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THE VOICE OF THE AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE RIDERS
May 2008
In Memory of "64"
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THE VOICE OF THE AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE RIDERS |
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May 2008 |
In Memory of "64" |
The Motorcyclist's Post Team Motorcyclist’s Post Update – June ‘08 By Logan Myers #24 This last month has been pretty crazy for us as we’ve been working on the bikes we ran during Daytona Bike Week as well as our new J&M XR750 chassis. We completely stripped down the C&J framed XR750 we ran during Bike Week in order to fully inspect everything and get both frames powder coated. We usually do this as a matter of course after Daytona as there is normally enough time between race dates. When we removed the swing arm from the C&J XR750 frame we discovered that for some reason the swing arm quill axle was seized up in the frame tab threads as well as in the bearings. Apparently dirt had made its way in there and fetched everything up. In order to get the swing arm quill axle out we had to grind off the head of the bolt and then drill the end of the quill axle until the remnant was past the edge of the frame. After that we were able to detach the swingarm and thereafter remove the rest of the quill axle. Needless to say, it was a real pain in the neck, but we got it all taken care of and have replaced the quill axle and the bearings. As the internal threads in the frame tab were slightly damaged, we had to weld on a new nut for the quill axle to thread into; as it turns out, this is a somewhat common fix for these C&J frames. After everything was taken apart and inspected, we sent the parts to a local shop where the parts were powder coated. We've found that the powder coating is the only thing that holds up fairly well to the flying dirt and rock of this form of racing. After getting the frames and swing arms back from powder coating, we put everything back together and set our new engine into the C&J frame. We decided to put this new engine into the older chassis as we know that it will work for the Springfield Mile; this is the bike I qualified third fastest at the Mile last Fall. This machine is now completed and ready for action. In the case of the new J&M frame, we have it assembled into a rolling chassis with the exception of the new Penske shock we have on order. The shock should be arriving any day now. The XR750 engine we will put into this frame is still awaiting some subcomponent work to be completed before we can reassemble the engine. The main things that needed refreshing were the cylinders, crank assembly, and the heads. We decided to have the crank and head work done locally by a guy that does this for several of the Michigan riders. It looks as though we'll be replacing the beryllium bronze valve seats, titanium valves and springs to get everything up to snuff on the heads; the heads are reportedly very good in terms of port configuration. Right now it looks as though we may have an oversized crank pin installed to rebuild the XR750 crank assembly. This is a common practice for the XR750 crankshaft; when needed, the big ends of the rods are honed slightly oversized and an oversized crank pin is fitted using new 3/16" needle rollers.If this is needed, we will be using the special German made crank pin, cages, and roller sets that Mark Bremer and Leo had sourced some time back. According to the German firm that designed and made these components, they are supposed to be superior in material strength and precision than the Harley sourced parts. I think that it is kind of cool that a relatively small team such as ours is trying stuff that might give us an edge in performance and hopefully, reliability. The 450's are basically all set as far as the chassis go. Mad Dog is still working on the engine we broke during Daytona, but it isn''t far from being ready. Once again, I'd like to thank Mad Dog, my Mom and Dad, my Grandma, Ted McDermitt, Eric and Van Snedeker, and all of our sponsors and supporters for their help thus far this year. Outside of the bike preparations, I have also been doing a lot of work on the cars I repair for resale. This is mainly how I make ends meet in between races. The Mustang that I been working on for the last couple of weeks is finally on the road now and I’ve posted it for sale. In between everything I've been doing a lot of physical training getting ready for the season so that I am in shape and ready to go with no excuses. It looks like the Springfield TT is going to be our first race of the rest of the season and I will be as ready to go as possible in order to fulfill my commitment to our sponsors/supporters. The budget for our team is really tight this year as I think it is for everyone so we can’t afford to go racing just for a little purse anymore. I'm more committed than ever to getting the jobdone. Hope to see you at the races! - Logan Team Motorcyclist's Post is proudly