FEDS TO TIGHTEN MOTORCYCLE EMISSIONS Even as the federal Environmental Protection Agency finalizes their first ever emissions standards for off-road motorcycles and ATV's, a draft proposal received by the AMA indicates that the EPA's next step will be to adopt California's tough new emissions standards for all new street motorcycles sold nationwide beginning in 2006.

Under recently enacted emissions regulations in California, beginning in 2004 new motorcycles must emit no more than 1.4 grams per kilometer of hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides, and 12 grams per kilometer of carbon monoxide. The proposed federal standard would be the same, but would go into effect in 2006.

California's two-tiered standard gets tougher in 2008, with a limit of 0.8 grams per kilometer of hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides and 12 grams per kilometer of carbon monoxide. Again, the proposed federal standard would be the same, but would not go into effect until 2010.

The current federal emissions standard for on-road motorcycles is 5.0 grams per kilometer of hydrocarbons and 12 grams per kilometer of carbon monoxide.

Motorcycle manufacturers are expected to utilize fuel injection and catalytic converters in order to meet the strict new regulations.

A Public Comment period must take place before the new EPA regulations can be adopted, and the AMA, MRF and NCOM encourages all concerned motorcyclists to make their voices heard!

 

"OZ" ACTOR ARRESTED FOR WEARING COLORS Chuck Zito, actor and bodyguard to the stars, was arrested and ejected from a Connecticut casino after refusing to remove his Hells Angels colors, reported the Boston Globe.

Zito, who plays prison inmate Chucky Pancamo on the critically acclaimed HBO series "Oz", was charged with first-degree criminal trespass by state police after he refused to take off his Hells Angels jacket or to leave the Foxwoods Resort Casino.

A former bodyguard whose clients included Sylvester Stallone, Sean Penn and Charlie Sheen, Zito was at the casino at the invitation of HBO to attend the Evander Holyfield-John Ruiz WBA heavyweight fight on December 15, 2001.

Security guards immediately told Zito that no colors or gang jackets were allowed in the hall.

Casino officials asked Zito to remove his jacket, but he refused, police said. When told he would have to either remove the jacket or leave, Zito refused to do either, prompting troopers to arrest him.

Casino spokesman Bruce McDonald said Foxwoods has a rule barring patrons from wearing gang colors in the casino for fear it will incite violence. Zito was given every opportunity to remove the jacket, but refused, McDonald said

"He was very cooperative and the arrest was made without incident," said state police Sgt. Ken Kelly. Zito posted a $500 cash bond and will return for a court appearance on the charges.

The 48-year-old actor and stuntman, whose movie credits include "Amistad," and "Die Hard 3," said the casino's rule is not posted and that he believes it is discriminatory.

"We're going to sue Foxwoods, the state police and anyone else who arrested me," Zito told the Day of New London. "It was discrimination. They violated my civil rights and they humiliated me."

"This is an absolute violation of my civil liberties," said an unrelenting Zito. "I'm calling my lawyer and we're going to get this straightened out right away. That is discrimination to say motorcycle people can't go into a fight."

A member of the Hells Angels for more than 22 years, Zito said he refused to take off his jacket because he was defending his beliefs.

"If a guy walks in here with a Yankees jacket, are you going to make him take it off?" he asked. "This is America, this isn't Russia."

FREE AT LAST! In what hopefully will be the last chapter in the sentencing saga of Richard Aikman, the Kansas biker who received a prison sentence for wearing a belt buckle, Aikman appeared on July 18, 2001 at the Osborne County, Kansas Courthouse for his third sentencing in a possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia case which originated in 1998.

As readers may recall, Aikman was twice sentenced to jail and prison time for wearing a belt buckle displaying the words "Sons of Silence." The first two sentences were successfully appealed by Kansas Confederation of Clubs and A.I.M. Attorney, Keith Renner.

Both appeals centered around the sentencing court's illegal use of Aikman's apparel to justify enhancing Aikman's sentence. The sentencing court maintained that Aikman's belt buckle was indicative of gang affiliation. Even though there were no issues relating to gang affiliation, the sentencing court also found that the crimes were gang related. In the first sentencing, Aikman received one year in county jail on his misdemeanor conviction and probation on his felony conviction. After Renner appealed and succeeded in having the case remanded for resentencing, the sentencing court gave Aikman not only the year in county jail on the misdemeanor, but also gave him one year in prison on the felony, still for wearing the belt buckle.

The Kansas Court of Appeals indicated in no uncertain terms in their second decision that Aikman's rights had been violated by the sentencing court.

The second remand made it clear that Aikman should be sentenced according to the Kansas Sentencing Guidelines, which mandate probation.

In a very short hearing in the stifling heat of the rural Kansas courtroom, Chief Judge William B. Elliott placed Richard Aikman on twelve months of probation on both counts. Upon motion by attorney Renner, Judge Elliott then released Aikman from probation based upon his supervision by court services personnel for over two and one half years while he was on bond awaiting the outcome of his appeals.

Judge Elliott indicated that Aikman had more than served his sentence. Aikman was visibly relieved after living an almost three year nightmare under the threat of prison time for such minor offenses. Renner said "I am very glad to finally see this matter put to rest. Rick Aikman has sacrificed a great deal in his fight for justice. It takes a lot of guts to stand up for what is right when your foe is the state, but Rick stood up and won this victory for all freedom loving people."

 

NEWS OF THE WEIRD: BIKER FINED $103,000 FOR SPEEDING The bursting of the tech bubble has been felt in many corners of the globe, but has it ever been an issue in traffic court? Today it was - in Helsinki, Finland - where Mr. Ansii Vanjoki appealed a fine that he received for speeding last October when he was caught on his Harley-Davidson motorcycle doing 47 miles per hour in a 31-mph zone.

What does the tech bubble have to do with this?

In Finland, speeding fines are calculated according to income. And Vanjoki, who is an executive vice president of the telecom giant, Nokia, is near the top of the income pyramid. But he argued in court that incomes at Nokia aren't necessarily what they used to be. He claims that his fine was based on his income in 1999 when the bubble was at its height, and he cashed in on stock options for Nokia shares that were selling at about $50 a share. Today the stock closed at $21.46 a share, down 5%.

Why all the fuss? If Vanjoki doesn't get his fine reduced, he'll have to pay $103,000.

That's not a typo.

That's his fine: $103,000.

Be forewarned: If you speed on a Harley in Helsinki, you're doing the town "high on the Hog."
PETER NULTY, Editor
StrongSignals.com

 

QUOTABLE QUOTE:
"The evils of tyranny are rarely seen but by him who resists it."
JOHN HAY, Lincoln's Journalist