2010 in Builders, Editorial and Events.In a new strong push to encourage thousands of women to learn how to ride Harley-Davidson dealerships across the country are gearing up for National Garage Party Month in March 2010. Garage Party events provide a fun, social environment for women to learn about the sport of motorcycling, as well as meet other women who […]
Pyrotechnics and bikes (photography Horst Roesler).
My readers best new resolutions for the New Year. I will read my motorcycle manual… just as soon as I can find it – I will always replace the gas nozzle before riding away from the pump – I will keep an extra safe distance when riding behind a police car – To afford a new […]
The Best Choice Right Now. Bank Repossessed Motorcycles.
Published by December 30th, 2009 in Builders, Editorial and Events.Repossessed (or Repo) motorcycles have always been part of the used motorcycles market, but never been available in such volume. You know the reason, banks or other lending institutions repossessing bikes from owners failing to pay on time their motorcycle loan.
In the US, a whopping 367 print magazines closed in 2009. As you know, some digital magazines like the Cyril Huze Blog have had explosive growth since day one 3 years ago with a readership already 4 times larger than the #1 motorcycle print magazine. The reason? Not the recession but a complete change in the way […]
OCC Paul Teutul Sr. Suing Paul Teutul Jr.? Reality Show Or Real Life.
Published by December 26th, 2009 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.Rumor is that a legal conflict opposes father & son and that a court legal battle just got started. As you already know Paul Jr. left the show “American Chopper” in June 2009 after a live TV non-scripted argument with his father and then went to start his own design company. The object of the litigation […]
2009 Mooneyes Yokohama Hot Rod Custom Show
Published by December 26th, 2009 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.This Japanese show is probably one of the best in the world, and the recent 18th annual edition had a big American representation. In addition to celebrities like Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top, the US was represented by custom builders Cole Foster, Roland Sands, Kutty Notebloom of Hippy Killer, and bronze sculptor Jeff Decker. Lot […]
Chicks Rule Tour. To Promote Women Who Wrench And Ride Motorcycles.
Published by December 26th, 2009 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.They are women custom builders. They want to pay tribute to all women who build bikes and ride. Hence the “Chicks Rule & Boys Drool Tour” aboard a traveling 44-foot trailer stopping in all major biker events in 2010. This rolling tribute to women bikers will offer a mix of on-site how-to seminars, fashion shows, […]
What did you get for Christmas? Tell other readers. They want to know. For one, I got great clothing and good wine, and I was surrounded my all family.
2009 BUB Motorcycle Speed Trials Yearbook
Published by December 22nd, 2009 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.Last September met with Scooter Grubb on the Salts of Bonneville. Easy to notice him. He is the photographer equipped with the longest (most expensive?) camera lens to catch glimpses of all the men & women racing at the BUB Speed Trials, an event sponsored by Denis Manning of BUB Exhaust Enterprises.
Custom Chrome 40th Anniversary Harley-Davidson Bagger By Kirk Taylor
Published by December 22nd, 2009 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.As you already know by my post on December 7th, 2009, Kirk Taylor is with Cole Foster one of the 2 builders chosen by Custom Chrome Inc. to design and build a show-stopping custom in celebration of the distributor 40th anniversary. Kirk’s crew at Custom Design Studios started from a Harley-Davidson Bagger, modifying the engine […]
Harley-Davidson Offering Special Extension On Its Two-year Warranty
Published by December 22nd, 2009 in Builders, Editorial and Events.Harley-Davidson is offering customers extended warranty coverage on new, previously untitled 2009 and 2010 model-year motorcycles purchased and delivered between November 20, 2009 and March 16, 2010 (with the exception of COV’s – Company Owned Vehicles – FLHP and FLHTP police units, and rental or leased motorcycles).
New Euro Standard For Guard Rails To Protect Motorcyclists.
Published by December 21st, 2009 in Editorial and Events.Very good initiative. The Federation of European Motorcyclists’ Associations (FEMA) just set a European-wide standard for roadside barriers which will take into account bikers’ safety. Crash-barrier standards have always included impact tests for autobobiles but not motorcycles. The new standard would require road barriers to protect motorcyclists, for example with an additional lower guardrail to prevent […]
Robbie Knievel To Recreate Double-Decker Bus Jump
Published by December 19th, 2009 in Editorial and Events.The son of stuntman Evel Knievel plans to complete a double-decker bus jump that nearly ended his father’s career. Robbie Knievel, 47, will try to jump over 16 buses at Wembley, West London, in May 2010, riding a Harley Davidson XR-750 machine. Evel Knievel did the stunt in 1975, jumping 13 buses, but fell and […]
How The UK Treats Motorcycle Group Speeding
Published by December 19th, 2009 in Editorial and Events.The below information of interest for all UK riders was received via the Ace London Cafe website “Motorcyclists at the head of a group of riders will face stiffer penalties for speeding under a Crown court ruling. Being the lead rider in a group is an aggravating factor making you partly responsible for speeding […]
