So it is the week before Super Bowl weekend, which is also the weekend we have our V-twin trade show in Cincinnati, Ohio. Sure, there are a bunch of parties for the big game, but by the time it is on, everybody is so tired from dragging their asses up and down the aisles of the Duke Energy Center that we are too tired to cheer anyway.

Bagger-centric News
As this goes to press, Arlen Ness will share stories from his celebrated career at the 20th Annual Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum "Friendraising" Breakfast. He'll trade tales with Exile Cycles' Russell Mitchell, a renowned builder in his own right. The museum breakfast is a chance to meet some of the biggest names in the industry, and all proceeds go to finance the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum. For more information, visit www.motorcyclemuseum.org.

Today is the day oil finally broke $100 a barrel. Do you realize how crazy that is-$100 for a barrel of crude oil? I guess that means ... well it means that I will still be able to fill up my bike for less than $20, and that will get me back and forth to work all week and then some. That's because the 2007 Harley-Davidson Street Glide that resides in my garage still gets better fuel economy than one of those fancy hybrid cars that all the granola-eating Hollywood types are touting is the coolest, most responsible thing they've done since the 24 hours of community service they were forced to do the last time they got busted for driving under the influence.

Up Front Bagger-Centric News
Harley-Davidson and Shell gasoline have teamed up to provide riders with a new and efficient way to plan long-distance road trips. H-D's online Ride Planner can locate any of the 14,000-plus Shell stations along your customized route to ensure that your H-D bike is getting its fill of premium gasoline throughout the trip. H-D's web-based Ride Planner allows any rider to preplan their trip on an interactive map so users can also easily access any of the H-D dealership locations along the way.

Legend of the Motorcycle: International Concours d'EleganceThe world event exclusively for motorcycles.

Celebrating the past, present and future of motorcycling, this luxury charitable event will feature 200 of the world's best historic bikes, a representation from the kings of cool, Elvis and McQueen, participation from legends like Giacomo Agostini, Jesse James, and Willie G. Davidson, a cigar & spirits lounge, displays of racing and custom bikes, and more. Featured marques are MV Agusta and Norton. The landmark world event takes place May 3rd at The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay just south of San Francisco. To buy tickets, or for more information, go to: http://www.LegendoftheMotorcycle.com

"Swede" Tommy Jansson, owner of Swede Built Custom Cycles in Stamford, CT, and Jay Allen, owner of The Broken Spoke Saloon, have struck a deal to give away a custom Swede Built motorcycle in Sturgis at the Sturgis County Line during the Black Hills Motor Classic.

Swede-Built Custom Motorcycle To Be Given Away At The Broken Spoke Sturgis County Line
"Swede" Tommy Jansson, owner of Swede Built Custom Cycles in Stamford, CT, and Jay Allen, owner of The Broken Spoke Saloon, have struck a deal to give away a custom Swede Built motorcycle in Sturgis at the Sturgis County Line during the Black Hills Motor Classic.

Black Listed
An all-star roster of the nation's top custom builders and athletes are changing the face of motorcycling events, by producing a ground-breaking entertainment platform called The Black List Tour. The Black List Tour is a hardcore fusion of skateboarding, Moto X, hot rods, custom bikes, music and art, designed to redefine and revolutionize rally entertainment, and provide the ultimate platform for cross generational expression.

Leroy-Thompson Choppers' Ethyl Frame Is Now Available

Leroy-Thompson Choppers announces the release of the Ethyl frame, used on Leroy-Thompson's industrially inspired hot rod Biker Build-Off bike. This particular bike showcased Scott Webster's imagination, combining simplicity of design and raw hand-formed metals with functionality and high-performance parts. The BBO bike is clean and begs to be ridden. Like all Leroy-Thompson products, the Ethyl is the hand-made creation of Scott Webster and built with inspiration drawn from his passion for hot rods, motorcycle racing, V-twins, and his industrial background of the Midwest.

