Motorcycle News

2016

April
March
February
January

2015

December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2014

December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2013

December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2012

December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2011

December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2010

December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2009

December
November
October
September
August
July
June

Categories

August 2014 Motorcycle News

What's Billy Lane Up To These Days?

After his release in September of 2014, Billy has been posting frequently to social media and made an appearance at the most recent Sturgis along with some of the riders for his latest endeavor, Sons of Speed. What is Sons of Speed, you ask? It’s a racing event that draws inspiration from the early twentieth century board track racers. The machines will feature pre-1925 1000cc V-twins and identical hand built racing chassis. The builders will throw their personal touch on the machines by fa…

OCC is Back?! Well, Sort of.

Those eager to watch some fresh episodes of the Teutul’s building motorcycles will have something to rejoice about come February 20. A&E; will premiere the “Orange County Choppers: American Made” series at 4 pm ET which brings Paul Sr., Mikey, and the OCC gang back with a new friend… Rusty Coones from “Sons of Anarchy.” The series is promising to provide an “intimate glimpse into the adrenaline fueled lifestyle” of Paul Sr. and Rusty. I’m not sure what they’re up to but I’m skeptical about t…

Best Time to Buy Used (or New) Motorcycles

Since the season is upon us, I decided to write up a quick piece on the best time of year to buy used motorcycles and a few things to consider before and during making this decision. As you might have guessed from the title, this time of year happens to be the best to buy new. Check out the tips for some popular websites below and you'll have a better chance at finding a "motivated" seller when it comes time to negotiate a price. When buying new, anytime around November or December is best. …

Do Biketoberfest Like a Pro

With Biketoberfest right around the corner, we decided to do a follow-up to an article that received lots of praise several years back for the headache it saved rookies and veterans alike. In the spirit of fun, because that’s what these events are supposed to be, I’ll point out some helpful tips on how to avoid traffic, activities for the family (G-Rated), the best restaurants, good hotels, and some of the events that will be happening around Daytona. Avoiding Traffic The first thing …

Full Throttle Fire Leaves 'Worlds largest Biker Bar' Future in Question

Sturgis : On Sept. 8, the Worlds Largest Biker Bar, The Full Throttle Saloon just outside of Sturgis S.D. was leveled as the 10 million dollar facility burned to the ground. The fire was caused by a faulty electrical wire, according to owner Michael Ballard. Officially, federal, state, and local authorities ruled the blaze accidental but failed to pinpoint a cause. The Full Throttle was made famous by being one of the largest event venue draws during the giant Sturgis Mot…

LAFD Fire Hogs wounded vets head to Sturgis

July 29th, 2015 Led by members of the Los Angeles City Fire Department's own motorcycle club, more than a dozen wounded veterans are hitting the road in the first-ever veterans charity ride to Sturgis, South Dakota -- a popular spot for bikers. They'll have some fun along the way, but will also deal with some serious issues that concern veterans. "We've got a suicide rate of 22 a day right now and it's only on the rise. The reality of it is that we, as service members, need to start tak…

Indian Motorcycle Veterans Charity Ride to Sturgis

July 13th, 2015Indian Motorcycle, America’s first motorcycle company, today announced its sponsorship of the “Veterans Charity Ride to Sturgis.” The ride, intended to raise support for severely wounded and injured veterans, will offer a group of former military service members the opportunity to ride to Sturgis, SD just in time for the rally’s 75th anniversary.Indian Motorcycle recently announced a partnership with the USO, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing programs and live entert…

On cross-country motorcycle ride William Shatner stops in Independence

July 8th, 2015Standing by their motorcycles in the 90-degree heat, American Legion members anxiously held their phones waiting to hear the revving of motorcycles along U.S. 40.“There he is,” pointed one member.“Oh my gosh, it’s Captain Kirk!” squealed the wife of another.Like it was a movie, William Shatner, 84, famously known as Star Trek’s Captain Kirk, pulled up to the entrance of Independence’s American Legion Post 21 with his wife, Elizabeth, behind him.“Wow, now this is a hot ride,” said S…

Sturgis to reach new milestone, over 800k attendees

July 7th, 2015 Article originally written on LATimes. The town of less than 7,000 typically draws 400,000 visitors for the rally. But after the 2014 gathering, the Rapid City Journal suggested that the milestone might make attendance spike. If 853,000 or more people show up, the figure will top the entire state’s population. The mammoth biker bash will be Aug. 3-9. With the huge crowds in mind, an Orange County event organizer will develop Sturgis City Park as an entertainment v…

Marlon Brando Harley sells for $256,000

July 6th, 2015Article originally written on GizMag.A 1970 Harley-Davidson FLH Electra-Glide owned since new by screen icon Marlon Brando has sold for $256,000 at Julien's Hollywood Legends auction in Hollywood. Brando won two academy awards for best actor (from eight nominations) and despite many famous film roles (A Streetcar named Desire, The Godfather, Last Tango in Paris, Guys and Dolls, On the Waterfront, Julius Caesar, Apocalypse Now and Mutiny on the Bounty, it was his role as Johnny Stra…

