THE RONALD REAGON DINNER THEATER AND CREMATORIUM." Heroes may not be
braver than anyone else. They're just braver five minutes longer".

EUROPE AND MOTORCYCLE POLITICS
F.E.M.A HISTORY
Federation of European Motorcycle Associations
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is not the only FEMA
acronym around. The one we're interested in is located in Europe. As
you probably know (or should), Europe is divided into many different
countries, each with its own motorcycle lobby group/association.
Since 27 of the European countries are more or less run out of
Brussels, protecting the biker rights in Europe is not an
easy task.

FEMA, Federation of European Motorcycle Associations is the grouping
of most national motorcycle associations (23 of them). FEMA represent
the motorcycle riders rights in Europe (and at the United Nations).
You can consider them like a European version of the AMA.

FEMA was created 20 years ago by 6 individuals, who while shooting
the breeze, decided that their rights were being trampled upon by the
politicians. Instead of moaning and complaining, they decided to do
something about it, and created an organization. The resulting
organization they created is now called FEMA.



KUNG FU MOFO
Japanese bikers stealing underpants!

A man on a motorcycle in Kakamigahara City knocked down a 15 year old
girl, sprayed a substance into her face to immobilise her.... And
then stole her UNDERPANTS before riding off.

The victim told police that the man was in his 30s and about 170 cm
tall, and wearing a black full-face helmet and black clothes.

Japan has a long history around schoolgirl underpants - tales abound
of machines where you can purchase them used and internet sales of
the same items. It would appear that now the trend might be taking an
even more bizarre twist. This incident is one of many that occur in
the overcrowded cities of Japan. Fetish has become so well acepted
that many of the "HIt and Run" instances,[ all of which occur on
motorcycles] dont get reported.



STOLEN HARLEYS FROM U.S. TO SWEDEN
FORMER C.E.O OF INDIAN ARRESTED FOR RACKETEERING.

Indian motorcycle. Former C.E.O. arrested Jun 15.2008 by state and
federal agents on suspicion of racketeering and consipiracy of
trafficking in stolen parts, loan sharking, and doing business with
outlaw motorcycle clubs.

ReySotelo retired brom the business six years aga, but federal
prosecutors accused the Gilroy man last week of helping a central
California Chop Shop send stolen Harley-Davidsons to Sweden.

Federal pros ecutors2 0have20used a greand jurys findings to indict a
total of 11 men, including five with law enforcement connections. If
convicted for his alleged part in the Scandinavian Scheme. Sotelo
could spend five years in jail and pay more than 250,00.00 in fines.


NORTH AMERICA IS WATCHING
EASTERN EUROPE DEVELOPS MOTOCYCLE ROADS TARGETED FOR ZERO ACCIDENTS.
THE U.S IS WATCHING

EUROPEAN ENGINERS MOTORCYCLE ROADS FOR ZERO ACCIDENTS AND
DISMEMBERMENTS.
WORLD'S FIRST VISION ZERO MOTORCYCLE ROAD OPENS IN EUROPE
"A milestone for motorcycle safety," said Federation of European
Motorcyclists President Hans Petter Strifeldt
as he officially opened the World's First Vision Zero Road for
motorcycles along < br> RV 32 in Norway on May 7, 2008.
The motorcycle community has long expressed concerns over "Vision
Zero", the strategy in which road authorities have envisioned how to
achieve zero deaths and zero serious injuries on the roads. These
concerns are due to the vision depending primarily on bans and
regulations instead of adaptation of the road environment to suit all
road users - motorcyclists included.

Viewed by European government officials as high-risk road users,
motorcycles have been all but excluded from the Vision Zero document.

The Vision Zero document has first and foremost given anti-motorcycle
campaigners an opening to prop ose a b an on=2 0motorcycles as these,
they claim, are not compatible with a Visio n=2 0Zero. But today,
with the opening of this motorcycle friendly road, these
claims have been effectively quashed, stated the President of the
Federation of European Motorcycle Associations (FEMA).

The Vision Zero Motorcycle Road is the brainchild of two passionate
engineers at the regional Road Authorities, Jan Petter Lyng and Bjørn
R. Kirste, who have successfully designed the road exactly as the
motorcyclists themselves recommend. It is not much that is needed to
make a motorcycle-friendly road with regard to preventing injuries in
case of accidents: Crash barriers fitted with a sub-rail, forgiving
side terrain, well thought out placing of signposts, cutting down
sight-hindering vegetation - all in all small modifications and
investments that are beneficial for all road users, including
bicycles and cars. The price tag for modifying these 15 kilometres of
road is estimated to 630,000 euros.

