JESSE JAMES AND S&S® CYCLE ANNOUNCE EXCLUSIVE COLLABORATION
 LONG
BEACH, CA (MARCH 5, 2008) Jesse James has agreed to an exclusive
collaboration, marketing, and endorsement agreement with S&S Cycle, Inc. of
La Crosse, Wisconsin. James has been an avid customer of S&S Cycle
throughout his involvement with the v-twin motorcycle industry.
Jesse James, owner of West Coast Choppers said, "I have been riding S&S
stroker motor bikes since I was 17 years old. West Coast Choppers have
consistently been the fastest bikes around and I have S&S to thank for that.
I am honored to work with a company that produces such quality products that
are made in the USA."
“The past 50 years for S&S have been an extreme success for us in the
traditional v-twin market,” said S&S president, Brett Smith. “This
collaborative agreement with Jesse is geared toward focusing on strategic
growth opportunities for S&S as we move into the next 50 years.” Smith went
on to say, “With our recent acquisition of Flathead Power®, we will continue
to focus on our core market of traditional v-twin Proven Performance®.
Jesse’s enthusiasm for classic v-twin performance was the genesis for this
agreement, yet this collaboration will allow us to expand our efforts into
the mainstream motorcycle market as a whole—particularly with our 50-state
compliant X-Wedge® engine. I am looking forward to seeing what Jesse comes
up with for that engine.”
James and S&S will also collaborate on a new apparel line expected to be
released later in 2008 designed to offer the independent dealers a quality
apparel alternative for their v-twin customers. This new apparel release
will be done in conjunction with the highly anticipated S&S consumer
reintroduction of the Flathead Power line of products at Sturgis, SD in
August.
For more information, please contact Brett Smith at 608-627-0247.
Jesse James started West Coast Choppers in the late 1980's in the corner of
his mom's garage. From there he hand-hammered his own designs and developed
a reputation for making quality exhaust pipes, fenders, and gas tanks that
caught everyone's attention, including motorcycle magazines and television
networks. Based in his hometown of Long Beach, California, West Coast
Choppers has grown into a 50-person, 18,000-square-foot shop of metal
bending custom ingenuity. Learn more by going to
www.westcoastchoppers.com .
While not all details of the agreement were released, it includes continued
exclusive use of S&S engines in all American v-twin motorcycle builds by
James and his world renown custom motorcycle shop, West Coast Choppers.
James also plans to build special construction motorcycles for S&S in
support of their 50th Anniversary Celebration June 26-29 in La Crosse, WI
featuring X-Wedge® and Flathead Power® branded S&S engines.
S&S Cycle has been a leading manufacturer of Proven Performance v-twin
motorcycle components and engines for nearly 50 years. George Smith and
Stanley Stankos founded the company in 1958 in Blue Island, Illinois.
Shortly after the founding of S&S, George, and his wife Marjorie (whose
maiden name was also Smith), bought out Stanley Stankos and Smith & Stankos
became Smith & Smith (S&S). In 1969, S&S moved from Blue Island to Viola,
Wisconsin and expanded to La Crosse, Wisconsin in 2004. This 3rd generation
business supplies components and/or engines to several large custom OEs
including: American Ironhorse, APC, Arlen Ness, Big Bear Choppers, Big Dog,
Bourget Bike Works, Orange County Choppers, Saxon, Swift, Victory, & West
Coast Choppers (please see the S&S website for a complete listing located at
www.sscycle.com ).
Top riders in all three classes for KTM Enduro Factory Racing
 The
KTM Enduro Factory Racing Team, as always under the experienced guidance of
team boss Fabio Farioli, goes into the 2008 racing season pumped with
confidence.
With a talented line-up in each class, the team expects to reap podiums and
titles this year. To keep riders motivated and to give them new challenges
there has been a shakeup of riders in the individual classes. This year both
2- and 4-stroke KTM machines will be used in the two bigger categories, a
move that Farioli says will produce “a good fight” for supremacy.
Cervantes to show finesse in E1
The team has a mix of experience and youthful talent in the E1 class this
season. Ivan Cervantes is back on a KTM 250 4-stroke, a bike that suits his
riding style and which will serve him well on his favourite hard surfaces.