Honda RC213V-S Is a Street-Legal MotoGP Motorcycle

July 2nd, 2015Limited to 200 units and handmade to order at a rate of just one per day, the Honda RC213V-S is the company’s MotoGP race bike made street-legal.Based on the production version RCV1000R MotoGP machine (as raced by Nicky Hayden in 2014), this RCV213V-S streetbike is almost identical except for the carbon brakes; it is equipped with the Brembo steel brake setup as used by the Honda racebikes in the wet. The streetbike also omits the seamless gearbox and pneumatic valve system used on…

Throttle Fest drives away negative aspects of motorcycle culture

June 30th, 2015Article written on The Chicago Tribune.Ramp stunts, a "wall of death" and a motorcycle riding a tight rope with trapeze artists above the Lake County Fairgrounds were among the weekend attractions that celebrated all aspects of bike culture during Throttle Fest in Grayslake.The three-day motorcycle festival and rally highlighted the positive community among motorcyclists, attendees and organizers said, not the menacing image popular culture might suggest. Many at the event describ…

Wind-powered motorcycle for a Mad Max world

June 25th, 2015Come the days of scarcity, hopefully we won't be living in a post-apocalyptic desert wasteland warring viciously over the few resources left -- and hopefully we'll be a little more prepared, with sustainable replacements for the fossil-fueled technology we live with now.This is the idea behind James Dyson Award entry Strangeworld -- a motorcycle powered by the wind and the sun."I was riding a rented motorcycle through Glencoe in the Highlands of Scotland in late 2013," explained p…

Harley-Davidson CEO Wants Young People To Live For Real On A Motorcyle

June 22nd, 2015Article originally written on The Huffington Post.Matt Levatich prefers a hog to the bad piggies of "Angry Birds."The Harley-Davidson CEO said electronic devices, such as smartphones and video games, were distracting potential young bikers from the call of the open road."I'm in the camp of: It isn't bad, it's just different," he told The Wall Street Journal.But he believes the rebellious counterculture that started in the 1950s -- in which motorcycles were emblematic -- will endur…

Motorcycle dream job with Harley-Davidson

June 18th, 2015MILWAUKEE Growing up skiing and boating on Grayson Lake, Nathan Boyd never dreamed of a job with America’s most legendary motorcycle company.“I rode dirt bikes from the age of 5 through college, but I’d never been on a street bike until I joined the Harley-Davidson Motor Company,” said Boyd, a member of the Boyd County High School class of 1988 who now works as director of product integrity for Harley-Davidson in Milwaukee.With hands on at every point in the development of a new H…

Harley-Davidsons electric motorcycle needs a few more years

June 12th, 2015Harley-Davidson has been showing off its first electric motorcycle, Project LiveWire, for nearly a year now, taking the prototype on promotional tours around the US to gather feedback from riders. The company hasn't previously mentioned launch dates for the bike, but has now confirmed that it's going to be a while before the LiveWire goes on sale. Harley-Davidson's chief executive Matt Levatich told The Wall Street Journal that a launch isn't likely "in the next couple years but i…

Motorcycle run raises $25000 for charity

June 8th, 2015Chef’s Restaurant raised $25,000 for charity with help from 200 motorcycle riders and their supporters over the weekend.Erie County Sheriff Timothy Howard and Buffalo Sabres player Rene Robert joined in by starting the motorcycle run at 11 a.m. Saturday.The run and companion raffle raised money for the Louis Billittier Foundation, formed to continue the children’s charity work of its late namesake. His son Lou Billittier Jr. owns Chef’s with his wife Mary Beth.A portion of the road…

Electric motorcycle allows Berea to save gas while patrolling parks

June 1st, 2015The Berea Police Department put its all-electric motorcycle through its paces Wednesday during a public demonstration.Purchased for $21,000, the bike will be used to patrol trails and the city's park system, police Chief David Gregory said.The Berea department is the first Kentucky law enforcement agency to use an environmentally friendly all-electric motorcycle, Gregory said.Because the bike is virtually silent, it won't disturb people relaxing in the parks."This will let them kee…

Lane splitting soon to be legal in California

May 29th, 2015Article originally written on Mercury News.California is poised to become the first state to allow motorcycles to weave between cars that are slowed by traffic.The Assembly on Thursday overwhelmingly approved Assembly Bill 51, permitting motorcyclists to split lanes so long as they do so at speeds no faster than 50 mph and no faster than 15 mph than traffic in adjacent lanes is moving. The bill heads to the Senate after passing, without debate, on a 53 to 11 vote.All other states b…

Mark Wahlberg Retells the Combat History of the Indian Motorcycle

May 19th, 2015The history of America cannot be told without the mention of a few definitive companies, in some cases, a bit more involved in making history than others. Indian Motorcycle is one of them, having built thousands of combat bikes during the first and second World Wars, and undoubtedly permitting the delivery of some incredibly important messages. To honor the brave men and women who have served, past and present, Indian and the USO have built a modern tribute bike in the likeness of …