The roar of an engine, the thunder of a tailpipe, the sparkle of chrome and sounds of rock 'n' roll. It can only mean one thing: Bike Nights at the Hard Rock Caf New York! Rev up your engine and cruise over to New York caf starting Monday, May 21st for the first of five nights of kicking tires and comparing paint jobs. Throughout the Bike Night series, Hard Rock Caf New York and Indian Larry Legacy with builders Paul Cox and Keino will sell a total of 1,000 raffle tickets for a chance to win a custom-made Indian Larry Legacy motorcycle. Proceeds from the Bike Night events will benefit September Smiles, an organization founded after 9/11 that serves as a central resource for families facing the unexpected loss of a spouse, partner, or parent. Bike Nights will continue on the Monday nights: June 18, July 16, August 20, and September 10, 2007.

Things change. It is a part of life, whether it's the person who reads the news off a teleprompter every night at six o'clock, the faade on the building of the local mini-mart, the style of the motorcycle you ride, the name of your favorite magazine, or even the guy who writes the editorial of that magazine. If change is done right, most people will hardly notice, and other than a slight hiccup, everything will continue the same as it ever was.

There's something special about a vintage bike. Whether it's the lines, the sound, or the sense of history you get when you swing a leg over the saddle, you know your ride is going to be special when you've got an old machine raring to go.

Bruce Rossmeyer, CEO of 13 Harley-Davidson locations, teamed up with The Sopranos megastar James Gandolfini, who plays the underworld crime boss Tony Soprano, for the 12th annual Ride for Children on October 15, 2006.

Variety Is The Spice Of LifeThis month's issue of Hot Rod's Bike-Works is filled with great variety of articles for every type of gearhead and riding enthusiast, from the FemMoto event (sponsored by Buell Motorcycles) that encourages women to become more active in the motorcycle community to an oil filter that reduces parasitic drag and frees up 4-horsepower.

2007 is going to be an exciting year for V-Twin induction, because S&S is releasing a Single Bore Tuned Induction System that works on almost everything. This new performance-enhancing intake fits all S&S Super E and G carbs, stock CV carbs, stock Delphi throttle bodies, and, of course, the new S&S Single Bore Throttle Body.

If you're ever wandering Miami, Florida and want to check out some of the most radical bikes around, be sure to stop by Wanted Choppers. It's the stomping ground of Billie the Kid, and there's no limit to what he and the rest of the Wanted crew can accomplish while you visit. Just an oil and rear tire change? No problem. Want a ground-up monster custom? Billie and his welding helmet will take care of it, and Wanted Choppers takes pride in getting it done right the first time - "No secondhand jobs."

Bruce Rossmeyer, CEO of 13 Harley-Davidson locations, teamed up with The Sopranos megastar James Gandolfini, who plays the underworld crime boss Tony Soprano, for the 12th annual Ride for Children on October 15, 2006.

Mineola, NY - Dec. 4, 2006 - Great Neck Saw Manufacturers, a leading U.S. supplier of quality hand tools, turns up the heat with its newest collection of wrenches and screwdrivers featuring flamed handle designs. The new line includes a 6 Piece Metric Combination Wrench Set (92030), a 6 Piece SAE Combination Wrench Set (92031), and a 6-in-1 Screwdriver with Flame Handle (FHS6B). All Flame Tools are available for purchase at www.flamewrench.com.

• The 6 Piece Metric Combination Wrench Set (92030) and the 6 Piece SAE Combination Wrench Set (92031) are designed with black and flame coloring. The Metric set includes sizes 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, and 15mm, while the SAE set includes sizes 5/16", 3/8", 7/16", 1/2", 9/16" and 5/8". Wrenches are fully polished and chrome plated for rust resistance and easy cleaning and are manufactured using heat treated tempered alloy steel for strength and uniform hardness. The manufacturer's suggested retail price for both sets is $32.49.

Coming To A Letter Near You
The U.S. Postal Service announced the company's newest stamps commemorating the rich heritage of American motorcycles, with the first-day issue to coincide with the kickoff of the 66th Sturgis Rally in Sturgis, South Dakota, on August 7, 2006. An estimated 85 million classic "American Motorcycle" commemorative stamps were released that day.

