Car drivers, please be aware of motorcycles!

Here’s a quick post from a woman who echoes many of our sentiments. It’s like the bumper sticker says, “Look Twice. Save A Life. Motorcycles Are Everywhere!”

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Car drivers, please be aware of motorcycles!

April 29, 2007 12:36 am

My husband and I are avid motorcycle riders. We ride for fun and for commuting to work, as many of our “riding” friends do.

We have a saying: “Ride like everyone is trying to hit you.” The statement is so true, it’s scary.

In the past month, two

of our friends have been involved in bike accidents, through no fault of their own. Thank God they both survived. These accidents make me sick to my stomach. It’s bike season, and people are not paying any attention. I don’t understand how people can be so unaware of the things around them and not think to consider the consequences of their actions.

Do drivers really want someone’s blood on their hands because they are late for work, trying to find a CD, or too engrossed in a cell-phone conversation?

My biggest fear is getting a phone call telling me my husband’s been in an accident. My friends are very lucky, and with the severity of their crashes, it’s a miracle they survived.

With the price of gas rising and the nicer weather moving in, you are going to see a lot more motorcycles on the roads. Drivers, please be careful: Use your mirrors, be more aware of traffic lights, and pay attention. Your actions could steal a life–

or save one.

Amanda Carmody Stafford

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Copyright 2007 The Free Lance-Star Publishing Company.

The Beachcruiser is surging

Hey,

  I know I have been kind of missing for a couple of weeks. I just burned out some. A year of 16 hr days was tough. I am not complaining. As a matter of fact this website is setting records every single month. Train and I are proud to announce we will surpace 75,000 visits this month and record hits etc. We were doing 35,000 visits just a few months ago so, the traffic on this website has doubled in  no time and is up  from just 3,900 since our very first month.We are very proud and grateful. We want to thank everyone of you that visits with us both domestically and internationally. We have visitors from all over the world and we welcome all of our brothers and sisters to our family.

  I have gained back a little energy so, the website is about to get a lot better. We will have more podcast interviews, more news, and a number of new features.Train is in the midst of creating an even better layout for all to enjoy. We are committed to being the best and that never changes. We’re on it so, stay tuned.

  I have finished some upgrades to my ride and took her out for the first test ride today. The new handlebars are Ness lowriders and they make it much more comfortable and give me a feeling of more control. I had drag bars before and they just weren’t doing it for me. I did a few other custom things I had been thinking about for awhile. It feels great and accomplished what I wanted. I kept the drag bars just in case and if I had Rick Fairless’ money I’d just build a new one. I am not the “Texas Tycoon” so I can’t indulge the way I would like. Oh well, I’ll just have to make do with what I’ve got for now.

  Rick wrote an interesting and very honest article about what it’s like to be in the business and about custom motorcycles. See, the thing about Rick Fairless is that not only is he a great guy, he is brutally honest. It’s one of the things I respect the most about him. He tells it like it is.Rick is a rare guy. He represents all the good things in the industry and is avaiable to anyone who wants to talk with him. He is all motorcycle and represents the industry as very few do. Hang in there for the articles. We will post them shortly. He even talks about the reality of owning a custom motorcycle which almost no one else does. I respect this guy which is why he is our partner in the family jewels and one of very few I trust without question.

                                                                         Stay Tuned

                                                                          Beach

Guilty’s “Errant” takes 2nd in Rats Hole Show in Leesburg, FL

Congrats to CJ and the Guilty Customs gang! Here’s the post from their blog.