Cortege of 100 motorcyclists accompany body of DSI campaigner home

May 7th, 2015Mr Lynam was fatally injured in a crash outside Kilkee yesterday during a Down Syndrome Ireland charity event.Mr Lynam was passionate about motorbikes and when his daughter Robyn was born in 2005 he and another father of a child with Down Syndrome organised a motorcycle fundraiser.The fundraiser, called RevUp4DSI in aid of the charity, has raised €1.6m over the last 10 years.Mr Lynam was a marshall in this year's event when he was fatally injured.He had co-ordinated all major fundra…

Motorcycle and TT legend Geoff Duke dies

May 4th, 2015Article originally written on Yahoo!Duke was one of the first major stars of grand prix motorcycle racing in the 1950s.He made his name at the famous Isle of Man event, earning a factory Norton ride after winning the 1949 Senior Clubmans TT and Senior Manx Grand Prix.In his first year with Norton, he set a record pace on the way to TT victory and came within one point of the 500cc world championship, finishing second in the 350cc class too.The following year he dominated both the 35…

Steve McQueens old motorcycle goes for $775,000

April 15th, 2015The motorcycle, a Cyclone Board Track Racer, looks more like a bicycle with a motor added on than a traditional motorcycle. The model was made by the Joerns Motor Manufacturing Co. between 1913 and 1916. This motorcycle was auctioned off Saturday by Mecum Auctions in Las Vegas. Despite its modest appearance a motorcycle from this model was recorded going 111 mph in 1914, which was a record at that time. The motorcycle was owned by McQueen, and was previously purchased at an est…

Honda builds new Camping Bike

March 25th, 2015Article written on Motorcycle-USA by Bryan Harley.Honda has had a habit of pushing the design envelope recently (think NM4 and CTX700). Apparently, the manufacturer’s engineers are at it again, this time with a motorcycle that’s part Ruckus, part scrambler, and outfitted to be an ideal motorcycle for camping.Honda unveiled the Bulldog concept model at the 31st Osaka Motorcycle Show 2015. The motorcycle is powered by a 399cc Inline two-cylinder engine with dual overhead cams. The …

Indian Motorcycles Adding Screens To Bikes

March 20th, 2015Article originally written on Forbes.Indian Motorcycles is adding screens to its motorcycles, bringing new-age technology to the classic bikes, said Steve Menneto, vice president of motorcycles for Polaris Industries, at the Forbes Reinventing American conference on Thursday.The screens would allow riders to see mileage counts, chart where they are going, check that their motorcycles don’t have any mechanical problems and control their music. “You’ve got to have loud music when y…

Legendary Steve McQueen 1915 Cyclone motorcycle up for auction

March 11th, 2015Minnesota-based motorcycle manufacturer Joerns Motor Manufacturing Company didn't last long -- just a few short years, from 1912 to 1917. during that time, though, the company managed to produce one of the most highly prized pieces of motorcycling history -- the Cyclone.Because its production run was so short, very few of the original Cyclone motorcycles were made. The best estimates say around 300 were manufactured, with only six known to remain in existence today -- but they we…

New 2016 Indian Chief Motorcycle

February 16th, 2015Article originally written on Fox News.The Indian Chief Dark Horse will soon be cruising into showrooms. The new entry-level Chief has been stripped of most of its shiny bits, ditches the whitewall tires, and is finished in a menacing matte black paint scheme.Cast back wheels lower the profile even further, as does its single-seat saddle, which can be doubled-up as an option.Mechanically, the Dark Horse is all Chief and features the same torquey Thunder Stroke 111 cubic-inch V…

Ewan McGregor on his vintage Italian motorcycle

February 12th, 2015Fans of Ewan McGregor should not be surprised that the actor uses two wheels to get around Hollywood. After all, the Moulin Rouge star has created and starred in two television series about lengthy motorbike rides.On Tuesday the Scottish actor was spotted on his classic Italian motorcycle in Los Angeles.The 43-year-old looked a bit glum, probably because he's gotten a bad start to the new year; his film Mortdecai - which also starred Johnny Depp and Gwyneth Paltrow - bombed ba…

Indian Motorcycle Announces 2016 Chief Dark Horse

February 11th, 2015Article originally written on motorcycle.comYesterday we brought you the news of Indian launching its newest model, the 2016 Chief Dark Horse, with a group ride through Chicago called the Dark Horse Challenge Ride. Today in an Indian press release, the company has officially announced the Dark Horse will be showcased in a consumer reveal spanning two continents.The Chief Dark Horse will be presented to American audiences at Chicago’s Progressive International Motorcycle Show, …

Will Victory Beat Harley-Davidson

February 10th, 2015Article originally written on greencarreports.comA patent for the name “Victory Charger” has been filed by Polaris with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Polaris recently bought the manufacturing business of electric-motorcycle maker Brammo; it's also the parent company of Victory Motorcycles, a manufacturer of cruiser-style bikes that compete against Harley Davidson. The Polaris patent is for “Electric motorcycles and structural parts therefor”, which appears to be a plac…

