North Alabama Vintage Riders Digest for Jan 5, 2019

[renchinrider]

Hi, Everyone!

I don't know how 2019 could have started any better:  Mother Nature and Lady Luck teamed up to give us a beautiful, RAIN-FREE weekend for the first time in months, which made for spectacular riding weather!  It just don't get no better!  Hope you were able to get out and burn a tank of gas and return with your bike's battery--and your own excitement level--topped off once again!

This week's Digest begins with a pause to acknowledge our Club's Christmas contributions:  In total, our Club generated $4,617.00, which enabled us to enrich the lives of 55 Huntsville-area veterans and their families at Christmas!  This is beyond any of our previous Holiday accomplishments, and pays tribute to the extraordinary generosity of each of YOU who donated money, auction items, time and effort to make all of our giving possible.

THANK YOU!!!

Now, moving into general news bits and bites:

Business before pleasure:  Thanks to Twitter's Warren Massey for broadcasting this motorcycle recall report.  If you have a new, or relatively new, motorcycle in your stable, take a moment to check and see if your bike may require recall work:

https://ijustwant2ride.com/2018/12/28/motorcycle-recall-december-2018/

Now the fun stuff!

Here's an article on Honda's return to Superbike racing...enjoy!

https://www.cycleworld.com/factory-honda-world-superbike-return-explained?con=TrueAnthem&dom=tw&lnk=TA&src=SOC&utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_content=5bff3a129ac5640001e843bc&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter

And here's an article for all of you Euro-bike fans.  Erik Buell isn't the only builder out there capturing the hand-fabricated race bike spotlight...Italy's Mondial dynasty is at it too!

https://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/mondial/church-of-mo-2003-mondial-piega.html


Next up is a very well-written biographical article from Cycle World on the legendary Yamaha Moto GP and AMA racing bike builder Kel Caruthers:

https://www.cycleworld.com/kel-carruthers?con=TrueAnthem&dom=tw&lnk=TA&src=SOC&utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_content=5c2b807a3ed3f0000131743f&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter

I admit, I've always had a fascination with Ural motorcycles.  I saw them occasionally in Japan, and got to ride in the sidecar of a bona-fide Soviet-era (I think late '60s) Ural (though the Russian models have a different name, written in Cyrillic) in my wife's hometown in Poland.  Their iconic appearance just screams "vintage!" even when they're sitting in Blue Moon Cycles' new bike display tent at Barber!  The 2019 Urals offer some very exciting--and practical--mods, while still maintaining their vintage appearance.  Now I want one even more!  Read about them here!

8https://www.revzilla.com/common-tread/how-ural-survived-its-own-apocalypse#disqus_thread

Sad notification coming from Suzuki:  Cycle World confirms that Suzuki has halted production of their legendary GSX-R 750 in all but the U.S. market, signalling that this motorcycle is about to become a part of Suzuki's history.  Buy one now, if you want one!

https://www.cycleworld.com/suzuki-signs-gsx-r750s-death-warrant?con=TrueAnthem&dom=tw&lnk=TA&src=SOC&utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_content=5c2b726b4b73850001c9d2b5&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter

Harley fans, enjoy this historic photo from the Harley-Davidson Museum!  https://twitter.com/hdmuseum/status/1079436989802397696?s=01

And, closing out this week's general news:  Cycle World's Nick Ienatsch shares his thoughts on making 2019 a "Great Year for Motorcycling."

https://www.cycleworld.com/make-2019-great-year-for-motorcycling?con=TrueAnthem&dom=tw&src=SOC&utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+New+Content+(Feed)&utm_content=5c2b546ac223e5000109edc8&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter

Now on to NAVMC Events:

Jan 12:  8th Annual Tennessee Motorama All Indoor Show.  Cars, trucks and motorcycles.  Wilson County Fairgrounds, Lebanon, TN.  http://www.bothbarrelspromotions.com/2018/10/11/2019-tennessee-motorama/

Jan 20:  Virginia Coalition of Motorcyclists Annual Lobby Day Meeting in Richmond, VA.  Hot topic this year will be the just-released proposal to amend Virginia's helmet requirement.  https://outlook.live.com/mail/inbox/id/AQMkADAwATYwMAItOTc4ZS04ZjQ3LTAwAi0wMAoARgAAA1dBTRPvVExPhz5uFzYJhKYHAE1ZQtE6shlJrHCHBP2KM0YAAAIBDAAAAE1ZQtE6shlJrHCHBP2KM0YAAx8wZ%2BEAAAA%3D
​
Jan 26:  Dania Beach, FL 13th Annual Vintage Bike Show.  I and Raymond Cox are traveling to Florida to join NAVMC member and South Florida resident Bob Brandner for this exciting show.    This show is a real treat--all the more so considering the fantastic South Florida weather!

Feb 9:  Mark your calendars:  NAVMC member and professional photographer Larry Mayo will be conducting a workshop entitled, "The Art of Photographing Motorcycles."  This workshop will coincide with our Saturday morning breakfast at the Blue Plate Cafe II, and will be held in the banquet room.  I'm accepting nominations for the "model bike" to be brought into the banquet room to "pose" for photos.  Submit your thumbnails or photos, and we'll do a poll the first week of Feb to select the "model" bike!  The reward is having it professionally photographed by Larry!

Feb 22-23:  40th Annual Lincoln Highway AMCA National Antique Bike Show and Swap Meet, at Christiansen Field, Fremont, NE.  https://www.cyclefish.com/motorcycle_event/49605

April 25-28:  10th Annual Spring Shovelhead Retreat, at the Kickstand Lodge, Stecoah, NC.  These are the same folks I met at Shovelfest in Tellico a few months ago, and they're a great group of riders who love vintage Harleys.  Unless anything gets in my way, I'll be riding my Shovel up to Stecoah to participate.  If any of you want to join me, and want a cabin, let me know.  If you plan to do primitive camping (as I plan to), there is no concern, as primitive camping spaces are almost unlimited.

Please let me know what I've missed.

Let's ride!

[klaviator]

As always Marc, thanks for taking the time to post all this information. 

Since photographing bikes is one of my hobbies I will try to make it to that workshop on the 9th.

[Nice Goat]

Ditto!

[renchinrider]

Y'all come on and join us!  It'll be great to pack the house! :)