He is joined by Britain’s Tom Sagar who moves up from the junior competition
where he finished in the top three last year. Sagar’s inclusion in the
factory line-up underlines KTM’s forward-looking commitment to nurture young
talent that can prove to be tomorrow’s stars in the top level of
competition. Having already shown he can produce good results in his own
right, Sagar will also be able to learn much from the more experienced
Cervantes, winner of the E3 world championship title in 2007. Cervantes was
on the podium at the end of every race last season, eventually winning the
E3 title from KTM teammate Marko Tarkkala by an outstanding 51 points.
New challenges for Juha Salminen in E2 class
Juha Salminen, who triumphantly returned to the European racing season in
2007 to dominate the E1 class, now moves to E2. Now fully recovered from a
shoulder injury in the closing stages of 2007, the Finn is ready to attack
the Enduro tracks onboard a KTM 450 4-stroke machine. Salminen, whose
amazing racing career has seen him pick up a hoard of titles and trophies,
goes into the season with one aim – to finish as E2 World Champion.
Alessandro Belometti of Italy joins Salminen in E2 onboard his KTM 250
2-stroke bike and according to team boss Farioli, is a definite podium
contender. Both riders contested the E1 class last season with Salminen
winning the title by a 28-point margin after missing two races in Slovakia
through his injury. He won 12 of the 13 races in which he competed and was
third in the remaining one. Belometti finished the season in a creditable
fifth place overall.
All Finnish line-up for E3 in 2008
KTM Enduro Factory Racing Team features an all-Finnish line-up in the E3
class. Big Marko Tarkkala, the only KTM factory rider who remains in the
same class in 2008, will ride the KTM 520 4-stroke bike while teammate
Samuli Aro will be onboard the KTM 300 2-stroke machine. Aro fought a tough
battle with fellow Finn Mika Ahola in E2 last year, finishing in second
place at the conclusion of the season. The opening races in Sweden will be
the perfect chance for the Finnish duo to display their talents and they
will also be in their element on other forested circuits.
Compact calendar takes riders all over Europe
The 2008 calendar, this year without any races in North America, presents
riders with a whole series of challenging terrain. The seven event double
race season opens in Östersund, Sweden in March offering riders their one
chance to compete in winter conditions and using spiked tyres. While the
Finnish contingent in the KTM factory team does have the edge in these
conditions, their KTM teammates are also gaining in confidence on this type
of surface. The Enduro competition then goes to the Iberian peninsular for
races in Spain and Portugal, surfaces where Cervantes is truly at home.
Teams then travel to Kwidzyn in Poland and to new tracks in Llanidloes in
the heart of Wales and on the edge of the Cambrian Mountains. They then
travel to Uzerche in the French region of Limousin where enthusiastic French
fans add a very special atmosphere. The final race of the season at
Piediluco, Italy is home ground for Belometti. During breaks in the world
championship series, riders will be able to keep their skills finely tuned
competing in other international and national events.
LARRY PEGRAM AND 848 TAKE
PODIUM AT DAYTONA
 Larry
Pegram of the LeoVince Foremost Insurance Team rode a phenomenal race on the
new Ducati 848 in the 67th Annual Daytona 200. After overcoming a small tire
issue on lap four, Pegram put his head down for the remaining 65 laps to
take third place in the 69 lap race. Pegram started the race on the third
row and fought hard for 200 miles—even leading the race at one point.
"The Daytona 200 is a race that leaves little room for error and lots of
things can go wrong. I couldn't be happier with my finish on the brand new
Ducati 848. The bike performed extremely well given that we were pressed for
time preparing for the race and were not able to get all the development and
testing completed that we wanted to," commented Larry.
"This year started out with our sponsors stepping up support for the team,
which is always nice. Now finishing on the podium at Daytona just confirms
what I thought—we have a team that is going to be fighting for the
championship. The new 848 is a bike I can win on. We are in great shape
coming out of Daytona in third place. Barber Motorsports is a track that
will play to the nimble handling of the 848. I am looking forward to that
race," added Larry.
This is the second year that team owner Larry Pegram is running the Ducati
team and racing for Ducati North America. Larry posted three podium finishes
last season aboard a modified Ducati 749 and was regularly battling at the
front.
Pegram's next race piloting the new Ducati 848 Superbike is at Barber
Motorsports in Birmingham, Alabama on April 19, 2008.
Pit Pass Radio - Weekly Motorcycle Talk Show - News release
Top people from the motorcycle industry give their uncut opinions and race
stories. Get your weekly motorcycle information live from Pit Pass Radio.