Richmond motorcycle clubs reach out to homeless with barbecue

January 12th, 2015RICHMOND -- Residents of a transitional facility for the homeless were treated to food and clothing Saturday afternoon by members of local motorcycle clubs who collaborated on the good deed.Members from several Richmond-based clubs -- the All Access VIPs, the Fugitives, Road Runners, Show Kings, Four Horsemen, Bonafide Riders, Filthy Rich, Real Richmond and Elegant Ebony Ladies -- gathered at the West County Interim Housing Program at Brookside Shelter, bringing a barbecue to p…

William Shatner to cross US on Rivet, a custom steampunk motorcycle

January 9th, 2014In a move worthy of Captain Kirk himself, William Shatner has started a company to create custom futuristic steampunk motorcycles — and will ride his own machine from Chicago to Los Angeles later this year to promote the brand.Shatner posted a link to the new company's website on his Facebook page."Excited about my partnership with American Wrench in forming Rivet Motors," the post reads. "This is the cycle of the future."Rivet is described as "a machine as distinguished and ico…

Russian Startup Livemap Lands $300K Grant For Its Motorcycle Helmet

January 5th, 2015As we’re coming up on the next Consumer Electronics Show, I got an update from one of the companies that participated in TechCrunch’s Hardware Battlefield at the last CES — Russian startup Livemap.The Livemap team is working to create motorcycle helmets with voice control and GPS navigation directly in your field of vision — so while you’re riding, you can see directions in your helmet display without having to fiddle with another device or look away from the road. (Back in Janu…

Motorcycles taking on a 70s design

December 26th, 2014SEVENTIES STYLE IS ON A ROLL—especially in the realms of fashion, décor, and facial hair. That goes for the motorcycle world, too. New models, from Honda to Ducati, are being aimed at Gen-X riders, who, now in their 40s, are likely to gravitate toward the ’70s-style bikes they probably coveted as children. And with good reason: That was the decade when motorcycles evolved from toys into viable modes of transportation. Engines became more powerful and reliable, while suspension…

Indian Scout 40 Groundbreakers

December 23rd, 2014Indian Motorcycle, America’s first motorcycle company, announced it has joined forces with Rolling Stone in this week’s release of a chronology of the “40 Most Groundbreaking Albums of all Time,” exclusively presented by the groundbreaking new 2015 Indian Scout. The compilation by the editorial staff of Rolling Stone identifies the most “monumental musical statements that changed the world.”The chronological listing spans the nearly 60 years from Woody Guthrie’s 1940 “Dust Bow…

Hells Angels Motorcycle Club members arrested after holiday toy drive

December 23rd, 2014Four members of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club left a Christmas toy drive on Sunday only to be arrested on suspicion of drug and firearms charges.lRelated First of three storms brings more rain to Southern CaliforniaSheriff's officials said it's unclear what the men's roles were at the Ventura County toy drive. But in years past, the club has tried to shy away from its outlaw image. In Fresno, the Hells Angels have donated gifts during the holiday season to the Poverello Hou…

Milan motorcycle show report

December 11th, 2014This month's Milan motorcycle show celebrated the centenary of an event that traditionally showcases the following year's new models. Rarely in those 100 years can the Italian halls have hosted a more exciting display than this year's, which confirmed that after several quiet years the motorcycle industry has burst into life in spectacular fashion.That's good news for British enthusiasts because Motorcycle Live, this country's biggest show, opens next Saturday (November 22). T…

The fastest electric motorcycle on the market

December 4th, 2014With a polite round of applause, the first owner of the fastest production electric motorcycle took the keys to his new ride. Sitting down just a few moments later, he slyly looked down and slid them onto the ring next to keys for his Tesla. His half-hour or so commute is now 17 minutes — legally, that is.I'm not in some gleaming garage or an airplane hangar, but in the second floor of Autodesk's headquarters in San Francisco. That's an odd place for a motorcycle, but it's also…

Honda builds its 300,000,000 motorcycle

December 1st, 2014Honda has built its 300 millionth motorcycle, crossing a milestone that few automakers have reached.The historic bike produced at its Kumamoto Factory in Japan was a top-of-the-line Gold Wing, which has a 1.8-liter engine and sells for over $24,000 -- a far cry from the humble 98cc Dream Type-D that kicked off production in 1949.It took the company nearly two decades to build its 10 millionth motorcycle in 1968, but only five more to reach 20 million in 1973, and things just ke…

Indian Motorcycle unveils Long Beach IMS plans

November 10th, 2014Indian Motorcycle, America’s first motorcycle company, today announced its itinerary for the International Motorcycle Show in Long Beach, Calif., which takes place November 14-16 at the Long Beach Convention Center. Riders in southern California are encouraged to be among the first in the nation to take a demo ride on the stunning new 2015 Indian Scout, motorcycling’s hottest new middle-weight cruiser, the ultra-premium luxury touring Indian Roadmaster and the rest…

