Helverson's Two Week WL

he latest creation by Marty Helverson was heavily influenced by a set of Magnesium Kimtab t snowflake wheels! Having just overhauled the Olive Oyl race bike, he now had time and some parts to move forward with the project. The first direction was mock-up and to

Article And Photos By: Josh Elzey

get it ready for paint using a Shovel for the foundation. At this point, the build didn’t fit his vision of a skinny bike to that would mimic the popular use of the wheels repopped for BMX bikes. The bike was dissembled and shelved until he had time to make a skinnier and smaller version!

Kimtabs were copied by a BMX Bike Company back in the ’80s. They were typically seen as the rich kid wheels for big money BMW bikes and wanted by all. Someone gave Marty first wheel, while the second one he managed to buy at a swap meet at a much-reduced price after pleading with the guy

who had it.

A friend of his walked into the shop one day with a horribly modified Servi-Car frame and rear. The rear was quickly sold, and Marty contemplated throwing the frame out but changed his tune when his buddy Ray ended up with the back half of a WL frame. The decision was made to fix the Servi frame and make a two-wheel version to use as a backup race bike! With ‘The Race of Gentlemen,’ better known as TROG, canceled, Marty switched gears switched to completing ‘Linda Lu’ by a new deadline, the Not NOTT Party. It just two weeks away. Marty figured this wouldn’t be too hard considering the parts were already laying around. Helverson could do most of the work in-house, but it would still mean some very long hours.

With the new frame together, they already had a roller. The springer was built using pieces from some chopper springers that Marty and Ray cut apart. At the same time, Ray made a set of handlebars. The handlebar grips are made to look like old-school BMX grips to keep the flow of the design. Marty narrowed an Alien gas tank and added a rib to match the spare tire cover that they used as a rear fender. Usually, Marty uses a ’36 Ford spare tire covers, but this cover is unknown and has a much thinner rib. The tins were chosen to make the bike look narrow and small, while keeping as much of the Kimtabs visible. Marty didn’t use a front brake but did make a rear ‘Sprotor” out of a small PM caliper. An old seat was repurposed from the TROG race bike. The original race motor was pulled out to make

way for another that was hopefully going to get some more speed on the Wildwood NJ beach sand. The engine was already modified for extra power. It had been dialed in during last year’s racing. Marty once again robbed his daughter Martina’s Servi-Car, this time for a transmission. Ray spent almost every night assembling while Marty was still making parts for the bike.

With the build was coming together, his brother Steve took the tins and got them smooth for paint. Next, a color called Anvil which could be seen on both Dodge and Jeeps was chosen. Marty saw this on his daughter’s Jeep and knew he had to put on one of his projects. Making this project even further of a family affair Marty reached out to his other daughter, Micaela, and her boyfriend Tyler, who had just started a vinyl graphics company “Brotherhood Designz” to take on his idea for a modified H-D Logo.

Marty has always been

Owner: Marty Helverson City/State: Oaks PA Builder: Marty Helverson Year: 1945 Model: Harley Wl Value: Time: Two Weeks

Engine Year: 1945 Model: Wl Builder: Marty Helverson Ignition: Magneto Displacement: 45 Cu. In. Pistons: Stock Heads: Aluminum #6 Carb: Linkert Cam: KH Cams Air Cleaner: Power Chalise Exhaust: Short Stock With Turn Out Primary: Stock

Transmission Year: 1945 Make: HD 3 Speed Shifting: Jockey

Frame Year: 1939 Model: HD Servicar Modified Rake: None Stretch: None

Forks Builder: Type: HD Springer From Scraps Triple Trees: Extension: Wheels Front Wheel: Kimtab Magnesium Size: 19” Tire: Firestone Front Brake: No Rear Wheel: Kimtab Magnesium Size: 18” Tire: Rear Brake: Homemade Sprotor

Paint Painter: Marty Helverson Color: Anvil Type: Base/Clear Graphics: “Brotherhood Designz” Chroming: None

