Thunder Roads Colorado October 2017 by Thunder Roads Colorado Magazine

October 2017 | Volume 12 | Issue 12

THUNDER ROADS® Magazine COLORADO Published by Flying Hound Press, L.L.C. 7477 W. Layton Way Littleton, Colorado 80123 720-458-3134 www.thunderroadscolorado.com feedback@thunderroadscolorado.com

ABATE.........................................................................6 Goldrush by Terrell Douglas.......................................8 Scott O’Sullivan..........................................................11 When Old Man Winter Slows You Down....................12 Tasty Recipes.............................................................14 Group Riding Hand Signals.......................................16 Calendar....................................................................18 Tech Tips....................................................................20 From Across the Pond...............................................22 Pretend You Are Invisible..........................................24 Skin Art......................................................................25 Events.......................................................................26 Seats And Saddles.....................................................28 News Bytes................................................................30 Biker Friendly Directory..............................................32 Joker’s Wild...............................................................33 Thunder Cam.............................................................34 TNT............................................................................36

EDITORS Patrick J. McCauley “5” President and Senior Editor Patrick@thunderroadscolorado.com Carrie McCauley Vice President and Editor Carrie@thunderroadscolorado.com PHOTOGRAPHERS Vickie Jo Mullin, Lead Photographer Vickie@thunderroadscolorado.com Wayne Madison wayne@thunderroadscolorado.com David Campbell davidc@thunderroadscolorado.com contributors Adventure Hermit (Joe Trey) joe@adventurehermit.com

On The Cover

Peggy Bogaard-Lapp peggy@thunderroadscolorado.com

Photographer: Wayne Madison Models: Bill and Holly Clayton Motorcycle: Cactus Medicine

Scott O’Sullivan http://osullivan-law-firm.com Stump - Abate stump@thunderroadscolorado.com Whiskyman whiskeyman@thunderroadscolorado.com

October 2017 | Volume 12 | Issue

Advertising and Distribution Representatives Greater Metro Denver Area Toby Schmidt tobyb@thunderroadscolorado.com (720)829-7954 Northern Colorado Zak Clayton zak@ThunderRoadsColorado.com (970) 301-4674 LAYOUT & DESIGN Warren Ells, Art Director Thunder Publishing LLC warrenlayout@yahoo.com National Founders Toni McCoy Shearon & Brian Shearon 1528 Matlock Drive Chapmansboro, TN 37035 Thunder Publishing LLC, Offices 615-792-0040 thunderroadsfounders@yahoo.com www.thunderroadsmagazine.com ©2016 Flying Hound Press, LLC. All Rights Reserved. No part of the content may be reproduced without written permission. Publisher assumes no responsibility and is not liable for errors beyond the cost of space occupied by the error, slander by any group or individual, failure to produce any issue as scheduled, any and all suits for liable, plagiarism, copyright infringement and unauthorized use of a person’s name or photograph. Opinions and claims made by advertisers and authors/contributors are their own, and do not necessarily represent the policy of Thunder Road Magazine® Colorado, Thunder Publishing.

Publisher does not promote the abuse of alcohol or other drugs.

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Want to be a contributor or correspondent? We need contributors and correspondents for dirt bike offroad events, on-road cruiser, sport bike and adventure touring, rides, runs and rallies. Contact us today at contributors@ thunderroadscolorado.com or 720-458-3134.

October, the cool snap in the air & the need to layer on more jackets and warm gear. We are heading into the meat of the fall riding season. Make sure you ride prepared, those 70 + degree weather days turn into 45 + degree nights. Make sure you pack for the whole ride, that means more gear, but better to be comfortable than be frozen when you get home. Remember that wind chill guide? It may be 50 degrees outside, but on the bike, it feels like old man winter just slapped you in the face. Here’s a handy wind chill chart to remind you. Patrick (5) and Carrie McCauley

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Full-time and part-time advertising representative wanted. No experience required. Contact us at sales@thunderroadscolorado.com or 720-458-3134.

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Please email us and let us know what you think and what you want to see at feedback@thunderroadscolorado.com or 720-458-3134.

Add your ride, rally or run to our free events listing page Send us your event information whether on-Road or off-road, rides, runs, rallies and events for all types of motorcycles and three wheelers. We will list it free in our events listing for that month! events@thunderroadscolorado.com or 720-458-3134.

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October 2017 | Volume 12 | Issue 12

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ABATE OF COLORADO

Legislative Update & Getting Ready for 2018

sentenced to twenty years in prison on two class-3 felony

Hello Concerned Motorcyclists,

counts of vehicular homicide while driving under the influence of alcohol. Friends of the Lehrer’s were shocked

he Transportation Legislative Review Committee

(TLRC) has been busy the past two months with a

to learn that the driver would not have faced any prison

Southwest Colorado Tour on July 24th & 25th and a

time if not for the presence of alcohol. They also learned

Northeast Colorado Tour on August 14th & 15th. They

the penalty for texting while driving was $50 and 1 point

also have a Northwest Colorado Tour scheduled for

off of your driving record. Wanting to do something,

October 11th & 12th and a Southeast Colorado Tour

friends of the Lehrer’s formed CORD in November 2016.

scheduled for October 24th – 26th. The TLRC is an

The group was very instrumental in getting SB17-027,

interim committee that meets a few times from the end

Increase Penalty for Texting While Driving, passed

of one General Assembly session to the beginning of the

last year and plans to lobby more next year for more

next session. They gather information by visiting various

legislation on texting and distracted driving

road projects and meeting with local stakeholders and

Lane-splitting/filtering could be an issue brought

agencies. They also meet a couple times at the Capitol

up in next year’s session. I have been contacted by

to hear reports from different agencies. The agenda

motorcyclists and other organizations about it. One guy

for the Wednesday, Sept. 20th meeting at the Capitol

has contacted me about ten times and sent me a link to

includes a “Discussion of and Request for TLRC Interim

his facebook page (www.facebook.com/lanesharingco)

Bills” session. This is when Legislators bring up topics

and you-tube site (http://mylicence.sa.gov.au/my-

of concern for possible bills in next year’s session. I

motorcycle-licence/lane_filtering) about lane-splitting/

have tried to get sponsors for our motorcycle concerns,

filtering. Another guy, who was past president of

i.e. profiling, red-light bill and lane-splitting/filtering, but

BMWMCC (BMW Motorcycle Club of Colorado), actually

I haven’t confirmed any yet. I will keep trying as only

drafted his own version of a bill to allow motorcyclists

legislators can request topics at the meeting. At the

to pass stopped or slow-moving traffic on the right-hand

November 2nd TLRC meeting at the Capitol, they will

shoulder of the road. I have read the current statutes on

vote on which topics to pursue. All is not lost if we do not

that and I doubt think that will go very far.

get our concerns addressed as an interim bill because we

So, as you can see I am pretty busy working on next

can still get bills introduced during the regular session.

year’s legislation already. I have also been in contact with

Actually, interim bills are quite limited and tough to

Colorado State Patrol about ABATE’s legislative agenda.