Hours 7 PM to 9 PM Central - streaming from
www.pitpassradio.com
Tonight's Guests
- First Hour -
Roger Edmondson, President, Daytona Motorsports Group
www.grand-am.com
Roger Edmondson is the current lone employee of Daytona Motorsports Group,
who announced on Friday night a deal to purchase the Pro Racing elements of
the AMA. Edmondson serves as President of the Grand-Am Road Racing
Association, the premier sports car racing organization in the U.S. As
President, Edmondson is responsible for all aspects of the organization's
operation including competition, sponsorships, marketing and communications.
Edmondson founded CCS and also operated the AMA Road Racing program from
1986 to 1994. During that tenure, he created the highly popular SuperSport
and Harley-Davidson Twin Sport Classes.
Steve Rapp, Rider, Attack Kawasaki
www.attackperformance.com
Steve placed in the Daytona 200 this past weekend and seventh in the
Supersport class. He was the winner of the Daytona 200 in 2007. Prior to
racing for the Attack Kawasaki Team, Steve rode for the Michael Jordan Motor
Sports Suzuki team.
- Second Hour -
Mel Harder, SVP Operations, Indianapolis Motor Speedway
www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com
The Indy Motor Speedway will host the inaugural Red Bull Indianapolis GP, an
event that promises to be one of the biggest motorcycle events in 2008. The
team at IMS has been very busy promoting the event. Mel Harder is the man
behind the operations of this icon track. Mel Harder was named senior vice
president, operations in November 2002 and oversees all aspects of facility
management and operation of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway plus IMS
construction and engineering initiatives. He has been a member of the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway's operations staff since 1990.
David Lloyd, Owner, Aprilia USA/Lloyd Brothers Motorsports
www.apriliausa.com
David Lloyd owns the Aprilia USA Moto- St team and the dirt track team. The
relationship started three years ago with the goal of bringing another brand
into dirt track racing and has evolved to include the Moto - ST team. The
team was the Moto-ST SST champion last year and recently won the season
opener at Daytona International Speedway. David is a retired dirt track
racer and road racer.
Gallt, Sales and Rider Support, Enduro Engineering
www.enduroeng.com
Enduro Engineering started 20 years ago with a mission to develop quality
product for the off-road racing community. Today they are known for their
handguards and other products developed for the off-road racing community.
Crew at Pit Pass Radio
Scott Casber, Tony Wenck, Tony Tice, Jeremy Shonning and Ed Kuhlenkamp,
Build-Momentum
Pit Pass Radio is a syndicated motorcycle talk-radio show heard across the
U.S. on radio stations and around the world via the internet at
www.pitpassradio.com. The show airs every Tuesday from 5-7 pm Pacific, 6-8
pm Mountain, 7-9 pm Central, and 8-10 pm Eastern at
www.pitpassradio.com
. Companies interested in advertising on the show or marketing partnerships
can contact Ed Kuhlenkamp at (336) 293-9103, or
ed@build-momentum.com .
If you have any questions you can call in toll free 866-333-5966, or
515-284-5966.
Attack Kawasaki’s Davies and Rapp Finish 1-2 in a Surprising Daytona
200 - News release
Attack Kawasaki’s Chaz Davies and Steve Rapp made it a second consecutive
one-two finish for the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R at the prestigious Daytona 200
at the Daytona International Speedway on Saturday. After originally
finishing second and third, the team was awarded the top-two spots following
a disqualification announcement by the AMA. In a rescheduled AMA Superbike
race, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jamie Hacking earned fifth place, while
teammate Roger Hayden finished eighth.
Under the Kawasaki Tent
Hard to Grasp
When the race ended Saturday afternoon, the Attack boys were sitting with an
impressive second and third-place finish. At about 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time,
the team was notified by the AMA that the race winner was disqualified. This
put Davies and Rapp on the top two steps of the podium.
“I didn’t believe it at first,” said Davies. “I thought Richard was joking
but then I started getting more and more phone calls and I kind of started
thinking it was true. Its still hard to accept since the other team will
most likely fight it, but once its official I think it will start settling
in.”
We Race to Race
Rapp was obviously excited to move up a spot to second-place, but he
expressed that he is a racer and would have loved to have been able to race
to that finish.
“It’s not exactly how I would want win or move up to a better spot,” said
Rapp. “I’m a racer and generally racers want to go out there to try and
finish their very best. Of course I’m happy to finish second. If we look
past this race, it will definitely help us in the chase for the
championship.”
