AMA Hall Of Famer Cyriel “Babe” DeMay Dies

Pickerington, Ohio (October 31, 2020) - Cyriel “Babe” DeMay, an AMA Grand National competitor who raced from the early 1950's to the late 1960's before becoming a leading tuner and team owner on the AMA Grand National circuit, died October 26 at his home in Rossville, Tenn. He was 88.

Mr. DeMay won the flat track national at Lincoln, Ill., in 1966 and was a Harley-Davidson-supported rider for most of the 1960's. He was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2001. He was the owner of DeMay’s and Memphis Shade’s Motorcycle Race Team and also retired from Dial Soap Co. in Illinois and The International Corp.

Mr. DeMay’s first exposure to motorcycling was through his older brother, who owned a 1948 Indian Chief. At 13, Mr. DeMay got his own bike—a Whizzer—for a paper route. He then got a Cushman, but didn’t like the fact that he couldn’t jump curbs with it.

He started motorcycle racing in 1952, competing on an Indian Warrior. The following year, future fellow Hall of Famer Bill Tuman mentored Mr. DeMay, who finished the year among the top novices in the nation.

In 1960, Harley-Davidson racing chief Dick O’Brien gave Mr. DeMay a factory-built KR to race. He rode for Harley-Davidson until 1969, when he retired from racing and started helping Harley build racing engines.

Mr. DeMay’s work at Harley-Davidson in the early 1970's put a series of young champions on fast machines, including Garth Brow and Dave Sehl and future Hall of Famers Mark Brelsford, Corky Keener and Rex Beauchamp.

SOURCE: Road Racing World

Harley-Davidson President Ousted

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA (February 29, 2020) AM — Harley-Davidson, Inc. has announced that Matthew Levatich has stepped down as President and CEO and as a member of the Board of Directors.

The Board of Directors has appointed Jochen Zeitz as acting President and CEO, a current board member who has also been named Chairman of the Board. Current Chairman of the Board, Michael Cave, is now Presiding Director.

The company plans to use an external search firm to undertake a search for a new CEO, and a further announcement will be made at a later date.

"The Board and Matt mutually agreed that now is the time for new leadership at Harley-Davidson," said Zeitz in a statement. "Matt was instrumental in defining the More Roads to Harley-Davidson accelerated plan for growth, and we will look to new leadership to recharge our business. On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Matt for his 26 years of service to Harley-Davidson. He has worked tirelessly to navigate the Company through a period of significant industry change while ensuring the preservation of one of the most iconic brands in the world."

Harley has been struggling with declining sales in the U.S., its biggest market, as it tries to adapt to an aging customer base while looking to expand markets overseas.

The announcement of the leadership change, made after the markets closed, pushed Harley’s shares up 5% in after-hours trading. They had fallen 2.3% with the broader markets during the trading day.

Harley’s closing share price Friday was down 18% for the year. Harley reported a net profit of $423.6 million in 2019, but it made only $13.5 million in the fourth quarter.

Levatich will assist with the transition through the end of March. Harley-Davidson, Inc. was founded in 1903.

SOURCE: Yahoo News

Vintage police motorcycle gets a second run

New York City, New York, USA (January 31, 2020) AM — A bus driver in New York City, New York gave this 1948 motorcycle by the iconic Indian Motorcycle company a meticulous renovation to its once former glory.

Robert Preven, 59, a bus driver in New York City, on his 1948 Indian Chief police motorcycle, as told to A.J. Baime.

Mr. Preven used photographs of New York City police bikes from the 1940s to restore this motorcycle down to the smallest details. Cate Dingley @Wall Street Journal

My story begins in 1993, when I bought the motor and frame of this bike for $3,000. It took me about three years to get it running, and I started taking it to swap meets held by the Antique Motorcycle Club of America. I wanted to learn more about the bike and the Indian Motorcycle company, so I could make the motorcycle as original as possible.

Robert Preven, a bus driver in New York City, on his 1948 Indian Chief police bike. The Indian Motorcycle company produced bikes in Springfield, Ma., from 1901 to 1953. The brand has since been resurrected. Cate Dingley @Wall Street Journal

Why a 1948 Indian? When I was in high school, I went to a bike night in Oceanside, N.Y., and I ran into a gentleman with whom I am friends with to this day. I was enamored of the long, swooping fenders on his motorcycle. It was an Indian Chief, and I said, “One day I will ride a similar motorcycle.” Indians were made in Springfield, Mass., from 1901 to 1953. [The Indian Motorcycle brand has since been relaunched and still exists today.]