Accessories Bars: Shortened Chrome Drags Risers: Stelling And Hellings Hand Controls: Throttle/Jockey Shift Foot Controls: Clutch/Brake Gas Tank(S): Narrowed / Ribbed Alien Oil Tank: Modified Sportster Front Fender: None Rear Fender: Spare Tire Cover Seat: Unknown Headlight: Tractor Trailer Back Up Light Tail Light: Accessory Light HD Speedo: None influenced by music in his builds and this was no exception. The logo reveals the bike’s name ‘Linda Lu” which comes from the song “Give me three steps” by Lynyrd Skynyrd with the lyric “I was cutting the Rug, down at a place called the Jug (Long Tall Shorty’s), With a girl named Linda Lu.” After hearing it on the radio one day, Marty knew it was just perfect. It also just so happens; his mother’s name is Linda!

SuperStreet Two into One Exhaust System - Stainless Steel The latest out of S&S is an all Stainless Steel version of their SuperStreet exhaust for the Softail®. Combining their stainless header with stainless shields and muffler make for a great look without the punishment of melting boots most of the other stainless exhaust are hampered by. “We love the look of raw stainless, but hate the torque dip of the super short systems and really hate melting stuff on exposed headers” says S&S Exhaust Manager, Todd Canavan. S&S doesn’t build anything unless it makes power and the SuperStreet does exactly that with a +15% gain in Hp and +10% bump in torque out of the M8 Softail® models. Combine that with the perfect length and angle, clearing bags, passenger pegs and forwards. Added bonus of the SuperStreet Stainless is it’s 50 state legal, . For More Information https://www.sscycle.com/superstreet-2-1

DRAG SPECIALTIESREPLACEMENT PISTON KITS For OEM quality without the OEM price, pick up a piston kit from Drag Specialties for your 17-20 107” M-Eight. The cast aluminum alloy pistons feature a coating that extends life and reduces friction so your engine can run cooler. Pistons are available in standard size and up to +0.20” overbore and provide a 10:1 compression ratio. Kits include wrist pins and clips. They accept OEM or Hastings rings (available separately). Suggested retail is $115.95. https://www.dragspecialties.com/search;q=09110049;r=eJyrVkrLzClJLSpWsoq OrQUAJusFKA%3D%3D

DRAG SPECIALTIES HEAVY-DUTY INNER FAIRING SUPPORTS When you’ve decided your 99-13 FLHT or FLHX needs an upgraded sound system, do the job right and install a set of Drag Specialties heavy-duty inner fairing support brackets. These upgraded brackets are made from thick, strong 13 gauge steel that will handle the load of upgraded speakers and amplifiers. The brackets are zinc-plated for rust resistance. The brackets are sold as a set for suggested retail of $39.95 https://www.dragspecialties.com/searc h;q=23300238;r=eJyrVkrLzClJLSpWsoqOrQUAJusFKA%3D%3D

z1r deerskin gloves Z1R introduces the brand-new Deerskin glove. Premium soft deerskin leather is matched with an out-seam palm construction for the ultimate comfort glove. A gathered elastic wrist along with a hook and loop closure for a secure fit. The fourchettes are perforated to feel the cool breeze and keep your hands well ventilated. So next time you go out for a ride, be sure to grab a pair of the new Deerskin gloves for premium comfort and style. Sizes S-3X. Suggested Retail $29.95. THE MOTOLADY’S BOOK OF WOMEN WHO RIDE THE MOTOLADY’S BOOK OF WOMEN WHO RIDE: MOTORCYCLE HEROES, TRAILBLAZERS & RECORD BREAKERS written and curated by Alicia Mariah Elfving, founder of TheMotoLady.com and the Women’s Motorcycle Show, and arguably the most notable advocate for women in the motorcycling hobby. The MotoLady’s Book of Women Who Ride subverts all the tired women-and-motorcycle tropes, offering the true stories of the women past and present who ride and wrench as well as anyone, proving every bit as indispensable to maintaining and growing a positive motorcycling culture. Z1R Saturn Helmet Z1R introduces the brand-new Saturn helmet. The new graphic, The Devil Made Me, isn’t for the faint of heart but it was intended that way. The Saturn helmet is DOT certified and utilizes an injection molded polycarbonate shell. This helmet also comes equipped with an interchangeable drop down sun visor and accepts most 3-snap shields. Solid Colors are also available in black, flat black, silver, dark silver, and tan. Available in sizes XS-2XL at $94.95 suggested retail.