Two for Two
For the second-straight year, Attack Kawasaki swept the top-two spots in the
prestigious Daytona 200.
“I know our team is capable of this as we showed last year,” said Team
Manager Richard Stamboli. “This is obviously huge and shows we are just as
talented and ready to win the championship this year.”
Pit Stops
The Daytona 200 is the only race on the AMA Superbike circuit that requires
pit stops. With the exception of two people, the Attack Kawasaki crew was
completely new. The crew could breathe a small sigh of relief since the team
was under the experience of Team Manager Richard Stamboli.
Delays
When the teams arrived to the track on Saturday, they were met with
incredibly high winds that eventually forced the rescheduling of the AMA
Superbike race and caused a shortened time period between the practice
session for the Daytona 200 and the race.
Last Minute Repairs
During the 20 minute warm-up before the Daytona 200, Rapp experienced a
minor crash. Since the practice session was delayed, the crew had very
little time to fix what they needed. In less than an hour, they had the bike
ready to finish on the podium.
Getting in the Zone
Davies waits in the pit area for the start of the Daytona 200. He remains
extremely calm and focused prior to one of the biggest motorcycle races in
the world.
Finally Racing
Unlike last year and much of his career, Hacking is only racing in the AMA
Superbike class. He had a great start and was able to hang on for a top-five
finish.
“I was really happy with my start,” said Hacking. “I’m not extremely happy
with the result but it is definitely better than last year where I crashed
out of the race, right out of the gate.”
Nursing the Arm
After crashing on Thursday during the superbike qualifying session, Hayden
continued to race through the injury. Following a mid-pack start, he kept up
the pace and finished in eighth.
“It took me awhile to get going and once I did I was pretty far back,” said
Hayden. “Once I got in a rhythm, I started picking people off. I actually
followed my brother for most of the race and he was able to pull me along. I
got a finish here which is more than I can say for the last two years, so
that’s always good.”
Late Start, Missed Flights
The high winds that came in overnight to the Daytona International Speedway
caused the postponement of the AMA Superbike race. Not only was the
superbike race rescheduled, the Hayden family had to change their flights
since they missed their evening flight back to Owensboro, Ky.
For all the pictures, videos and most recent Kawasaki racing action, visit
www.kawasaki.com/racing
Alleged biker boss convicted of 7 'Project Defence' charges
CBC Manitoba, Canada - Ernie Dew, alleged
former president of the Hells Angels in Manitoba, has been convicted on
seven charges of drug trafficking related to a sting operation involving a
controversial undercover police agent.
Queen's Bench Justice Brenda Keyser handed down a conviction Monday in
Winnipeg on a charge of cocaine trafficking. Dew was convicted in February
on three other charges of drug trafficking and three of possessing the
proceeds of crime.
Monday's conviction was related to a cocaine deal involving Dew's wife, but
which the judge ruled had been orchestrated by Dew. Vera Dew has already
pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and was sentenced to four years in prison
Ernie Dew's lawyer, Sarah Inness, filed a motion in February alleging he was
a victim of police entrapment.
Keyser will begin hearing the entrapment argument April 24. If she accepts
the argument, all seven of Dew's convictions would be nullified.
Dew and 12 others were arrested in February 2006 as part of Project Defence,
an investigation by the RCMP and police in Winnipeg and Brandon into
suspected drug dealers.
Civilian agent
Much of the evidence in the Project Defence cases centres around Franco
Atanasovic, a civilian agent for the police who wore recording devices
during meetings with suspected criminal targets.
Last year, Atanasovic was a star witness at the trial of Hells Angels member
Ian Grant, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison on eight charges —
including drug trafficking, extortion and possession of proceeds of crime —
in another Project Defence case.
Eight others have also been sentenced to jail terms in connection with
Project Defence charges.
Part of the reason Atanasovic was able to get close to the outlaw bikers was
his decades-long friendship with Dew.
Atanasovic was paid more than $500,000 for his role in Project Defence and
is now in witness protection.
Fink wannabe lost for words at arrest
Gold Coast News, Australia - AN outspoken
wannabe Fink was one of three men arrested by Gold Coast police yesterday
over a vicious Christmas Eve assault.
Police said the 35-year-old Labrador man, who calls himself 'Outlaw Menace',
is a nominee-in-waiting of the motorcycle gang and is believed to be heavily
associated with the gang's 'terror team' which includes well-known Finks
members Gregory John Keating, Tama Lewis and Sven Kelly.
