Victory Motorcycles - the BEST bike on the market

At least that is what Plant City police officers are saying.

In fact, more and more Police Services are using Victory Motorcycles and there are a ton of reasons why.

In the deep south, places like Texas (Pasadena TX), where temperatures soar well into the hundreds, Victory motorcycles are out performing Harley's. Why? Harley's over heat is the primary reason, but as I read I find that officers love all of the standard safety features that the Victory offers PLUS they love the 106 CI Engine that offers 97 horses. Here is an article from Polaris showing off some of the Texas and Kansas Police Bikes: http://www.polarisindustries.com/en-us/Victory-Motorcycles/Experience/Pages/000PasTx1.aspx

Victory motorcycles have a tighter turning ratios, tip over protection, fixed floorboards, and bottom skid plates to to mention better ground clearance than Harley's allowing officers to travel places with their Victories that Harley's dare not go. Their prices are comparable to the Harley, and offers two models that are exceedingly popular among police officers - the Cross Country and the Commander.

Victory itself doesn’t officially offer law enforcement models. The Victory Police Motorcycles program was not created in the Medina, Minnesota, offices of Victory Motorcycles.  Nope, the Victory Police Motorcycles program is the creation of Tucson, Arizona Victory dealers Nita Buckner and Mike Schultz and they will customize those motorcycles to whatever the police want and need for lighting, communications etc. Check it out: http://victorypolicemotorcycles.com/

I recently test road the Victory Cross Country and I have to tell you - it is an amazing machine. Victory motorcycles have come so far from what they started out as. The only thing that truly hasn't changed is the engineering. This motorcycle brand offers some of the most responsive and impressive handling machines I have ever had the pleasure of riding. Back in '05 when I test rode the Kingpin, the only thing I did not like were the accessories, the saddlebags were small and cheaply built, not so today. In fact, they now have such an impressive offering of accessories and clothing that I was really impressed. They have come SOOO far in 7 years.

My Black Betty, a 2007 Street Glide, has over 80K on her and it is time to start shopping for a new motorcycle. The trips I take tend to be long ones and the standard features of the Victory appeal to me in a big way: http://www.polarisindustries.com/en-us/victory-motorcycles/touring/cross-country-tour/pages/features.aspx The bike I would want, decked out the way I want is $24K and change....

Here is a Youtube Video that explains WHY the police love these motorcycles:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXFVaxGy4YI


I was seriously considering the Victory before, but the more I read, the more videos I watched in doing this editorial, the more I am convinced that my next bike will be a Victory.

What say you?

There is a lot of news from around the world today including the call to ban kids on motorcycles in the city of Quezon City in the Philippines.

A new book all about the women who love outlaw 1% bikers is out called Devilz Dollz

Honda is set t start producing its crosstouring bike

There was another fatal motorcycle crash in Nova Scotia

A rider in Niagara Falls Ontario who survived a crash where he faced life threatening injuries is now facing multiple charges included impaired driving, impaired driving causing bodily harm (he was carrying a passenger who was injured as well)

For all of the news that might affect your day or life visit www.beltdrivebetty.com where we sift through the news so you don't have to.

Have a fantastic Friday, a fabulous weekend and lease, if you are still riding, remember to ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you.

Belt Drive Betty

Editor & Rider

The Hoka Hey Challenge...would you?

14,000 miles, 48 states and two provinces and a pot of gold at the end of the road...
The results are in from the 2011 challenge and the 2012 challenge is set for August of next year but will only be 7,000 miles with 12 days to complete the 7,000 mile journey.

The Hoka Hey Challenge tracks you by GPS so that you can't speed or take shortcuts from the route, and if you are one of the finalists who cross the line in time you have to take a polygraph test.

This is a long distance rider's event....how many of you would consider doing a challenge like this?
If the prize was $50K, or $100K dollars or how about $500,000 dollars?

It is $1,000 to enter the competition and hundreds of riders have signed up and completed the challenge over two years so, how many Canucks are willing to get involved for that kind of entry fee and that kind of prize money?

I would love to know....

Today is Thursday which means many of you will have gotten your weekly provincial newsletter and National newspaper...The Busted Knuckle Chronicles.