What do you think? I say Choppers Rule, Fossil Fuels saved life on Earth, CO2 rules and science is never settled. So, let the party begin.

I’m looking for a used 2020 FXDR the rarest Harley with clip-ons ever built. They were only built in 2019 and 2020, with 114-inch M-8 powertrains and the DR stands for dray race. If you’re on the East Coast, let Rich Worley know at American Biker in Charlotte, NC. He’s going to make some mods to it.

You’ll see, as you thumb through the news that stuff is happening fast, surprising stuff. Bikers question shit, that’s our nature. I’ve been questioning the Climate Doom scenario for over a decade and now it’s blowing up. Science is never settled and now we’re finding that fossil fuels may be saving life on earth. I’m not kidding. Incredible. Hang on!

Bartels’ Harley-Davidson & Glendale Harley Announce The 3rd Annual Ride For The Children Motorcycle Event, Has Been Rescheduled For Sunday, October 3rd, 2021 With Grand Marshals, Lorenzo Lamas, Perry King, Dave Ekins, Sean Mcnabb & Jaime Elvidge! - A host of celebrities, Law Enforcement and the general public will now join Grand Marshals, Lorenzo Lamas, Perry King, Dave Ekins, Sean McNabb & Jaime Elvidge for a beautiful motorcycle ride from Bartels’ HarleyDavidson, Marina Del Rey to Sycamore Cove State Beach, Malibu with a BBQ lunch, live concert and Beach Party on Sunday, October 3, 2021.

BARTELS’ HARLEY-DAVIDSON & GLENDALE HARLEY are excited to Scott Patterson will join other celebrity Grand Marshals for the 3rd Annual Ride for the Children Charity on Sunday, October 3, 2021.

Scott Patterson is an American actor, musician, and entrepreneur. He is known for his role as Luke Danes in Gilmore Girls and as Special Agent Peter Strahm in the Saw films. Scott is President/CEO of Scotty P’s Big Mug Coffee. He is an avid motorcycle rider and participates in a number of charitable events.

TheRide for the Children will begin at Bartels’ Harley-Davidson, 4141 Lincoln Blvd., Marina Del Rey, CA with a beautiful, escorted ride from along the Pacific Coast Highway to the serene Sycamore Cove State Beach, 9000 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA.

Join Lorenzo Lamas, Perry King, AMA Hall of Famer, Dave Ekin, Actor/ Musician Sean McNabb, Jaime Elvidge, professional motorcycle journalist and Scott Patterson for what will be a wonderful day ending with a concert by Aces & Eights, a BBQ lunch by J Wolf Catering and a Beach Party at Sycamore Cove State Beach, Malibu, CA.

Olive Crest has been transforming the lives of abused and neglected children through the healing power of family since 1973. Olive Crest is the leader in prevention and treatment of child abuse, neglect, and homelessness, serving over 4,000 children and families each day throughout Los Angeles County. The 3rd Annual Ride for the Children will fund programs that help us break the cycle of child abuse and enable at-risk youth and families to become healthy and productive citizens.

Registration begins at 8:00 AM - Ride begins at: 10:00 AM at Bartels’ HarleyDavidson, 4141 Lincoln Blvd., Marina Del Rey, and concludes with a concert by Aces & Eights, a BBQ lunch by J Wolf Catering and a Beach Party at Sycamore Cove State Beach, Malibu, CA. The Event concludes at 3:00 PM.

For more information on Olive Crest, go to www.olivecrest.org.

To register online: www.olivecrestride. org.

WHEN: 8:00 A.M. Registration, Kickstands up at 10:00 AM, Sunday, October 3, 2021.

WHERE: Ride begins at Bartels’ Harley-Davidson, 4141 Lincoln Blvd., Marina Del Rey, concludes at Sycamore Cove State Beach, Malibu, CA

WHY: To raise funds and public awareness for Olive Crest and their families.

5-Ball Wins At The Flying Piston Breakfast In Daytona- Your 5-Ball Flat Out vest was a hit with the crowd. We were running an online auction during the charity breakfast and we had people bidding on it from across the US.