get, so I do not hold much faith in getting our concerns

Any bills we want to introduce will have a better chance

addressed at this time, but we have to try. I will keep you

of passing if we can get their support. If you want more

informed and let you know how you can help.

current legislative updates log onto www.abateofcolo. org or better yet join ABATE. You can get weekly updates

As you all know, there are many organizations lobbying to get their concerns addressed in the State

during the Legislative session and find out what you

Legislature. One such group is Coloradoans Organized

can do to protect your right to ride the way you want

for Responsible Driving (CORD). In February 2016, Brian

to. Freedom is not free! Get legislatively active, 2018 is

and Jacquie Lehrer were riding their motorcycle south

coming sooner than you think!

on Parker Road when they were struck and killed by a driver who admitted to checking a text immediately before

Stump

causing the crash. On January 20, 2017 the driver was 6 Thunder Roads Magazine® Colorado

October 2017

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October 2017

Thunder Roads MagazineÂŽ Colorado 7

Terrell Douglas

GoldrusH

8 Thunder Roads MagazineÂŽ Colorado

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Photos and retouching by David Lawrence, D. L. Lawrence Photography, DavidLee@DLLawrence.com, 317-501-6308

Bike Name: GOLDRUSH Owner: Terrell Douglas 30” Spinner from Andrews Customs LTD Arlen Ness Front End Eddie Trotti Foot Controls Fat Kate Front Fender PYO Bagger Nation Bags Fender Boom Audio Lids Airfx Front & Rear Air Ride MRI Center Stand PYO Monkey Bars Mustang Seat Rinehart True Dual Exhaust Custom Bag Liners Infinity Kappa Speakers StreetFx LED Kit Built by Your World Motorsports Paint by Wicked Colors www.thunderroadscolorado.com

October 2017

Thunder Roads Magazine® Colorado 9

LIVE 24/7 Biker Radio

Rally Coverage Biker Music | BIker bands

888.498.2123 w w w. b i c r a d i o . n e t 10 Thunder Roads MagazineÂŽ Colorado

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Top Eight Dos and Don’ts in the First 24 Hours After a Motorcycle Accident

so that we could collect the other driver’s insurance information. Just use your phone and snap a picture of the front and back.

5. DO Seek Medical Attention if You Are Hurt If you have the slightest concern that you were injured by the By Scott O’Sullivan, The O’Sullivan Law Firm accident, head to an emergency room. I’ve seen too many victims brush off little aches and pains that later became major health In the immediate minutes, hours and days after a motorcycle issues. For example, we recently were hired by a woman who was accident in Denver, people do the strangest things. Sometimes in an accident two years ago. At the time, she didn’t seek medical they act irrationally due to the burst of adrenaline in their bodies. attention even though she “tweaked” her back in the accident. But, Other times, they are simply naïve about their own injuries, or as time went on, those aches and pains never subsided. Two years they innocently trust the other driver to take responsibility for the later, she discovered she needed back surgery. Without the proper damages they caused. documentation from a hospital visit just after the accident, we had a very hard time proving that the injury was a result of the impact. Whatever the reason, I have seen far too many personal injury cases in which the victim does something harmful to his or her own (But we did it!) Consider your future health and seek immediate interests, thereby limiting their ability to secure the funds they need medical attention. to heal or replace their property. 6. DO Give Your Own Health Insurance to the Hospital The hospital cannot do anything with the other driver’s auto With that in mind, I thought I would share the Top Eight Dos and insurance. Nothing. However, it does alert them to the fact that Don’ts for the first 24 hours after your motorcycle accident. your injuries were the result of an accident, which does impact how they handle your billing. Essentially, they will do everything in 1. DO Call the Police to the Scene of the Accident their power to avoid billing your own medical insurance because I have literally never heard a victim say, “I sure wish I had not they stand to make a lot more if you receive a settlement from the called the police to the accident.” As the victim of someone else’s negligence, you will have the duty to prove that the other other driver’s insurance. They want a piece of the money owed to driver caused the accident. You do not want it to come down to you! On the other hand, if you give them your health insurance he said/she said because a lot (A LOT!) of at-fault drivers lie after card, they are required by law to use it. causing an accident. They may tell you to your face that they 7. DO NOT Post Anything at All on Social Media caused it and that they will “make it right.” But later they start In this sharing society, we want to post everything on our social thinking about the financial impact on their insurance and they media platforms. But please think twice before you post anything do a 180. at all about your accident. Yes, the photos are probably very A police report provides an official document of what happened. dramatic and impressive, but I guarantee that the other driver’s insurance company will search for them and try to use them You need to make sure that the true story is captured at the against you. Save them for after your case is closed. Also, don’t scene of the accident. post any updates about your health condition. If you have one good day and post, “Feeling better!” the insurance company will 2. DO Take Pictures of the Scene, Your Motorcycle and the claim that they owe you nothing. Other Driver’s Car When you have pictures of the accident scene, you can more easily tell your story. (A picture is worth a thousand words!) And 8. DO NOT Talk to the Other Driver’s Insurance Company You know that old saying, “Anything you say can and will be used pictures make your story more easily understood by others. I have handled cases in which the pictures of the scene flip a case against you”? It definitely applies to every conversation you have with the other driver’s insurance company. Under Colorado law, completely on its head: insurance companies balking, saying the other driver’s insurance company is not allowed to use any they will not pay, will completely change their tune if you have statement that you make within 15 days of the accident. However, pictures that prove their driver caused the accident. I know for a fact (I worked in the insurance industry) that they will write down absolutely everything you say to them, looking 3. DO Ask Witnesses to Share Their Story with Police As soon as you get up (assuming you can), find people who saw for a way out of the case. They will also ask for your permission what happened. Get them to make a statement to police or get to record their calls with you. NEVER let them record a statement unless you are accompanied by an attorney. a video of them on your phone sharing their stories. Make sure to get their names and contact information so that police and If you have any questions about this article or your accident, please your personal injury attorney can track them down later. contact me at 303-388-5304. 4. DO Take a Picture of the Other Driver’s Insurance Card We used to have to hunt all over for a piece of paper and pencil www.thunderroadscolorado.com

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When Old Man Winter Shuts You Down