Mr. Preven on his vintage police bike. ‘A big thank you to the New York Police Department for their service,’ he says. Cate Dingley @Wall Street Journal

In 2009, I was at an Antique Motorcycle Club of America swap meet talking to some people who knew a lot about Indian motorcycles, and they told me that my bike had once been in service with the New York Police Department. My bike had a heavy-duty frame, which led them to this conclusion. Because of the factory’s proximity, Indian supplied motorcycles to many municipalities on the East Coast going back to the early 20th century.

The 1948 Indian Chief motorcycle in full profile. Cate Dingley @Wall Street Journal

Using black-and-white photos from the 1940s and ’50s, I began a restoration in 2009. I gave the running bike and a parts bike [a motorcycle used to harvest parts from] to a man named Elmer Lower, in Etters, Pa. I cannot say enough good things about him. We used the photos for reference to get the correct pinstriping and brush marks. For example, the periods between the letters in P.D.N.Y.C. were squares, not circles. It took Elmer three-and-a-half months to get the bike looking like it does now.

The motorcycle’s gauges. The bike uses a special starter switch, and to find an original one, Mr. Preven searched for three years. Cate Dingley @Wall Street Journal

My everyday motorcycle is a 2003 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide; I have ridden that bike to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota three times. But if I want to ride something special, I can ride the Indian. It is a “foot-clutch, tank-shift” motorcycle. You control the clutch with your left foot, and the gear-shifter is next to the gas tank.

Most of what I do with this bike is display it at antique-motorcycle events. I have had it all over the country—Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio, Iowa, Connecticut. My first Antique Motorcycle Club of America event of this year will be in New Smyrna Beach, Fla., in March.

I am going on 27 years with this motorcycle. I am going to ride until I can’t ride anymore.

SOURCE: The Wall Street Journal

Easyriders Magazine revamped after 50 years

Los Angeles, California, USA (January 28, 2020) AM — Iconic Easyriders Magazine, named with a nod to the eponymous cult film classic, celebrates its 50th Anniversary with a new relaunch under the ownership of fashion leader Pepper Foster, who plans to advance the iconic label in the global market.

The debut issue features Norman Reedus on the cover photographed by Brian Bowen Smith, supermodel Erin Wasson and the band Wild Belle.

Easyriders was established in 1970 as a platform for motorcycle enthusiasts to immerse in the rugged, on-the-road lifestyle championed by the counterculture movement and legends such as Steve McQueen, Peter Fonda, and Dennis Hopper.


Over five decades, the brand has become synonymous with a free-spirited lifestyle. Under new leadership, Easyriders will expand the vision of what it means to be a motorcycle enthusiast in the 21st Century.

“I’m so proud and excited to introduce the iconic Easyriders brand to a new generation – and to expand this powerhouse label to partners worldwide through licensing our brand with like minded partners,” said Pepper Foster, co-founder of the pioneering fashion label, Chip and Pepper. “We see endless opportunities to expand the Easyriders branded products to the apparel, lifestyle and home markets.”

In addition to the brand’s new iteration, Easyriders has revised and re imagined its celebrated print product as of January 2020. The niche monthly will transform to a quarterly publication expanding coverage to include travel, art, design, style, and entertainment, alongside its mainstay features on the movers and shakers of the moto world. Easyriders will add to its event and major-label product collaborations.

Easyriders magazine and its new website launched January 2020.

Visit: Easyriders.com or Instagram.com/easyriders

Movie Preview: Disturbing the Peace

Kentucky, USA (January 13, 2020) AM — If Hallmark ever decided to produce a biker movie, this is what it would probably look like. From the few video previews, the story line of this film is as unoriginal as possible, and as many our readers that has seen any of the drive-in biker movies in the 1960's to present has seen these scenes play before.

Disturbing the Peace was filmed in Southern Kentucky and is directed by American producer / filmmaker York Alec Shackleton.