I spoke with Edge and he said it was the best draw to date. And since it was our 1st breakfast in Daytona, I would say it was a winner. We were able to fund 2 kindergartner classes with bikes. We raised $12,000 in 2 hours, good for the little engine that could. Thanks again for the support. --Jeff Najar VP Marketing

News From S&S--Aft Names S&S Presenting Sponsor Of Supertwins - Progressive American Flat Track has announced that S&S Cycle has further increased its involvement for 2021 and will serve as both the presenting sponsor for the world’s most prestigious two-wheeled dirt track class and as the Official Exhaust of Progressive AFT.

Reintroduced to much fanfare in 2020, the premier class of Progressive American Flat Track will be officially known as Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle in 2021.

The announcement solidifies S&S’s central role in the sport, having also recently played a vital part in the revolutionary rise of Indian Motorcycle and Royal Enfield inside the paddock.

“Progressive American Flat Track welcomes S&S’s renewed commitment to the sport,” said Michael Lock, CEO of Progressive AFT. “They have become a key partner during recent years and both their commercial investment and their impact as a competitor and support resource in the race paddock has become an integral part of the show.”

In 2016, S&S added flat track to its race pedigree with the development of the FTR750 and has since put it on the podium at every event. Its efforts on the racetrack are channeled directly into its R&D program and ultimately to the street. S&S Cycle offers engine components, exhaust and fuel systems, engine upgrade kits, and complete engines for a variety of V-twin makes and models as well as performance parts for the latest Royal Enfield machines.

Race fans will be able to purchase select S&S apparel at Progressive AFT Merchandise stands this season.

“S&S is excited to expand our support for Progressive AFT,” said David Zemla, Marketing VP at S&S. “We enter the 2021 season as presenting sponsor of Mission SuperTwins and are backing it up with a $76,500 contingency program for the class. We will also continue to campaign the Indian Wrecking Crew in AFT’s premier class and are looking forward to getting back on the track and in front of the fans.” www.sscycle.com

Montana Makes Lane Splitting Legal - Califa, Hawaii and Utah have legalized some form of lane filtering. Starting on October 1, 2021, motorcyclists in Montana can legally split lanes. There are conditions, but this is major good news.

The Largest Biker Bar In The World-

-Set To Open Soon In Colorado - Colorado is known for lots of things, including our incredible landscapes and majestic mountains, meh sports teams (minus the Nuggets, of course), and our legal cannabis, and pretty soon, we will be adding one more thing to our repertoire. Can you guess what it is? If you read the title of this and answered the world’s largest biker bar, you are correct!

Slated to replace Bob and Tony’s Pizza in downtown Estes Park is an allnew biker bar, which promises to be the largest in the world!

According to the Estes Park TrailGazette, Michael Ballard, the owner of the world-famous Full Throttle Saloon in Vale, South Dakota, announced via Facebook Live in front of the pizzeria, sharing that he purchased the building and planned to bring another Full Throttle Saloon to the Centennial State.

While the former pizzeria will be the new bar’s main location, Ballard shared that he also purchased another building near the downtown area, though the exact location has yet to be announced.

Established in 1999, the original Full Throttle Saloon was located on 30 acres of land in Sturgis, South Dakota, but relocated to nearby Vale in 2015, after a fire devastated both the building and land.

In addition to its local fame, the Full Throttle Saloon was also once the setting of a reality show of the same name, which aired on TruTV for 5 seasons. Hang on for more reports. -from Onlyinyourstate. com

Sturgis Hamsters Infrastructure Project -The 2021 Hamsters Adopt a Highway clean-up will be held on Saturday May 15th in the Badlands. Please note that we have changed the date to accommodate the Donnie Smith Show. Plan to meet at the Holiday Inn parking lot 1pm. And stay tuned for possible dinner plans to be announced. The Black Hills Hamsters cordially invite any of our Brothers that would like to join us. In the past we have had Brothers from many States join us. It’s always a good time.

New Museum Coming--June Opening Anticipated For OCC Road House & Museum In Pinellas Park, Florida. The new Orange County Choppers Road House & Museum in Pinellas Park is racing full throttle toward a June grand opening, said Paul Teutul Sr. of the hit Discovery Network series, “American Chopper.”