Wild Ride

to wash your scoot after a long riding season; after all, you have no excuse now… Give your scoot a good and thorough cleaning with some gentle auto wash and clean Save Your Scoot And Winterize Your Ride water. Be aware of all the crevices and openings on that motorcycle since if water gets inside and you winterize By Dallas Hageman your ride too rapidly, some places (like exhaust openings) Wild Ride Radio Host www.WildRideRadio.com will rust. So, wash and dry your motorcycle THOROUGHLY to avoid this. Clean your motorcycle’s chain as well and get It is that time of year again unfortunately. Time to put rid of any buildup residue from cleaning; after that, lube the the ol’ scoot away and start dreaming of summer to chain as well. Then, wax your scoot as well as polish all come. Each year old man winter sneaks up on me and I metal and stainless surfaces. The idea of this step is to get am always… ALWAYS caught off guard. Now, where we off all the road grime and dead bugs that will undoubtedly live there are times, albeit brief, when it warms up past destroy your scoot’s finish if left untouched all season long. freezing and we can back our best friend out of the garage 3. Change the oil for a quick spin. But let’s face it, those times are brief and Start your scoot and let it warm up for a couple of do not come around all that often. I used to ride all year minutes, after it gets good and warm you will want to round--yes even if there was ice on the ground. I continued change the oil now. Even though you may still have 1,000 this idiotic practice right up until I rode over a particular miles or so on the old oil, if left in an engine that will not patch of ice and wrecked one of my scoots. Since then my get fired up for a while, that old oil will corrode whatever it policy has been: “If there is ice on the ground, I will not be is touching. See, old oil can become acidic and/ or develop around”. So if you are like me and now practice parking condensation or water in it as well. I’m no mechanic but your scoot in the garage or tuck it away behind a wall of I do know that motorcycles do not run on acid or water the house I wanted to impart what I do to winterize my ride. and this can present quite a problem if left unchecked. These tips were borne out of years and years of mistakes Drain the old oil, get a new filter and put in the good stuff and tragedies and I share now what worked in winterization (At WildRideRadio.com we are offering a helluva deal on techniques with the hopes that you do not make the same Amsoil for motorcycles right now- hint hint…). mistakes I did. If you heed these tips your ride should be 4. Fill ‘er up ready to roll this coming spring, barring you don’t take it Fill that gas tank to the brim with top quality fuel and out for a spin on the ice. don’t forget to add in a fuel stabilizer too (like Lucas). If 1. Grab your gear you do not top off the tank and there is space left over, Before beginning this lengthy and meticulous process that fuel will start to develop condensation and possibly you should get all the crap together that you will need. I rust your tank. Even though it is 2017 and I was promised find that if this step is avoided in the hopes it will speed up flying cars by now, manufacturers still haven’t found a way time to prep the bike, it ends up costing way more energy to get motorcycles to run on water or rust, so fight this than it needs to. Here is what you will more than likely problem and fill up the tank. That fuel stabilizer helps too need to get a hold of before beginning: motorcycle cover because gas nowadays is crap. It breaks down after a few (yes, even if it is going in a garage), plastic food wrap (or short months and develops sludge and gross booger-ey trash bags), gloves, wax, auto cleaner (the sudsy kind) substances (that is the technical term) that wreak havoc on chamois cloth (so it doesn’t scratch your bike), spark plug engines. wrench, four/ five quarts of oil and new filter, fuel stabilizer 5. Carbs are great and lastly- a trickle charger. If you have a fuel injected motorcycle pass by this step. 2. Wash that pig Spend your time relaxing, drinking six or seven bourbons If you are the kind of rider that always says “I would or smoking a fat stogie while reflecting on how good it is rather ride it than wash it” then congrats! It is now time 12 Thunder Roads Magazine® Colorado

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to live the good life unlike other peasants. For the rest of us serfs with ancient scoots, we’ll have to take care of our carburetors. If you don’t know where the drain screws are on your motorcycle you can google it or if you have a user manual, it should tell you as well. Also, shut off the petcock and drain all the gas from the carb bowls. 6. Oil her up… … and then go to the garage and oil up your motorcycle… see, you thought this article was going to be boring. Seriously though, grab one of those oil squirter thingies and squirt some oil on the stationary tubes on the front forks of the motorcycle and bounce up and down on the bike. The idea of this step is to get oil into the seals that keep the other oil in your front suspension from coming out. Those seals may crack if not taken care of so don’t skip this step. 7. Spark plugs ‘n such Remember that oil squirter thingy? You’ll want to use that again when you put motor oil in your bike’s cylinders. Take off your spark plug wires and remove your spark plugs with the wrench you got at the beginning of the process, also make sure that they do not arc or you may light up like a Christmas tree. When you squirt oil into the engine only use a small amount and spin the motor a few times with your starter just to spread the oil around the engine; do not worry when oil shoots out, it is completely normal. After you have spread oil around, clean everything off and replace the plugs and wires. Also, and I feel the need to say this, do not start your motorcycle after completion of this step. If you do then you will need to do this entire and annoying process all over again. 8. Lube makes it easier… … to preserve clutch cables. Lube all of your cables and lines that regularly take lube. Also, look at your drive shaft, if it needs lubed, now would be a good time to do that as well. Basically, give your motorcycle a once over and if something needs lubed, do it now. 9. Icy freeze If your motorcycle has a cooling system on it then you will need to check the anti-freeze. You can use a hygrometer to see, however I would recommend just dumping the old antifreeze and replacing it with fresh stuff. Make sure to never leave antifreeze levels low because it acts somewhat like a low fuel tank and corrosion or rust can occur. 10. Charge it In all of this attention to the outside of your ride you may overlook the battery. Batteries are something that become overlooked far too much and taken for granted. Some prefer to remove a battery all together but I like to put a battery tender on mine. It keeps the battery from draining too much and helps it maintain a good charge with the constant drain that today’s motorcycles have. Plug a trickle www.thunderroadscolorado.com

charger into the battery and put some Vaseline over the terminals. This will preserve the battery and have it ready to go when your bike is as well. 11. Final touches If you have a garage or small storage place park your motorcycle in there on some sort of carpet or ply wood. Better yet, a motorcycle stores best if you can put it up on blocks so the weight is taken off of the tires. Also, keep it away from anything that emits ozone type emissions; things like refrigerators, freezers, furnaces etc. These will actually deteriorate rubber parts over time. Once your scoot is blocked up, put plastic food wrap or garbage bags around any opening on your ride. I like to put them over my exhaust ports and air cleaner. Why? Well, rodents look for small dark places to make nests over the winter and I don’t feel like hosting a two wheel house for Mickey Mouse… so I cover up the openings. Finally, throw a motorcycle cover over your scoot and give it a kiss goodnight. It is not goodbye, it is “I will see you later”. Now I’m sure that I probably missed a couple of things you should do on a yearly basis and this list is by no means a complete and comprehensive checklist of what to complete before jumping off for the winter. There are other items that can and should get your attention and each rider is different; if you care about your ride and want it ready to go for Spring, these tips should do the trick. Also (shameless plug) I realize that when riders cannot get on their bikes for extended periods of time it gets to be rather uncomfortable. I would like to invite you to listen to my radio show, Wild Ride Radio, to keep up to date and focused on riding even during the cold and dark months. We are able to get riders through every winter and I will have your back for this one as well with podcast episodes and very active social media sites. We will help you with your winter blues; stay warm and ride safe!

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Thunder Roads Magazine® Colorado 13

Tasty Recipes All of these recipes have been kitchen tested and biker approved.