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Guilty’s “Errant” takes 2nd in Rats Hole Show in Leesburg, FL

I think we can all say that some suprises mean more than others when they happen in our life. Finding out your going to have a child; finding that extra $20 bucks in your jeans or getting that winning loto ticket at Ciccle K. Such is the case for Guilty, during this year participation in the Leesburg Bikefest weekend and Rat’s Hole show. With the level of participants present this year for the competition, (there were over 150 entrants) Guilty was quick to realize that the level of competition was high. Not just mearly high but beyond alot of the competitions we’ve previously competited in with our bikes. So, you can imagine our suprise when we were named this years 2nd place winner of the Bobber Class at the Rats Hold Custom Bike Show!
i knew we’d done a great job on the design and build (great job Mike Drum!!) and we captured what was the essence of the 60-70 hot rod era. But when Mike Drum and I set down to map out this build, we’d not thought about ending up on the Rat’s Hole stage in Leesburg, Florida, with a winner! I have to commend Mike on taking the ideas/design portion and building upon it with hidden wiring concepts, clean parts fabrication and forcing me to finally admit (more than a few times) that “some things just won’t work!”. This bike has struck some memory cords of people that harkens back to a more mechanically simple, functional, rider friendly time that embodies what use to pound the pavement during the 60-70’s era. We believe you’ll enjoy it as well. Photo’s coming! We promise.

Deal’s Gap Trip by Slopoke

We tried to post the video Slopoke took of his trip to Deals Gap a while back, but ran into technical difficulties. We really wanted to share with you how breathtaking the scenery is on this ride and Slopoke has captured that quite well in the following photos. For those of you in the Southeastern states, it’s a “must do”. In fact, I was talking online with a woman all the way from New York City who was planning on attending, and I’ve heard that people even come over from Europe. If you would like to plan on the trip for next year, please go to The Dragon’s Tail for all the information. For now, just enjoy the view! Thanks Slopoke!

                           

Baker Drivetrain Function Formed Primary - Exclusive

CONTACT: “Scout”
Marketing Director
DIRECT: (616) 443-9776
FAX: (517) 339-4590
TOLL FREE: 1-877-640-2004
EMAIL: scout@bakerdrivetrain.com
OFFICES: (517) 339-3835
ADDRESS: 9804 E. Saginaw
Haslett, MI 48840

HOURS: M-F 8am-5pm EST

THE NEW BAKER FUNCTION-FORMED™ PRIMARY

HASLETT, MI

BAKER Drivetrain wants to deck out your stock Softail for 2007 with the first aftermarket WET primary drive system! BAKER is
announcing the release of the Function-Formed™ Primary and note that it fits stock applications…including the clutch! Following
BAKER’s reputation for premium innovations; this wet primary has a durable billet design, and can be customized in finishes such
as black anodized, raw, or polished. It has a sleek design, featuring a “glory hole” on the side, giving the primary a unique belt drive
look, yet retaining all the advantages of a wet primary. BAKER expects creative bike builders to take advantage of this opening for
mid-control schemes. Adjustment of the chain tension is easy with external access to the tensioner.

The FPP can grow with you. Upgrade to the FFPS (Supported) option of using a stock clutch or BAKER’s new King Kong Klutch
(KKK™), with twenty massive automotive clutch plates ready to take on your larger motor. The KKK, without the outboard bearing
support, also fits a stock pre-2007 Softail. See www.bakerdrivetrain.com for more information on the KKK clutch. All this is ready to
fit your stock Softail!

Additional features of the Baker FF Primary:

.. Strong Billet Forged 6061 Aluminum
.. Stainless steel fasteners
.. External primary chain adjustment
.. Once piece starter jack shaft
.. A variety of finishes
.. The option of stock or Baker’s new King Kong Klutch for the outboard bearing support and the highest torque capacity
available!

Click here for spec sheet.

For additional information, call BAKER Drivetrain at the number above and ask the sales department anything!

Metro baiting would-be bike thieves at River Run

According to this Nevada publication, the local law enforcement is cracking down of bike theft. We’ve heard from several that this is a huge concern at many events, so it’s nice to see the issue being taken seriously. How do you protect your bikes when you attend rallies and other events? We’d love to know your opinions/comments/advice. For those attending Laughlin, have fun and be safe! :-)

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You can expect a large police presence in Laughlin this weekend for the annual River Run. The theme this year for officers is, “If it’s predictable, it’s preventable.”

Officers expect as many as 70,000 motorcycles to be there this weekend. Police say officers will have a zero tolerance policy for criminal conduct. There will be a curfew for minors and no cans or bottles are allowed throughout the event.