Under construction at a 9.5 acrecomplex at 10575 49th St. N. that is also home to Bert’s Barracuda HarleyDavidson, the OCC Road House & Museum will be decked out with a fleet of Teutul’s custom choppers featured in the television series along with hundreds of rare items from his collection of biker memorabilia.

Teutul has joined forces with Pinellas County hospitality executive Keith Overton to bring the OCC-themed restaurant and museum to Florida.

With more than 11,000 square feet of indoor space, the family-friendly OCC Road House will be one of the area’s largest full-service restaurants, with indoor and outdoor seating for more than 325 diners and featuring classic American fare.

The restaurant will also feature a 25,000-square-foot pavilion for concerts, outdoor dining, a billiards hall, floor games and other entertainment, and a retail store selling merchandise and collectibles for bikers and OCC fans.

The OCC Road House & Museum will be an extension of the OCC brand, showcasing Teutul’s one-of-a-kind creations in an upscale, industrial environment that will make guests and fans “feel like they’re hanging out with Paul in his workshop,” Overton said.

The restaurant and museum will be packed with motorcycle memorabilia Teutul has personally collected over the past three decades, including an enormous “patch wall” with tens of thousands of patches he has received from members of the military and first responders over the years.

Overton and Teutul welcome military personnel and first responders, past and present, to help continue to fill the patch wall, leaving their mark for others to see.

Building the OCC Road House & Museum adjacent to Bert’s Barracuda Harley-Davidson dealership was a natural choice, Overton said. One of the top-performing Harley-Davidson dealerships in the country, Bert’s Barracuda has a loyal following and attracts a steady stream of bikers and brand enthusiasts.

At a cost of more than $6.5 million to build, Overton expects the OCC Road House & Museum to provide a significant economic benefit to the city of Pinellas Park and beyond by creating more than 50 construction jobs and roughly 90 full-time and 20 part-time restaurant positions…D’Ann Lawrence White, Patch Staff

Is Lane Splitting Legal In Missouri?Motorcycle riding and its culture are on the rise in Missouri, as more people are turning to the vehicles for recreation and every day transportation. As there are more riders participating in dense traffic, we are asked a common question these days: is lane splitting legal in Missouri?

This question is pertinent because another driver or an insurance company may try to automatically find you at fault for lane splitting in the event of an accident. There are stringent lane splitting laws in the United States, but Missouri is one of the few states that does not expressly prohibit it.

Thus, it is worth brushing up on lane splitting laws, practices, and the legal and safety ramifications of lane splitting in Missouri.

What is Splitting Lanes? Line splitting is riding a motorcycle between multiple lanes or rows of traffic going the same direction. It can also be called stripe riding or whitening, and its practical use is to save time in traffic.

While most people focus on lane splitting as a technique for speed, it also can be used for safety as well. Splitting lanes is a great way to get out of another driver’s blind spot, or to avoid rear end collisions in circumstances where a bike may not be seen as easily. Because motorcycles are smaller and lighter than normal cars, they are prone to being bumped if other drivers are not paying attention – lane splitting helps mitigate this.

IN WHAT STATES IS LANE SPLITTING LEGAL? Missouri falls under the category of ‘not mentioned and not specifically prohibited’ in legislature. It joins 11 other states in this category, while California, Hawaii, and Utah have either full legality or modified versions. In total, that makes 15 states where the act is not illegal, and many states are considering legislation to fully legalize in the near future.

While there is no statewide ban against lane splitting in Missouri, you should check your city and county ordinances to see your specific laws; Kansas City is an example of a city with its own ordinance banning lane splitting.

The key to lane splitting not being expressly prohibited in Missouri motorcycle riding laws is that you cannot be targeted for it by police or insurance companies if you are doing it safely. This is tricky when there is not state legislature for it, but we recommend following the speed limit and all other normal MO motorcycle traffic laws while lane splitting so as not to create any grey area should a problem occur.