Local veteran presented with a special Harley Davidson

November 11th, 2014A local group is thanking local veterans for their service by giving away special gifts in the form of two wheels. “Harley’s For Heroes” surprised veteran Shane Betts on Sunday with a newly rebuilt Harley Davidson motorcycle at Appalachian Harley Davidson in Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County. Twice a year, the group presents a classic-style Harley to wounded a veteran who has returned home from Iraq or Afghanistan. Each Harley is custom-built solely from donated pa…

Five new bikes that upend motorcycle performance

November 12th, 2014Just as the motoring universe has begun to assimilate the incredible performance of cars such as the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat, Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and Nissan GT-R Nismo, it now must prepare for an emerging crop of incomprehensibly fast motorcycles.Street-legal, two-wheeled hyper-speed is not new; the Kawasaki Ninja 900, Suzuki GSXR1100 and Honda Hurricane 1000 of the 1980s eradicated all prior performance benchmarks for street motorcycles. Such was their potency that a bil…

Harley-Davidson Sets Goal to Plant 50 Million Trees Worldwide by 2025

November 7th, 2014Harley-Davidson Sets Goal to Plant 50 Million Trees Worldwide by 2025Partnership Marks Expansion of The Nature Conservancy’s Plant a Billion Trees ProgramMILWAUKEE, Oct. 29, 2014 —Harley-Davidson®, together with The Nature Conservancy, is mobilizing its global community of riders to raise funds to plant 50 million trees worldwide by 2025 as part of its Renew the Ride™ initiative.Dedicated to the goal of preserving the open road for future generations of riders, Renew the Ride i…

Harley-Davidson Partners with Wounded Warrior Project

November 6th, 2014Harley-Davidson made a special delivery of new 2015 motorcycles to six U.S. military veterans, today. The surprise jumpstarts a new partnership between Harley-Davidson and Wounded Warrior Project to help improve the lives of service men and women living with post-traumatic stress disorder.Bill Davidson, great-grandson of company co-founder William A. Davidson, along with six Harley-Davidson employees who are veterans, rode the bikes – led by police motorcade – to Wounded Warrio…

Parkland Toy Run delivers again

November 3rd, 2014About 50 motorcycles, a half dozen fire departments and a handful of cars participated in the 20th Annual Parkland Toy Run on Saturday to help Season of Hope.With temperatures in the early 40s late morning, most motorcycle riders gathered inside CiCi's Pizza before the ride began for free coffee, hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls. Organizer Kevin Sumpter, president of the Parkland Cycle Servants, was pleased with the turnout. Members of several local motorcycle clubs such as the…

Fifty things you’ll never do with an electric motorcycle

October 31st, 2014Most of you are painfully aware that I have spent the last two years riding a 100% electric motorcycle, in my case a 2010 Zero DS.It’s true, I’m a little obsessed and not just because I’ve always liked riding bikes. For me, the real revelation is that an electric motorcycle can not only provide all the excitement of riding, but perhaps more excitingly I can now see that their applicability as a household energy storage appliance is inevitable.As much as I love my 2010 model, si…

2015 Indian Chieftain by Motorcycle USA

October 28th, 2014The 2015 Indian Chieftain is a visually striking machine. Tall and regal in front, valanced fenders lending a touch of class, the Indian headdress logo gussying up its tank and a pearl of an engine at the center of it all. The massive engine is definitely a focal point, mushroom covers on large-diameter heads, cooling fins machined to a jewel-like sheen, stout parallel pushrod tubes hinting at the power lurking in the big bores beneath. The Blue and Ivory Cream paint job on our…

Harley-Davidson: More Tech, Less Roar

October 28th, 2014While watching CNBC’s Squawk Box show last week, I heard Jim Cramer make the following comment:“You know… this may be more of a technology company than we think. It reads like a fantastic semiconductor company.”The company he was referring to?None other than Milwaukee’s motorcycle stalwart, Harley-Davidson (HOG).Now, I’ve heard Harley-Davidson get called many things in my day… but a tech company? Not so much.Is Cramer as mad as his Mad Money show? Or is there some truth to his …

Motorcycle lane-splitting study finds: the more speed, the more danger

October 23rd, 2014A yearlong California study of motorcycle lane-splitting has concluded the practice is no more dangerous than motorcycling in general, if the rider is traveling at speeds similar to or only slightly faster than the surrounding traffic.The maneuver becomes more dangerous, however, when a motorcyclist is speeding or riding more than 10 mph faster than the traffic the cyclist is passing.Lane-splitting occurs when a motorcyclist passes other vehicles by riding between them along th…

Easy Rider motorcycle auctioned for $135m

October 20th, 2014California auction house Profiles in History said bidding had been fierce but did not name the buyer.Reportedly used in the film's climactic crash scene, the Harley-Davidson was restored by actor Dan Haggerty.Yet the bike's authenticity has been questioned by another collector who claims he owns the actual chopper used.Gordon Granger of Texas also claims he has a certificate, signed by Grizzly Adams star Haggerty, proving his bike is the genuine article.Haggerty, who had a smal…