"The importance of this stretch of road in the middle of Norway
cannot be overrated," said FEMA in announcing the opening. "It is the
first Vision Zero Motorcycle road, not only in Norway, not only in
Europe, but in the world." As the representative for Europe's road
riding motorcyclists, FEMA will do what it can to promote this road
to other nation's road authorities as an example of what is possible
to achieve with relatively small me ans, FEMA = 2 0President Hans
Petter Strifeldt concluded.


WORLDS TOUGHEST ANTI BIKER LAWS GOING INTO EFFECT. CANADA AND U.S.
ARE WATCHING. AUSTRAILIA HAS HAD IT, NO MORE BIKIE GROUPS.

Police soon will have the power to "squash" bikie gangs and force
them to move elsewhere after the Government's controversial anti-
bikie legislation recently passed through Parliament. Police Minister
Paul Holloway said SA (South Australia) was on the verge of
having the nation's and perhaps the world's toughest anti-bikie
laws. "These are the laws that police have asked for and, finally, we
are able to ensure police have e xactly what they need to take on
these criminal bikie gangs," he said.

When the laws are gazetted, it will be illegal for anyone to
associate with known bikies six or more times a year. Biki es also
will be banned from specific locations.

The Serious and Organised Crime (Control) Bill 2007 also will enable
Police Commissioner Mal Hyde to obtain orders from the Attorney-
General, Michael Atkinson, declaring bikie gangs illegal.




REAL THINKERS
ALL BIKERS, PLEASE DONATE YOUR COLORS FOR OUR MUSEUM

Motorcyle museum wants you to donate your colors...for there
collection.

COLORS SOUGHT FOR MOTORCYCLE MUSEUM The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum &
Hall of Fame is seeking vests with patches to expand an existing
exhibit about motorcycle clubs.

"I'm looking to reach out to Motorcycle Clubs who might be willing to
have their colors on display," said Christine Paige Diers, Executive
Director of the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame in South
Dakota.

"One of the exhibits we've had on display for the last six to eight
months is an exhibit about Motorcycle Clubs," explained Diers. "As
part of the exhibit, we had a number20of vests w ith patches
representing a variety of clubs.

Unfortunately, the owner of those patches has reclaimed his
collection. We're in the process of trying to rebuild the display and
are looking for clu bs that might be interested."

The idea of this exhibit is to educate the public about the history
of motorcycling and present a fair-minded representation of
motorcycle clubs in their many forms, she said. "I'd like to rebuild
the exhibit with themed sections to display, including women's clubs,
family oriented clubs, law enforcement clubs and veterans clubs."
Anyone interested in loaning a jacket, vest or patch, or=2=22000even
a photo, to the museum for a time period of one to two years, along w
ith a brief club description or history, should contact her at
christine@... or
phone 605-347-2001.


SIGN OF OUR TIMES
OLDEST MOTORCYCLE COMPANIE IN GERMANY TO CLOSE THE DOORS.
MZ is to close at the end of 2008 The East German company - which has
been
building bikes in one guise or another since the early 1920s - has
been making
losses and their Malaysia backer Hong Leong Industries has decided to
withdraw
funding.

The Freie Presse newspaper from the nearby city of Chemnitz said the
Zschopau
plant (MZ stands for Motorcycle Works Zschopau) would close on
December 31. The
closure h ad been anticip ated as the 31st is the date that subsidies
from the
state of Saxony end. Some 40 workers are set to lose their jobs.



FROM " SUNNY CALIFORNIA" THE LAND OF FRUIT AND NUTS.
PALM-SPRINGS C.A. WANTS BIKER BUSSINESS.

The city known to be a safe haven for Gay men and Women.Sales in
Leather clothing chains up 60% San Diego Union Tribune, United
States - PALM SPRINGS - Prominent outlaw motorcycle gangs are heading
for Palm Springs this fall despite warnings from the police chief
that there's po te n tial for violence.

The City Council voted 3-2 to allow th e American Heat Palm Springs
Motorcycle Weekend event Oct. 12-14 downtown even though police Chief
David Dominguez senses trouble.

The Mongols and Vagos motorcycle clubs, identified by the California
Department of Justice as outlaw motorcycle gangs, are among those
expected to attend.
Dominguez says "they are bitter enemies" and "that's when we have the
potential for violence."

The City Council also voted to suspend the city's noise ordinance
that weekend and to spend up to $35,000 for public safety, traffic,
trash and other costs associated with the biker event.

Aplications for on site vendors for leather, chains and sex toys have
increased by 200% says
Permits and Licsenseing department employees.




