The Texas Rally Luau and Biker Bash

What a great way to start September with the Texas Luau and Biker Bash September 6-8. This rally will be located at Big Creek Park & Marina in Somerville, Texas. There will be food, drinks, music, and one of the most well known custom paint job artists, Tex Efx.

The doors will open September 6 at 9 a.m. Since it is going to be the first day, things will be running a bit slow with vendors setting up their tents, but there will be entertainment, and a few local bands playing such as Scars Heal In Time, an all girl band that covers just about anything, and Allyson N Chains, which covers the mezmerising sound of Alice in Chains.

On the second day September 7, doors will open at 9 am, by this time most things will be set up. Try some refreshments at the Tiki lounge and play the "Booty Hunt" which is basically a scavenger hunt were clues can be given in the bar area, just ask for an specific drink. Later on in the day there will be a tattoo contest held in the Tiki Lounge, and more music by Tres Hombres, Ju Ju Beans, Chris Brade, and Outlaw Dave.

The last day of the event, promises to be the best, with more food, drinks, bike games, and music by Signal Rising, Victim, and Skid Row, to name a few. The Bring Out Your Bad Bike Show, will be taken place in the main stage at 3 p.m. A special 9/11 tribute will be held on the last day of the rally.

Handling Special Situations

In the best of all worlds the temperature would always be 78 degrees, the wind would be at our backs, and no emergencies would arise. Since it is a slightly imperfect world we live in, we should be prepared for whatever happens.

Emergency Braking

Sometimes you have to stop as quickly as possible. Here are some tips on how to get you and your motorcycle halted pronto:

• Apply both brakes to their maximum, just short of locking them up. Practice in an open, good-surfaced place, such as a clean parking lot.
• Keep the motorcycle upright and traveling in a straight line; and look where you’re going, not where you’ve just been.
• You don’t want to lock the front brake. If the wheel does chirp, release the brake for a split second, then immediately reapply without locking it up.
• If your rear wheel locks up, do not release the brake. If your handlebars are straight, you will skid in a straight line, which is all right. You have a more important priority and that is to get stopped! Read on and we will talk more about “skids.”

Braking While Leaned Into a Curve

You should try to avoid this, but sometimes it might be necessary. You can brake (with both brakes) while leaned over, but you must do it gradually and with less force than if the bike is standing up straight. For maximum braking efficiency in an emergency (when traffic and roadway conditions permit), stand the bike up straight; brake hard.

Coping With a Skid

A skid - that’s when your heart leaps up to your throat because your wheels have lost traction!

Riding Across Poor Road Surfaces

Here are a few simple rules you should follow when you anticipate coping with sand, mud, water or any loose surface or obstruction in the road:

• Downshift and slow before you reach the problem area.
• If there is traffic in the area, make sure that the drivers are aware you are slowing.
• Try to cross the bad surface in a straight line, or at least do not change direction or speed abruptly.
• Stay ready to maintain the balance of the motorcycle.
• If you are moving along and have to go over an obstruction that is lying across the road, like a 2x4 piece of wood, rise up on the foot pegs and shift your weight toward the back of the saddle as your front wheel comes up to the obstacle. This will make it easier for the front wheel to bounce up and over. Then move your weight forward to help your rear wheel get over.
• Do not accelerate until your bike is completely over the obstacle.

Steel Bridge Gratings and Rain Grooves

Steel-mesh bridges can be extremely unnerving. Keep an even throttle and keep the bike straight. Don’t grip the handlebars too hard. If there is a vibration in the handlebars, do not fight it. This is a natural feedback from your tires going over these thousands of little squares. Some parts of the country have rain grooves in the highways. They’re not very popular among motorcyclists. This is when the road surface, usually concrete, has several dozen grooves running lengthwise down each lane. The purpose of the grooves is to prevent cars and trucks from losing traction when it rains. The reaction of the bike to these grooves often has to do with the tread pattern on the tires. Sometimes it feels as though the motorcycle is getting a flat tire, with a squishy back-and-forth sideways motion. Don’t worry, just keep going straight. Don’t fight the handlebars. There is nothing dangerous about these rain grooves – it just feels funny to ride on them.

Rain

Haul out the raingear you’ve stowed in a handy spot. Make sure your rain gloves and rain boots fit properly. Poorly fitted ones can lessen your ability to brake and shift.

Be most cautious when it first starts to rain.

That is when the water goes into all the dimples in the road, and the oil residue from passing vehicles floats to the top. That gets slippery! A wise motorcyclist will stop for a cup of coffee when it starts to rain; who knows, it could all be over in 15 minutes, and you won’t even have to put on the rain suit. After a while the oil will be washed off to the side of the road. However, traction on a wet surface may not be as good as on a dry road. Be careful.

Wind

Strong winds can create problems for a motorcyclist. A constant 25-mph wind from the side can make for less than- happy riding. Gusty wind is the worst. You might have to lean a bit into the wind to maintain your position. Keep the motorcycle on the side of the lane that the wind is coming from. This is in case a big blast moves you over a bit. Expect it and be ready to react.

