Granted, we’re all about cleaning up the environment in a manner that helps sustain our longevity here on this planet. And we’ve even taken on some projects of our own to help; such as separating our plastic’s from paper, reducing lawn work and even coffee consumption. Yes, really! Even going as far as getting a dually diesel truck in place of a gas truck (they say it’s cleaner-but we just like the sound and size). But if your serious about helping the environment, you have to take risks, and step outside the norm of everyday “business as usual”. Which it looks like the guys at Fish Design, have done. They have a future concept for a chopper that has environmentaly friendly techniques. In their words,

“The purpose was to find a future concept for custom motorcycles, without a “real” engine, sound or traditional design. I wish to attract a cool target group. The hybrid power train is not as beautiful as the traditional custom engine. (v-twin) How does that affect the esthetical function? The keyword for my design is “powerful elegance”.”

While it won’t get you the reaction you’re use to having when you crack back the throttle and blast those unsuspecting pedestrians or cagers, you can rest assured you’d be appreciated by environmental activist, grand kids, politicians that listen to their constituents and neighbors. Seriously. Really. Take my word for it. Honest. No kidding.

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 didn’t see this coming. Really. Motorcycle Industry Personnel Rally Around Healthier Living! During Daytona Bike Week, Chris Callen of Cycle Source Magazine and Roadside Marty Of Willies Tropical Tattoo Show were on the topic of “losing the winter pounds”. Well one thing lead to another and a contest to see who could be in better shape by the end of this year’s riding season was born. Well, as long as these two are going to the mat in the name of good health, they decided to take it into the motorcycle media and see who else they could get involved with this contest. Here’s the outline of what’s going on:

Official starting weight, photo, age and current health conditions will be established in the first issue. From there they will give monthly updates as to their personal health, fitness level and diet as well as updated weight and picture. Through a monthly release in whatever print media and all blogs and motorcycle news Web sites will carry it, the progress of the Wicked Big Losers group will be tracked as they work their way towards better health. There will also be small bits of information from health and nutrition experts, fitness trainers and long time motorcycle personalities who practice good health like a religion. But we need more big losers! If you are or know anyone that could stand about six months of getting in shape, please contact us ASAP as we are in the process of launching this campaign.

Here is the first installment from Chris Callen.

Starting weight= 309 lbs. Average exercise hours in a week = 0 Health condition = Poor Age = 38
Since the magazine has gone to the national newsstands I have had very little time to take care of myself, hence the very large spare tire that has amassed around my midsection. (No I am not smuggling free Dunlops across state lines). Anyway, after many lectures from friends and family, and one time when Cyril Huze told me I’m not built for love, I am ready to get back in shape, for my health and appearance. Riding hard and partying like a nut is only okay if you prepare your body for the abuse of life on the road. I have not and it’s staring to take its toll. I look to lose about 80 pounds during this challenge, that was the weight I was at about five years ago when the magazine went to the regional newsstands and I started working 18 hour days. PS- Roadside, it’s on like Donkey Kong…. Beyatch!

Everyone knows that the Guilty Truth Blog is more about bikes and the motorcycle lifestyle, but one trend we keep seeing pop up at a lot of events and in mag’s is Body Painting. That simple art of taking a woman’s body (curves and all) and putting paint on it to make them look like they have clothes on. The styles can range from as simple as a bathing suit to as elaborate as multiple layered suits. Again, all an illusion. Simple, unique and well, quite distracting. Initially made popular in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues, body painting combines the best of both worlds. Granted, you’re basically looking at naked women, but because they’re covered with a layer of paint, you don’t feel like a total pervert. “Hey honey, i’ve got three cans high gloss paint, can you help me for a minute on a project…..”

Someone once said “great ideas come from necessity” and my favorite “man, why didn’t i think of that!” Well, the newest concept in motorcycle maintenance has arrived. Privateer’s Garage offers shared garage space with all the professional tools and equipment needed to maintain or repair your motorcycle. Including fully stocked Matco toolboxes! Whether you own a sportbike, cruiser, ATV or an off-road motorcycle, Privateer’s Garage is the answer for those frustrated with lack of space and tools. Equipped with 8 Stalls (all with stands), 2 motorcycle lifts, a tire changer, lifts, Drill Press, Compressed Air, factory maintenance manuals and a full selection of parts and equipment, motorcycle owners can use this garage space for as little as $25 per hour. Monthly and annual memberships are also available. Privateer’s Garage offers a variety of accessories and apparel by some of the industry’s leading names.