Zombie Cocktail

Mummy Hot Dogs

The perfect drink for Halloween. The legend around this drink says that the bartender created it for some poor soul that was suffering from a deathly hangover. The drink caught on during the rise of the Tiki craze and many bars served them. The original recipe was closely guarded and subsequently never revealed. During the Tiki craze in the late thirties/early forties this cocktail became popular. Be careful, this one packs a whollop. That’s why many of the restaurants/bars that serve this drink limit it to two per customer. This is a riff on one of the recipes I found with a bit of a twist. This recipe is for one drink, double, triple, quadruple if you dare. Ingredients 1/2 oz. white rum 1 1/2 oz. golden rum 1 oz. dark rum 1/2 oz. 151-proof rum 1 oz. lime juice 1 tsp. pineapple juice 1 tsp. papaya juice 1 tsp. superfine sugar three or four mint leaves Procedure 1. Dip the mint leaves in lime juice then the superfine sugar. Set aside to harden 2. Pour all the ingredients except the 151 and pour into a shaker with ice. 3. Shake until well mixed and cold. 4. Pour into a tall glass filled with ice. 5. Place a spoon just on top of the drink and pour the 151 into the spoon. Dip the spoon into the drink to allow the 151 to float on top. 6. Garnish with the sugar-coated mint or light the 151 on fire and serve it flaming!

These are great hotdogs to serve to kids or grownups. They mummy wrapping is phyllo dough (you can buy in your freezer section) and easy to put together and bake up in a large batch. The crunchy phyllo dough makes these addicting. Cut the hotdogs in half and serve for appetizers. Ingredients 20 sheets (about one roll) Phyllo Dough, thawed 12 ounces cheddar cheese, cut into hotdog length and measure 1/8 inch squared 10 hotdogs (I prefer the all-beef kind) Cooking spray Procedure 1. Thaw one roll of phyllo following the thawing instructions on the package. 2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 3. line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or spray liberally with cooking spray. 4. Cut a slit into the hotdogs and place a piece of cheese into the slit. 5. Unroll the phyllo dough and cover with plastic wrap and then a damp towel to keep moist. 6. Place a stack of three sheets on a cutting board and coat half with cooking spray. Fold the unsprayed portion onto the sprayed portion. Repeat this process four to five times. Follow package instructions for saving any unused dough. 7. Cut the dough with a pizza cutter into strips approximately 3/4 inches wide. 8. Place the strips under another piece of plastic wrap and damp towel. 9. Wrap the strips of the phyllo dough around the hotdogs, covering the entire hotdog and cheese. Each hotdog should take approximately 3 strips to cover completely. 10. Place the finished hotdog on the prepared pan and cover with plastic wrap while working the remaining hot dogs. 11. When all ten hotdogs are complete bake 15 - 20 minutes or until the phyllo dough is golden brown. 12. Cool and serve with dipping sauces.

Do you have some recipes that you love and would like to share with the readers of Thunder Roads Colorado Magazine? Submit them to recipes@thunderroadscolorado.com We will try them out and maybe publish them in the magazine! 14 Thunder Roads Magazine® Colorado

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Thunder Roads MagazineÂŽ Colorado 15

MSF’s Guide to Group Riding: Hand Signals

16 Thunder Roads Magazine® Colorado www.msf-usa.org

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ABATE DISTRICT 1

15th Annual

Registration: 10 a.m. Run Starts at 11:00 Walgreens Parking Lot (Main & Platte in Fort Morgan, CO)

Short Ride Ending at The Queens, Fort Morgan, CO With Chili!! Donate here until December 9 at:

513 Main Street 228 Main Street

SANTA AND TOY DRIVE November 4 8a.m. - 5 p.m WALMART

For More Information Contact: Bill Smith 970-768-2989 Belva Smith 303-517-8342

Motorcycle: Cactus Medicine

Photographer: Wayne Madison

Motorcycle Owners: Bill and Holly Clayton

O C T O B E R

T E C H Overdrive Transmission vs. A Pulley Change In 1936 Mother Harley® introduced one of the benchmark motorcycles of all time with the OHV 61 cubic inch EL. This beautifully styled bike has become affectionately known as the Knucklehead. What many people fail to realize is the design of the transmission first used here would remain in service until 1986, an incredible run of 50 years with the same basic configuration. There where of course different variations available in the early years, for example the standard 4 speed, a 3-speed w/reverse for sidecar use, hand shift or foot shift. The original design was extremely bulletproof. Knuckles and Pans shared the same outer case. The only exception was the 1965 Pan with the introduction of the electric start. The tranny case grew a couple of ears to support the new aluminum inner primary that the electric start bolted to and the mainshaft in the tranny got 1 /4 inch longer to accommodate these new goodies. Things remained the same until the introduction of the alternator. Adding an alternator affected the tranny. The primary had to be moved out to accommodate the alternator. So the mainshaft grew again. These minor changes went on until the demise of the 4 speed in 1986. The biggest complaint of the 4 speed was pretty universal throughout the years. Many felt that the bike simply should have had another gear. In 1980 Harley® introduced the FLT series motorcycle. Once again a pretty revolutionary bike in Harley® history. A rubber mounted engine with a 5-speed gearbox was the major design change. This was in response to public opinion. What many did not understand was the final drive ratio of the 4 speed & the 5 speed was the same 1 to 1. Many mistakenly thought the 5th gear was an overdrive. The lower gear ratios in 1st, 2nd, & 3rd allowed the engineers to raise the overall gear ratio to achieve the same off the line performance with a higher top speed. Today’s higher road speeds have raised the requests for another gear once again. While Harley® hasn’t listened yet, the aftermarket has. There are a variety of 6 speed transmissions available these days. Baker, Jim’s Machine®, RevTech® & Milwaukee Twins™ all produce overdrive gearboxes. These new tranny’s feature a high gear that is .86 to 1 or .80 to 1, less than the stock 1 to 1. This results in a reduction in engine RPM at a given speed, or a faster speed at the same RPM. For example; a mid 90’s softail would have an overall ratio of 3.36 to one. This is determined by the number of teeth on each of the gears or pulleys in the primary drive and the secondary drive. (see figure 1 for 20 Thunder Roads Magazine® Colorado

T I P S the changes in RPM) The problem with any overdrive type system is that if you slow down too much in that overdrive gear the engine will lug when you attempt to accelerate. This is detrimental to the engine. The solution? Downshift to accelerate. An alternative to adding an overdrive is to change the overall ratio of the bike to reduce engine RPM at a given speed. When motorcycles had a chain drive secondary this was very easy to do. Chains are easy to obtain in various lengths to accommodate the differences a larger or smaller sprocket would require. With the advent of the belt secondary things got more complicated. Due to the fact that belts are fixed in application we have some serious limitations in what we can do. In our example Softail™ the 3.36 to 1 ratio was achieved with a primary ratio of 1.54 to 1 (24/37 tooth combo) and a secondary ratio of 2.1875 to 1 (32/70). A change to a 65 tooth rear pulley would make the secondary ratio 2.03 and the overall ratio of 3.12. At 70 MPH engine RPM would drop 235 revs. When making a change like this the physical difference in pulley diameter is of serious concern. Our example Softail™ has a 132 tooth belt & a pulley center to center distance of 22.07 inches with the stock 32/70 pulley combo. If we change to the 65 and use the same 132 tooth belt, the new center to center distance will need to be 22.82 inches, or 3/4 of an inch farther apart. It is unlikely for us to have that much room in the axle adjusting slots. We do have the choice of changing the belt to a new length of 130 teeth to get a center to center of 22.27 which will be much more likely to work in the slots. One other important note is the fact that upper & lower belt guards that work for one combination will not satisfy the needs of another. In summary, using a six speed overdrive transmission is a fine way to lower engine RPM. Changing pulley ratio can get similar results as long as you understand all the variables to make it work. For further info on the content in this article you can call any of the J&P Cycles® Tech staff to help you. J&P Cycles® is the largest aftermarket motorcycle parts and accessories cataloger and online retailer on the planet! Founded in 1979 and headquartered in Anamosa, Iowa, with a satellite location in Ormond Beach, Florida, J&P Cycles® has been sharing their knowledge and expertise for over 30 years.