sponsored by: The Motorcyclist's Post Orville Sheldon of N.F. Sheldon Harley-Davidson/Buell Bruce Lyskawa of Bruce Transportation Group Snedeker Racing Barnett Tool & Engineering Fuchs-Silkolene Powersports Lubricants USA Esjot Sprockets Brisk Spark Plugs Mad Dog G2 Ergonomics Tiger Skins Number Plates Nology Digatron USA Baer Racing Products Mark Bremer/Ontrack Systems Seymour Investigative Services, LLC Arai Helmets MotoTown USA closes it's doors "Rider of the STORM !" On Thursday, May 15, the Massachusetts Motorcycle Association (MMA) will STORM the STATE HOUSE on its annual Motorcyclists Lobbying Day, for riders to ride from Somerville to Boston, with special parking, to meet with their elected officials to 'redress' our grievances with our Government, as allowed by the US Constitution. This is the one day we need riders to STEP UP - and make their "bitches" to those who can affect the changes we want. The ride is FREE! It is on a Thursday because the State House is not open on Saturdays or Sundays. We need riders who care about our freedoms and our safety, to join us. If you would like breakfast, or a STORM Event T-shirt, patch, rocker, or raffle ticket for 100 gallons of gas, five of our MMA HD raffle tickets, an MMA jacket or denim shirt, deadline for pre-ordering is April 30. See www.MassMotorcycle.org - Click on STORM and register/order, securely on line with your credit card or print out a form and mail in with your check. All orders will be mailed. Event products will NOT be available at the Event (so we can all ride).If you cannot take Thursday, May 15th off from work - support those who can by buying STORM products/ raffle tickets and/or sending in a donation to our ABATE PAC of MA at www.ABATEPACOFMASS.org. The strength of the wolf is the PAC. The POWER of the PAC are its "wolves." Be a wolf!And a tip of the beanie to the 80 or more who have already registered as "Riders of the STORM!" Thank YOU for stepping up early for all riders in Massachusetts! Kev-Marv Productions' 2008 Boston Northeast Motorcycle Expo
H-D Super Dealer at Show - Super Harley-Davidson dealer, Bruce Rossmeyer of Daytona Beach, FL was on hand at the at the Kev-Marv Productions' Northeast Motorcycle Expo held February 9 & 10 at the Bayside Expo Center, Boston, MA. Bruce is seen here next to one of 30 only, Elvis Presley limited edition Harley Electra-Glides based on the same 1957 FLH model that Elvis once owned. Mr Rossemeyer has recently purchased Boston Harley Davidson giving him 13 H-D dealerships in his possession including the the world’s largest Harley Davidson dealership, Daytona Harley-Davidson at Destination Daytona in Ormond Beach, FL.
Redneck Mutant Buell - It's a 2007 Buell in a Redneck Mutant Engineering frame and it was built by Mike Langan of Natick, MA. Son Michael (10) helped his dad at the Kev-Marv Productions'' Northeast Motorcycle Expo held February 9 & 10 at the Bayside Expo Center, Boston, MA. When Mike isn't showing his cool Mutant Buell, he spends his time with his three sons Michael, Ryan and Brendan and his daughter Cassidy. Mike credits Mike Penta Jr. of Perfection Auto Body, Watertown, MA with the paint. Mike walked away with a first place in the American HP class.
Model at MC Show - It wouldn't be a motorcycle show without models at one of the mc displays. In this case, the young lady is Karina of Lawrence MA. Karina kept the motorcycling fans' interest at the Kev-Marv Productions'' Northeast Motorcycle Expo held February 9 & 10 at the Bayside Expo Center, Boston, MA. She drew a steady crowd as she posed for pictures at the Xtreme Moto Design of Wakefield, MA booth.
Hot Sporty - This hot 1960 H-D Sportster XLCH, owned and built by Russ Pace, was a stand out at the the Kev-Marv Productions' Northeast Motorcycle Expo held February 9 & 10 at the Bayside Expo Center, Boston, MA. The Sportster XLCH was introduced in 1959 with the "CH" supposedly standing for "Competition Hot." XLCH Sportster was a hotter version of the traditional Harley Sportster. Russ's 1960 XLCH features the off-road set-up with magneto ignition, high exhaust pipes, solo seat and the smaller "peanut" tank. The XLCH model also introduced the "eyebrow" headlight cover that remains a Sportster trademark to this day. Russ enjoys riding, tinkering with and showing his unique Sportster.
He calls it his "Alter Ego" - Ken Karey and Laura Andrews of Bolton, MA bought Ken's wild custom motorcycle, which he's dubbed "Alter Ego", to the Kev-Marv Productions' Northeast Motorcycle Expo held February 9 & 10 at the Bayside Expo Center, Boston, MA. It took Ken 23 months to build his custom and it's truly a labor of love. The frame is a Pro-One Piranha with a 40" rake. The power plant is a 127-cubic-inch 2006 Evo that breaths through an S&S carb. Tranny is a 6-speed Baker. Ground contact is made with an Avon MH90H on a 21" Pro-One front wheel and an Avon 300-33 on a 18" Pro-One wheel on the rear. Julio Sapere and Mike Bard are responsible for the "Alter Ego" paint job. Ken's bike was a definite crowd-pleaser at the show.
