I have to admit, i’m a solid chopper guy…have been for years, but when i saw this ride i said to myself, “that would be awesome to ride to bike night!”. Anyway, it’s a tracked motorcycle. Ready to do battle with sand, snow or anything else, the Hyanide and Baal design concepts are part of the Michelin Challenge Design 2006 that took place at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
Both the Hyanide and Baal designs are based on a bendable rubber track. The vehicles are steered by both hands and feet. The concepts are capable of many different engine variations, these were designed to accept a 500cc ATV engine, the type which are already mass produced. The Baal concept was thought to be the sort of vehicle that could be used in the Paris-Dakar or Baja races.
The German designers are Tilmann Schlootz and Oliver Keller. Nice work guys! Popular Mechanics did an ok write up on them, but have to admit, they should have had a motorcycle guy doing the reviews.
Hey, thanks for coming back! Great to see there are a few of you out there that have taste and style! Seriously, thanks for visiting. If you know of stories you think people would be interested in, shoot us a line C'ya!
We’ve got various brake systems out now, whether it’s the 360 Brake that showed up in Sturgis last year or the perimeter brakes various builders are putting out on their rides. Now, we’ve got a system from Wilwood that looks and seems to perform superbly. Guilty is seriously looking at incorporating a perimeter braking system on our next build for Sturgis, so we’ll keep you updated on the results. Have to admit, they look great but the lingering question now is, “since the wheels have to be made specifically for these braking system or the existing wheels have to be modified to accept, what MFG will go and produce a line to do so?”…..While we’d like to see these hit the mainstream, due to it’s streamline and astetic appeal, it’s probably just going to be a modification for the builders to make for their builds or retrofits for H-D’s etc. Time will tell.
In this industry, it takes some ’stones’ to speak out about things such as foreign trade, imports, alternative platforms for building on (such as metric’s in a H-D dominated market), America ethics, loud pipes, etc, etc, etc. Especially when what your saying goes against the “heavy weights” of the industry. Our friend Cyril Huze has done just that recently when he wrote an article for our friends at Cycle Source Magazine and their current issue. We’ve decided to post his article in it’s entirety for those Guilty souls that need a good wake up call.
“We all know that after quite a few years of exuberance, our V-Twin after-market industry has slowed down and that at the same time, coincidence or not, Asia produced motorcycle parts have invaded our showrooms and found their place on our American motorcycles. In reaction to this invasion, “Team America†is the theme of a collective ad campaign regrouping major American manufacturers and running now in motorcycle magazines. It aims at convincing bikers to purchase only American Made Products.
If I agree with any endeavor supporting the economy of my country, I think that this campaign doesn’t address clearly enough a couple of essential points. First, let me ask you. What are the 2 main reasons why, as a biker, you buy an American motorcycle part? Probably because it is of superior quality, of its beautiful design and because deep inside it makes you feel good to own the genuine part (by the same token rewarding financially the original inventor/designer/manufacturer). In the copy of the Team America ads I didn’t see anywhere any justification given to buy American. Why? This campaign is signed by a group of the best American companies of our industry. So, why don’t they promote their creativity, their engineering as the main justifications of buying their products?
Let me tell you right away: I am in favor of free trade. The relative costs, benefits of free trade are debated since centuries by governments and trade groups. Nearly all economists support the proposition that free trade is a net gain to both trading partners and that the gains from free trade outweigh the losses. Practically it means that if there is a superior genuine foreign product at a reasonable price, I don’t feel guilty to buy it. Nor you. And it can be whatever you buy: motorcycle part, TV, car, etc. So, can an American manufacturer convince you to blindly buy its products because they are made in America? I don’t think so. The real issue affecting negatively most of us in the industry is not free trade, the fair competition from foreign corporations trying to outsmart us. It is the unfair competition from low cost labor Asian countries whose business is to steal our designs & engineering, repackaging everything in knock-off products to be sold back to our clients in the US.
Our industry is made of small corporations and craftsmen producing parts in very small quantities. The cost of research & development being the same whatever the final number of parts produced, our custom parts are expensive and at the same time are always on the lower end of profitability. And I don’t think it will change soon. Almost none of us have the financial means and time to apply for a US patent, which anyway would not protect us from copies produced abroad. As a custom builder, I know (and I experienced) that it will take only 3 to 6 months for a foreign corporation to copy and market back here poor copies of my own parts at 25% of my manufacturing cost. Even more disappointing is the fact that a large number of foreign born knock-off parts are marketed through US catalogs belonging to US corporations.