Ultimately, it seems likely that there will be legalization and a specific set of state laws for motorcycle riders in Missouri, but until then you will have to rely on common sense and normal traffic laws. LANE SPLITTING SAFETY TIPS: Lane splitting should be done cautiously and by experienced riders. Before adding lane-splitting to your motorcycle riding skills, we recommend following the following safety tips: Always consider your full surroundings before beginning a lane split – these include lane width, traffic speed, weather, and visibility for you and vehicles around you. Lane splitting is typically safer between the farleft lanes of traffic than others because there is only one changing lane for parties to focus on.

Do not assume other drivers are paying attention or can always see you. Avoid riding in blind spots or lingering in between vehicles. Wear brightly colored and/or reflective gear at all times of the day. Use your high beams during daylight no matter what.In all scenarios, keep in mind that because you can be easily targeted for lane splitting should an incident occur, it is not just your physical safety at stake. If you follow the road laws and are careful, you should be able to lane split effectively.

LANE SPLITTING RISKS: Even with a strong knowledge of the Missouri road laws and tips for lane splitting, it can be dangerous if you don’t pay attention to certain things: Moderate your speed while filtering (another term for lane splitting) – physics is undefeated. Avoid lane splitting next to oversized vehicles such as big rigs or farm equipment. Do

not ride on the shoulder- this is not lane splitting and is illegal except in Hawaii. While lane splitting reduces the rate of motorcyclists getting rear-ended, it increases how often bikers will rear-end another car. In other words, watch your front! Traffic might be too erratic to lane split. This is especially important to watch for during traffic jams or slow zones; while this is the most opportune way to save time, there might not be a reliable gap in each lane to safely split them.

Most of these risks and countermeasures are addressed in proper motorcycle education and skill-building. However, we always recommend riding as though other cars are not up to speed on the laws, policies and safety measures to keep you safe. Finally, knowing your rights and having access to proper representation will let you lane split confidently.

Is lane splitting legal in Missouri? Speak with a Missouri Motorcycle Accident Attorney at Law Tigers, we serve the Missouri motorcycle community proudly because we’re riders just like you. Our passion for keeping riders on the road has allowed us to become the foremost legal experts on accident and injury representation. We have decades of

experience helping riders stay stressfree, healthy, and on the road.

If you are looking for representation in a case or want to learn more about lane-splitting laws in Missouri, reach out today – it’s better to ride with Law Tigers by your side.

Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials Coming This Summer— Could be a go according to rumor from the salt front. It was cancelled in 2020 due to Covid. It’s currently scheduled for August 28 in Bonneville. Check the Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials, AMA Land Speed Grand Championship 2021 BMST August 28th-September 2nd online. -Bandit

There you have it, amazing stuff happening. If you find the need to stay more on top of the news, come to Bikernet. We publish the news Weekly on Thursday Night.

Ride Fast and Free, Forever! -Bandit

Article By: Tyler Porter Photos Courtesy of : American Flat Track

we’re off to the races! After the dumpster fire of a year, it was incredible to see that both rounds of the opener held at Volusia

Speedway Park were well attended, especially the round on Friday night. As usual, there was a lot of action on the track. The truth is starting to come out from all of these racers now that the race reports are in and the adrenaline has died down and the racers are looking at a long wait time until the Atlanta Super

TT on May 1st .

As usual, I want to address some griping and complaining that I quite often see over on the face pages. The number one complaint? Class size.

The classes have gotten smaller, yes, but I would also argue that the field has also gotten deeper. While I love seeing a packedto-the-gills grid, I think everyone filling those grandstands is there to see a great race, and Volusia delivered in several aspects.

For one, crowd favorite Shayna Texter-Bauman returned to her

winning ways, making it a clean sweep in Florida. There were some choice words after the race for her “haters” who may have thought her winning ways were over. While it may have been fitting, Shayna also has a history of whipping up on the field on tracks like Volusia. I’m really proud of the number of new fans our sport has, but Shayna could win Volusia 100 times, and it wouldn’t surprise me. She’s a fantastic racer, and on a banked track like Volusia, she should honestly be a favorite. If you want to see a surprise win, go back and look for her win at the Lima, Ohio half-mile a few years ago. That one is impressive! As for the rest of the Pro Singles field, having Estenson Racing Yamaha Riders Dallas Daniels and Mikey Rush on or near the podium both nights wasn’t a surprise. Max Whale, the Australian import, looked

