The GUNNY'S SACK

July 2002

LATE NIGHT WITH SAM: Our Sack reporter, Oregon A.I.M. Attorney and media hound Sam
Hochberg, writes in to tell us that he's found about the ugliest thing I've heard of in a
while. He was watching some late-nite TV show and heard about a 3-minute video from the
actor Adam Sandler that you can watch online at his website. But get this: The video,
"The Ticklish Biker" shows a pretty nasty young feller on his bike. Bottom line: It
shows this idiot, the Sandler nerd character, GLOATING after the biker crashes with
Sandler's wife or girlfriend on the back. The biker and passenger look pretty badly
hurt, at least in cartoonland. So THIS is supposed to be
FUNNY? Hell, let's just watch animations of bodies blow up in wartime.

If y'wanna watch this online, go to www.adamsandler.com. This junk's been online since
June 6th. Oh, and on the television show Sam was watching, Sandler talked about how he
likes to fight really weak guys who he KNOWS he can cream in a fight. The guy's a real
piece of work. Maybe he likes the idea of gettin' rid of his wife, but putting that ugly
light on motorcycling is just stupid.

 

NEWS BITS 'N PIECES:

PERTH, AUSTRALIA: Piaggio, the largest scooter manufacturer in Europe and maker of the
famous Vespa scooter, has offered two new weeny 50cc models, the Piaggio NRGand the
Gilera Runner. Both models use a fancy new 50cc "Pure Jet" engine that incorporates the
Orbital direct injection system. The article I read said they get a fuel economy of 50
km/litre, but Hell if I know how that translates to mpg! These two little bugs are the
first bikes to use this new technology with a simple catalyst to achieve pollution
control and still have some kick.

Peugeot Motocycles also launched two 50cc models using the same technology. They are the
Looxor and Elystar. At this time they are available only in Europe.

 

IRVINE, CALIFORNIA: Kawasaki has anounced its 2003 off-road motorcycle and all terrain
vehicle (ATV) line-up. They will be in showrooms soon. They say the alliance between
them and Suzuki will make both companies better able to compete in the off road market.

 

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK: Businessman Frank Westfall has a passion for old motorcycles that,
even if he didn't talk non-stop about them, would be evident to any visitor in his Salina
Street leather shop. At least a dozen historical two-wheelers are parked throughout his
MiddleEarth Leather Works, a longtime leather shop that now doubles as the Motorcycle
Museum of Syracuse.

 

This guy is a bonafide collector and we are told this place is a "must see" on your New
York State tour list. He has expanded now to vintage races each year at the fair
grounds. If you're in the area do yourself a favor and stop by at the leather shop.

 

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.: Harley Davidson's One Hundred year anniversary has taken on a
life of its own. California Speedway will host the third leg of a worldwide traveling
celebration uniting motorcycles, music, history and more, starting in September. This is
the Harley-Davidson's 100th Anniversary Open Road Tour, a series of gigantic weekend
festivals created to celebrate a true American icon. When you find it in your area be
sure and attend. Tickets for U.S. and Canadian Open Road Tour stops are on sale now.
You can even buy tickets online and see their schedule. Go to www.harley-davidson.com,
or to www.ticketmaster.com, or at Ticketmaster.

 

PORTLAND, OREGON: I'm very proud to announce here in the Sack that Portland will again be
host to the NCOM (National Coalition of Motorcyclists) West Coast Regional Conference!
It's currently slated for the second Saturday in November of this year. The Conference
attracts bikers and reps from biker organizations from all over the West, and Alaska and
Hawaii, too. This is the first time it's been in here in Portland in ten years! We're
lookin' forward to it, too. More details here in the Sack as we get 'em in.

 

GREAT WALL, CHINA: The Chinese are always movin' and groovin' when it comes to scoots.
Reuters news tells me that they're building a motorcycle race track right in the shadow
of the Great Wall. Starting in 2004, they're gonna use it for their own Chinese Grand
Prix. One day before this old Gunny jumps in the dirt, I'm gonna get me back to China
and see this for myself.

 

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA: Three cheers for Daryl "Chill" Mitchell, an actor and a biker who
went down hard, but didn't stay down long. Chill was paralyzed from the waist down in a
wreck last November, but Variety magazine says Chill already has a new steady gig as a
paralyzed guy on the NBC-TV series "Ed." Now THERE'S one biker who won't have a claim
for lost wages from this wreck, and bully for him.

 

BANGKOK, THAILAND: Honda says they expect the Asian market to outspend the European and
the North American markets in the near future on motorcycles!
Satoshi Toshida, chief executive of the Bangkok-based Asian Honda Motor Co Ltd, says
Honda's expansion in Asia would help its regional sales outpace its ambitious global
targets between now and 2005. Honda dominates the Thai motorcycle market and expects to
account for 950,000 of the 1.2 million bikes sold in the country in 2002. Dayum, that's
a lotta motorsickles.

 

GUNNY AGAIN: The summer has descended upon us with a vengeance this year, with Colorado
and Arizona burning down and wild fires all over the map. Please be careful with fire,
especially when you're out camping.

As to your scoots, follow safe guidelines there, too. We are having unreal heat waves
and when we ride in this stuff we NEED to be taking in more fluids than normal. Here in
Oregon, the paramedic calls are being taxed with heatstroke victims that just aren't
keeping hydrated. Don't let it happen to you or your loved ones. It's not only
expensive, it's dangerous. The scoot needs extra care too in the coolant (if your scoot
is fluid-cooled), and keep a close eye on your lube levels. It's just not worth it if
you lose your ride because you didn't pay attention to the effects of heat.

Also, keep in mind our A.I.M. Attorneys are here for us and we miss the boat if we don't
at least call them if we are in trouble. They can be reached by phone at 1-800-ON-A-BIKE
nationwide. Sam Hochberg here in Oregon is available at 503/224-1106 in Portland, and
toll free at 1-800-347-1106. He's also always checkin' his e-mail at SamBikeLaw@aol.com,
and you can check out any of our Aid to Injured Motorcyclists attorneys on our
A.I.M./NCOM website at www.ON-A-BIKE.com. Any thoughts for this here Gunny's Sack column
can be sent to me by e-mail. I'm online at AIMGunny@aol.com, and I always welcome
comments and news from the biker world!

 

 

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