October 2017

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BRITISH MOTORCYCLE ASSOCIATION OF COLORADO Meets 1 st Saturday of every month, 10 am South Side Johnny’s 528 S. Tejon Colorado Springs, CO www.bmacinc.com All makes and models of bikes welcome! Contact John @719-213-3239 or 5pointsltd@gmail.com

You say you didn’t see your event in our magazine? Let us know about your event by emailing us at events@thunderroadscolorado.com www.thunderroadscolorado.com

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FROM ACROSS THE POND

1959 A10 Rocket 650 twin. This was BSA in her prime.

“OLD BRITISH BRANDS NEVER DIE... THEY JUST GET BOUGHT BY SOMEONE ELSE” INDUSTRIAL DOMINANCE IS A FICKLE THING

BY ANDY TALLONE Classic-British-Motorcycles.com

BRITANNIA RULES THE WAVES At one time in the not-so-distant past, Britain ruled the world, literally and figuratively. They dominated the worldʼs trade and banking system, had the worldʼs most powerful navy, and most professional army, the largest economy, the highest standard of living, the most technologically-advanced industries and sciences, and the finest products available anywhere at the time. The Brits started and lead the Industrial Revolution, and by the late 1800s, their fine products began to include the worldʼs best cars and motorcycles. There seemed to be no stopping them, and everyone else in the world wanted their stuff. Britain colonized every corner of the globe to obtain raw materials that were shipped back to England, where English workers turned them into high-quality finished products that were exported across the globe. England was in the catbird seat. In their prime, they built the worldʼs best planes (Spitfire and Hawker Hurricane), the finest luxury cars (Rolls Royce and Bentley), the worldʼs fastest performance cars (Jaguar XK120 et al), the sexiest sports cars (MG, Austin-Healey, Triumph, etc.), and the worldʼs best-selling motorcycles (Triumph & BSA).

But it wasnʼt just their political arena that was shrinking, their great industrial dominance was about to be toppled as well. Just as America experienced with the Japanese in the 1960s, and the Chinese today, by building such great products and selling them around the world, Britain was essentially teaching their future competitors how to build a better car, or motorcycle or wristwatch. Before long, everyone was producing advanced products, and England no longer had the edge. As their car and motorcycle companies began to feel the pinch, less money was available for the development of future products, so they were stuck working with outdated hardware, and making the most of it. Fortunately for them, they were actually quite good at it, but it wasnʼt enough to stem the tide of cheap, high-quality products pouring in from Japan. Major industry after major industry constricted then collapsed. The British aerospace industry, consumer electronics, motorcycles, and cars all teetered at the edge of extinction, many never to return. (This should sound hauntingly familiar, if you live in America.)

THE CONQUERER AND THE VANQUISHED

We donʼt know what the new 2019 BSAs will look like, these are artistʼs renderings.

AN EMPIRE CRUMBLES

But nothing stays the same, and the irresistible cycles of change, along with a two World Wars, a Depression and a Cold War conspired to sap the once-mighty British Empire of her strength. They survived it all, won even, but it almost wiped them out, and they never quite recovered. Following the War, the British Empire began to crumble. India, Pakistan, Iraq, Palestine, Burma, Australian, New Zealand, Canada, and many more Colonies broke away from England. America was now the dominant global player, and England was more of a ‘side kickʼ. It must have been tough on the proud British people to accept this new reality. 22 Thunder Roads Magazine® Colorado

Fast forward to today. Many of these great old British brands simply faded into history. But some were valuable enough, based on their good names and reputations, to be bought and revived by new owners. Unfortunately, theyʼre usually not from England. Today, Rolls Royce is owned by BMW (itʼs ironic that British fighters with Rolls Royce Merlin engines battled German fighters with BMW engines during WWII). Bentley is owned by the Volkswagen Group, also German. Jaguar and Land Rover are now owned by Tata Motors of India, after buying them from Ford (American). BMW also owns Mini, and the Chinese car company Geely just bought Lotus this year. Just about the only English-owned English car companies left today are tiny Morgan and McLaren (both practically a cottage industries). The same thing happened to the British motorcycle industry, but with some British ownership. Some of the best brands, those with the most iconic names and reputations, were bought up by other parties and resurrected, in some form or another, with varying degrees of success. Here’s where all those old classic British brands go when they die:

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Triumph was the king of the Brit bikes then, and now.

The new 961 is instantly recognizable as a Commando.

TRIUMPH

NORTON

Triumph was the ultimate premium British motorcycle brand for decades (1940s-1960s). They always made fast, beautiful bikes, and were literally the ones who started the whole motorcycle boom with the introduction of the worldʼs first ʻmodernʼ parallel twin, the 500cc 1938 Speed Twin. They continued to lead the way right up about 1970, when the combined forces of the Japanese motorcycle industry, an anti-business socialist government at home, and the collapse of parent-company BSA spelled big trouble for Triumph. A worker revolt in 1973 led to a worker buyout of the company, and the resulting Meriden Co-Op struggled along making small numbers of classic Bonnevilles until 1983. British billionaire developer John Bloore bought Triumph out of receivership and made plans to reopen as a modern motorcycle manufacturer. But that was still several years off. In the meantime, he licensed the rights to the classic Bonneville to Les Harris who hand-built Bonnevilles until 1989 or so. By 1990 Bloore was ready to launch the new Triumph Motorcycles Ltd brand, and their new line of modern motorcycles, built in their state-of-the-art new factory in Hinkley, England. Hence, the classic Triumphs are called “Meriden Triumphs”, and the modern bikes are called “Hinkley Triumphs”. Triumph wisely modularized their engines around two component sets, one a 250cc and the other a 300cc. This allowed them to launch with a wide range of engines, including 750 and 900 triples, and 1000 and 1200 fours. They revived historic Triumph names like “Trophy” and “Thunderbird”, but they were not even remotely retro in any other way: these were thoroughly modern highperformance bikes. It wasnʼt until 2001 that the retro-styled 800 Bonneville came out and was an instant hit. Priced around $8,000, it was a lot of bike for the money, not a superbike, but fast enough. Also, a thoroughly modern bike, but styled respectfully toward the original. Today, the “Bonnie” has grown to 1200cc and Triumph Motorcycles Ltd is a major player in the modern motorcycle industry. Bravo!