I hope you remember that the 31st of October is your last chance to buy calendars - I am not over ordering so if you don't order now you won't be getting one....to order your calendars:

The Ladies Calendar
Mens Calendar
Kidz Calendar

I hope you have entered the Bolt on Your Beauty Contest ladies...lots of goodies up for grabs...all you have to do ladies is email Belinda Kelly (rat.pink@hotmail.com) with a quick answer to her question - what is your favourite beauty product to take on the road - could be sunscreen, lip balm whatever...and make sure you tell her the brand name! That's all it takes to win a gift basket full of goodies!

As always there is a lot of news in the feeds this morning - please check them out at www.beltdrivebetty.com where we sift through the news of the day so you don't have to.

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

Harley struggling to make enough high end bikes? Why big business and investors confuse me.

Investors are a fickle breed, they drove down the shares of H-D stock because H-D is not producing enough of their high end bikes to meet demand and yet H-D has been following their restructuring plan pretty much to a tee.

The company's restructuring has seen them pare back and consolidate production and as the rumour mill goes they are slated to close as many as 70 dealerships.  The company's over all health appears to be good, and their delivery of new motorcycles to dealers is up. Revenue is up but disappointed shareholders by not hitting the mark of 1.29 billion dollars - they only hit 1.23 billion. Although gross margins are down, profit is up, share dividends are up and restructuring costs are down and yet the investors aren't happy. I JUST DON'T GET IT.

By not having enough supply to meet demand, it will drive the prices of both new and used bikes up making it so Harley's will once again hold their value better than other brands. How is that a bad thing?

I remember back in the 80's being at a huge and very spontaneous beach party in Milwaukee when Richard Teerlink and the group of 7 bought H-D back from AMF....it was touted as a great time in H-D history, the company was once again going to be family owned and operated.

I am no fan of the current version of the Motor Corp, it has become, in my humble opinion, a company that is run by bean counters (investors and book keepers) and has gotten away from it's core customer and it's founding principles. It flouts itself as the machine of the rebel - the inconsiderate...it's ad campaigns represent so much of why main stream society views bikers in the unfavourable light that it does and there are lots of people that eat it up...because it resonates with their idea of being a bad boy or girl for at least the weekend. And - many of those weekend warriors live up to the ads promises, perpetuating the bad boy/girl image/lifestyle that H-D sells that the main streamer detests.

If the rumours that abound are right, then - no longer are dealers allowed to sell parts to the small repair shops, if you as a dealer aren't in a multi million dollar facility you potentially face the chopping block....It appears that the manufacturer has forgotten the simple courtesies of customer service and that attitude has become prevalent in many of it's dealerships...crap runs down hill, right? If you are a Canadian that owns an American version of an H-D and not the Canadian version, good luck with service and repair....

It appears that the "New" Motor Corp has very little regard for dealers (their primary customer) who have sold their products for 20, 30 and more years and is taking away their dealerships because they aren't in multi million dollar facilities...pretty hard to have a good attitude towards your customer (the rider) when the manufacturer treats you so badly. The dealers are working so hard to improve the bottom line to stay off the chopping block that in far too many cases they appear to forget that customer service is the foundation for longevity and end up on the block anyway...so much for being part of a family, it appears that's what happens when investors and book keepers run the company.

H-D, whether you love them or not is still one of the greatest marketing companies in the world, with diverse products that sell for exorbitant prices...in fact anything you can buy in another dealership or repair shop at a reasonable price will have an extra fee added to it because it has the H-D logo on it and it is generally NOT a small fee either.

It appears that they will put their logo and name on pretty much everything and anything they can all in the name of selling a lifestyle, again it's that bottom line that counts...they sell their trademark licenses to the bidder that can provide them with the highest profit margin, not necessarily the one that can provide the best product. Remember, they are in this to make money and to heck with the customer getting a good product, if it is potentially good for the bottom line well it's a go...at least that appears to be the idea.
And let's face it - many H-D customers are so brand loyal they will buy whatever is available with that special logo on it because it makes them feel ....what is/are the right word/s? A pride? A sense of history of being a rebel, belonging to an elitist set???? So the high prices for products that oft times are lesser than is not an issue, build it and it will sell and sell well and improve the bottom line.