As I stated before, I am against protectionism, tariff barriers and taxes. I favor competition in the frame of fair trade. I believe in the system of hard work & merit. Since there is no way that we can avoid cheap and poor manufactured copies of our parts, the only solution to help and protect our V-Twin industry is education, education, education of our clients. But it seems to me that the V-Twin industry acts more as a group than as a team. Everybody is whining but very few are acting. And a group in itself does not necessarily constitute a team linked in the same purpose. We must all act daily and individually with our clients to explain the reasons why to buy our genuine products. It must not be so difficult to explain to bikers that motorcycles being dangerous by nature, it is never wise to equip them with unreliable mechanichal components and with unfit and poorly designed accessories, which at the end of the day will cost much more than the original parts. All well known Custom Builders are having a large fans base. So it must not be too difficult when we meet our admirers to tell them that if they love so much our bikes they should reward the original designers by buying parts from them. Since we are never going to become the cheapest producer of motorcycle parts, at least we can demonstrate that we provide top design, engineering, and manufacturing skills for a very good value. In addition, we provide assistance for installation and services after sales. Nobody is going to support Team America only because it is called Team America. Bikers will support us only because we remind them and demonstrate that without us there is no more innovation, creativity and technological progress to benefit their bikes and their lifestyle. Maybe the next collective ad campaign should be on a more practical theme. For example on the theme: “Why And How To Support Your America Teamâ€. Cyril Huze
As a company that builds custom motorcycles i’m frequently asked whether i agree with the argument of whether there is credence to the statement that “Loud Pipes Save Lives!”. Having been a rider for over 30 yrs, i’d have to say “YES”. But, there is another side of this story too….which is the annoying use of “straight pipes” by a select few who apparently are deaf or need the attention. Recently Bill Law, a rider and political activist spoke out to tell the truth about loud pipes and his views, which we at Guilty embrace. Here is his article.
Illinois – As a lifelong motorcycle enthusiast, I can understand the problem created by a few individuals who install after-market exhaust systems on their motorcycle with the sole thought of making as much noise as possible. Those people want that noise so that everyone will look at them when they ride by. They want to be seen, simply for the sake of being seen.It’s not enough for those few to enjoy the freedom of riding, they want everyone to know they are a “biker.â€
Well I don’t think so. It is a true statement that load pipes do save lives, but there are limits. Ask any motorcyclist, and you will find out that the act of riding from one end of town to the other is putting your life in the hands of some very scary drivers. Windows rolled up, radio on, cell phone in hand, they move through life like they are the only person on the road.A few years ago, someone came up with the idea that if motorcyclists rode with their headlights on, they would be easier to see in traffic. It was a good idea at the time. As a result, the numbers of motorcycle injuries started to decline.Then along came the “daytime running lights†on cars and trucks and the motorcycle became just another light. And the number of accidents between cars and motorcycles, again started to increase.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a quiet evening at home in the back yard, watching the sun set, listening to the sounds of the approaching night. I don’t, however, get any pleasure from listening to the music blasting from someone’s car stereo as they drive by. If I’m out on my motorcycle, and that guy with the stereo and the cell phone is on the same street, I want as much help in getting his attention as I can. If that means I change out my stock mufflers for ones that are loader, that’s called self preservation.No, I don’t use or condone the use of straight pipes. They do nothing to enhance the performance of any internal combustion engine. They just make noise. I use an altered exhaust as a way of getting the attention of the not so attentive driver. I’m 60 years old and have been riding my entire life. …
I want to apologize to everyone for the jerk with the load pipes. I want to say to the folks with the stereo and the cell phone, turn it down, hang it up and look the next time you get ready to make that left turn across the oncoming traffic. That old guy on the bike you just let live another day might just have been me. Thanks.