Animals

The biggest problem is with domestic animals. Most seem to have an urge to chase motorcycles. Those that don’t chase often are known to blunder into the path of moving vehicles. Don’t let one distract you and cause a spill. Here are three rules:

• Slow down well before you reach the animal.
•  Do not – repeat – do not kick at the animal. 
• If the animal looks like he’s going to intercept you, speed up just as you are about to reach him. It will throw his timing off.

If a deer jumps out in front of you on a country road, but is far enough ahead not to be worried about – watch out for its mate. They tend to travel in pairs. Hitting a deer with a motorcycle is a tough way to put venison on the table.

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Source: Motorcycle Safety Foundation

Wristwatch Motorcycles (art)

Talented Brazilian artist Jose Geraldo Reis Pfau creates beautiful motorcycle miniatures using only parts from old wristwatches.

Pfau’s passion for motorcycles began in the 1960′s. He owned various types of motorcycles, some of them modified and inspired by the movie “Easy Rider”. But the artist born and raised in Blumenau, Santa Catarina was also fascinated by the arts, and it was only natural that his artistic talent and passion for bikes combine in a unique project. At first, he developed several motorcycle images, but after reading about artists who created motorcycle miniatures out wood, pottery, wire and other materials, he decided to make similar artworks, out of a completely new medium – wristwatches.

The time pieces that inspired Jose Geraldo Reis Pfau’s creations were collected with a help of a friend who happened to own a wristwatch shop. Through an advertising campaign, clients were encouraged to give their old watches as a first installment on the purchase of a new one. This provided the artist with the necessary materials to experiment and create his unique wristwatch motorcycles.

Although Pfau only creates his art during the weekends, he has a collection of hundreds of motorcycles made exclusively from wristwatch components. They have been showcased at jewelry fairs and art exhibitions throughout Brazil and several other countries.

For more pictures of Pfau's art work visit:

http://www.odditycentral.com/pics/the-wristwatch-motorcycles-of-jose-geraldo-reis-pfau.html

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Source: OddityCentral (Spooky, 3/7)

Steampunk-Inspired Cafe Racer Motorcycle

It’s retro, it’s steampunk, it’s a café racer with a twist, it’s a one-of-a-kind drool-worthy motorcycle. Presenting the Beezerker.

The Beezerker is the culmination of 11 months of design and fabrication by Chris Flechtner, owner of SpeedShop Design in Seattle.

The heart of this beast is a rebuilt 1965 BSA A65 motor, which is probably the only part on the bike which hasn’t been heavily modified or built from scratch.

The gas tank and tail section of the Beezerker were formed by hand from aluminum, the forks are fabricated from sheet metal, and the down tube doubles as the oil tank. The twist clutch is also Fletchner’s own design, which shows off his machining skills.

Because much of the bike is made from stainless steel and aluminum, it lends itself easily to not being painted, the better to show off the unique lines of this ultra-rad ride.

The Beezerker won 5th place in the freestyle class, and second place in the Metric World Championship class at the 2010 AMD World Championship of Custom Bike Building , and just recently captured the People’s Choice award and first place in the Freestyle category at the 2011 Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show Seattle.

Batman Dark Knight Replica Leather & Kevlar Motorcycle Suit

UD Replicas has created a replica of the Dark Knight's suit which features Kevlar inserts and adjustable sections making it a true motorcycle suit. Make no mistake, this is not a costume.

While paying tribute to all the on-screen design elements, the suit is engineered for the serious motorcycle rider (unless you don the gold utility belt, in which case you are a ridiculous motorcycle rider), offering a level of protection and flare the likes of which the Dark Knight himself would approve.

TOTAL SUIT AS A SET: $1564.00

Sold as separates or the whole shebang, the form-molded leather with functional Kevlar details perfectly replicates the look of the on-screen armor (codpiece included) while being fully functional and everyday wearable riding gear. Limited to 350 suits (Thank God).

Jacket: $798.00:

Pants: $449.00:

Gloves: $98.00:

Boots: $219.00:

Available as a full suit combination or individual Jacket, Pant, Glove, Boot and Utility Pouch options.

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES™ BATMAN™ Includes:

•Strong edge seaming for all visible and hidden stitch work.

•Form molded hard and soft shell visible Kevlar details.

•Form Molded Leather detailing like never before.

•Jacket Sleeves feature Adjustable Leather Gauntlets.

•Breathable motorcycle grade Mesh Cordura base.

•Anti Skid Kevlar in glove palms.

•Removable CE Approved Body Armor in forearms/elbow, shoulder and back spine protector.

•Highly detailed, removable lightweight interior lining.

•Made from Grade A Cow Hide.

•Quality high-end accessories.

Sales Close: Aug 31st 2012 Delivery: 4th Quarter 2012 (Oct-Nov-Dec)

EDITION SIZE: 350 SETS

images, prices and info courtesy of UD Replicas

Buy it here 

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Source: If it's hip, It's here (Sweet, 7/24)