HOG Tracks Newsletter Nov / Dec 2015

Transcription

1 HOG Tracks Newsletter Nov / Dec 2015 Here are a few pics from our last two months rides. Want to see more visit our website at

2 As we close October and ride into November, I want to take this time to THANK ALL of our Chapter Brothers and Sisters. You should know that without you, this chapter would not be any fun at all Thank You As this note is due to the Editor prior to the State Rally, I can t let anyone know where the Rally will be next year but I bet it won t take long for the word to spread We will get the news out ASAP. Don t forget that money s are due at the Nov. Meeting for the Christmas Party $30.00 per person. (check or cash, either is OK) As reported at the last meeting get you name in the hat for that Officer Position that you know you want it s fun, challenging and not as bad as you may think so come on and have fun I look forward to seeing you at the meetings and on the rides. RIDE SAFE (IT S NOT THE DESTINATION, IT S THE RIDE) Dan Weaver Be Prepared for Winter Riding It s that time of year rolling in fast and just because we don t have snow like other parts of the US does not mean that there are not any precautions to take or things to take into consideration before enjoying a ride. I know almost everybody has been riding for years but we want to have it and not need it rather than need it and not have it. Remember when dressing for a ride to have a base layer, mid-layer then your outer gear. Heated gear if you need it or are a freeze baby may be something to look into, if you do remember to keep an eye on voltage to be sure it s safe. Other ideas are to make sure you have winter riding gloves, neck warmer, good helmet with fog-free shield. Make sure to prep your bike also by checking fluids and the condition of the bike which we do anyway. Always be aware of weather and the possible conditions that you may encounter before leaving and see what the weather may do throughout the day to be safe but remember that it can change at any time, it is Mother Nature after all. Though we do not have snow regularly we do get frost and be prepared for that as well as the cold wind and dropping night temps. Hypothermia is still an enemy so be aware of possible signs: uncontrolled shivering and numb fingers, toes; slow reactions times and fuzzy thinking if you suspect any of those symptoms then stop and warm up. We all ride for fun and the enjoyment of it all but keep in mind to layer up, respect the roads, stop, revive and survive, wet/frost covered roads, visibility, signal early, lights are all functional, tires are in good shape and pressurized properly, mirrors are not damaged and be aware of strong winds. Also good idea to be sure your cell phone is fully charged before you leave home and bring a charger with just in case. Nothing wrong with phoning a friend! Everyone enjoy the ride and be safe. A Road Trip should be fun. Ride smart, have FUN and most of all...ride Safe!!!!!! Bob Brierly HOG Safety Officer

3 A big LOH welcome to Peggy Smith and to Heidi Nelson! It s too hot to ride, especially here in Lake Havasu, so I m focusing on our Kayaking trip which is scheduled for Saturday, 3 October. We will meet at Rotary Park in Bullhead City at 10:00 am. Desert River Kayaks (DRK) will transport us from the park to Davis Camp. The cost is $30.00 per person and open to family and friends. All equipment is provided, single and double kayaks available, no experience necessary. If you have your own kayak, you can bring it; there is a $10.00 transporting fee though. Picnic to follow with hot dogs, hamburgers, and soda. Bring a side dish to share if you like. I will have a sign-up sheet at the next Chapter meeting on 12 September and will collect monies at that time. In addition to a head count, DRK needs to know how many single and double kayaks needed, and the size of life vest for each person (small, medium, large). The Christmas Party will be on 12 December in Fort Mohave at Los Logos so mark the date! Rooms will be blocked off at the Avi in Laughlin for those of us who don t want to ride back to Kingman or Lake Havasu. We need your help in getting items for the auction. Items don t have to be bike related, or new. If you have something, please let me know and I ll make arrangements to pick it up. We re still working on the menu and cost. My is sherschoepke@gmail.com. See you at the next Chapter meeting! That s it, have a great and safe summer! 3

4 WIN - A $25 gift card to Mother Road if you can find YOUR National HOG number some were hidden in this newsletter. Contact Sean Martin at silverstreak5426@yahoo.com with your name and national HOG number for verification. There was NO winner for the HOG # contest. The number belonged to Howard Stigall. Ounces of Prevention As you well know, or should know your tires and the condition of them can either give safety and pleasure, or on the downside, ruin your ride if not tour life if not checked regularly. Even if you do stay on top of tire safety, picking up sharps that puncture them just happens. Seeing your tire flat in a parked position is one thing, having them get punctured at speeds is quite another. Especially your front tire. I use a product called (Ride On) in my tires along with my tire checks. I have found that it works very well, even keeps the tire balanced as claimed. 14 ounces, each tire at $15.00 a POP - Pun intended. Ride Safe, educated and have fun. HD Road Captain Patrick Lilly 4