Bill Law
President, American Legion Riders
Life Member, ABATE of Iowa, ABATE of Illinios, Freedom of the Road Riders of Missouri, Motorcyle Riders Foundation
Just in from MoreTV32…..(note-we’re being sarcastic here)….”more women tend to be interested in cruiser-style bikes than sport and dirt bikes. Statistics show that….. the biggest ownership group is traditional, upright seating (what does that mean exactly-Goldwings-Full Dressers?) bikes with 12.1 percent of ownership, followed by 9.7 percent cruiser owners, 6.1 percent touring-style bikes and 5.3 percent are sport bikes in the on-road segment.” So far, the overwhelming interest of women has been getting their bikes on the road — not into the garage. Though a major part of the motorcycle industry is vehicle customization, women and their mentors report that, so far, there’s less interest in monkey wrenching by women. “The majority of female riders are interested in riding more than tinkering,” said Dave Halen, who teaches motorcycle safety classes in Iowa and Nebraska. Boy are we happy to hear that! And we thought they were just good for ornamintation or hangin’ off the back of some hairy butted husband, boyfriend etc! Good for you ladies….do your own thing…..Ride without Guilt….but ride a Guilty Bike!
With our ever growing audience of female riders, we felt that this was something we just couldn’t pass up….even though the guys at the shop, can’t (won’t) use personally. BikaChic is a line of cosmetics developed exclusively for two-wheeled femme fatales. Dubbed the “Cosmetics for Hardcore Women”, the unique line of motor-makeup is targeted to appeal to women who enjoy adventure and the road. IF your out and about at events your probably see them as they are making the rounds and they’ve even got their foot in the door at a number of H-D shops and boutiques. Personally, there’s not enough makeup out there to take the ugly off of some of us here at Guilty, but we wish them the best since they are selling to women. You can find them at the BikaChic website.
We have to admit, we hate writing pieces like this… mainly because it means that someone has been injured or killed on their motorocycle because of an unattentive, inexperienced or careless driver of an automobile. However we trudge on in the hopes that “cage drivers” (for the un-initiated, this means “car drivers”), will pay attention; in the hopes that this BLOG insert will find it’s way into the gray matter of everyone that sits behind the wheel of a car/truck. This information was provided by an article in the Ocala.com site in an interview with ABATE members who are lobbying congress for stiffer penalties for those drivers who kill motorcyclist.
SAFTEY TIPS FOR MOTORISTS
Remember, the motorcycle is a vehicle with all the privileges of any other vehicle on the roadway. Give motorcyclists a full lane of travel and double-check blind spots when entering or changing a lane of travel.
Look out: Look for the motorcyclist on the highway, when entering or leaving a lane of travel, and especially at intersections. Because motorcycles are smaller, drivers tend to underestimate how far away a motorcycle actually is and how fast it’s going. Also, drivers can be fooled by a motorcycle’s flashing turn signal. Motorcycle turn signals don’t turn off by themselves like automobile signals do and riders often forget about them, riding for long periods of time without realizing the blinker is on. Drivers should take an extra moment to determine a rider’s intentions by making eye contact with the rider before proceeding.
Anticipate a motorcyclist’s maneuvers: Obstructions that you do not notice may be deadly for motorcyclists. Be aware of changing road conditions and road debris in an attempt to predict evasive actions by motorcyclists.
Allow plenty of space: Don’t follow a motorcycle too closely. Allow a two-second “space cushion” when following a motorcycle. In poor driving conditions, at higher speeds, or at night, allow a four-second following distance.
The 70’s, the time when almost everything seemed to take a sudden 180 degree turn…everything…the clothing, hair styles, free love, motorcycles and even politics. But that is another matter. We’re only here for the cool bikes. I remember going to many bike/rod shows and snapping away with my Polaroid camera, bikes that seemed too wild to be rideable. Even bikes that seemed to be almost fantasy like..with their metallic and gold leaf paint jobs, chromed and gold plated frames and front ends. Bikes with such stretched out frames and tanks you had to wonder “How can he ride that thing?”. And the girls! The ever present girls; which were not optional either. If you had a bike, you had a girl..period! So when we came across this site showing off pic’s from that era, not only did we have a mental flash back and urge to pull out those favorite set of bell bottom jeans and “Peace” sign patch, but we knew we had people that watch this site regularly that would get a kick out of it….so go, enjoy, remember when, bring out the Coors or whatever you drank or smoked back then and wander down memory lane! Click here for link.