The heightened police presence comes after the 2002 deadly biker brawl inside Harrah’s hotel-casino during the River Run.

Motorcycle theft has been a big problem in the past during this event. But this year Metro has another tool to fight it. They’re called bait bikes. The bikes are planted by Metro police. They’re equipped with a GPS system so when the crooks take them Metro can follow them and make an arrest.

The statistics are impressive. During 2005’s River Run, twenty-three bikes were stolen. In 2006, after the Motorcycle Task Force was implemented, only three bikes were stolen.

Metro is still perfecting this new technology, but they say the idea is to send a message to would-be criminals. “As we’re learning this stuff, it’s to their detriment,” explains Metro’s Lieutenant Robert DuVall. “Don’t steal motorcycles, don’t steal cars in Las Vegas or Laughlin because we’re taking strong measures to find you, catch you, and prosecute you.”

And motorcycles aren’t the only thing equipped with this technology. Metro has bait cars, bait U-Hauls, even bait trailers. The bait vehicle program has seen a lot of success. Metro tells the Crime Tracker 3 Team that when they first starting using the cars back in October, for a 2.5 month period, they made eleven arrests. The following 2.5 month period, that number went up to forty-three.

Penz Eric Clapton Tribute Bike

Thanks to Peter and Anita Penz for sending us an update on Max’s Eric Clapton Tribute Bike! Please visit the Penz Customs website for more details.

Here is what “Mad” Max had to say about meeting Eric (if you can forgive my rough translation… :-)

People…. If I had to die tomorrow, I would do it with a smile!!!!! I thank God that I was allowed that experience. Thank you Eric Clapton for the best day of my life and for your inspiration ………

There are only few moments in my life, which have brought me to my knees, but now my hands tremble at the memory of this day I will never forget!!!! I met the master personally and was allowed to shake his hand…. Greetings from England today from a very excited and speechless Mad Max!

PS: I HAVE REACHED MY GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow! I would say Max enjoyed meeting Eric Clapton. What do you think? ;-)

More Pics From Montreal Bike Show

We promised you some more pics from Merrill’s recent venture to the Bike & Tattoo Show in Montreal. Merrill is turning out to be one of our great field reporters and we appreciate his hard work. Here are the pics with a few more to come.

                           

Is Harley-Davidson Born to Be Mild?

Interesting article from Barron’s. Not our normal biker rag, but some intriguing opinions. Comments?

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By JOHANNA BENNETT

MIDDLE-AGED AMERICAN MEN MAY BE HOG WILD over Harley-Davidson motorcycles, but the company’s stock is nothing to get revved up over.

Up 12% since late March on better-than-expected financial results last quarter and the end to a month long labor strike, shares remain well off the record high they hit Nov. 22, 2006.

Yet with demand for its iconic machines looking weak, Harley’s stock price may run out of gas.

Buyers once had to patiently endure waiting lists to be able to take home the bike of their dreams.

But sales of Harley-Davidson motorcycles at U.S. dealerships have slowed or fallen for three quarters. And a jittery economy, weak housing market and credit issues could keep buyers out of showrooms.

If so, production of new motorcycles in 2007 could decline for the first time since Harley-Davidson went public in 1986.

“It’s a good company with a great brand, but I think the fundamentals have deteriorated and don’t see much upside for the stock over the next year,” says Greg Badishkanian, an analyst with Citigroup Global Markets.

Or as David Carr, co-manager of the Oak Value Fund adds, “We aren’t saying the company is in trouble, but there are better places to invest.”

Founded in 1903, Harley-Davidson is the largest U.S.-based motorcycle manufacturer, controlling 22% of domestic motorcycle sales in 2005, says the Motorcycle Industry Council.

The company is best known for heavy, powerful machines with names like Fat Boy and Road King that make a sound so distinctive (say “potato-potato” rapidly) that Harley tried to have it declared a trademark.