Bikers v ISIS? Dutch motorcycle gang gets green light to fight Islamic State

October 16th, 2014Article originally written on RT.comAlready battling airstrikes conducted by the US and its allies, the Islamic State now has another threat to look out for: a motorcycle gang from the Netherlands.Three members of the infamous Dutch biker gang “No Surrender” reportedly journeyed to Iraq and Syria last week in order to fight alongside Kurdish troops and against Islamic State (IS) militants.Now, commenting on the legality of that move, the Dutch public prosecutor said Tues…

Behind The Motorcycles In Easy Rider, A Long-Obscured Story

October 13th, 2014On Oct. 18, the Calabasas, Calif.-based auction house Profiles In History will auction off what it says is the last authentic motorcycle used in the filming of 1969's Easy Rider, and what some consider the most famous motorcycle in the world.Peter Fonda, who played Wyatt in the Dennis Hopper-directed film, rode the so-called "Captain America" bike, named for its distinctive American flag color scheme and known for its sharply-angled long front end.The bike currently for sale wa…

Why One Syrian Refugee Risked it All for a Motorcycle

October 10th, 2014SURUC, Turkey -- Ahmed Sheikh Saleh visits the refugee camp nearly every day. He's well-known to many here: the tall, lanky man with thick grey hair. The man who smokes Gitanes and asks for news from home. The man with the motorcycle.Saleh, 45, is a refugee, too. But he doesn't live in the public park in this frontier city near the Syrian border, where families fleeing ISIS sleep in grassy patches underneath the boughs of old trees. In the morning, Saleh rides his cream-colored…

Stolen Harley-Davidson motorcycle found after 42 years

October 9th, 2014Article originally written on ABC7.After 42 years, a stolen classic Harley-Davidson was found at the L.A./Long Beach seaport, and it's being returned to its rightful owner.North Carolina resident Edgar Johnson Junior reunited with his father's 1954 Harley-Davidson Hydra-Glide motorcycle on Thursday."Words can't describe how I'm feeling today," said Johnson. "It's wonderful."Johnson says someone stole the bike from his family's backyard in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1972. He sa…

Man Loses Marriage and Job, Gains Motivation from 11,000-Mile Motorcycle Trip to Alaska

September 29th, 2014Sebastiaan de With is a 26-year-old Dutch man living in San Francisco. He's a designer, photographer and motorcycle enthusiast.As he put it in a Reddit post: de With "got divorced, lost my job, so me and my buddy got on our motorcycles and rode North to the Alaskan Arctic until the road ran out."De With's journey from San Francisco to Anchorage, Alaska, took about two months roundtrip. He and his friend, Stuart Philkill, documented their journey (they're both photographers) w…

Keanu Reeves motorcycle company debuts first bike

September 25th, 2014Keanu Reeves is setting out on another excellent adventure.The actor and motorcycle enthusiast has teamed up with bike builder Gard Hollinger to launch the Arch Motorcycle Company.The Los Angeles-based outfit has started taking orders for its first ride, the KRGT-1.Not just another custom rod, the big V-Twin features an all-original design built with handmade parts and powered by a unique 2032cc motor developed with S&S Cycle good for nearly 122 hp and 122 lb-ft of …

This Burly, $65K Motorcycle Is Inspired by a Fighter Plane

September 23rd, 2014Birmingham, Alabama-based Confederate Motorcycles has been building fast, outrageously designed, limited run motorcycles for over two decades, and its creations have been by turns brilliant and insane. Their latest, the $65,000 X132 Hellcat Speedster, looks destined for the first pile. It’s a made-in-the-USA cruiser so gorgeous and powerful, you may be able to forgive its excess in price.The Hellcat Speedster is the latest in Confederate’s Hellcat series, which it’s been buil…

Motorcycle restoration a loving tribute to Dennis Robinsons older brother, Steven

September 17th, 2014For years, Steven Robinson's Honda motorcycle was a painful reminder of his 2010 death in a traffic accident.Today, the restored bike stands as a gleaming tribute to a beloved brother and a life cut tragically short."It just amazes me to see it sitting there," said Dennis Robinson, growing emotional as he looked at his brother's motorcycle outside TBC Hot Rods and Bikes on Russell Street.Dennis Robinson, 54, said he grew up idolizing his older brother, relying on hi…

A Rock Hill man is accused of stealing a motorcycle he borrowed for a charity

September 10th, 2014ROCK HILL — A Rock Hill man is accused of stealing a motorcycle he borrowed for a charity bike ride last month.Vernon Nelson, 40, was arrested Tuesday and charged with breach of trust, according to Rock Hill Police.A woman told police she lent her 2009 Harley Davidson to Nelson on Aug. 22 so he could participate in a charity motorcycle ride the following day. He was supposed to return the bike two days later but he didn't. The woman hasn't been able to get in touch with him s…