very good on his new KTM factory ride. It’s always good to see the best showman in the pits, Morgen Mischler, near the front with his podium on Saturday night. When you look down through the results, that parity is obvious. Of the 17 rider main, the field basically stayed within a half lap of each other. To be honest, that’s incredibly impressive. The racing in the singles class has always been a backed Yamaha. The two went at it lap after lap until Dan found a way by on lap 21. However, just when you thought the race was done and dusted, here comes Cory Texter on his G&G Yamaha to make things interesting. There was contact which pushed both racers up the race track a little bit, and it allowed Chad Cose to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat on the last lap. Talk about getting a crowd fired up! On

Saturday night, however, Cory Texter did just as his sister had done with the field as he marched to victory, with an over 2-second margin. I think Cory has been fast at Volusia since he first swung a leg over a race bike, so not only was it not a surprise to see him in the winner’s circle, but it was a heck of a way to kick off the new title defense season for him.

Of course, what everybody has been

bit more spectacular than the other classes, so keep an eye on it for the entire season.

In production twins, the entire field may not be that deep, but the racing up front is really great. There was an absolute dog fight at the front between Chad Cose and Dan Bromley on Friday night. Chad was piloting a Harley Davidson XG750R and Dan on his newly built Memphis Shades

waiting for is the Mission Super Twins class. There have been so many shake-ups in this class that I talked about in the offseason. We lost the Harley Davidson factory’s support, Indian reduced its inhouse factory team to just one rider, traction control was introduced for the production-based bikes, and we lost a few riders from the class to the other AFT classes. While all of that seems like a lot of change, except for a few things, the new boss was the same as the old boss.

I’ll start with the exciting things. First off, what does Brandon Robinson suddenly have going on with racing in the state of Florida? He swept both nights on the Daytona Short Track last fall to wrap up the season, and then he comes to the half-mile in Volusia and wins the race from green light to checkers! That was a big opening statement, but sadly for him, the biggest news was JD Beach coming home second on his Estenson Racing Yamaha MT07. Most keyboard warriors would simply point out that they can use traction control this year for their newfound success. However, the truth lies in the fact that the entire team did a lot of work in the offseason. Not just with the traction control, but with frame geometry and other bits. I also think that JD may have helped himself by going down to Florida during the winter and training. While he wasn’t riding flat track every day, he was on a motorcycle honing his skills, and there’s a lot to be said for that. Just behind JD were the titans of the class, Jared Mees and Briar Bauman. While they finished 3rd and 4th respectively on Friday night, it was almost like the calm before the storm of the season. Pick your sport when two titans faced off in their primes. This is similar to what we are seeing now. In flat track, I look at it like Parker vs. Carr. Maybe if your flat track history doesn’t go back that far, you can look to other sports. Johnson vs. Bird, Manning vs. Brady, McGuire vs. Sosa, Jordan vs. Bryant, Earnhardt vs. Gordon, you get what I’m saying.

Jared and Briar may not win every round, but I do believe it’s going to take an outside error to get either racer off of the podium right now. In Florida, just like last year, Jared came out on top of the points battle. Jared’s Saturday night win was honestly a little bit of a snooze fest towards the end. Briar jumped out to the early lead, but on lap 8, Jared found his way around and just set sail. While Jared seemed to be on a cruise out front, the Friday night hero, JD Beach, and his Estenson Racing teammate Kolby Carlile were back near the tail end of the field. I talked to JD after the race, and he did admit that the track changed a tremendous amount. However, unlike many races last season, JD was very optimistic about the bike. Typically a high banked clay half-mile was their Yamaha’s worst enemy. Still, they have obviously made massive progress with their setup, and I think they can be contenders at several rounds this season.

That’s a wrap on the first two rounds. We’re in for a barn burner of a singles championship, I believe, production twins is showing the spark it needed up front, and we have the clash of the titans leading the field in the Mission Super Twins class, with the Yamaha’s showing more promise. Next, we shake things up by going to the Atlanta Super TT inside the oval of Atlanta Motorspeedway on May 1st. Why don’t you join in?

