The GUNNY'S SACK

September 2000

PORTLAND, Oregon: By golly, justice does peek out at us now and then. Some time ago I told you about the H-D dealer here in Portland who got shafted by the men in blue in this fair city. Seems the dealer, Latus Motors, loaned the fuzz a scooter for a sting operation and the ride got ripped off...

After the city said they wouldn't pay up for the stolen bike, saying the cop who made the deal with Latus was not AUTHORIZED, it appears they (city fathers) had second thoughts on the matter and after a year of wrangling and some bad press, they finally paid Latus Motors for their lost scoot and expenses incurred because of it. Needless to say, George Latus said he was out of the business of loaning bikes to Police. I wouldn't loan 'em a pair of old socks myself.

WINDSOR, COLORADO: The scooter craze spreading through North America's cities has hit a curb in this northern Colorado town. The cops say it's the speedy little motorized scooters that are the problem, not the old foot powered versions. Law enforcement people say folks are asking that they be banned from streets, SIDEWALKS and trails. They say people are ignoring traffic laws or are unaware there are such things that apply to these zippy little sidewalk menaces.

Skateboards and roller-blades are outlawed now and cops say these motorized scooters are just narrow skateboards with handlebars and motors.

In Vermont, riders are required to register their motorized skateboards or motorized scooters as motorcycles, have them inspected and become certified motorcycle riders. Damn! Safetycrats don't want anyone to have fun anymore. Don't know what this world is coming to.

LUXEMBOURG: Due to the high number of motorcycle accidents in this very small country (5 fatalities just in May) the Luxembourg Minister of Transport, Henri Grethen, is gonna do something about it. He started the safety campaign ''Together take care of each other'' with the aim of reducing the number of motorcycle accidents.

The campaign there consists of:

• A TV spot showing how easy it is for a car driver to miss seeing a motorcycle rider because of his narrow profile.
• A leaflet with important advice for BOTH motorcyclists and for car drivers was produced and sent together with a letter personally addressed from the minister of transport Henri Gethen to the 14,000 motorcycle riders in Luxembourg.
• The Police Grand-Ducale will do more speed controls, particularly in the north of the country.

Now why don't our home folks come up with something along those same lines instead of extolling the DANGERS of riding motorcycles and other such modes of transportation?

HOW ABOUT THIS JEWEL?

PATIENT MISSING FROM HOSPITAL FOUND AT PUB: A British motorcyclist who disappeared from the hospital where he was being treated for a broken spine, pelvis, arm and nose sparked a major alert until nurses discovered he was enjoying a pint at his favorite pub. His supposed friends wheeled Malcolm Storey out of Southampton General Hospital on his sick bed, put him in the back of a van and drove him to his favorite pub over the holiday.

Police were alerted when nurses realized their patient was missing but the search was called off when Mr. Storey's friends called the hospital to say they would bring him back. Now that's dedication to your daily pint. I guess broken bones have nothing to do with enjoying yer suds.

LONDON, ENGLAND: A new team of motorcycle patrols has been launched in London to relieve traffic jams and other incidents around town. Lightweight high performance bikes can cut through traffic jams and get to the source of trouble much quicker than conventional vehicles. The team will operate in central London at first.

Although they picked the bike for it's compact size, the Yamaha TDM 850's carry all the equipment that patrol teams need to fix easily-resolvable car problems right on the road.

If the pilot program works out, it could be seen throughout the city and other metropolitan areas of the country. Good idea folks. Smart use of bikes.

LINCOLN, NE: Unbeknownst to many bikers, Kawasaki has been building motorcycles in the heart of America since 1974, right in Lincoln, Nebraska. Seems they're adding a plant there that will make railroad cars, too! Maybe they can design one that will let you put your scoot on board. This for you folks that like to ship your scoot and then ride into town lookin' good.

Kawasaki Motors Manufacturing Corp. U.S.A. announced plans to build the $50 million plant in Lincoln to manufacture rail and subway passenger cars.

The new facility will employ up to 320 people and will be located at U.S. Highway 34 and Northwest 27th Street, just south of Kawasaki's Lincoln motorcycle plant.

They plan to produce 200 railcars a year in a huge, 430,000-square-foot plant. In a press release, Kawasaki said the ''move takes place in a climate favoring re-evaluation of rail as a viable means of transportation.''

THIS IS THE DUFUS AWARD WINNER THIS YEAR: Now if you're in a bike wreck, I always say, call yourself an AIM Attorney. Don't do what this clown did: Seems a biker in East Sussex, England, got in a wreck with a 68 year-old woman driving a 4-wheel drive Mitsubishi. After he rolled down the road a ways and peeled off some hide, he got in her car and drove off! He dumped the car later, must have realized how dumb he was.

Now the cops are after him for stealing a car instead of the old lady getting a citation for runnin' over him. Go figure!

BELLE PLAINE, MINN: They're BACK! Excelsior-Henderson Motorcycle Manufacturing Company announced they have emerged from bankruptcy and that their modified plan of reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code has been confirmed.

The Company's confirmation hearing was held on August 18, 2000, and the Bankruptcy Court's order confirming the plan of reorganization was issued on the same date.

The Company's co-founders, Dan, Dave and Jennie Hanlon said, ''Confirmation of the plan represents the culmination of several months work. As we said before, we believe the proposed plan of reorganization represents the best available alternative for the Company and its creditors. This is a great initial step in rebuilding the Company.'' Lets hope this will give them the confidence to get busy now and build the kind of scooter we will all ride. This has been a tough fight for a great motorcycle marquee.

WOMEN IN THE MOTORCYCLE WORLD: Traci Hoffman, who started riding dirt bikes when she was 9, cruises the highways now on a chrome-laden Harley-Davidson with high handlebars and a comfortable seat. Carolyn Marshall enjoys her motorcycle so much that she was still riding three weeks before her son was born. Susan Wevodau, who started riding nine years ago to keep her husband company, now is a nationally ranked motorcycle racer.

These gals are just the tip of the iceberg guys. Women are becoming a force to be recognized in our macho world. They are riding the same powerful machines we do and most are doing a better job of it because they don't mind taking the time to go to riding classes and seminars to do it right. It's high time we started to pay attention and took a few courses ourselves.

GUNNY AGAIN: Remember what I said about calling an AIM attorney when you have an accident. They will save you mountains of grief, and probably some dough. Remember, those insurance people you're up against have lots of their own attorneys and they aren't bashful about using them against you. And those adjusters are slicker'n you-know what. It's just plain self-preservation folks. Call nationally at: 1-(800)-ON-A-BIKE (1-800-662-2453). You can call our Oregon AIM Attorney Sam Hochberg at 1-(800)-347-1106, if it's a toll call or 224-1106 locally to Portland. Get a hold of Sam online at SamBikeLaw@aol.com, or me at AIMGunny@aol.com.

Keep the round side on the bottom.
Gunny, Oregon A.I.M. Chief of Staff