Harley-Davidson brings new electric motorcycle to Kansas City

September 9th, 2014Worth Harley-Davidson is offering people an opportunity to ride Harley-Davidson's first hand built, non-production, custom electric motorcycle from Thursday through Saturday.Project Livewire is not under production, but Harley-Davidson is taking it on a nationwide tour to get customer feedback. Just 35 of the motorcycles were built, and 11 are currently in Kansas City for the first time.The bike is a major change of pace for the motorcycle manufacturer that is known for its lo…

Honda recalls 126K motorcycles for a 2nd time

September 8th, 2014Honda Motor Co. is recalling 126,000 motorcycles for a second time because their brakes can malfunction.The recall covers Honda's GL-1800 motorcycles for model years 2001-2010 and 2012. A problem with the secondary brake master cylinder can cause the rear brake to drag, potentially leading to a crash or fire.Honda had received 533 complaints through July 24, including reports of eight small fires. There have been no reports of crashes or injuries as a result of the problem.Hon…

Harley rally to bring boost for economy

September 4th, 2014Rocky Mount is primed to hold one of its bigger events of the year on Friday.For the first time ever, the city is part of the NC State Harley Owners Group Rally, which is the largest factory-sponsored motorcycle organization in the world with nearly a million members around the globe. The annual event for Harley-Davidson riders is a four-day weekend of planned activities along U.S. 64 dubbed “Door to Door on 64,” starting Wednesday in Murphy, continuing today in Statesville, t…

Motorcycles will roar for late biker legend Don Tilley

September 2nd, 2014Hundreds of Harley riders will converge on Statesville Sunday to celebrate the life of Don Tilley, who died as he lived most of his 78 years: Riding a motorcycle with his wife.Tilley was a legend in racing and Harley-Davidson circles, having led all 20 of Kyle Petty’s “ Charity Ride Across America” treks to raise money for seriously ill children. He died when he lost control of his motorcycle on the Blue Ridge Parkway south of Asheville Friday evening.Robinette Tilley, his wif…

Ozone in Colorado mountains surprises researchers

August 28th, 2014DENVER (AP) - Researchers say they're surprised by how much harmful ozone and ozone-causing chemicals are drifting into the Colorado mountains from urban and rural areas below.Scientists from the National Center for Atmospheric Research and NASA say an intensive examination of pollution along the northern Front Range found ozone all the way up to the Continental Divide.They say mountain ozone levels were similar to or greater than levels at lower elevations in some cas…

Harleys Not Alone in the Electric Motorcycle Race

August 27th, 2014Harley-Davidson’s (HOG) latest model is sure to induce cringes among many die-hard bikers: an electric motorcycle. Project Livewire, now in beta and touring the U.S. to give test rides to Harley fans, boasts zero emissions, far less noise than a standard Harley, and no gearbox. The all-electric motorcycle is missing quite a few of the attributes that make a Harley what it is.Considering this is a company that famously attempted to trademark the distinctive sound made by a Harley…

Sikhs denied exemption from Ontario’s motorcycle helmet law

August 26th, 2014Motorcycle-riding Sikhs in Ontario will not be exempted from the province’s helmet law, Premier Kathleen Wynne has decided.The Canadian Sikh Association says it received a letter last week from Wynne stating the Liberal government, for safety reasons, will not allow Sikh motorcycle riders to wear only turbans as British Columbia and Manitoba currently allow.“After careful deliberation, we have determined that we will not grant this type of exemption as it would pose a road safet…

Justin Bieber nearly crashes into pedestrian while illegally riding motorcycle on sidewalk

August 25th, 2014Justin Bieber had a close call on the road.The 'Baby' singer took his Can-Am Spyder 3-wheeled motorcyle for a joyride in Beverly Hills on Thursday. In trying to avoid traffic, he nearly hit a pedestrian, according to TMZ.Bieber, clad in a flannel shirt and jeans, illegally moved his bike onto the sidewalk after encountering bumper-to-bumper traffic. On his way off the sidewalk and back on to the street, he nearly hit an elderly woman who was using a walker.The close encounter di…

High-End Motorcycles Meet Indias Mopeds

August 22nd, 2014Workers at Erik Buell Racing have spent the past year building motorcycles for rich men who like to move fast. EBR’s newest model, the 1190SX, went on sale in July for $16,995 and is a good choice for “someone who’s looking to go 110 miles per hour on the racetrack,” says Anthony Galimberti, co-owner of Big Boyz Toys, a motorcycle dealership in Marlboro, N.Y. Although the company is known for building powerful trophy bikes, two-thirds of EBR’s 150 workers spend most of their tim…

Lorenzen Wrights motorcycle to be sold at auction

August 19th, 2014A custom motorcycle built specifically for the former University of Memphis and Memphis Grizzlies player Lorenzen Wright will be auctioned Aug. 22.The motorcycle was built in 2008 to fit the 6-foot-11-inch Wright by Carl Brouhard, a nationally known custom motorcycle builder. It will be auctioned at noon at Morris Auction Center, located at 2687 Mt. Moriah Terrace. It will be available for inspection Aug. 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.“This may be a once in a lifetime opportunity to …

