BIKER NEWS

Motorcycle events around the country are coming under attack like never before during he summer of 2008.

Fueled by greed, distain, and NIMBY (not in my back yard!), communities and law enforcement agencies have stepped up attempts to squash or severely restrict new and long-established bike events.

In what might be the biggest events under attack, the City of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina has approved a property tax increase to raise money to be spent chasing Harley-Davidson Spring Rally and the Atlantic Beach Bikefest out of town. Both are long-standing Myrtle Beach events.

The Denver motorcycling community lost a leading member on Sunday, June 22, 2008.

Jim “Hacksaw” MacKenzie, 39, was killed in a motorcycle accident at the intersection of Santa Fe Drive and Hampden Avenue.

MacKenzie, a Littleton resident, was most recently a business partner in the Rocky Mountain Pipeline and Lucky 13 Tattoo Studio.

In Oakland, California, they like it loud - so loud that all 45 of the Police Department’s Harley-Davidson motorcycles have been equipped with shiny new tailpipes, at a cost of $500 apiece, to rev up their roar. It seems the cops just didn’t feel safe on toned-down bikes.

The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) on May 2, 2008, renewed the charter for the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Motorcycle Advisory Council (MAC) for an additional two years.

By Tim Anderson

The City of Golden, Colorado, is trying a slightly altered approach to enforcing its noise ordinance when it comes to motorcycles and custom cars this summer.

The West Denver Metro community launched its “Silence Is Golden” program in May, which is designed to involve motorcyclists, the establishments they frequent in Golden—The Buffalo Rose, Wrigley’s and Susie’s—and participants in the Golden Super Cruise in an effort to keep Golden quieter this summer.

Ruben Guerra’s reputation continues to grow.

The only three-time Colorado Bike Build-Off Champion from Dino’s Custom Cycles in Lakewood has accepted an invitation to participate in the 5th Annual Artistry In Iron Master Builders’ Championship at the 2008 Las Vegas Bikefest October 2-5.

The competition features 25 of the world’s top professional builders in one of the highest-profile bike build events in the country.

MORE PHOTOS IN THE GALLERIES!

By Joe Maher

While their counterparts were gathering in Washington DC for Memorial Day activities, Southern Colorado Veterans were gathering for a ceremony of their own.

With the wind shining and a moderate breeze, the 4th Annual Run for the Local Wall sponsored by the District 8 Post 2 American Legion Riders in Pueblo took shape. With many of the riders getting there over an hour early just to visit, there was no question that the riders in this event were there for a purpose.

Citing rumors of planned biker violence, the Village of Grayslake, Illinois, revoked a permit granted to use the Lake County Fairgrounds for a motorcycle gathering just a day before the event was to take place. The reason: fears and predictions of “biker gang” violence by the Illinois State Police's Statewide Terrorism and Intelligence Center.

A Green Bay, Wisconsin, bar owner says the police department there is discriminating against her because of her clientele. Kim VandenBusch says 75 percent of the regulars at her bar, Kimmers Bar & Grill, are members of a motorcycle club.

Last month the city granted the owner a liquor license with a unique stipulation. The police department asked her to hang a sign in the bar that says "no club colors."

"I was very much under duress on signing that because they said if I didn't sign it(an agreement to hang the sign) I wouldn't get my license," VandenBusch said.

By Tim Anderson

The lull in the battle of Denver’s broad ordinance targeting motorcycle exhaust really isn’t a lull at all, but preparation for the next round of the fight, according to attorney Wade Eldridge, who is representing a ticketed motorcyclist.

“My client was stopped and ticketed under the new ordinance,” Eldridge explained. “We had a hearing in February on the validity of the stop by police that produced the ticket, which has led to some interesting developments.”