Norton is another storied British brand, known for the Norton Manx 500cc single-cylinder road racer that dominated the sport through the 1950s, and the Norton Commando, one of the worldʼs hottest bikes in the 1970s. In fact, for a brief moment in time, the 1969 750 Commando was the worldʼs fastest production motorcycle. While the rest of the British motorcycle industry crumbled around them, by 1972 only Triumph and Norton remained. Norton focused purely on the

100% FREE No Registration Required An Online Index of: * Postwar Classic British Bikes * Arranged by Make, Model & Year * Gorgeous, Eye-popping Photos * Specifications, History & more * Bike Shows, Auctions & Events * Clubs, Rides, Shops & Museums

INCLUDES: - Triumph - BSA - Norton - Matchless/AJS - Royal Enfield - Ariel - Vincent - Velocette - Rickman - Cafe Racers - Choppers & Bobbers - Race Bikes & more

www.Classic-British-Motorcycles.com ...and send us pictures of YOUR BIKE!

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S K I N A R T

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October 2017

HRMC 61st. Turkey Run 11/5/2017 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM Turkey Run 101 West Floyd Ave Englewood, CO 80110 10/7/2017 Harry’s Roamers M/C of Denver is hosting their 61st. 11:00 AM annual Turkey Run. This is similar to a poker run, 3010 W 29th St Greeley, CO 80631 but turkeys are awarded to the top poker hands. A The ride fee is $20.00 for the rider and $10.00 for consolation prize for the worst hand. 50/50 raffle. a passenger. The fee includes a door prize ticket Proceeds to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project. Sign and food at the last stop. The ride includes stops up opens at 8:00am. Last rider out at 11:00am. at various locations in northern Colorado. Turkeys Felt Billiard’s is the start and finish. The event will will be given for high scores and a Cornish hen will travel around the Denver Metro area. be given for the low score. All proceeds support the Phone: (303) 887-3761 - Tony Hauck Resource Center for Pregnancy and Personal Health. Email: mountainhauck@gmail.com Registration begins at 11:00 am and the last motorcycle goes out at 12:00 pm. Devil Dogs M.C. Anniversary Party Phone:970-339-3476 11/11/2017 Website: http://www.cmaswr2.org/CO/gloryriders/ 4:00 PM events.aspx?region=2&state=CO&chapter=gloryriders 1350 S Broadway St Denver, CO 80210 Devil Dogs M.C. will be hosting an anniversary ABATE Toys for Kids Run celebration for the U.S. Marine Corps. Birthday. We will 10/21/2017 have music, food, and a lot of fun. This will be a party 11:00 AM you will not want to miss. 111 E Platte Ave Fort Morgan, CO 80701 We will also be collecting Toys For Tots. If you have an Short Ride Ending at The Queens, Fort Morgan, CO unwrapped toy you would like to donate, please feel free to bring it. with Chili!! Please bring at least 1 New Unwrapped EVERYONE IS WELCOME! Toy as a donation. Website: www.facebook.com/ Phone: (970) 768-2989 – Bill, (303) 517-8342 events/515126035493930 Belva Website: http://abateofcolo.org/wp-content/ uploads/2017/08/Toys-for-Kidsfm-Copy.pdf Rumble For A Fumble 11/12/2017 Biker’s Against Child Abuse Chili Cook-off 11:30 AM 10/22/2017 17th Ave Reservoir Greeley, CO 1:00 PM Greeley Harley-Davidson® is a proud sponsor of Silver Spur Saloon the UNC Football team this year! For the last home 9890 W Girton Dr. Littleton, CO 80227 game of the season on November 12, we’ll be This is the Rocky Mountain Chapter’s one annual hosting Rumble for a Fumble at the start of the game. fundraiser. ALL funds go to support our mission of With 100 H-D motorcycles, we’ll circle the track at empowering abused children to not feel afraid of the Nottingham field to rev your engines, giving everyone world in which they live. a good rumble as the team gets pumped up to defeat Phone: (303) 475-4452 - Bard Montana. We’ll then have tickets for you to stay and Email: bard@rm-co.bacaworld.org watch the game. Please RSVP prior to the ride as we must have an 26 Thunder Roads Magazine® Colorado

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accurate count and your insurance card copied prior to game day. If you have any questions at all, please contact Brandi at brandi.ruff@greeleyhd.com or 970351-8150. Phone: (970) 351-8150 - Brandi Email: brandi.ruff@greeleyhd.com Santa Saturday 12/9/2017 16565 E. 33rd Dr. Aurora, CO 80011 Santa visits Mile High Harley-Davidson Bring the family for photos and fun Phone: (303) 653-9582 Save the date! 30TH ANNUAL LAST BRASS MONKEY RUN 12/31/2017 There are two starting points: -Wrigley’s (18200 W. Colfax in Golden) -Pioneer Club (18881 E. Colfax in Aurora) KSU from both locations is at 10AM. At the end of the motorcycle ride there will be live music, games, door prizes, chili cook-off, and food. Check the website for details: http://abateofcolo.org/ event/30th-annual-last-brass-monkey-run/2017-12-31/ Colorado Motorcycle Expo - 40th Anniversary Saturday 1/27/2018: 9:00 am - 7:00 pm Sunday 1/28/2017: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm National Western Complex The Colorado Motorcycle Expo is one of the largest motorcycle events in the country. It’s also one of the few great authentic shows left for real bikers!

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General admission is $15.00 for one day or $20.00 for a weekend pass. The event includes a swap meet, motorcycle show, live music, contests, tattooing and more. Vendor fee is $135.00 for a 10’ x 10’ space. Vendors returning from the 2016 show will receive a discount. Space for over 800 vendors is available. The fee to enter the Custom and Antique motorcycle in the show is $40.00. The bikes will be judged in various categories and there is room for over 100 bikes. Cash and trophies will be awarded to winners. Features: (i) the country’s largest indoor Motorcycle Swap Meet with over 800 booths, (ii) a Custom & Antique Motorcycle Show with over 100 Bikes, (iii) the Miss CME Wet T Shirt Contest, (iv) Live Music (v) onsite tattooing, and This event occupies over 300,000 sq. ft. of indoor space. It’s THE motorcycle social event of the winter, so don’t miss it! Phone: (303) 835-6967 Email: info@coloradomotorcycleexpo.com Website: http://www.ColoradoMotorcycleExpo.com

Need Your Oil Changed? Add your ride, rally or run to our free events listing page Send us your event information whether on-Road or off-road, rides, runs, rallies and events for all types of motorcycles and three wheelers. We will list it free in our events listing for that month! events@ thunderroadscolorado. com or 720-458-3134.