We’ll as most people know, the Gang is always up for getting together with our friends and talking bikes, enjoying a beer and good food. Which is what we’ll be doing with Errant on April 21st in Daytona. For the uninitiated, the Tattoo Tavern is a staple for these types of events and when you want to see the coolest rideable bikes (not these sissy a** bikes you see on TV), come to this location! Check out the flier below and bring a friend. I’ve got a feeling our ERRANT bike will be one of the VERY FEW builds there that operates with a custom billet foot clutch/suicide clutch and vintage Durfee Girder front end. Come see for yourself and enjoy the time with friends and soon to be friends!
What the heck is Rake and Trail? Good question. While we’re not always the sharpest tools in the shed, we do know good information when we see it. Recently we were trolling the archives and found some helpful doc’s that he wanted to pass on for educational purposes as well as just good reading while your in the thrown room doing heavy thinking. The article by Vince Costa, featured in Chopper Build in 2006, was easy for us to read (hey, we’re all about not using big technical words and looking at cool pictures which we can understand). So being the nice guys we are, we wanted to share them with you. Double-click on the images below for larger versions.
Guilty is rolling out it’s newest product, the Guilty “Quick Attach Eye Terminal“. This product is made from machined 316 Stainless Steel and is truly a unique mechanical fitting for any wire rope and/or rod needs. Guilty uses these fittings for our foot clutch assemblies when we use cables or rods, and they are SMOOTH. Check them out on Errant. The latest generation in patented mechanical fittings are the simplest, surest, and safest way to attach wire rope and/or rod available on the market today. Special attention has been placed on the strength of the terminals, which guarantees that the wire will always break before the fitting even gets distorted! They far surpass industry standards and are approved by Lloyds of London. Patented wedges firmly grip the wire rope and fittings and wedges are fully reusable. Holding power is of at least 90% of the maximum break load of the wire rope used. Many test achieved over 98% or more of the theoretical wire rope strength! These will be up shortly on our website store and sold for 27.50 with our regular 30 day guarantee.
Alright everyone, the weather is good, the roads will be clear (thanks to police escort) and your bike is ready!
So, get going and support the Bikes and Blues 2007 Ride! Our good friend, “Iron Dave” Adams from 96.5 WHTQ fame is participating as is Mickey Jones and many others to support St. Judes Childrens Hospital. Those of you that have spent any time with our Gang, know that we are active supporters of such worthy causes. This ride, starts at 8:30am on April 14th at Seminole H-D and takes an escorted ride to the Iron Horse Saloon in Daytona. It should be a great ride and experience so get out and do something that will make you feel good! Help a child!
Well, not that we have an over abundance of products or anything targeted to us riders but i thought these two would make a great combination, along with my Chopper Chairs, Motorcycle Faucets, Doggie clothing and fake tat’s! First is the newest wine from California. Not just any wine, mind you, but wine produced to address the aging and more “select” amoungst our masses by V-Twin Vinyards.
As quoted in their news release “This Zinfandel is bursting with berry aromas and flavors of raspberry and black cherry that typify this red varietal. Barrel aging provides hints of oak and vanilla to the wine leaving a soft, smooth caramel finish. The Zin’s structure of tannin and fruit creates a well-balanced, smooth wine to be enjoyed with grilled meats, spicy sauces and a wide array of fruits and cheeses. But don’t get caught-up in the food thing – we have blended this Zin to be exceptionally smooth all by itself. We like to open a bottle after a weekend ride – kick our feet up by the fire-pit and have a glass (or 2) while waiting for the grill to heat up. We know you’ll enjoy this wine over and over!”
Scott Del Fava, Brand Manager for V-Twin Vineyards, says he sees a growing market for Harley riders who love wine, claiming that, “Most bikers are now in their 40s and 50s, with steady careers and families. What they share is a love of the finer things in life, and an interest in good food, good times, and of course, good wine.
Second is Joe Brach’s efforts to bring to the market the Brothers Head comic book. He’s looking for someone to help develop this into a TV and/or feature film. The story line is of the travels, trials and tribulations of three H-D riding bro’s who are nicknamed after HD engine designs-Knuckle, Flat and Pan. The Three Stooges on Steroids?
Personally, nothing says “biker” like reading a good motocycle comic book with a glass of Zin, don’t you agree?
I have to admit, i’m a solid chopper guy…have been for years, but when i saw this ride i said to myself, “that would be awesome to ride to bike night!”. Anyway, it’s a tracked motorcycle. Ready to do battle with sand, snow or anything else, the Hyanide and Baal design concepts are part of the Michelin Challenge Design 2006 that took place at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