Brothers in Choppers - Buddy and Jesse Melberg of Taunton, MA are brothers who happen to build some pretty nice choppers. Along with this chopped Sportster, they bought other examples of their bike-building creativity to the Kev-Marv Productions' Northeast Motorcycle Expo held February 9 & 10 at the Bayside Expo Center, Boston, MA. They do their building out of their shop Bristol County Choppers in Taunton, MA. The bobbed chopper is a recent build and features a Flyrite Chopper Smokin' Gun frame. Powerplant is H-D Sportster with a set of Screaming Eagle Pro pipes. A chrome springer hangs off the front. BCC's multi-bike display drew a solid crowd throughout the show weekend.
Tanya's Ninja - Tanya Lombardi of Chelmsford, MA is the proud owner and rider of this 2003 Kawsaki Ninja ZX6R. Tanya bought her custom Ninja to the Kev-Marv Productions' Northeast Motorcycle Expo held February 9 & 10 at the Bayside Expo Center, Boston, MA. The bright green paint job is set off by purple flames and scallops. It also features a custom made Jardine RT-One Exhaust, a modified VFR single-sided swing arm, and black custom paint on the suspension parts. In a land of choppers, Tanya's custom Kaw really stood out. More Kev-Marv Productions' 2008 Boston Northeast Motorcycle Expo pics
Team Motorcyclist's Post New Transporter!
The new Team Motorcyclist's Post Transporter...for those of you that wish to provide sponsor graphics for the transporter,call MCP Publisher Leo Castell at 203-606-1515
A warm winter greeting from
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The new Team Motorcyclist's Post Transporter...for those of you that wish to provide sponsor graphics for the transporter,call MCP Publisher Leo Castell at 203-606-1515 This Just In: Team Motorcyclist's Post and Logan Myers are very pleased to announce that Fuchs-Silkolene USA will be back on board as a product sponsor for 2008. Team Engineer Mark Bremer reports; "The Silkolene line of high performance lubricants is second to none.We've been running their products in all of our own engines and transmissions with great success. If you have an engine you really care about, it's worth running the best. Their ability to produce extremely high quality products specifically tailored for the severe demands of professional competition is why more Grand National level XR750's are running Silkolene's Castorene R40S than anything else. The XR750 only carries about a quart and a half of oil which reaches temperatures well over 250 degrees running mostly wide open during a 25 lap main event on the mile; there's not many more severe duties for an air-cooled engine than that. We've been running Silkolene's Comp 4 10w-40 in the Honda 450 based machines and engine builder Joe Maney reports he's found little wear characteristics. We also use Silkolene's Synthetic Gear oils, Synthetic Brake Fluid, Pro RSF fork oil, Brake Cleaner, and also their Pro Cool product for the liquid cooled single engines. In every case the Silkolene products perform consistently well despite tough racing conditions. For more information on the entire Fuchs-Silkolene product line, check out www.silkolene.com .
In addition, we are pleased to announce that long time Team Motorcyclist's Post sponsor Ontrack Systems will be providing the team a new XR750 racing chassis for the 2008 season. The new chassis will be the latest in design from J&M Racing Products, tailored to fit team rider LoganMyers. Team Rider Logan Myers reports; "I want to thank Ontrack Systems ( www.get-ontrack.com ) for stepping up to the plate with the new chassis this year; now we'll be able to have two completely competitive XR750's for the 2008 season. I'm working with Mike Owens at J&M to make the frame fit me in specific areas. It should really be a great base on which to build."