He runs a blog on the popular networking site MySpace, usually used by those
in their late teens and early 20s, called '(expletive) The Gold Coast
Bulletin' in which he expresses interest in meeting members of the The
Bulletin's staff.
The man even called The Bulletin's office yesterday to let us know he was
handing himself in to Surfers Paradise police station.
"I'm (expletive) handing myself in at 4pm and I thought the (expletive) Gold
Coast Bulletin would be inter-ested," he told a staff member after
identifying himself.
We were.
But he seemed lost for words when I confronted him as he was being led into
the Southport Watchouse yesterday afternoon.
When asked if he had anything to say, he said: "Yeah." He then paused before
eloquently replying: "You suck."
Wearing a Support Your Local Finks T-shirt which revealed his heavily
tattooed arms, the man then told me and a Bulletin photographer to
'(expletive) off' before he was led away, smiling, into the secure police
area.
There he joined a 20-year-old Ashmore man and a 26-year man from Broadbeach
-- also associates of the Finks -- who had been arrested earlier over the
same offence.
Police allege the trio, with Finks sergeant-at-arms Gregory John Keating,
viciously glassed and bashed a man at a Surfers Paradise nightclub on
Christmas Eve.
Police allege a 22-year-old man accidentally bumped into or brushed past one
of the men during pre-Christmas festivities at the Berlin Bar at midnight on
December 24.
It is alleged the four men then set upon him, smashing a bottle and striking
him in the face, neck and body.
Police allege the men then kicked, punched and stomped on the man as he lay
bleeding on the floor.
He was treated at the Gold Coast Hospital.
All three were yesterday charged with assault occasioning bodily harm while
armed and in company.
The 26-year-old was also charged with possessing a dangerous drug,
possessing a (drug-related) utensil, failing to dispose of a syringe and
needle and having unsecured ammunition.
All three men will appear in the Southport Magistrates Court today.
Mr Keating, 28, was charged on December 28 last year in relation to the
incident. He has been remanded in custody until his committal hearing on
April 3.
Los Banos rally bound to hurt
Hollister Free Lance, CA - Timing could be a
serious blow to Hollister Motorcycle Rally's success
Organizers of a Los Banos-based biker festival delivered a potentially
serious blow to Hollister - and a cheap shot at that - by scheduling their
2008 event on the same weekend as the long-running, local biker rally.
In its second year, organizers of the Central Valley Motorcycle Rally moved
the event from September to July 11-13, the same weekend of the Hollister
Motorcycle Rally.
Hollister's rally, commemorating the 61-year-old biker "invasion," began as
a sanctioned event in 1997. The local rally had been a July 4 weekend
festival until 2007, when the city allowed the private promoter, Horse Power
Promotions, to move it to the following weekend.
Los Banos stands to gain from move
The Hollister rally promoter and city officials have downplayed the
significance of having the motorcycle festivals overlap because they have
little to gain at this point by openly bashing the nearby city and its biker
rally. The bottom line, though, is that the little-known Los Banos event
stands to benefit from a long-established base of attendees the local event
attracts, while Hollister could only lose revenue - and inevitably will -
from some of those bikers either solely visiting the Merced County rally or,
at the very least, spending a portion of their money there instead of here.
Steven Lopez, whose American Marketing Productions company is promoting the
Central Valley Motorcycle Rally, told the Free Lance it's another option for
riders in the area that weekend. "I want them to come to Hollister," Lopez
said, "and I want people from Hollister to come to my event."
That's precisely the point - Los Banos is a scenic, 45-minute drive over the
hill - and the reason why his event should get a convenient boost with San
Benito County's help.
And by the way, Los Banos, thanks for asking.
Poor showing of regional cooperation
Business is business, and Lopez has every right as a private promoter to
maximize his earning potential. But government leaders in the relatively
close Los Banos community, while not legally bound to gain clearance from
local officials, apparently made a conscious decision to compete with
Hollister and its ability to attract thousands of devoted bikers to town
each year.
It's akin to two neighboring churches scheduling the pancake breakfast on
the same morning.
Whether the Central Valley event succeeds or fails miserably, any business
gained there is tax revenue lost here. There's no way around it.
In the name of regional cooperation, Los Banos never should have allowed the
switch to July 11.
The Motorcycle Preacher
KOMU-TV, MO - JEFFERSON CITY- A middle-aged man
manages the week just waiting for a chance to hop on his Harley. His name is
Joe Bonchonsky, but people in Jefferson City know him as Bsky.