MORE FALLOUT FROM BANNING BIKER WEEK IN SOUTH CAROLINA, GANG BILLS GO
IN EFFECT.
GANG BILL FILED IN SOUTH CAROLINA

State Senators Jake Knotts (R-West Columbia) and Dick Elliott (D-
North Myrtle Beach) have pre-filed a bill that would make it illegal
to intimidate someone into joining or leaving a gang. A similar bill
has been filed in the House.

The legislation defines a criminal gang as five or more people who
organize to commit criminal activity, which could include hate
groups, motorcycle gangs and terrorist groups.

Steve Nawojczyk, a gang expert from Little Rock, Ark., said=2 0th e
measure is similar to what other states have20ena cted .
Richland County Assistant Prosecutor David Pascoe said the bill could
help better prove a defendant is a gang member. Sometimes, such
information is not presented to a jury because the information could
be prejudicial, he said.

Knotts has tried unsuccessfully for several years to pass a bill
making intimidation of prospective members illegal. Last year, a bill
made it to the Senate floor but died without a vote.



AGAIN VOTED.
SAN FRANSISCO AGAIN NAMED BIKER TOWN WORLD
Motorcyclist magazine has crowned San Francisco and the Bay area as
the best motorcycle town in the world,.

The paper said that what makes this place Biker Central is a feeling
in the local motorcycle world t hat the area is, as it is in other
walks of life, tolerant of bikers, perhaps even friendly.

Motorcycling in the Bay Area is supported by a number of factors,
some of them tangible - like the motorcycle only parking meters
sprinkled around the city.

"There can be only one Best Motorcycling City," wrote Motorcyclist
magazine, "and among all the United States of America's roughly
19,355 incorporated burgs, you can't beat San Francisco."
"Great roads, great weather, great shops and great hangouts make the

Bay Area a no-brainer as the best place in the U.S. for two-wheeled
citizens."
The also-rans were San Diego, Atlanta, Milwaukee, Phoenix,
Minneapolis, Denver, Daytona Beach and Columbus, Ohio.



IT IS NOW OFFICIAL. MOTORCYCLES CAN CAUSE PROSTATE CANCER.
It is official. Motorycle ridding causes cancer in males.Click on
the link below
www.motorcyclecancer.com


MICHAEL JORDAN GETS INTO MOTORCYCLE BUSSINESS.
FORMER BASKETBALL STAR SPONSORS MOTORCYCLE RACER Retired NBA star
Michael Jordon has turned his focus from hoops to the racetrack as
his latest business venture is motorcycle racing, a pursuit that
dates to his childhood in Wilmington, South Carolina, he recently
told Speed Channel's "Two Wheel Tuesday."

Jordan is sponsoring Montez Stewart, a riding buddy in Chicago, and
the color scheme for the bikes and leather are classic Carolina blue.
"I want to win," said Jordon in an interview. "I really want to
make20a statement about my support of this sport."

His father was a NASCAR fan and Jordan says he and his brother talked
their parents into getting them a mini-bike. "I almost killed myself,
but I had a good time. My brother and I shared it. I was primarily
the driver because I was the more aggressive one and he rode on the
back."

"When I was 12, we were racing some of the guys in our neighborhood
and we took a tumble and got scraped up. And my parents always said
that if we got scraped up, we were going to get rid of it, so we got
lon g- sleeve=2 0shirts and tried to cover everything up."
"At dinner, blood started seeping through our shirts and they got rid
of the bike a week later. So, that was the end of my motorcycle
career until now."

Jordan says he's in the20motorc ycle racing business for the long
run. "Every time I go to the race, I have a ball, so I look to be
around for a while."


U.S GEORGIA TAKES THE LEAD IN SPEEDING TICKETS.
GEORGIA TURNS SPEEDERS INTO FUEL PUMPS It's a ridiculous concept,
reports the National Motorists Association (NMA), but somehow it
seemed inevitable.
Check out this story from USA Today: The surging price of gasoline
has come to this: a "fuel surcharge" on your next speeding ticket.
Drivers caught speeding in the north Atlanta suburb of Holly Springs
soon will have to pay an extra $12 -- to cover $4-a-gallon gas costs
for the police officers who stop them.

Is20your police cruiser running low on fuel? No problem, just pull
over someone driving home from work, ticket them, and you'll have a
full tank of gas in no time. Need to balance your budget? Maybe you
should look to Pizza Hut for inspiration: Police Chief Ken Ball says
he was seeking ways to maintain patrols despite record high gas
prices. "I was hearing that Delta (Air Lines), pizza deliverers,
florists were adding fuel charges to their services, and I thought,
why not police departments?" he says.
Unfortunately it looks like this isn't going to be an isolate d
case.20As wi th an y situation where money is available to be taken
from citizens, local government is on the case immediately: Ball says
he's being "inundated" by calls from police chiefs and city
managers. "I've heard from at least a dozen polic e chiefs20and half
a dozen city managers," he says of their municipality's recently-
passed measure. "They want to know how we did it, and could we send
them a copy of the ordinance."