Kyle Indermuehle, President, explains the concept behind Privateer’s Garage;

“Being a motorcycle enthusiast myself, every time I worked on my bike doing oil changes, installing new tires, or prepping for a big trip, I was frustrated by not having enough space or a proper garage area to do the work. Inevitably, I wouldn’t have the right tool or part and would have to make one or several trips to a store to buy it. Another frustration was disposing of used oil and tires. This concept grew out of the thought that other people might like to have a proper garage facility to work on their bikes, too.” “As a mechanical engineer, I value the importance of having the right tool for the job,” says Technology and Operations Chief, Josh Davis. “At Privateer’s Garage, customers will always have the right tool.”

They are scheduled to open in March.

via: RoadracingWorld

As a parent of a special needs child (our daughter has Angelman’s Syndrome), we are especially tuned into events/causes that focus on bringing awareness. The following news release from Women Motor Cyclist tells of their upcoming event. Noted motorcycle industry spokesperson Brenda Fox will be the Grand Marshall.

Project Independence is an organization founded on the premise that parents of an autistic child (or any special-needs individual for that matter) will not be around forever to offer needed care the goal of the organization is to raise awareness and create a better understanding of what autism is. It strives to offer opportunities for Autistic individuals to become independent and productive rather than require help from others. Project Independence is staffed entirely by volunteers (e.g., no salary paid to anyone) all the money-every cent-is donated to families in need dealing with Autism. Supporting the ride will help raise awareness for Autism and helping those in the area coping with autism. The ride is based on the philosophy of a “good time for a good cause” two things the Cajuns love to deliver! The ride includes an overnight poker run that departs from Cajun Harley-Davidson in Lafayette, LA and travels to Natchez, MS, a truly beautiful and scenic ride. Cards are drawn at departure in St. Francisville, LA (where a great many ante-bellum plantation homes are located including the renowned Myrtles, very haunted!) with the final card drawn in Lafayette. The ride includes an arrival party at Doc Big Love’s in Natchez, great food, motorcycle raffle and a concert that is sure to be remembered. Guaranteed a Cajun good time!

Donations are accepted at: www.womenmotorcyclist.com
(Paypal button is on the left side after entering site)

Project Independence Carol Mesa 985-237-0429.
www.projectindependence.org.
www.womenmotorcyclist.com

Back in 2004, film makers Scott DiLall and Zack Coffman started shooting their first film, a low-budget motorcycle documentary that came to be known as “Choppertown: the Sinners“. Now 4 years later they launch into a new venture, Choppertown Nation. This new site will allow users to creat their own profiles (post pic’s/videos/chat, etc) and join/build their own online communities. AND it’s FREE. We’ve watched (and envied) some of the independent video’s and materials that the guys at Choppertown come out with over the years and am excited to see this new venture. For those of you not familiar with ChopperTown, you should take a browser over to their site as you will find some of the coolest independent made movies, dvd’s, manuals etc in their online store. Congrats guys!

The book “The Old Man & The Harley“ written by John Newkirk, captures the imagination and spirit of this great country and the people that make it up, by retracing the cross country motorcycle trip his father took as a 19 year old. In the summer of 1939, an ambitious teenager sets off across America on a rickety Harley VL Big Twin with $45 in his pocket and the audacious intent of seeing both the New York and San Francisco Worlds Fair. Both the boy and his country were on the brink of an irrevocable transformation. For both boy and country it was the autumn of their youth and both would emerge forever changed. Nearly 7 decades later John retraces this epic odyssey with his aging father and along the way, discovers the healing power of the road, the faith of the American people, and the inspiration to face some of today’s most pressing challenges. This is a “two-thumbs up” must read. You can purchase it a Amazon.