He has one holy Harley. Joe "Bsky"isn't just a rider, he's a reverend. And
when the wind is in his face, he's in hog heaven.
In lieu of a robe, Rev. "Bsky"wears a leather jacket. He's the chapter
president of the Jefferson City Tribe of Judah - an evangelical motorcycle
ministry that focuses on the outlaw biker. He's also the founder of
Motorcycle Ministries Inc.
"It's easy to teach a Christian to ride a motorcycle but not so easy to
teach a Biker to be a Christian," said Bonchonsky. "There are so many people
out there that we've written off because of their lifestyle maybe or how
they look. "
As one of the ministers at the Jefferson City Christian Center Evangelist
Bsky gets his fill of Jesus.
But decades ago he says he felt empty inside."They're lost on the inside and
if they're not filled up on the inside, there's no meaningful way you can
feel okay on the outside. And there are people who do drugs, alcohol, sex
whatever they try to fill that void from the outside in. All those pseudo
things that you think will make you happy, you just layer over an empty
spot."
As a young man, Joe found something he thought could fill his emptiness.
"I'd had a fifth of whisky, speed and PCP," said Bonchonsky. "I came to a
point in time where I was literally over a man beating the life out of him
and I finally came to a conclusion this is not the way a man should live."
So Joe gave his life to Christ. "The biggest thing Jesus saved me from was
myself."
Joe was ordained as a minister and started spreading "the word" to outlaw
bikers. He even started volunteering in prisons.
But in 2004, Rev. Bsky lost something that might make an ordinary man fall.
He's a double amputee.
"Mostly my own fault and poor life choices that I made. I also have
diabetes. Earlier smoking and drinking and doing drugs and just being a
dummy. But there's been a lot of blessings even in the loss," said
Bonchonsky.
On this day, technicians fit Joe with a new set of titanium legs. The steps
are harder these days but this former outlaw and biker believes he's now on
the right path.
"We don't thump people over the head with a bible. We just love 'em. Love on
them. They see us at peace, happy, and healthy and with prosperity and they
say well, I may be interested in some of that."
"If I didn't have God in my life, I think the loss of one leg and then two,
it would make an ordinary man fall. Crumble."
But Rev. Bsky didn't fall. He had his motorcycle made into a trike, and went
to therapy to re-learn how to put one foot in front of the other.
Rev. Bsky says losing his legs hasn't changed his stance - it's strengthened
his ability to lead others in their own walk.
He said, "we are overcomers in Christ. We can overcome anything."
Rev. Bonchonsky is also the chaplain at the Cole County Jail.
Woman injured when motorcycle hits van
Ventura County Star, CA - A Camarillo woman
broke her jaw and clavicle Monday afternoon when her motorcycle hit a
minivan, authorities said.
Sally Birins, 47, was riding west on Beardsley Road near Wright Road just
outside Camarillo at a high speed when she lost control of the motorcycle,
said Shawna Davison, a spokeswoman for the California Highway Patrol in
Ventura. Birins' motorcycle crossed into the opposing lane of traffic,
hitting a minivan driven by Monica Carter, 42, of Camarillo.
Birins was thrown from the motorcycle, Davison said, and taken to St. John's
Regional Medical Center in Oxnard. Carter and her daughter got out of the
minivan before it burst into flames, Davison said. Neither was injured.
Several eucalyptus trees caught on fire, but Ventura County firefighters
extinguished the flames.
Virginia judge hurt in motorcycle accident
Richmond Times Dispatch, VA - A Virginia judge
is in stable condition today in a Richmond hospital after suffering multiple
fractures in a motorcycle collision with a car in King William County.
General District Court Judge Paul W. Cella, who serves in Powhatan County
and three other counties in the 11th Circuit, was injured after a vehicle
pulled in front of his motorcycle yesterday about 4:15 p.m. on U.S. 360 in
King William, according to his sister, Dr. Caroline Cella-Marker.
Cella, 53, suffered multiple fractures and was airlifted to VCU Medical
Center, where he was being treated in the surgical-trauma unit, his sister
said.
"He's awake; he's alert," Cella-Marker said yesterday. "Mentally, he's
fine."
Cella is a Powhatan native and resident. He was appointed last year to serve
on the 11th Circuit, which includes Powhatan, Dinwiddie, Amelia, and
Nottoway counties. He serves in a backup capacity in General District Court
in Petersburg, also part of the circuit.
