Mike’s Typo

On February 1, 2007, Harley announced that it had suspended production of motorcycles at the York, Pennsylvania plant and locked out the union workers in anticipation of a strike that was set to begin on February 2. As reported — all this happened. And, now the union workers are back making touring bikes and softails. With Winter very much a reality in PA, seems like picketing duty must have fallen to the workers with less seniority. Does it work that way? A few sub-zero days and the Motor Company’s concessions probably didn’t seem that bad. It’s easy for stories to be one-sided, so I won’t pretend to know who’s got the stronger argument. The end result looks like 3 weeks on the picket line for essentially the same contract the union turned down at the end of January. What’s it mean to us? That’s what we care about, right? Looks like the dealers are going to get a few less bikes this model year. Right now with inventories at Winter levels that doesn’t seem like a big deal. Come April, we may be singing a different tune. No secret that the touring rig is the bike of choice these days. So, expect to see a few less touring bikes on the floor in April and May than you did last year.

A drunk driver, who drove his car at a gang of bikers, while waving a pool cue, ran himself over after getting out of his car.

This all happened on Highway 4 in Concord. A 50-year-old man, it seems, got irate at a group of bikers traveling in a pack. He apparently aimed his car at two bikes that were pulled over on the side of the road. All of this while brandishing a pool cue out the window. What a strange sight this must have been. Guy misses the two bikes and pulls his car to a stop — jumps out with his pool stick — doesn’t get the car in “park.” Car’s in reverse, so it knocks him on the ground and into the traffic lane. Bikers pull the guy off the road—read: rescue his pathetic ass. Why’d he go postal? No one knows. Assault with a deadly weapon (car, not the pool cue) and drunk driving. Guessing this guy is going to be eating on the taxpayers for a while.

Source: Thunder Roads Magazine, SF Chronicle

Took 20 minutes for 404 motorcycles and 4 cars to run over the stomach of Debraj Senapati, a 17-year-old martial artist from Malkangiri district of India.  Thousands of people watched as Senapati placed himself on a muddy field between two wooden slabs. Previously, he survived 70 motorcycles. Seems natural to jump from 70 to 404.  “And, while you’re at it, throw in 4 cars just to make it interesting.”

Where’s this all going?  Senapati was quoted as saying, “I aim to create a world record.” To accomplish that: 500 motorcycles and 5 cars. Ok, now we got something. My take: he should keep his day job as a customer service phone rep for Microsoft Vista!

Editorial Comment: forgive me, I made the Vista stuff up. The rest is true — honest. I think.

Source: Thunder Roads Magazine

Leave the Euro Sportster in Europe.

Except for the name, the new Harley-Davidson XL1200N Nightster is sick. That’s the reaction we’ve been getting. When we saw it, we collectively said, “Wow.” How exciting can a new Sportster be? Especially after the tease we got from the pictures and innuendos of the new Euro Sportster coming to the US. The 1200N is here — it’s retro with just enough contemporary to make it genuinely bad-ass. If you haven’t seen it, check it out here. I’d say come down and check it out, but we get ‘em and they’re gone. Hopefully in the next few weeks we’ll have some that stick to the floor for a while. It sure makes you think about a second bike. That’s no sales pitch. Check it out, and email me if you think I’m full of dirty water.

Maxxis, a major player in specialty tires, released some astounding cost increase figures for 2005/2006. The company raised its prices twice in 2006 to just keep pace with the cost increases. Heard it all before. Where’s my violin. Wait. These are some eye-popping numbers. Try 160% increase in the cost of natural rubber. How about 50% more for EPDM rubber? Not sure what that EPDM stuff is, but I’d expect we’re going to see more of it than natural rubber soon. Wire went up 40% and chemicals 55%. More for gas at the pump, more for rubber — makes a modest 1-2% price increase for motorcycles, year-to-year, seem reasonable. I know what you’re thinking. Next time you need new tires — you’ll just buy a new bike. As crazy as it sounds, I like that kind of thinking…

Source: Powersports Business 2/12/07

Ok, I’m completely addicted. Every morning, before coffee, before anything — I log on to the Fake Steve Jobs’ blog to get my fix. Who needs caffeine? You don’t have to be an Mac lover or even an iPod user. But, it helps to know what they are. And, it’s also good if you are mildly interested in the ineptude of the some of the Silicon Valley’s finest. This blog is, more times than not, laugh out loud. Having watched a couple of MacWorld keynote speeches (Shhh! Don’t spread that around.), this Fake Steve Jobs sure sounds like the real Steve Jobs. So, maybe it’s the real SJ pretending to be the fake SJ to say things that the real SJ could never say. Whoever it is. It’s worth bookmarking or RSSing this blog and tuning in every couple of days. Watch out, that’s how it all started for me. Every couple of days; then, it was ever day; ok, sometimes twice (never three times) a day. I gotta get help. This link will let you just dive in. If you want to see how it all started last Summer, go here.