5 November is an important month for veterans. The 83rd. Congress, on 1 June 1954, changed the originally designated 11 th of November as Armistice Day and approved by an act of congress on 13 May 1938, to Veterans Day. Armistice Day s original intent was to commemorate the end of hostilities in November 1918, of the First World War. Officially the fighting was halted at the 11 th Hour, of the 11 th Day, of the 11 th Month, of The end of the war to end all wars. The change to the Veterans Day label also changed the meaning of the holiday. Instead of just celebrating the end of World War I s carnage, the establishment of the new holiday honored America s veterans of all of her conflicts. Apparently the importance of WWI s Armistice had lost its significance. The 83rd Congress, at the urging of several veteran s service organizations amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting in its place the word "Veterans." With the approval of this legislation (Public Law 380) on 1 June 1954, November 11 th became a day to honor American veterans of all wars. The Uniform Holiday Bill (Public Law (82 Stat. 250)) was signed on 28 June 1968, and was intended to ensure three-day weekends for Federal employees by celebrating four national holidays on Mondays: Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day. It was thought that these extended weekends would encourage travel, recreational and cultural activities and stimulate greater industrial and commercial production. Many states did not agree with this decision and continued to celebrate the holidays on their original dates. The first Veterans Day under the new law was observed with much confusion on 25 October It was quite apparent that the commemoration of this day was a matter of historic and patriotic significance to a great number of our citizens, and so on 20 September 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed Public Law (89 Stat. 479), which returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of November 11, beginning in This action supported the desires of the overwhelming majority of state legislatures, all major veterans service organizations, and the American people. Veterans Day continues to be observed on 11 November, regardless of what day of the week on which it falls. The restoration of the observance of Veterans Day to 11 November not only preserves the historical significance of the date, but helps focus attention on the important purpose of Veterans Day: A celebration to honor America's veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good. I urge all of those members of Chapter1061 who can, to come on out and ride on 11 November to celebrate Veterans Day. An advising the time and place will be forthcoming. It is a small gesture but you ride away with a good feeling after the event. See ya on the road. Frank J. Musumeci HOG Chapter 1061 Ambassador 5

6 History of HD Racing So with the races going on I have decided to do a history of Harley- Davidson racing and its evolution. Interesting fact is that HD racing has always happened since the very beginning by independent owners then by the official racing department in By 1911 Harley-Davidson had more than 150 competitors but they would lay the groundwork for a century in which the company not only became the most denominate motorcycle race team in history but also the most respected manufacturer in the business. In 1908, Walter Davidson, president and co-founder of Harley- Davidson, rode a stock single-cylinder machine to victory in the Federation of American Motorcyclist endurance and reliability contest that were held on the dirt roads of the Catskill Mountains of New York. Out of the 65 competitors competing in a grueling two-day, 365-mile event, Davidson performed the best of them all. He and his machine earned the only perfect score which to this day is an accomplishment. In 1912 was the next new record set in Bakersfield Road Race in California, the team eventually became known as the Wrecking Crew and performed on all tracks whether it be endurance through muddy back roads or speed races on wooden board tracks which were popular at time. In 1921 Harley-Davidson became the first motorcycle to race at an average speed of more than 100mph. In 1948 they won 19 of 23 National events and dominant performance at Daytona which 7 of the top 10 finishers rode Harley s. From Walter Villa won the 250 World Championship in Europe with RR-250 followed up with the 350cc crown in Harley-Davidson said goodbye to road racing in 1973 with only a brief return in 1983 at the Daytona Battle of the Twins. The rebirth was in 1994 with top level of professional road racing with the VR 1000 Superbike Race Team. Though the AMA Superbike series only ran to the end of 2001 season it helped Harley-Davidson develop and refine technologies such as liquid-cooling and electronic fuel injection which led to the development of the first liquid-cooled motorcycle 2002 VRSCA V-Rod. In 1920 a team of farm boys became known as the hog boys consistently won races. The group had a live hog as their mascot and would put the hog on their Harley and take a victory lap after each win. In 1983 the company formed a club for owners of its product taking advantage of the long-standing nickname by turning it into an acronym HOG, Harley Owners Group. HD attempted to trademark hog but lost the case to The Hog Farm in West Seneca, New York in 1999 as the term hog had become a generic term for large motorcycles and therefore unprotectable. The HD XR-750 is a popular racing bike used since 1970 primarily for dirt track racing but also for road racing using the XRTT variant. This change was a response to the 1969 change in AMA Grand National Championship rules to level the playing field for Japanese and British motorcycles to outperform the previously dominant HD KR race bike. The XR-750 went on to become the winningest race bike in the AMA racing history, thus far. Racing today launched the Screamin Eagle/ Vance & Hines Pro Stock Motorcycle team in 2002 with GT Tonglet to compete in the NHRA Drag Racing Series was the year that all the hard work paid off when the team won the NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle world championship. 21yo Hines won 3 Pro Stock Motorcycle events and set national record of seconds as the No 1 qualifier 7 times and the youngest professional champion in NHRA history. There is a lot more information out there but these are the highlights. 6

