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