Now this is one way to support our troops AND help some through recovery! Gina Elise, 26, is bringing retro back with her annual “Pin-Ups For Vets” calendar, which features herself in costumes and poses that were popular among America’s fighting men in the 1940s. Profits from the sales of the calendars provide assistance to U.S. military hospitals.

“About two years ago I started hearing stories of wounded soldiers that were coming back to underfunded hospitals, so I just decided that I really wanted to do something to help out,” says Elise. “I‘ve always been a huge fan of the pin-up era, so I figured I can sort of combine my love for this era to not only use the money for the hospitals but also help boost morale with the calendars themselves.” The UCLA grad started spreading the word about the project in hopes of enlisting some help.

“Some people thought I was nuts,” she said. “But I have a lot of friends that are artists and photographers and costume designers that actually donated their time and services. Wal-Mart also gave me a community grant to help get the project off the ground.”

So, with a donation of $22 or more, anyone can purchase a calendar for themselves, a hospitalized veteran or a deployed service member, along with a personal message of appreciation. If the calendar is being sent overseas, Elise mails it in a care package. For those recovering in U.S. hospitals, she hand-delivers every calendar. For more information or to order go to Pinupsforvets.com.
Source: Foxnews

There is something extremely frustrating about stop lights! Especially if your on a motorcycle! Let me explain; if your in a car/truck things seem to happen a bit faster when your at the light. You know, that light seems to work through it’s “thought process” and goes from “Red” to “Green” within a normal length of time. Not so if your on a bike. But anyway, i digress. That “thought process” the light goes though is actually the system reading surrounding “electromagnetic fields“. When a car pulls up to a light at most intersections, there are sensors embedded in the road’s surface-using “Inductive loop technology” (i.e. coil wire embedded in the surface) and the coil “senses” the vehicles and tells the light to change. Pretty Simple. However most motorcycles, scooters, bicycles and some small cars don’t have enough conductive material to trigger these loops and change the traffic light. So, want to figure a way to get through that light faster? Use science to trigger that green light! Here is what you’ll need: 1) 2 Neodymium magnets – (need magnets that have a pulling force of over 6lbs each), 2) some heavy duty exterior mounting tape or optional: A waterproof, rust-proof pill holder. Next: Cut off a small strip of tape then tape the magnets together with one side of the tape. Tape the magnets to the underside of your motorcycle with the other side of the tape – perpendicular to the direction of travel. Next pull up to your neighborhood light and see what happens. Man, i think i have an idea for a cool product!

There is nothing better than helping others in this life. Some seem to know and embrace that truth more tightly than others. Case in point, Rick Fairless. Rick teamed up and Miller Lite this past Spring with an idea to raise money for Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children (TSRHC). Raffling off a customized Harley-Davidson motorcycle, the two groups succeeded in raising $32,000 for TSRHC in just over 3 months. In conjunction with the Harley-Davidson 105th Anniversary, Strokers Dallas and Miller Lite teamed up to secure a 2007 Harley-Davidson softail motorcycle and turn it into a “Dallas Cowboys” themed ride. The process to get the paint and theme approved by the Dallas Cowboys was not an easy task, but it was well worth the effort.

“We went through several rounds of revisions with the Dallas Cowboys before we all agreed on a paint job that was exactly right,” said Rick Fairless. “But in the end, it was cool because we are one of the very few who can say that their bike is officially endorsed by the Dallas Cowboys and was approved by Jerry Jones himself.”

Once the bike was re-built and customized by the team at Strokers Dallas, it was used in a fundraiser for TSRHC. Strokers Dallas sold tickets online to win the motorcycle, at road shows and motorcycle rallies, and in their dealership for as little as $10 each. The bike was revealed at the beginning of July and was awarded at the Strokers Dallas Anniversary Party on October 12. The lucky winner was Steve Stanfield of Henderson, Texas, who bought his 5 tickets online. Strokers Dallas recently presented TSRHC with a check for the $32,000 raised by the fundraiser.

Stephanie Brigger, VP of Development at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children said of the donation, “Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children patients, families and staff are so grateful to Strokers Dallas for their generous donation to the hospital. We really appreciate our relationship with Rick and Susan. Strokers Dallas is such a giving company that understands the hospital’s mission of providing the highest quality medical care to Texas children, from birth to age 18, at no charge to patient families.”