Virginia State Police Sgt. Tom Cunningham said today that Cella was
traveling west on U.S. 360 when a car, traveling east, turned into Cella's
path near the intersection with state Route 30 at Central Garage.
Trooper D.J. Wilson investigated the collision and charged the car's driver,
Virginia Mitchell, 82, of West Point, with failure to yield.
Building, riding motorcycles gives man perspective on life
Frederick News Post (subscription), MD -
Vincent Hann loves the feel of the open road, the wind in his face, danger
nearby.
"Floating 6 inches off the road, I look down and watch it pass by under my
feet and realize I'm close to death," he said.
Hann, 38, who lives near Spring Ridge, has been riding a motorcycle almost
every day for 23 years, through rain, snow and even a flash flood one time
near Point of Rocks, he said. He takes weeklong trips on back roads carrying
little more than tools, racking up about 50,000 miles a year on his bike.
He's even built his own chopper.
Hann doesn't like to be labeled a biker though, or a rebel. And he's no
weekend warrior, sporting a $20,000 Harley-Davidson when the weather is
sunny and warm.
His father, who Hann said could build anything, including the house near
Spring Ridge where his mother lives, started him out on his own motorcycle
at the age of 15.
His father taught him to ride and how to fix and build his own parts, but
also encouraged him to channel his creativity.
Hann graduated from Gov. Thomas Johnson High School's gifted and talented
program in visual and performing arts in 1987.
He painted and sculpted in school, and the inspiration to work on metal grew
as an expression and extension of varied interests, Hann said.
In the late '80s, Hann, a metal worker who also teaches a medieval German
martial art featuring swordplay called Kunst Des Fechtens, began to forge
his own weaponry alongside parts to customize motorcycles. Hann said he has
"chopped" almost every bike he has owned.
"Chopping," or modifying manufactured motorcycles so that only the essential
parts remain, enhances speed and agility in addition to style, Hann said.
The term harks back to the period after World War II, when pilots returning
home bought Harley-Davidsons, which were less exclusive then, and stripped
them.
They had been accustomed to traveling precariously at high speeds, and
sought ways to relive the experience on fast, light motorbikes.
Working with stock motorcycles limits what can be changed, Hann said, from
the design of a frame, to the way the wiring is hidden behind plastic
panels.
"Mass production breeds compromise," Hann said.
One advantage, though, is that chopping a pre-made bike -- tweaking it here
or there, depending on what he needed -- allowed him to ride every day.
Building a chopper from the ground up, a task he started in 2005, meant he
couldn't ride until he finished.
It took him two years, and Hann said he almost couldn't handle it, but the
sacrifice provided incentive and was worth the reward, Hann said.
There were no limitations, Hann said. He used his driveway as a workshop,
setting up a metal table, a welder and an antique lathe, to machine all of
the foot pegs and handlebars. He made the parts, assembled them and then
took them apart to repaint and polish.
Hann's chopper has a "hard tail," or no rear suspension, a "suicide
shifter," or hand-operated stick shift instead of the usual toe shifter, and
a sloping, protracted front wheel without brakes that helps him see and feel
each contour of the road.
"A lot of people build bikes to impress other people," Hann said. "I just
want to feel happy when I ride it, and I do."
He said the bike turns a lot of heads, and he's spent as much as half an
hour explaining details of its construction.
"It's really cool the people you get to meet," Hann said.
His brother, Shane Hann, a professional painter, helped him detail parts for
his motorcycle, and they have discussed opening their own shop.
Hann isn't sure though, and said he also wants to start a Kunst Des Fechtens
school in Frederick.
Mostly, he enjoys the perspective on life he gets from riding his chopper.
People are separated from nature in their cars, and feel impervious, Hann
said. On a motorcycle, everything appears bigger -- the lanes and road --
and the rider is not isolated from the elements.
"You realize how small you are," he said.
Kenedy woman dies in motorcycle wreck
Wilson County News, TX - KENEDY — A father and
three children are left to mourn in the wake of the death of a woman known
to them as a wife and mother.
Police said 46-year-old Virginia Guzman and her husband, Juan, 48, both of
Kenedy, were riding their black Harley-Davidson motorcycle northbound on
U.S. 181 at approximately 7 p.m. March 5, when the motorcycle was struck by
a blue Plymouth Neon as the car was exiting a nearby car wash. The impact
caused both riders to be ejected from the motorcycle.