October 2017

DO IT YOURSELF! WE’LL TEACH YOU HOW AT OUR “HARLEY MECHANICS 101” CLASS. In 1 Day you will learn how to change your Harley’s fluids, adjust cables, and more. CALL US FOR MORE INFO

Thunder & Lightning Cycles LLC 3986 S. Broadway Englewood, CO 80113 720.287.1670 thunderlightningcycles@live.com

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News Bytes BIKERS AID HURRICANE VICTIMS Dear NCOM Board; We have spoken with Doc (NCOM Board Chairman “Doc” Reichenbach) and he has given us the go ahead to solicit relief assistance from our affiliates. After helping our friends and neighbors, we are now ready to contact the motorcycle community to assist with a storm that has contributed to the greatest property loss in our nation’s history.We have responded to an effort led by Central Harley-Davidson in Austin, Texas. They are receiving donations and then trucking them to dealerships in the affected areas, principally Houston. We asked if we could get our organization’s members to ship to their store and they said yes, but make sure the boxes are marked. We see a great need with the cleanup efforts, so this is what we are proposing – Phase 1 - Groups can order cleanup supplies from the box stores - Walmart.com, Target.com or even the Home Depots and Lowes. Package one type of item per box and then labeled (ex. attached hurricane relief - tarps, or hurricane relief - surgical masks, etc.). Phase 2 - We are coordinating with Motorcycle Resource Teams and bike clubs to volunteer at Central H-D and delivery points to load/unload boxes so the motorcycle shops can still conduct their daily business. Phase 3 - Once delivered we will assist with getting the supplies to the areas in most need. Getting a group to set up at the Golden Triangle H-D shop and delivering supplies to neighborhoods in the affected areas.Following is a list of needed supplies - extension cords, box fans, work gloves, tarps, box cutters, blades, nylon rope for tarps, bug spray, antibacterial wipes, disposable surgical masks, rubber gloves, shop vacs. If folks would rather send money donations, a Houston organization that is networked with a multitude of churches and organizations in the state who are doing the relief work and gets the supplies that are needed in a very timely manner is www.somebodycares.org. Please check them out, and they have a donate button on their website. They also have a Houston warehouse with trucks going to affected areas daily, so we will also put them on the suggested list of recipients for Mancuso H-D.We want to thank you in advance for the assistance offered from our awesome motorcycle community. Serving Him with Joy, Lou & Denise Nobs, NCOM Christian Unity ncom.christianunity@gmail.com

of Fame in 2008. He has served as executive director of the Laconia Motorcycle Week Association since 1992, and will continue in that role. Newly-elected State Rep. St. Clair (D-District 9) says “People know me, and I’m going down there to represent my constituents in my district. As for motorcyclists, I’ll be watching out on their behalf whether they’re constituents or visitors to the state.”

NCOM BOARD OF DIRECTORS / REGIONAL MEETING IN OKLAHOMA CITY The National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM) Board of Directors will hold their bi-annual board meeting at the Biltmore Hotel, 401 S. Meridian Ave in Oklahoma City on Saturday, November 11, 2017 in conjunction with the NCOM Region II Conference.All motorcyclists are invited to attend this free event, to learn and share with fellow bikers rights activists from around the country and across the region (NCOM Region II consists of Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska).For further information, contact NCOM at (800) ONA-BIKE or visit www.ON-A-BIKE.com.

BANNED KNIVES NOW LEGAL IN TEXAS A bipartisan House bill repealing the Lone Star State’s 1871 ban on Bowie knives and other large blades has been signed by Governor Greg Abbott, dropping the carry of illegal knives such as “Bowie knives, daggers, dirks, stilettos, poniards, swords, and spears” from the Texas penal code on weapons, a crime which currently carries fines of up to a year in jail, a fine of up to $4,000, or both.Still off limits for knives with blades over 5.5 inches will be places such as schools, correctional facilities, houses of worship, and bars that derive more than half their income from alcohol sales. Minors, under 18, will not be able to buy or carry a location-restricted knife.New Hampshire passed the nation’s first repeal of a switchblade (automatic) knife ban in 2010, and since then such knife restrictions have been repealed in Alaska, Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Missouri, Nevada, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin.

LACONIA MOTORCYCLE WEEK ORGANIZER ELECTED TO N.H. STATEHOUSE Longtime motorcycle enthusiast and organizer of the annual Laconia Motorcycle Week, Charlie St. Clair has won a House Seat in a special election in Belknap County, New Hampshire, posting a mild upset in the previously Republican-held district.Charlie rides a Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic and has been riding cross country every year for over forty-one years to attend Laconia’s sister rally in Sturgis, South Dakota, and was inducted into the Sturgis Museum Hall 30 Thunder Roads Magazine® Colorado

ILLINOIS LAW MANDATES STUDENTS LEARN WHAT TO DO DURING A TRAFFIC STOP In addition to reading, writing and arithmetic, students in Illinois will now learn a possibly life-saving lesson; What to Do during a Traffic Stop.The new state law, signed by Governor Bruce Rauner, is aimed at preventing a situation from escalating when teens are pulled over by police, and mandates that teachers dedicate instruction time to ensuring that students learn what to do and what not to do during a traffic stop, and how not to panic and do something that may seem like a red flag to cops.“My hope is that if we uniformly require that driver’s education include the protocol and what is expected when you interact with a police officer that things will not escalate,” Senator Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield), who sponsored the bill, told the local station ABC 7. ARKANSAS BECOMES 37TH STATE TO REVISE SLINGSHOT LICENSING Polaris Industries reports that Arkansas no longer requires Slingshot owners to have a motorcycle operator’s license, thus making the Natural State the 37th state to classify the three-wheeler as a car for licensing purposes.“When Slingshot was introduced to the market in 2014, most consumers were required to hold a motorcycle endorsement or license to operate it,” the company said in a recent press release. “Because Slingshot does not feature handlebars or straddle seating, but rather offers a unique three-wheel configuration with a steering wheel and side-by-side seating, state policymakers have recognized the need to update their operator licensing laws.”Although Slingshot resides in the motorcycle classification which has long provided for three-wheel designs, operator skills are more similar to those required for a passenger car. “Our goal is to gain a unified classification and operator licensing scheme across the country to provide more opportunities and driving freedom for consumers looking for the ultimate thrill experience that Slingshot offers,” said Rachael Elia, Slingshot Marketing Manager.

FACING BACKLASH, CONFEDERATE MOTORS CHANGES ITS NAME When Matt Chambers created his company in 1991 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, he chose to name it Confederate Motors “in a salute to good Southern principles,” but in today’s politically charged climate that

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News Bytes

associates the Southern Confederacy with racism and white supremacy, Chambers has decided to retire the name.“The Confederate brand was no longer viable. I think we lost a lot a business with that name,” Chambers told the Los Angeles Times, adding “We’ve missed out on branding opportunities. So, it’s time to retire it.”The company is now the Curtiss Motorcycle Co., named after the father of American aviation, Glenn Curtiss, who gained fame competing with the Wright Brothers to dominate the skies, but who also famously built and raced motorcycles. Their first model will be called the Hercules, the name originally used for Curtiss’ motorcycles, and will be an electric sportbike. BRITISH MOTORCYCLISTS RIDE ON PARLIAMENT TO PROTEST BIKE CRIME Hundreds of concerned motorcyclists rode through London on Saturday, Sept 9th to protest a staggering increase in bike thefts, bike-jackings and brutal attacks on motorcyclists in the U.K.The protest comes after acid was sprayed at six scooter riders in a 90 minute period in a series of attacks in London in July, with one victim suffering “life-changing injuries” according to police. Due to these vicious assaults, acid attackers now face life in prison, and prosecutors have been advised to impose sentences of up to four years just for carrying acid.Other riders have had their bikes stolen from them by armed thieves. Recent crime figures have shown that vehicle theft has risen 18.6% nationwide in the last year and 25.9% in London, which is a trend that has been plain to see for bike owners. The thieves are more brazen than ever, posting pictures of bikes they’ve stolen on social media.As the police struggle with motorcycle theft, the army may be called in to address the situation. Protest organizers ‘#BikersUnited’ say 65 bikes are stolen a day in the capital, while riders increasingly face “violence, knives, acid and even death from the thieves.”Formed of a number of biking groups including MAG (Motorcycle Action Group), #BikersUnited says on its Facebook page: “We represent the 1,000s of riders of motorcycles and scooters in Britain and are protesting about the outrageous escalation of bike theft and bike jackings in our country.” PHILIPPINES CALLS FOR BIGGER LICENSE PLATES TO DETER CRIMES The Philippine Senate has unanimously approved a bill requiring the Land Transportation Office to provide bigger and reflectorized license plates for motorcycles and scooters to deter crimes.Voting 21-0, the upper chamber approved on final reading Senate Bill 1397, or the www.thunderroadscolorado.com