#DisturbingThePeace. In theaters and on demand January 17th. Storyline; Guy Pearce stars as a former Texas Ranger with a...
Posted by Southern Kentucky Film Commission on Saturday, January 11, 2020

The film stars Guy Pearce as a small town marshal named Jim Dillon, who according to the film, hasn't carried a gun since he left the Texas Rangers after a tragic shooting.


But he must pick up his weapon again to go to battle with a bunch of outlaw bikers that have invaded the small town to pull off a brazen and violent bank heist.

The full cast includes Devon Sawa, Kelly Greyson, Michael Sirow, Barbie Blank, Jacob Grodnik, Michael Bellisario, Dwayne Cameron, Elle E. Wallace, and Jay Willick.

The screenplay is written by Chuck Hustmyer and was produced by Mary Aloe, Daniel Grodnik, and Michael Philip.
 

Momentum Pictures releases Shackleton's Disturbing the Peace in select US theaters + on VOD starting January 17th, 2020 coming soon.

This hasn't premiered at any festivals or elsewhere, as far as we know.

Be sure and "LIKE" us on Facebook at: Facebook.com/AmericanMotorcyclism

The Political Journal of an American Biker

United States of America (May 28, 2019) — Ever since President Trump won the US elections in 2016, there were more and more rumors about the impossibility of ever getting back together the views of the conservatives and the liberals. These two political views seem to have become opposed, with fewer people willing to maintain an open line for dialogue.

In a poll conducted in June 2010, around 40% of American voters considered themselves as having conservatory views, while only 22% identified themselves as liberals. Another 36% of the voters had moderate views, meaning they could be influenced by candidates and their political programs.

Apart from the famous blue-collar and white-collar voters, there is another category that was often ostracized and forgotten. That 1% of the population we’re talking about includes the bikers and those who belong to a motorcycle club.

The political profile of the American Biker

They ride together, they look after each other’s backs, they act as a family, and they are very patriotic. Bikers and their Harley-Davidson motorcycles, wearing leather jackets and showing off their body arts have long been portrayed as social outcasts and outlaws.

A handful of people with a passion for strong engines gather together in their own bars and secret hideouts. Most of them by day have regular jobs, families, children, and mortgages. By night, they put on their helmets and their black leather jackets, going on adventures, or at least this is what most of us think of them.

However, we couldn’t be farther away from the truth. This 1% of the population is more politically and socially active than other reputed communities in the society, trying to do good for the country they were born in or adopted.

When it comes to their psychological profile, most of them identify as patriotic and nationalists. They have pro-military views and many of them are veterans. They usually favor candidates that come with a strong message and aren’t afraid of being rough sometimes as opposed to people who show diplomatic skills and are afraid of being politically incorrect.

Common misconceptions

Most bikers identify themselves as Christians and are mainly tolerant when it comes to alcohol and drug use. However, they are wrongfully portrayed by the media as being conservative when it comes to their attitude toward sex and race.

Most of them are Baby Boomers, meaning they were born around the 1970's from regular working families. Although they are often considered racist or not keen on accepting gender and sexual diversity, the truth is that generations changed for the better.

Therefore, social factors that were once considered vital for a biker (such as the color of the skin, the type of bike they ride, their gender, orientation, and religion) became less important in the past decade.

Although far from being progressives, the 21st-century bikers remain conservatives at the core but not as radical as they used to be. They are active voters and get involved in politics as often as they can, trying to give a voice to their conceptions and opinions.

Most of today’s bikers are far from being intolerant or aggressive in their behavior although remain feisty at heart. Long gone are the 1950's and 1960's where motorcycle clubs were mainly organized crime syndicates, making money out of breaking the laws.

The vast majority of them continue to fall under the conservative political spectrum with strong pro-gun views but this doesn’t mean they are not willing to negotiate. What matters the most is the power of their bike and their loyalty.

SOURCE: CDN

Chieftain Dark Horse Custom

Springfield, Massachusetts, USA (April 28, 2019) — Indian Motorcycle has joined forces with southern rocker Zac Brown and his design firm, the Zac Brown Collective, to create a unique limited-edition motorcycle that's as loud as it looks.

The Zac Brown Collective Chieftain Dark Horse is essentially a beefier Indian Chief Dark Horse with plenty of extra bling.