According to the investigating officer, Sgt. Jeremy Stevens of the Kenedy
Police Department, Trooper Steve Bailey from the Texas Department of Public
Safety witnessed the crash and was first to respond.
Despite the fact they were both wearing helmets, Stevens said, Virginia
Guzman was pronounced dead at the scene. Juan Guzman was airlifted to
University Hospital in San Antonio, where a hospital spokesman said he was
released March 8.
None of the passengers in the Neon were injured, but the driver — Martha
Vasquez, 19, of Kenedy — was cited for having an unsecured child in the
vehicle and one count of criminally negligent homicide. The case has been
referred to a grand jury, Stevens said.
American Legion, Patriot Guard and local riders attend memorial
digitalBURG.com, MO - WARRENSBURG, Mo. -- On
Saturday, March 8, American Legion, Patriot Guard and local motorcycle
riders braved sub-freezing weather to join a 45-minute memorial ride through
the streets of Warrensburg to honor the passing of local Air Force veteran
Will Collier.
Collier had served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam war. He was one
of the founders of the local chapter of the American Legion Riders and a
member of the Patriot Guard Riders. These organizations are motorcycle
groups who ride in honor of our fallen soldiers and veterans. They will
often be seen standing solemnly, holding the U.S. flag along funeral routes
to show support for the families of these men and women who have served
their country.
More than 30 riders were in attendance on a day when the temperature never
reached that number. A number of these riders came from as far away as
Springfield, Jefferson City and Oak Grove, facing wind chill factors well
below 0 degrees, in support of Collier's family. Collier's son, Cale, and
daughter, Cindy, rode together to help honor their father and show support
for the groups he had held in such high regard.
The ride was open to all riders and a variety of motorcycles were
represented, including Harley-Davidson, Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, Kawasaki, BMW
and Moto Guzzi.
Belevedere Man Dies In Motorcycle Accident
WJBF-TV, GA - Belvedere, SC -- A Belvedere man
is dead after a motorcycle accident in Aiken County Monday afternoon.
Investigators say 26-year-old Jerry Lee Kemp was headed south on Fairview
Drive, in Belvedere, when another car crossed into his lane to avoid hitting
a pedestrian.
Kemp was taken to MCG, where he later died.
The woman in the other car went to the hospital and has been released.
Illegal drugs were found on Kemp's person. Toxicology is pending.
South Carolina Highway Patrol is investigating the accident.
This is Aiken County's 7th fatal crash in 2008.
Man injured in morning motorcycle accident
Burlington Times News, NC - A 19-year-old
Ramseur man wrecked his motorcycle late Monday after a Burlington police
officer attempted to stop him near the intersection of North Park Avenue and
Lakeside Avenue.
Nicholas Ray Wilder, of Stout Acres Road, Ramseur, was flown to Duke
University Medical Center and was listed in fair condition Tuesday, a
hospital spokeswoman said.
A Burlington police officer attempted to stop Wilder, who was driving a 2007
Suzuki motorcycle, at about 11:01 p.m. Monday for speeding and careless and
reckless driving on North Park Avenue near Lakeside Avenue, the release
states.
"The officer had activated his vehicle blue lights," the release states. "As
the officer activated his siren, the driver of the motorcycle sped up and
then lost control of his vehicle colliding with a curb in the 500 block of
North Park Avenue."
The motorcycle came to rest on an embankment near the railroad tracks on
North Park Avenue.
Charges against the driver are pending at this time, the release states.
Motorcycle crash injures city
man
Republican & Herald, PA - CRESSONA — A
Pottsville man was rushed to Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center after he
fell off his motorcycle Monday afternoon on Route 901 near Trail Gardens
Inc., police said.
State police at Schuylkill Haven said James O. Weyand, 60, was headed north
on a 2007 Harley-Davidson Sportster at 3:53 p.m. when traffic ahead of him
backed up. Knowing he would not be able to stop in time, he swerved and
turned his motorcycle over on its right side.
The motorcycle slid 24 feet and Weyand, who was not wearing a helmet, was
thrown over the handle bars. The bike sustained moderate damage. Its
handlebars were bent, and the bike was not drivable, police said.
Weyand, who was unconscious but suffered no visible injuries, was taken to
Good Samaritan by Pottsville/Schuylkill Haven EMS, police said. He was in
stable condition, according to a nursing supervisor at the hospital.
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