proposed “Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act of 2017”, which would require significantly larger license plates for the front and rear of all motorcycles and scooters for easy identification to deter motorcycle-riding criminals from easily getting away.“Motorcycles have become crime machines. With their small plate numbers, criminals perpetrating crimes while on board motorcycles easily flee from the scene of the crime, and usually there are no witnesses who can read or identify plate numbers so that the authorities can go after the criminals,” Senator Richard Gordon, the bill’s author, said. STUDY SHOWS CAR DRIVERS ARE CONFIDENT THEY CAN TEXT AND DRIVE SAFELY A recent study by Progressive Insurance reveals that about one third of car drivers feel confident in their own ability to text and drive, yet the majority believe distracted driving is the biggest cause of auto accidents and more than 90% say it should be illegal.The report showed a sharp difference in attitudes between younger and older drivers, with more than 60% of 18-34 year olds being confident in their ability to safely text while driving, compared to less than 6% of those 55 and older. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 3,477 people were killed, and 391,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers in the United States in 2015. Teens were the largest age group reported as distracted at the time of fatal crashes.The study further showed that men think they are better at texting and driving, with twice as many men (21%) as women (11%) saying they are “very confident” in their ability to text while driving. Despite that confidence in their own abilities, some 88% of men and 97% of women think texting should not be allowed.Among all drivers, more than 65% of individuals polled believe that texting/looking at one’s phone while driving is the most common cause of traffic accidents in the United States. And 83% of individuals believe police should be able to pull over drivers for texting alone. Yet at the same time, 34% of respondents said they were somewhat or very confident in their ability to text while driving.Meanwhile, the study said the most common feelings evoked when seeing another driver texting is concern (62%) followed by irritation (50%), and these feelings didn’t vary by age or gender. QUOTABLE QUOTE: “A society that gets rid of all its troublemakers goes downhill.” ~ Robert A. Heinlein (1907-1988) science-fiction author

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A dog lover, whose female dog came “in heat,” was concerned about keeping it and her male separated. But she had a large house and she believed that she could keep the two dogs apart. However, as she was drifting off to sleep, she heard awful howling and moaning sounds. She rushed downstairs and found the dogs locked together and unable to disengage, as frequently happens when dogs mate. Unable to separate them, and perplexed as to what to do next, although it was very late at night, she called her Vet, who answered in a very grumpy voice. After she explained the problem to him, the Vet said, “Hang up the phone and place it down alongside the dogs. I will then call you back and the noise of the ringing will make the male lose his erection and he will be able to withdraw.” “Do you think that will actually work?” she asked. “Just worked on me.” he dryly replied. -------------------------------------------------------------A husband and wife were shopping in their local supermarket. The husband picked up a case of beer and put it in their cart. “What do you think you’re doing?” asked the wife. “They’re on sale, only $20 for 24 cans” he replies. “Put them back, we can’t afford them,” the wife demanded. They carried on shopping. A few aisles further on, the wife picked up a $40 jar of face cream and put it in the cart. “What do you think you’re doing?” asked the husband. “It’s my face cream. It makes me look and feel pretty” replied the wife. Her husband retorted: “So does 24 cans of beer, and it’s half the price.” -------------------------------------------------------------Norman, an old retired Navy sailor, puts on his old uniform and heads for the docks once more, for old times’ sake and hopefully, some hot sex. He engages a lovely prostitute and takes her up to a “by the hour” room. He’s soon going at it as well as he can for a guy his age, but needing some reassurance, he asks, ‘How am I doing?’ The prostitute replies, ‘Well Norman, ya’ old salty dawg, you’re doing about three knots.’ ‘Three knots?’ he questions. She says, ‘You’re knot hard, you’re knot in, and you’re knot getting your money back.’ -------------------------------------------------------------If things come to those who wait, maybe the things left were by those who got there first. -------------------------------------------------------------Why isn’t there an abbreviation for such a long-ass word as: abbreviated or abbreviation? --------------------------------------------------------------A man walks into a bar looking sullen and depressed. “Bartender!” he shouts, “Give me three shots of tequila!” The bartender replies, “Sure thing pal. You look like shit. What’s the matter, buddy?” “It’s my brother,” the man answered. “He came out of the closet today. I just found out he’s gay and I’m havin’ a rough time dealin’ with it.” “Wow, man, that’s rough. Consider these drinks on the house.” A week later, the same man walks into the bar. “Bartender!” he shouts, “Give me six shots of tequila!” “Damn!” replied the bartender, “You look even worse now than you did last week! What’s the matter with you this time?!” “It’s my son,” the man answered. “This time he came out of the closet, now I’m dealin’ with him bein’ gay!” “Oh man. These drinks are on me pal, here ya’ go.” www.thunderroadscolorado.com

Another week goes by, and the man returns to the bar a third time. “Bartender, give me nine shots of tequila!” “Dang buddy, doesn’t anybody in that family of yours eat poontang?!” “Yeah,” replied the man, “Apparently my wife does!”. --------------------------------------------------------------An Irish man has a good memory. While reading an article last night about fathers and sons, memories came flooding back to the time I took me son out for his first pint. Off we went to our local pub only two blocks from the cottage. I got him a Guinness. He didn’t like it, so I drank it. Then I got him a Kilkenny’s, he didn’t like that either, so I drank it. Finally, I thought he might like some Harp Lager? He didn’t. I drank it. I thought maybe he’d like whisky better than beer so we tried a Jameson’s; nope! In desperation, I had him try that rare Redbreast, Ireland’s finest whisky. He wouldn’t even smell it. What could I do but drink it! By the time I realized he just didn’t like to drink, I was so chit-faced I could barely push his stroller back home. --------------------------------------------------------------Bubba was sitting at home, enjoying a triple layer sammich and an ice-cold brew he just made to watch a highly anticipated boxing match when the phone rang. He recognized the number as being a bill collector, but he always answered anyway. As soon as he said “Yeah?”, the bill collector said, “Sir, are you aware your bill is a year old today?” Bubba said, “Really! Tell it Happy Birthday”, and hung up.

October 2017

Thunder Roads Magazine® Colorado 33

Photographer: Vickie Jo Mullin 34 Thunder Roads MagazineÂŽ Colorado

October 2017

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October 2017

Thunder Roads MagazineÂŽ Colorado 35

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