At its core is a Thunder Stroke 111 V-Twin that's been fitted with new cylinders, big bore pistons and a larger throttle body for a 15-percent increase in torque and a 20-percent increase in horsepower.

The stock Chief Dark Horse's murdered-out trim was swapped out for custom charcoal flake paint, 24K gold leaf accents and a satin clear-coat finish.

More gold plates the engine components, while the seat and saddle bag liners were woven using a one-off fabric. Custom 21-inch front and 16-inch rear wheels cap the country-fried custom bike off.

Best of all, this beauty can be yours for a good cause. The Zac Brown Collective Chieftain Dark Horse is being raffled off with all proceeds benefiting Camp Southern Ground, a non-profit founded by the Zac Brown Band frontman that serves children with autism, dyslexia and other developmental challenges.

“It’s incredible to be partnering with a brand as iconic and historic as Indian Motorcycle – a group of people that are clearly as passionate about craftsmanship as we are,” said Brown.

“The custom Indian Chieftain Dark Horse is an example that craftsmanship is more than merely a labor of love, but truly an art form. We’re thrilled to channel the power of this incredible motorcycle to benefit Camp Southern Ground.”

SOURCE: MAXIM

Motorcycle Club assists with Camp Fire Evacuees

Chico, California (November 15, 2018) — The East Avenue Church in Chico on Tuesday was sheltering a few hundred people who lost their homes in the deadly Camp Fire, even though the church isn't on the official shelter list.

But it's played the role many times before, said Robert Warf, a Sunday school teacher who was directing traffic into the surrounding fields.

Members of the Hellbent Motorcycle Club 823 Chapter were handling security for a Camp Fire shelter at the East Avenue Church in Chico on Nov. 13. (Alex Emslie/KQED)

"I think we're extremely organized," Warf said. "We've been doing this every time there's a need."

The need has been overwhelming since last week, when the Camp Fire ravaged the nearby town of Paradise and displaced some 52,000 people.

Volunteers had separated donated clothing, bottled water, toiletries and other essentials in different areas around the church yard.

Warf said they had to start turning down clothing donations — the church received much more than was needed. He had a list of other donations that would be helpful: Visa gift cards of at least $28 so people can set up post office boxes to receive mail, tents in good condition and new sleeping bags.

"We need new shoes," he added. "These people don't have anything, and some of them were running down that hill and don't have shoes. ... They don't have to be fancy shoes."

People wearing medical scrubs and stethoscopes moved among the crowd, and food was available in a large hall inside the building.

A burned bus sits along Skyway Road in Paradise on Nov. 13. (Alex Emslie/KQED)

Members of the 823 chapter of the Hellbent Motorcycle Club were also walking the grounds.

Chapter president Matt Straus said the club showed up Sunday with a bunch of personal hygiene kits to donate.

"I thought that there was only about 50 people here or so, and we made 100 of them," he said. "As soon as we showed up, we noticed that there was a need for a lot more. We barely even put a dent in anything."

He said about a dozen bikers from his club and others have been at the church ever since, handling security.

"We're patrolling all of this area, making sure nobody is breaking into any cars because everybody knows that they've got their stuff in their cars," he said. "That's the last thing anybody needs — to be victimized more than they have already been."

Al Lopez and Penny Spaletta have been staying in a tent behind the church since Thursday, when they fled the fire that would destroy their Paradise home. They'd both noticed fire on a neighboring property early Thursday morning. Lopez said he grabbed a fire extinguisher and tried to put out some smoldering grass in the field across the street.

Al Lopez and Penny Spaletta fled the Camp Fire and took shelter at the East Avenue Church in Chico. (Alex Emslie/KQED)

"A gust of wind picked up and it went about 50 feet up a pine tree," Lopez said. "I mean the flames just attached to that pine tree and it was ablaze in seconds."

His wife, Spaletta, had been trying to douse their own property with a garden hose. Both decided it was time to leave.

But they made a stop, to pick up Spaletta's mother. By the time they were headed down the hill toward Chico, traffic was moving slower than the fire. "We're in this inferno on either side of us, and we can't go anywhere," Lopez said.

Spaletta said she could feel intense heat through the windows of her car. "I honestly didn't think we were going to make it out," she said.

They did make it to Chico by late Thursday afternoon, but had no idea where to turn next. Then a friend called and suggested they head over to the East Avenue Church.