Bare Bones Leather....................110

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Bling’s Cycles...............................68

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Twisted Choppers........................39

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The inventor of the HarleyDavidson motorcycle, Arthur Davidson, died and went to Heaven. At the gates, St. Peter told Arthur. “Since you’ve been such a good man and your motorcycles have changed the world, your reward is, you can hang out with anyone you want to in heaven.” Arthur thought about it for a minute and then said, “I want to hang out with God.” St. Peter took Arthur to the Throne Room and introduced him to God. God recognized Arthur and commented, “Okay, so you were the one who invented the HarleyDavidson motorcycle?” Arthur said, “Yeah, that’s me....” God commented: “Well, what’s the big deal in inventing something that’s pretty unstable, makes noise and pollution, and can’t run without a road?” Arthur was apparently embarrassed but finally spoke, “Excuse me, but aren’t you the inventor of woman?” God said, “Ah, yes.” “Well,” said Arthur, “professional to professional, you have some major design flaws in your invention. There’s too much inconsistency in the front-end protrusion. It constantly chatters at high speeds. Most rear ends are too soft and wobble too much. The intake is placed way too close to the exhaust. The maintenance costs are outrageous! “Hmmmmm, you may have some good points there,” replied God, “hold on.” God went to his celestial supercomputer, typed in a few words, and waited for the results. The computer printed out a slip of paper, and God read it. “Well, it may be true that my invention is flawed,” God said to Arthur, “but according to these numbers, more men are riding my invention than yours.

Carpentier

Ateenage girl comes home from school and asks her mother, “Is it true what Rita just told me? Babies come out of the same place where boys put their thingies?” “Yes, dear.” replies her mother, pleased that the subject had finally come up, and she wouldn’t have to explain it to her daughter. “But then when I have a baby,” responded the blonde teenager, “won’t it knock my teeth out?”

Rose

For his birthday, little Joseph asked for a dirtbike. His father said, ‘Son, we’d give you one, but the mortgage on this house is $280,000, and your mother just lost her job. There’s no way we can afford it.’ The next day the father saw little Joseph heading out the front door with a suitcase. So he asked, ‘Son, where are you going?’ Little Joseph told him, ‘I was walking past your room last night and heard you telling mom you were pulling out. Then I heard her tell you to wait because she was coming too. And I’ll be damned if I’m staying here by myself with a $280,000 mortgage and no bike! A lady comes home from her doctor’s appointment grinning from ear to ear. Her husband asks, “Why are you so happy?” The wife says, “The doctor told me that for a forty-five-year-old woman, I have the breasts of an eighteen-year-old.” “Oh yeah?” quipped her husband, “What did he say about your forty-five-yearold ass?” She said, “Your name never came up in the conversation.”

Maria, a devout Catholic, got married and had 15 children. After her first husband died, she remarried and had 15 more children. A few weeks after her second husband died, Maria also passed away. At Maria’s funeral, the priest looked skyward and said, “At last, they’re finally together.” Her sister sitting in the front row said, “Excuse me, Father, but do you mean she and her first husband, or she and her second husband?” The priest replied, “I mean her legs.”

Patrick

On their way to get married, a young Catholic couple is involved in a fatal car accident. The couple found themselves sitting outside the Pearly Gates waiting for St. Peter to process them into Heaven. While waiting, they began to wonder: Could they possibly get married in Heaven? When St. Peter showed up, they asked him. St. Peter said, “I don’t know. This is the first time anyone has asked. Let me go find out,’” and he left. The couple sat and waited and waited. Two months passed, and the couple was still waiting. While waiting, they began to wonder what would happen if it didn’t work out; could you get a divorce in Heaven? After yet another month, St. Peter finally returned, looking somewhat bedraggled. “Yes,” he informed the couple, “You can get married in Heaven.” “Great!” said the couple, “But we were just wondering, what if things don’t work out? Could we also get a divorce in Heaven?” St. Peter, red-faced with anger, slammed his clipboard onto the ground. “What’s wrong?” asked the frightened couple. “OH, COME ON! “ St. Peter shouted, “It took me three months to find a priest up here! Do you have any idea how long it’ll take me to find a lawyer?”