MARYLAND, MOTORCYCLES AND AUXILLARY LIGHTING
MARYLAND RIDERS LIGHT IT UP Motorcycle riders in Maryland hope to get
more attention from car drivers with a new state law that allows the
use of specified auxiliary lighting, which can only be used after
dark, thus increasing their visibility to other road users at night.
Senate Bill 713, the "Night-time Awareness - Auxiliary Lighting"
bill, passed unanimously through the House and Senate, and was signed
into law April 8th by Governor Martin O'Malley. The new law, which
went into effect June 1st, addresses the use of LED lights that
illuminate the sides of the motorcycle, thus allowing other drivers
to see motorcyclists from the side as well as front and rear. The
lights cannot be blue or red and cannot blink, flash or oscillate.
They can only be directed toward the engine and drive train and are
specifically prohibited from being on wheels. Pat Corcoran, spokesman
for ABATE of Maryland, said "Most motorcycle accidents involving
another vehicle, are almost always the fault of the other vehicle,
and usually th e comment o f=2 0the oth er driver is, we just didn't
see him." The law also allows the use of blue-dot tail lights, which
also increases conspicuity in traffic.


LAST LEGAL BIKER FUNERAL DOWN UNDER
BIKER FUNERALS ILLEGAL DOWN UNDER
Gypsy Jokers20from across Australia gathered in Adelaide for a
funeral which would be illegal under new "anti-bikie" laws enacted by
the South Australia State Government. The bikers were farewelling
club president Wayne "Chiller" McGrath, 42, a father of four and part-
owner of four tattoo parlors, who suffered a fatal heart attack while
exercising on a treadmill at his Virginia home. More than 300 people -
including more than 100 Gypsy Jokers motorcycle club members
nationally and abroad from Germany, Norway and the US attended his
funeral.
The mourners - who included wives, girlfriends and children - then
went to the Gypsy Jokers clubhouse for a wake to honor their fallen
brother. Legal sources said un der the new anti-biker laws passed by
the government and now taking effect, the funeral and wake would have
been declared prohibited events as "bikies" will be prohibited from
associating with each other once their so-called "gangs" have been
declared illegal organizations by the Attorney-General.

The new laws - the first of their kind in Australia apart from the
federal anti-terror legislation - have been attacked by lawyers and
civil libertarians as "draconian" and an erosion of individual
rights, particularly freedom of association.

The laws contain provisions that members of o utlaw mo torcycle clubs
can only associate with direct family members such as their parents,
brothers and sisters, grandparents and children.

They are not permitted to gather together or have contact with their
uncles, aunts or cousins - or neighbors and other friends or
acquaintances. Anyone who breaches the laws - whether they are bikers
or individuals having contact with bikers at least six times a year -
can be jailed for up to five years. Control orders restraining the
movements of individual bikers can also be issued by magistrates and
judges on the application of SA Police. Criminal intelligence or any
other information used by police to obtain the control orders must
remain secret and anyone issued with an order cannot seek to have it
independently reviewed by a judge.


SIGN OF HOW BIKERS ARE PERCIVED IN THE EASTERN U.S.
State of NEW YORK uses bikers as terrorists training for attacks?.

More than 600 emergency20workers participated in a mock disaster
drill simulating an attack on Long Island by a fake biker gang
detonating a "dirty bomb'' at a federal courthouse, testing the
abilities of authorities to handle such a radioactive attack. Police,
firefighters, medical workers and other personnel from 60 agencies
converged on the fire academy in Yaphank, NY, which also involved 10
area hospitals. The exercise was dubbed "S.C.R.U.B,'' or "Suffolk
County Response to an Unknown Bomb,'' and the scenario involved a
local biker gang called "El Diablo,''20which would attack=2 0the
courthous e with a20deadly dirty bomb after federal officials
arrested their leaders. More than 100 people were injured or killed
in the fake attack, and the injured had to be cleansed and
decontaminated before they were actually sent to local hospitals for
treatment.=2 0Police had to de termine the cause of the blast. Other
participants practiced decontamination, detecting radiation exposure
and coordinating responses with multiple agencies. Authorities called
it the largest emergency drill in Suffolk County's history. It was
funded by the Suffolk County Department of Fire, Rescue and Emergency
services with a $175,000 grant from the Department of Homeland
Security.