Yes, H-D is, in my humble opinion, the epitome of the ruthlessness that often accompanies big business...and too often big business can be ruthless,  even when it really doesn't need to be.
Big businesses like H-D are all about the money and have very little to do with much else, it is cut throat, dog eat dog environment - and down right nasty at times. (Every time I see big business crush a little guy I think of Kevin O'Leary from Dragon's Den - SHOW ME THE MONEY)

The bottom line is all that is cared about, and investors made that really plain this week...if only it was a family run business again instead of a publicly traded company...sometimes I think that biggest isn't always best, that public isn't always best, sometimes I think that family and roots should be a bigger part of the equation than it appears to be today...but hey, that's just me and what do I really know about big business?

I do not understand investors or the stock market, they knew the company was restructuring, they knew it was closing dealerships, they knew it was consolidating manufacturing, they knew that the American dollar getting stronger was going to hurt margins and yet the growth is there so why are they driving down stocks? Can anyone answer that one for me?  Is it really JUST About Money? Is it really the way business has to be conducted? Sign me confused about big, publicly held business.

In Other news:

A suspected member of the Devil's Soldiers in Grande Prairie AB was arrested for possession of a half kilo of cocaine and other drug related charges.

In Hamilton Ontario, the officer who was charged with impaired riding while off duty in September of 2010 is back in the headlines potentially facing more charges once his criminal matters are dealt with.

In the US a San Jose man who allegedly who shot and killed a member of the Hells Angels at a funeral is thought to be dead or other wise being hidden.

Aslo in the US, a Pennsylvania Councillor is under indictment for malicious assault and conspiracy, he also is reported to be a member of  the Avenger Motorcycle Club.

There is lots more in the news feeds that might affect your day or impact your life so check it our over at www.beltdrivebetty.com where we sift through the news so you don't have to.

Have a safe and happy Wednesday everyone...

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

Classy Chassis Cycles Auction - Moving iron, creating excitement

This past weekend I had the distinct pleasure and honour of attending the Classy Chassis Cycles Auction.
This is the third year for this auction and it was a roaring success. 

Hundreds of riders showed up to take advantage of the offerings but found out this was not going to be your ordinary auction...nope - they were treated to beef on a bun, coffee, chips, cake and all sorts of goodies - for FREE - not to mention the swap meet and of course the bikes! 121 one bikes went under the hammer.

Jon Burman wants people to be excited about motorcycling and about getting good deals. He also wants them to experience the Classy Chassis Cycles experience. He hired Shawn Brittan as his auctioneer again and along with his floor man, Rob, Shawn ran all of the bikes through the auction non stop from 10:30 am to 4 pm. The man is an amazing talent and his floor guy Rob did a fabulous job of making sure no bidder went un noticed. There were Suzuki's, Honda's, Triumph's, Victory's, Pocket bikes and of course Harley's - there was even one Harley signed by Willie G that went under the gavel!

Shawn Brittan in the back and Rob - the floor man in the front

As important as the auctioneer and floor guy are though, there was the most amazing supporting cast for this special weekend event. The volunteers...members of the Kawartha's Bikers Church, the Kindred and individuals from around the region. In all it took somewhere around 30 volunteers along with the staff of Classy Chassis to see the event through to the end and when it was all over, over 30 bikes found new homes.

It was an incredible experience, one that I will be writing a full blown article on for the October 27th Edition of the Busted Knuckle Chronicles, so keep your eyes peeled for that one!


In other news:

Ted Laturnus of the Globe & Mail had some harsh words for some of the riders who attended the Vancouver Toy Run

In Manitoba a former Hells Angel's member gets jail time

Biketoberfest had some violence erupt from an unlikely source, Mark Lucke Criswell, the permits and licensing director for the city of Daytona Beach beat a liquor rep so badly that the man will need facial reconstruction.

And rocker extraordinaire Pat Savage kicks off the promotion of the most amazing album of his career:
Pat Savage's new album Wind & Fire is due for worldwide release on 1st November 2011.

Total Biker FM have exclusive worldwide first play of the new album and a chat to Pat during the week of 17-21 October.

Hear the full interview and every track off the album over a 5 day interview series only on internet radio station Total Biker FM by tuning in to www.totalbikerfm.com

There will be tracks played each day with a 20 minute chat on air with Pat at 1pm UK time and repeated at 10pm UK time Monday through to Friday.

Spread the word and get ready to rock with the new album. We will also be giving away 5 copies of the new album over the 5 days. Its an event not to miss.
Get in on the action folks - this sounds like one album every rider is going to want to have in their collection!

I hope you have a fabulous Tuesday and that if you are still riding...that you ride with extreme caution!

Belt Drive Betty

Editor & Rider