"This church is wonderful," Spaletta said. "They're feeding us very well. They're giving us necessities to live day to day, and it's so wonderful." Lopez said he was able to confirm their home in Paradise was destroyed.

"The only thing standing is the brick for the foundation and the chimney," he said. The couple left three pet cats behind when they fled. Spaletta said she'd held out hope that they could have survived until she learned the house was gone.

"It goes in waves," she said. "I was hoping that three of our pets — that the house had stayed and they were inside. And when he came back and he told me the house was gone, I knew that they had been lost in the fire."

Spaletta and Lopez said they're not sure where they'll go next.

"We've never been through anything like this before," Lopez said. "All we can do is just put one foot in front of the other — you know, build a bond with these people that are going to go back up that mountain."

They said they found a new sense of community at the East Avenue Church. And when they can, both said they'd like to rebuild in Paradise.

"These people here, they're becoming our new family," Spaletta said.

SOURCE: KQED

Wapiti Wyoming has a new Biker Memorial

Wapiti, WY (November 5, 2018) — One man’s idea turned into a stirring memorial for hundreds of motorcyclists who have died in Wyoming. Ironically, the motorcycle memorial sits across the highway from a tragic accident that killed three bikers.

Downtown Cody sees plenty of visitors on their way to Yellowstone and Grand Teton every summer, including bikers who tour the Parks, and other scenic areas of Northwest Wyoming.

Unfortunately, some die here

In June, 2016, three German bikers were killed when a pickup truck driver veered into their lane and hit them head on.

The new Biker Memorial in Wapiti Wyoming

“This was a tragedy that still haunts people in the Cody area. These were visitors in the Cody area.” Said Wyoming Department of Transportation spokesman Cody Beers. Beers remarked too many bikers are dying on Wyoming highways.

“In the last 22 years, there’s been over 360 motorcycle fatalities in Wyoming. 17 last year in Wyoming, and so far 15 in 2018.” He explained.

Michel Degleau is a biker, and he’s lost biker friends on Wyoming Highways

He decided to build a memorial to motorcyclists who have died, and friends offered to let him use their land in Wapiti, directly across from the site of the 2016 triple fatality.

“It’s just pure coincidence that that is there, but that just adds to the nostalgia of the memorial.' Degleau remarked. "That just shows people we got a memorial, and we got three fatalities right across the street.”

Degleau held a fundraiser to buy the materials, and got some help from friends to build it. He put the final touch of a flag two weeks ago. Even while he was building the memorial, Cody businessman Joe Boydston died in a motorcycle accident north of Cody. Deglau turns on flashing lights at the memorial when a biker dies. He heard about Boydston’s and another biker’s death at the same time.

“So, I had the lights flashing for Joe and the other guy. And I put pictures on the Facebook page. I was out here working and I looked up and there was a double rainbow.” He said.

Beers said the memorial may help remind drivers to watch for bikers, and remind bikers to drive safely. WYDOT posted signs near the Memorial to encourage drivers to visit it.

SOURCE: KCWY 13

Fifth biker dies in four days of Lone Star Rally

Galveston, Texas (November 4, 2018) -- Two people riding motorcycles without helmets died in separate crashes Friday in Galveston, bringing the death toll to at least four as 250,000 bikers assembled for the annual Lone Star Rally. Both the 54-year-old Rockwall woman and the 65-year-old League City man died after sustaining serious head injuries, Galveston police said.

Photo: Leslie Plaza Johnson, Contributor

Another motorcyclist died late Saturday while speeding in the 4000 block of Texas 3 just before midnight when he lost control and crashed, Texas City police said Sunday. Police could not confirm if he was tied to Galveston's Lone Star Rally. Two other motorcyclists were killed Thursday in Hardin County en route to Galveston, according to the Department of Public Safety. James Horton, 34, and Casey Horton, 35, of Lewisville, were riding a motorcycle behind a Dodge pickup on S.H. 326 in Hardin County when the truck turned into the shoulder, intending to make a U-turn.

While turning, the truck hit their bike, according to DPS. The Hortons, both of whom were wearing helmets, died at the scene, DPS said. According to a Facebook post, James Horton was a mechanic at the Lumberjack Harley-Davidson shop in Nacogdoches. The truck's driver and passenger were not injured, DPS said.