Team Motorcyclist's Post is proudly sponsored by: The Motorcyclist's Post Orville Sheldon of N.F. Sheldon Harley-Davidson/Buell Bruce Lyskawa of Bruce Transportation Group Barnett Tool & Engineering Editor's Note: There's been a tremendous amount of speculation regarding rule changes within AMA Pro Racing Flat Track; especially as they apply to engine management/traction control, aftermarket frame use and the equipment claiming rule. As it is not our nature to provide speculative editorial on such matters, I have sent an email to AMA Pro Racing's Sr. Director of Flat Track Keith Kizer in which I'll request a summation of the 2007 and 2008 rule changes to the official rule book. My intention is to publish these changes in an upcoming issue of the Post. To date, I have received no response from Keith or the AMA. Stay tuned as we will attempt to get the straight scoop. In the meantime we're providing the 2008 Pro Flat Track schedule as announced and posted by AMA Pro Racing. – Mark Bremer May 24: Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, Ill. TT; GNC Singles www.illinoismda.com Tickets: (888) 468-1622 May 25: Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, Ill. Mile; GNC Twins www.illinoismda.com Tickets: (888) 468-1622 May 31: Vernon Downs, Vernon, N.Y. Mile; GNC Twins www.vernondowns.com Phone: (450) 654-8193 x4 Jun 7: Volunteer Speedway, Bulls Gap, Tenn. Half-mile; GNC Twins www.volunteerspeedway.com Jun 21: Mountain Raceway Park, Maryville, Tenn. Half-mile; GNC Twins www.mountainraceway.net Jun 27: Bedford Speedway, Bedford, Pa. Half-mile; GNC Twins www.bedfordspeedway.com Jun 28: Allen County Fairgrounds, Lima, Ohio Half-mile; GNC Twins Jul 4: Heartland Park Topeka, Topeka, Kan. Half-mile; GNC Twins www.hpt.com Jul 12: TBD Jul 19: Darke County Fairgrounds, Greenville, Ohio Half-mile; GNC Twins hdcenter@globalsite.net Jul 26: Hagerstown Speedway, Hagerstown, Md. Half-mile; GNC Twins www.hagerstownspeedway.com Aug 8: Castle Rock Race Park, Castle Rock, Wash. TT; GNC Singles www.mshmc.org Aug 9: Castle Rock Race Park, Castle Rock, Wash. ST; GNC Singles www.mshmc.org Aug 17: Peoria Race Park, Peoria, Ill. TT; GNC Singles www.peoriatt.net Aug 24: TBD Aug 30: Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, Ill. ST; GNC Singles www.illinoismda.com Tickets: (888) 468-1622 Aug 31: Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, Ill. Mile; GNC Twins www.illinoismda.com Tickets: (888) 468-1622 Sep 6: Monticello Raceway, Monticello, N.Y. Half-mile; GNC Twins www.fasthog.com Sep 13: Indiana State Fairgrounds, Indianapolis, Ind. Mile; GNC Twins www.familyevents.com Oct 4: Heartland Park Topeka, Topeka, Kan. Half-mile; GNC Twins www.hpt.com For Sale
Team Motorcyclist's Post Race Transporter, 1996 Ford E250 Power Stroke Diesel, Goshen Shuttle Conversion Transporter has been modified to haul race bikes and team to the races. It has a partition 7 feet back of the driver's seat that separates the passenger compartment from the race equipment. Passenger compartment has sleep sofa, TV, VCR, refrigerator, AM/FM CD player, microwave and cabinets. The rear section is equipped with tool shelves, florescent lighting and tire rack. It is able to haul 4 motorcycles, tools, etc. Vehicle has high mileage, but has been meticulously maintained. Take your whole team comfortably to the races along with all their equipment. $6,000 or best offer. Call Leo at The Motorcyclist's Post (203-606-1515) For more info. You can also e-mail Leo at lcastell@snet.net
The Motorcyclist's POST proudly supports VivaDUCATI.com in celebrating the arrival of World Class MotoGP Road Racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on September 12 – 14, 2008. See the best factory teams up close and witness the world's greatest road racers in the style and comfort every discerning Ducati owners, motorcycle enthusiast, and special guest deserves.
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at the Racing Capitol of the World including: John M. Rossi Date: 10/30/07 This past year RTW made much progress. One highlight was the twenty nine additional USA cities that issued formal proclamations in support of Ride To Work Day. Here is a link to the thank you letter sent to each of the mayors of the cities that issued proclamations supporting Ride to Work day. Also, here is a list of all 2006 and 2007 RTW Day Proclamation supporting cities, and .pdf files of the added proclamations. This was Ride To Work's most successful year ever, and we want to thank everyone involved for their terrific support. We are working on next year's Ride To Work Day, which is on Wednesday, July 16, 2008, and are expecting the event will continue to grow, and will be an even greater success.
Thank You Letter (PDF 35KB) Through the support and participation of individual rider's, clubs, business's and cities we will improve transportation systems and options for everyone. Motorcycle and scooter riding makes a difference. Ride to Work
Team Motorcyclist's Post Racer Logan Myers gets it on at Monticello Raceway, Monticello, NY.
Tech Page Articles and Reviews Laminar Lip Review by the P. Jamiol Click Here for Mark Bremer's "At the Flicks"
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