“It was a great honor to raise that much money for the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children,” Fairless noted. “I have been supporting them since I opened 13 years ago and I don’t think there is a better cause here in Dallas. I look forward to many more years of raising money for TSRHC.”

Visit Rick Fairless’ Strokers online at www.strokersdallas.com. Hey Rick, your so good at raising monies for charities, how about helping out with the economy a bit and knocking down that crazy deficit hanging over our heads?! Great job Rick!

Our friend Dawn Glencer (yes THAT Dawn….of TV and print fame-check out her new Dragonfly ad on this months issue of Barnette’s). Now back to the point. Dawn does some website design and consulting on the side and recently she emailed us about her newest project which strikes home for us as we too like to run as well as the taste of beer. But never thought of doing it together. Dawn quotes:

Ok – now I’ve been asked to work on alot of unusual websites but I will say that this is probably the most bizarre one I’ve ever done. In Jacksonville, FL they host what is known as the Jax Beerlympics. Guess a group of guys got together who often run 5Ks together but also party together quite a bit – after many beers, they decided to try to combine their two favorite pasttimes and the Beerlympics was born. Now this ain’t no silly beer games in a bar – this is actual running & drinking. And it’s not IF you puke…it’s when & how often. (Trust me, the videos are funny as heck!)

You can check these guys out HERE.

Call us crazy but i think we can find a better use for fingers than this. Seems the students from the Vanita Mahavidyalaya HS in India like to have their hands run over by a motorcycle so as to demonstrate their karate skills at the school’s annual sports day in Hyderabad. Wow, forget about those old fashioned “field trip” days!
Source: Routers

If your not the type of person that spends time thinking about industry trends, economic forces, political manipulation, the economy etc., then this post won’t interest you a bit. However if your one that’s interested in knowing where the motorcycle industry is moving, you only need to look outside your front door, ride down the road, attend some bike night, read some magazines and go to events to see that “things are a changing brother!“. The younger market is taking hold of an industry that has been getting older by the day, and to some people, dying a slow death. Fortunately we have magazines such as Cycle Source, and events such as the Limpnicki Lot to remind us of the fact that the younger crowd (those that like motocross, skateboarding, surfing, mosh pits, rockabilly) is taking interest and getting involved in the motorcycle industry. And we say…Hurrah!!!!
Recently we ran across this group Rockmoto in MySpace, who are taking some bold moves to incorporate music and the motorcycle industry in a way to attract this younger demographic. What Rockmoto’s goal is to introduce more young people into the joys of motorcycling but using interactive and edgy content. The site, (yet to launch but taking your registrations now), will feature riding rock stars, information for new riders and the introduction of Rockmoto Radio will be through Pandora….(which we do have on our iPhone, thank you). Anyway, take a look, tell some friends and get with it dude(ttes).

Our friend Mike Beland over at A-1 Cycles has a new project he’s involved with. It’s called ArmDrop Live!! and features Rick Christensen of Speed Channel “Pinks: All Out” fame. Seems he was wanting to have a more active show that wasn’t inhibited by cameras so Rick and his brother Kent teamed up with Brian Bossone to produce. The concept? Well in Mike’s words:

“people drag racing their bikes duking it out for a custom motorcycle. Negotiating the race and out driving your opponent. High energy and NO fluff. Hardcore racers with a 20k prize on the line .

Sounds pretty cool to us!!! But before they go any further, they need people to express interest in the concept. So watch this video, go to the site and then vote whether you’d like to see this become a TV show. You can go HERE for the website to vote. You can check out their schedule on the website also and see where they will be over the next few months too.

We know the “NextGen” are people that aren’t satisfied with the status quo. As a matter of fact, they take things to the next level in whatever arena they participate. We see that passion everyday in the motorcycling business as this generations interest and influences are affecting the way we do business as well as the type bikes being built. Here is an example that this generation isn’t just “settin around and waiting” for things to happen but rather “making it happen“.

Go ahead, share the news with friends & enjoy. Best thing you'll do all day!:

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