Photo: Leslie Plaza Johnson, Contributor

The rally has seen a series of fatal crashes in recent years. In 2011, three motorcyclists were killed in separate crashes. In 2015, a man was killed when his motorcycle collided with a semitruck. And in 2016, a motorcyclist struck and killed two Katy residents as they walked along the Galveston Seawall. The Friday crash involving the Rockwall woman happened shortly after 6 p.m., when several motorcyclists approached East Beach Drive while heading east along Seawall Boulevard.

 As the man driving the lead motorcycle began braking to make the sharp turn onto East Beach Drive, which leads to Apffel Park at the island's east end, a trailing motorcyclist failed to notice the slowdown and struck the lead motorcycle. The striking motorcycle overturned, dealing "serious head trauma" to the Rockwall woman who was riding as a passenger, officials said. She died shortly after being transported to a nearby hospital with the male driver, who was treated for minor injuries.

Photo: Leslie Plaza Johnson, Contributor

Officials did not suspect alcohol played a role in the crash, officials said, and no charges were filed over the incident. Less than three hours later, a man heading for the Galveston Causeway lost control of his motorcycle as he crested the 61st Street overpass. Witnesses told police the man was traveling "at a high rate of speed" as he left the nearby intersection of 59th Street and Broadway Avenue J. He died shortly after being taken to a nearby hospital.

Photo: Leslie Plaza Johnson, Contributor

The DPS issued a news release Saturday urging drivers to "use extra caution around the estimated 250,000 motorcycles" expected at the Lone Star Rally. The festival ends Sunday. "As we roll into the weekend (police) only expects an increase of visitors and vehicles to the island," said Joshua Schirard, in a release from the Galveston Police Department. "As such, we would like to stress the importance of wearing proper protective equipment when you ride a motorcycle, including a helmet." The Texas Department of Public Safety issued a news release Saturday urging drivers to "use extra caution around the estimated 250,000 motorcycles" expected at the Lone Star Rally.

The festival ends Sunday. "As we roll into the weekend (police) only expects an increase of visitors and vehicles to the island,"said Joshua Schirard, in release from the Galveston PD. "As such, we would like to stress the importance of wearing proper protective equipment when you ride a motorcycle, including a helmet."

News Source: My Plainview

Pulled Over

Classic Knucklehead Chopper

A Real Howdy

New partners to manage Hollister Rally

New partners to manage Hollister Rally

Randy Burke, president of Roadshows Inc., in Reno and joint venture partners Brian Holt, owner of the Official Gear Co. and Tom Recel, owner of Biker Design/Biker Clothing, both of Daytona Beach, Fla., have been awarded the contract to manage the historic Hollister Independence Rally in Hollister, Calif. The 2016 event dates are July 1 to 3.

The trio has more than 20 years experience producing and managing some of the largest motorcycle events in the nation, such as Street Vibrations and Daytona Beach Bike Week in Florida.

The epicenter of the Independence Rally is San Benito Street in downtown Hollister. The rally features magnificent motorcycles, live music, poker runs, poker walks, vendors selling all things motorcycle, charity events, and festival foods. VIP packages for participants are available.

More than 20,000 motorcycles are anticipated to attend the event over three days. The event is open and free to the public. VIP motorcycle participants pay a fee.

History of the Hollister Rally

 The Hollister Rally began in 1947. It’s believed to be the event that gave rise to the “American Biker” and was the inspiration for the powerful 1953 cult classic movie, “The Wild One,” starring Marlon Brando and Lee Marvin. The cast, adorned in leather jackets, introduced hipster biker phrases to movie audiences and defined biker fashion for decades to come.

Movie Poster Advertising "The Wild One" 

The movie is considered a cultural milestone and motorcycle enthusiasts return to Hollister every 4th of July weekend to celebrate this cultural icon.

The epicenter of the Independence Rally is San Benito Street in downtown Hollister. The rally features magnificent motorcycles, live music, poker runs, poker walks, vendors selling everything related to motorcycles, charity events, festival foods and VIP packages are available. More than 20,000 motorcycles are anticipated to attend the event over three days. The event is open and free to the public.

Source: Reno Gazette Journal  |  Roadshows Inc.