Relaunching A Bike-Building EmpireIn 1997, a relatively unknown but incredibly talented builder by the name of Matt Hotch opened HotMatch Custom Cycles in Fullerton, California, with a commitment to excellence and detail that has consistently set industry standards. Building custom motorcycles since he was 16 years old, by the time he reached 30 Matt had been cleaning up on the show circuit with his innovative and radical designs. We've featured his work in our magazine more than once. In 2004, Matt became the Biker Build-Off World Champion with his awe-inspiring Chingon. He went on to do it again in 2005, making him the first and only Grand Champion with the extreme retro build VLux, the first truly innovative V-Rod-powered custom bike. These days, if you know anything about customs, you know exactly who Matt Hotch is. So what's left for a builder who has attained this level of success so quickly? Matt decided to relaunch his bike-building empire. Hotch's new company has been aptly named Matt Hotch Designs. "I wanted to get back to basics with a new company playing directly on my name." He will continue to build his infamous one-of-a-kind choppers as well as produce a new line of parts in his existing fabrication facilities in Fullerton. The building is a historic 1924 elephant packing house that features oak floors, brick walls, and 24-foot ceilings.

Harley-Davidson has come a long way from producing motorcycles in a 10x15-foot wooden shed in the backyard of the Davidson home in 1903. With over a century of history under its belt, the Motor Company officially kicked off construction of its Harley-Davidson Museum to be located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Held on the future museum grounds at 6th and Canal Street, the groundbreaking was done in a manner most fitting to the Motor Company. Instead of a traditional shovel, Harley-Davidson dirt track racer Scott Parker worked the clutch of a Harley-Davidson XL 883R Sportster-the resulting burnout sent dirt flying off the spinning rear tire. Hundreds of guests including, state and local officials; representatives of Harley-Davidson riders, dealers, suppliers and employees; current and past company executives; and local business and community leaders attended the event. Anticipated to open in 2008, the 130,000 square foot museum will be spread out over a 20-acre parcel of land with exhibit space with motorcycles from H-D's collection of more than 400 vehicles, as a well as a restaurant, cafe, retail shop, meeting space, special events facilities, and the Motor Company's archives. The museum opening will coincide with Harley's 105th anniversary and the factory is planning a birthday celebration. For more information about Harley-Davidson and the upcoming museum, visit www.harley-davidson.com or www.h-dmuseum.com

In the early days of racing, motorcycles competed against biplanes for the title of the fastest vehicle. These days it's more like Viper versus Viper versus Viper-the motorcycle still won. At the Air Force Expo 2006 held at Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico, "The Viper Challenge" had a Viper motorcycle, a Dodge Viper automobile and a F-16 Viper fighter jet all compete on a three quarter-mile-course run to see which vehicle would pull the fastest time. The Viper motorcycle covered the course with the winning time of 16.3 seconds at approximately 150 mph. Despite tail-and-head wind conditions to complicate the runs, the bike still outperformed its competition, all for the entertainment of the crowds. The Dodge Viper came in second with a time of 19.3 seconds, and the F-16 came in close behind with a time of 19.5 seconds-proof that in this case, size didn't matter. For more information about Viper motorcycles, you can visitwww.vipermotorcycle.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Hot Bike is pleased to announce an expansion of its events schedule for 2005. The 3rd annual West Coast Super Show, presented by Performance Machine, will be held on June 4-5 at Hidden Valley Ranch in Irvine, California. The inagural Hot Bike Kentucky Super Show, presented by RC Components, is scheduled for September 10-11 at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville, KY. In addition, Hot Bike will be the title sponsor of All American Motorcycle Madness to be held on May 20-22 at Santa Maria Fair Park in Santa Maria, CA and the 5th annual California Mid State Rally at California Mid State Fairgrounds in Paso Robles, CA. Both of these events are presented by Santa Maria Harley-Davidson/Buell. Please visit our events partner, Horsepower Promotions, at horsepowerpromotions.com for more information!