7 I was asked to do a Bike of the Month story and a little history of our experience with motorcycles. My first bike was a 1964 Honda 250 Scrambler that I bought new shortly after Gina and I met. After I dropped it in a gas station on an oil slick and the fact that it made a lousy vehicle for dating I sold it. Then a few years later Gina s sister (Peggy) met this crazy guy whose whole life revolved around painting cars and racing bikes, and after a few trips to the desert on play days I bought another bike and before long I was either on the track or in the desert racing. Along the way I had a cc Yamaha, a 1969 MX 125cc Yamaha, and a cc Ossa Stiletto. After a bad accident I decided to quit racing, but during that time I had my first ride on a Harley. We were talking to some guy about bikes and he said if I could start his bike I could ride it, I started it and he let me ride it. Not sure of the year but I know it was a Pan Head and it had a foot clutch and a side shift. Had several other bikes over the years but my first HD was a 97 Dyna and after a Thunderheader, air cleaner and a tune up it was a great bike. In 2002 I bought a 2003 Electra Glide Standard and joined HOG and a whole new world opened up, friends that don t care how much money you have or what you rode as long as it s a Harley. In 2010 we decided to buy a new ride and bought an Ultra Classic, and then in 2014 a Road King. The Road King seems to be the right fit for us. Other than a few cosmetic goodies we haven t made any changes yet. In a few months we plan to add a 2 into 1 exhaust by Bassani, an S & S Air Cleaner, a Race Turner and a Dyno Tune to make everything work together. Remember, HOG is all about riding safe with friends and having fun with friends and we feel fortunate having so many friends. Love you all, Dale & Gina 7

8 Dan Weaver Director & Road Captain Dale Webb Asst. Director / Road Captain flhr2014@suddenlink.net Patrick Lilly Head Road Captain hhvvyfuel40@yahoo.com Pam Kelly Secretary tkelly754@frontiernet.net Terry Kelly Treasurer / Webmaster tkelly754@frontiernet.net Bob Brierly Safety Officer r.brierly@live.com Bunnie Weaver Photographer slik5632@yahoo.com Sean Martin Editor silverstreak5426@yahoo.com Sherrie Schoepke Ladies of Harley sherschoepke@gmail.com Amanda Brierly Historian echo2984@hotmail.com Wesley Hawkins Membership hawkone@citlink.net Regina Webb Activities Director flhr2014@suddenlink.net 8

9 Kingman Name Home Cell Patrick Lilly Dale Webb Dan Weaver Kenny Imthurn Chuck Leslie Gene Ruocchio Mike Celsi Wesley Hawkins Lake Havasu Karl Horst Bullhead City / Laughlin Joe Melichar Terry Kelly Pam Kelly Bob Goble Rick Colosimo

10 Nov 2015 SU N MO N TUE W ED THU FRI S AT Pirates Den, Parker Hog meeting 11 AM at MRHD Pirate Cove Park Moabi, Needles, CA Dec 2015 SU N MO N TUE W ED THU FRI S AT Hooch s Ft Mohave Hog meeting 11 AM at MRHD Xmas Party Jan 1, 2016 Knees in the Breeze 10