Mike’s Typo

Music & food is what most people say.  I’d throw in - a good ride - too.  So.  The Santa Cruz HOGsters have pulled out all of the stops to make this year’s Mountain Mystery Ride awesome.  The band may be one of the best we’ve ever had - with a truly sexy women belting out covers and some great originals.  If it’s not on your calendar for this Saturday - change your plans!  This will be a great day in Santa Cruz.  Check out the band’s site for a preview.

Can be the best time to buy a new Harley.  This shouldn’t really be news.  But, I think a lot of people forget it.  Or, forget it on the last day of the month.  Reality is that the sales team - salesmen and managers alike - are trying to make their number for the month.  So, they give a bit more here, or maybe even there, to get a deal done.  They love to see happy customers ride off on new Harleys.  But, when it comes to the last day of the month, they’ve also got an eye to making sure “the boss” is going to be a happy customer.  Kidding aside, if you’ve been waiting, maybe today is your best day.

We got a truckload of bikes last week.  And, another truck is waiting to be unloaded this morning.  Chances are we’ve got your bike.

Hope to see you in the store today.

As noted last week, the six vintage Harleys that have been on display in the Santa Cruz store for the past 13 years are to be auctioned May 3. The collection was accepted into the Bonhams & Butterfields auction to be held in conjunction with the Legends of the Motorcycle event at the Ritz-Carlton in Half Moon Bay. You can view the auction catalog online. The Santa Cruz Harley Collection begins with Lot 121.  It appears you can bid online and track the bids - online. Lots of reasons to be there in person, but if you can’t check out the online catalog and then log in Saturday afternoon and watch the fun.

If you’re fond of one or more of our museum bikes, this next week is your last opportunity to say goodbye. The six motorcycles on exhibit will be sold in the Bonham & Butterfield auction on May 3, 2008, in conjunction with the Legend of the Motorcycle  at the Ritz-Carlton in Half Moon Bay. These beautiful bikes have been on display for nearly 13 years. It’s time to bring in some new bikes and refurbish the exhibits.

On that note, if you have (or know someone who has) a wonderful vintage Harley that you think would be appropriate for one of our exhibits, let us know. For the first time we intend to incorporate other collector’s bikes in the exhibits.

Steve McQueen sure didn’t live long.  But, he lived full.  And, he loved anything with wheels under it.  I came across a great book the other day. McQueen’s Machines: The Cars and Bikes of a Hollywood Icon chronicles the cars and bikes that made Steve McQueen famous in films, along with highlighting others he owned and rode over the years.  Get it on Amazon.

Ok.  I’m not sure if this qualifies as a tech tip.  But, here’s my logic.  It’s a solution to one of the toughest problems we face - sore butts.  Seems technical enough.  So.  Here we go.  As many of you know, Bob Davis rides a lot.  I think he’s pushin’ 80,000 on his FLHT Electra Glide Standard.  Over the past few years Bob has experimented with the FLTR Road Glide fairing, different windshield, different tires, and of course different seats.  One thing is for sure - he swears by one Harley saddle.  Not only swears by it, but claims it’s the best long haul saddle he’s ever ridden on.  For years I resisted. Finally, with the new Road King I’m riding, we switched the saddle.  I’ve got enough time in it to be completely convinced this is the most comfortable saddle Harley makes for a Road King, Electra Glide, or Street Glide.  52314-08 if you’ve got a 2008 model; 52314-04 if you’ve got a 2007 or earlier.  It’ll be the best $250 you’ve spent.

Harley comes out with new, and often very cool, accessories after the catalogs are printed. Dealers typically get a quarterly New Products booklet. I drop what I’m doing when this hits my desk - I love scanning the new stuff. Found a gem in this product update. The Sissy Bar Backpack. This is a great commuter pack or local-rides-kinda-solution. It’s not for long trips (unless you pack really lite). When I saw the picture, I thought wouldn’t it be great if it would hold a laptop. Not only does it hold a laptop, it’s got a padded laptop pocket “…with a secure strap for safe transportation….” Where do these marketing types learn to write like this? What a great pack. Backward over your sissybar, or my preference would be forward facing. That makes it a backrest. I love this product. Great for commuting. Great for local riding without saddlebags.

Read more and/or buy it from us online.

When YouTube was bought by Google, I thought, “Why?”  This video answers that question in spades.  Nearly 2 million people have watched this soon-to-be-divorced New York newvo-rish nail her soon-to-be-single husband.  Wow.  That’s all I can say.  Talk about getting even.  I’m gonna sell this gal a Harley.  Oh, and it’s worth noting who the soon-to-be ex is.  He’s the head pretty good sized, fairly well recognized company.  He never saw it comin’.  Can you say “candid camera.”  YouTube - the new way to get even.  Or, maybe a bit ahead.  This gals no match for most of us.  You go girl!  Watch this and be thankful our problems are smaller.

How many articles have we read about the homeless problem and drug trade ruining our streets. I’m all for making help available to those who want to improve their lives. But, too many times I see the results of ignoring the homeless and/or allowing the problem to grow and fester. So, I had to chuckle when I came across this article, originally published in the LA Times. An inventive bar owner in Atlanta came up with a solution to rid his environment of homeless and the drug trade. The R2D2ish robot, nicknamed “Bum Bot” is sounds like just the contraption to have. Maybe if Sharper Image had picked up on this trend they’d still be in business.

Wanna see Bum Bot in action, here’s a YouTube video.  Here’s another video courtesy of CNN.

Remember that show? Well flipping through the channels the other night my remote got stuck on Cops. Ok, I’m not embarrassed to admit that show can sucks me in. I can’t explain it. But what got me this time was a segment on car theft. Millions of cars are stolen and fenced each year in the US. Sounds like an opportunity for technology, right? You bet. So, cops in various places throughout North America have a new weapon - the remote car. Call it a bait car. As the story unfolds, they park this bait car in an area where it will attract a car thief, then watch as the car is stolen. Remote cameras catch all the thief’s movements in the car. Undercover police follow the car and then when they are ready to apprehend, the hit the remote and the bait car shuts down. Thief’s reaction - priceless.

Here is a link to an article about this technology. Also, a link to a Dateline NBC show on a bit more elaborate effort to break into the world of car theft and fencing. Wish I could point you to the episode of Cops. Anyone finds a link, let me know. In the meantime, enjoy the Dateline show.