Price tags appeal to all ranges. The most expensive bike available, the Ultra Classic Electra Glide, costs $20,195. But a smaller Sportster goes for less than $7,000.

Revenues from motorcycles shipped to dealers climbed 9% last year to $4.6 billion, or 80% of company sales.

The company also sells motorcycle parts and accessories, and merchandise such as leather jackets and greeting cards.

And like other motorized vehicle dealers, it runs a financing business.

Today’s Harley customer is a far cry from the bad boy popularized in movies such as Easy Rider and The Wild One (see Barron’s, “Vroom at the Top¹,” March 29, 2004).

In fact, the typical Harley customer is a middle-aged man earning over $80,000 a year.

Read more

Cruisin’ Destination Daytona just gets Better and Better

No one can seem to get enough of the “Disneyland for Bikers” known as Destination Daytona. We would like to thank Street Rodder magazine for this interesting article about Bruce Rossmeyer’s playground.

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Street Rodder Magazine, April 2007

The reserved parking spaces for cruisers began to fill up at Cruisin’ Destination Daytona. Bruce Rossmeyer’s Destination Daytona is the perfect setting for a Saturday Night cruise and on the third Saturday of every month cruisers and spectators alike show up to have a great time.

The April version of the very popular Cruisin’ Destination Daytona ushered in a new phase in the monthly cruisin’ event. Many new stores are now complete and open for business at Bruce Rossmeyer’s Destination Daytona, adding yet more exciting things to do while cruising the grounds. In addition to the food court, the Pig Stand Restaurant, the Saints and Sinners Pub, the Harley Hotel, Arlen Ness Motorcycles, and the World’s Largest Harley Davidson dealership, Destination Daytona has added shops that include; Asylum Tattoo (tattoo and apparel), Hawg-tyd (high quality clothing and leather goods), On the Fringe (hand made soft leather goods, from dresses to purses), The Trike Shop (featuring three wheeled motorcycles), and, the event co-sponsor, The Total Performance Shop, (featuring car related apparel, furnishings, automobilia and ready to buy and drive street rods).

The Saints and Sinners Pub supplied the entertainment for the event. A Rock-a-Billy band played from 6 until midnight in the Saints and Sinners Pub, while out in the main parking area Phil “The Wanderer” spun the sounds of the 50’s and 60’s and at the north end of the show area, and close to the retail stores Dondi and the Spellbinders, sang and played live ‘Rock n Roll’.

Door prizes were a plenty….Asylum Tattoo gave away $100.00 towards a future tattoo, as well as exciting T-shirts, Hawg-tyd, donated several of their fine styled T-shirts, and On the Fringe, gave away two hand made leather purses. In addition, Bruce Rossmeyer Harley Davidson gave away T-shirts, YearOne muscle car parts gave away two $100 gift certificates, and Total Performance, a major sponsor of the event, tossed in four $25.00 gift certificates.

The theme for the April Cruisin’ Destination Daytona was “Custom Cars”. Custom Cars were given a special parking area in front of the retail shops and trophies were awarded to those that were chosen as outstanding.

To further add to the festivities the Destination Daytona Tram circulated around the facility giving spectators and participants a tour of the huge facility, as well as providing transportation to shops, restaurants, and parking areas.

Held the third Saturday of every month, Cruisin’ Destination Daytona has become one of the most popular cruising events in Central Florida. Next month will mark the first anniversary of Cruisin’ Destination Daytona and to celebrate all registered participants will be given a commemorative dash plaque. In keeping with the anniversary theme, the featured cars will be 1932 Fords. 2007 is the 75th anniversary of Henry Ford’s venerable ‘32 Ford and special parking will be given to all 1932 Fords, and awards will be presented to those that are considered exceptional.

Admission is free, registration is free, and Cruisin’ Destination Daytona is always fun. Destination Daytona is conveniently located at I-95 and US 1 (exit 273) in Ormond Beach, FL. The May party starts at 3 PM and goes until it is over. For more information contact Total Performance at FUN 437-9996 or FUN- 671-6415 (386-437-9996 or 386-671-6415).

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