Indian Motorcycle riding high as retro chic rules the road

August 18th, 2014Article originally written on Houston Chronicle.Ronald Richards of west Houston has been riding motorcycles for 40 of his 60 years. But the retired military serviceman says the Indian Chieftain he bought a month ago is "unlike any I've ever owned" in terms of the attention he gets while riding it.Greg White, a 63-year-old energy business owner in Sugar Land, heartily agrees. Crowds sometimes gather when he pulls up to a gasoline pump on his Indian Vintage with leather …

Like America, Hormel motorcycle is fueled by bacon

August 15th, 2014Article originally written on CNet.To promote the company's reputation as America's favorite doughnut shop, Dunkin' Donuts created the slogan "America Runs on Dunkin'." Now, I'm not calling Dunkin' a liar, but everyone knows that America really runs on bacon, and Hormel Foods has set out to prove it.San Diego is hosting the International Bacon Film Festival at the USS Midway Museum on August 29. To promote the event, Hormel, one of the most prolific bacon makers in the country, …

CHP stuck in the middle on motorcycle lane-splitting

August 13th, 2014The California Highway Patrol has withdrawn its safety guidance on motorcycle lane-splitting.The law enforcement agency two weeks ago quietly removed from its website a series of recommendations for riders using the popular traffic-avoidance practice, one often reviled by automobile drivers.Lane-splitting, or lane-filtering, is the term used to describe motorcyclists riding in the space between lanes, usually on freeways, and usually when the traffic has slowed or stopped. Relat…

Skully heads-up display motorcycle helmet now available for preorder

August 12th, 2014The Skully AR-1, a high-tech helmet aimed at making motorcycle riding safer by letting riders see what’s behind them, is now available for preorder.The helmet is being sold exclusively on Indiegogo for $1399 and is expected to ship in May 2015. The price of the helmet will go up to $1499 after a 30-day campaign. The helmet features a heads-up display that shows a live feed from a nearly 180-degree rearview camera. The view of the back of the road is displayed outside of the…

US safety agency opens probe into Can-Am Spyder motorcycle fires

August 11th, 2014DETROIT (AP) — U.S. safety regulators are investigating two reports of fires in Can-Am Spyder three-wheeled motorcycles.The probe covers about 52,000 motorcycles from the 2008 through 2014 model years.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says in documents posted Friday that the fires appear to be unrelated to three recalls of the motorcycles. One Spyder was destroyed last month in a fire while being used by the Morgantown, West Virginia, Police Department. Another …

Harley-Davidson Makes An Electric Motorcycle

August 8th, 2014Harley-Davidson unveiling of a new electric motorcycle sent serious energy through the industry last week. Shares of Harley-Davidson Inc. rose significantly after the manufacturer unveiled images of “Project LiveWire,” and websites reported record-level traffic after covering the news.The announcement also created buzz for brands already making electric bikes. ZERO Motorcycles President Scot Harden said web traffic more than doubled the day Harley announced LiveWire, while the co…

Guardian Helmet to Save Lives

August 7th, 2014It's the Google Glass for motorcyclists.A new high-tech helmet could change the way riders take to the road, and combines augmented reality with several other high-tech features to keep bikers safe.The helmet, called the Guardian GA-1, is the brainchild of Ryan Shearman, the founder and CEO of Fusar Tech."Riding in the city is akin to running with the bulls," the 27-year-old Hoboken resident told the Daily News. "It takes quite a brave individual to ride a bike in Manhattan."Shea…

Victorian Government rejects proposal to allow riders to weave through stationary traffic

August 6th, 2014A proposal to allow motorbike and scooter riders to weave through slow-moving or stationary traffic has been rejected by the Victorian Government.The Opposition has promised to amend legislation allowing so-called "filtering" if it wins government in November's state election.Labor's spokesman for roads Luke Donnellan said the move would be a "win-win for everybody"."We think it's time for the Government to act, so we're jumping on the front foot and saying let's get movi…

The Indian Scout motorcycle returns for $10,999

August 4th, 2014It’s not the world’s fastest Indian, but for now it’s the smallest.The recently reborn Indian Motorcycle company has resurrected the legendary Scout name for its new entry level bike.The $10,999 cruiser is powered by an all-new 69 cubic inch twin that’s rated at 100 hp and 72 lb-ft of torque and finished with heritage design cues. A modern aluminum frame helps provide a low curb weight of 558 pounds, and a low seating position to go with it. The Scout’s long gas tank hearkens bac…

Indian Motorcycles Revival Isnt Done Yet

August 1st, 2014After a year of success with its revived lineup of Indian Motorcycles, Polaris Industries is rolling into this weekend’s huge motorcycle rally in Sturgis, S.Dakota, with strong momentum and at least one more surprise in store.It’s been a year since Indian unveiled three new models at Sturgis in a bid to challenge market leader Harley-Davidson. This week, it added a fourth, the $26,999 Roadmaster, a new luxury touring bike that will serve as the brand’s flagship. On Saturday…

Thunder Beach Productions

Sick Boy Motorcycles

Find Gun Shows Nearby