MAGAZINE ARTICLES

MAGAZINE ARTICLES

A.B.A.T.E. of Louisiana Presents

ABATE SAFETY REPORT

DO OUR BIKES DEFINE US

All bikers/motorcyclists have their preference on what they feel is the bike they want to ride. Be it a cruiser or a crotch rocket, there are an endless number of manufacturers out there to give you exactly what you want. And if you can’t find it in a store, there are still others out there that will build you something totally custom, for a custom price. It may shock many of you to know that many riders prefer something other than a Harley! OMG! Did I say that? But it’s true. I’ve noticed over my many years of riding, that bikes tend to match the rider’s personalities. Have you ever noticed this? Sure you have, but you may not have said it. If you walk into a bar and see a bearded guy, dressed in full leather wearing a skull painted do-rag, hair in a pony tail and tattoos covering most of his exposed skin, you can pretty much bet he’s not riding the crotch rocket. Am I right? More than likely, he’s riding that old Panhead Harley parked out front with the ape hanger handlebars. Call it profiling if you want, it’s just the way I see it. And when you pull up into the company parking lot, you can pretty much guess that the CEO is the one riding the big BMW cruiser. Me? I just love being out there on two wheels. Like the sticker I read on the back of a truck, “4 wheels move the body, 2 wheels move the soul”. My first bike was a Honda CB 360. I was only 10 years old and I had to share that bike with my brother, but ½ a bike is better than no bike at all. When I turned 14, I got my very own 1978 Triumph Bonneville 750 and I l truly loved that bike. I guess you could say that at the time, it “defined” me. After having 3 kids and raising 2 husbands (still raising the one I have), I’m finally back in the saddle again with a 2003 BigDog Mastiff. I’ll never admit to saying that a motorcycle defines me………..but it’s pretty close. Beautiful, yet bad to the bone!

With the price of gas increasing over the past decade, many people have purchased motorcycles. Certainly, Harley Davidson has stepped up production as have many others to supply this mass movement to 2 wheel transportation. But even with all the new bikes out there, you can still go into a bar and fairly easily pick out the Honda Goldwing rider from the one riding the Harley with ape hangers from the rider on the Kawasaki crotch rocket. So, in a way, I guess our bikes do define us. Someone once sent me some pictures of pets and their owners. The similarities were hilarious! A lot can be said for the same similarities between bikes and riders. Regardless of who you are or what you ride, we’re all part of the motorcycle movement, a brotherhood/sisterhood that sees beyond the manufacturer of what we ride and acknowledges that it’s the 2 wheels that move our souls that form our bond.

From this bond we need to move to the next step which is coming together as a riding community to help in getting laws passed that help our riding community in the coming of this year and many more to come. We are making small waves with the repeal act...thanks to our many bikers helping and trying to elect legislation that is biker friendly. Us as riders respecting the laws of the road, not drinking drunk, obeying the speed limits. Did you as riders know that it is against the law to wave to you fellow biker or anyone else on the road. Once you take your hand off the handlebars you are breaking the law. But it's the police officers discretion to pull you over or not. Let's hope as the cold weather leaves us here shortly and the warmth of the sun brings us riders out in the masses that the people in their cars take a second to check to make sure its okay to turn or watch extra careful at the intersections. That extra time you take just might save someones life.

Dannie “Rocky” White

Public Relations

CHAPLAIN’S CORNER

A TALE OF TWO POTS

An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots,each hung on the ends of a pole,which she carried

across her neck.One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always

delivered a full portion of water.

At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house,the cracked pot arrived only half full.

This went on daily for two years,with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of

water.Of course,the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments.But the poor cracked pot

was ashamed of its own imperfection and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been

After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure,it spoke to the woman one day by the

stream.“I am ashamed of myself,because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the

way back to your house.”

The old woman smiled,“Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path,but not on

the other pot ’s side?That ’s because I have always know about your flaw,so I planted flower

seeds on your side of the path and every day while we walk back to the house,you water them.”

“For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table.Without you

being just the way you are,there would not be this beauty to grace the house.”

Each of us has our own unique flaw but the flaws are what make our lives so very interesting and

rewarding.You have got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.

Isn ’t it great that God can use cracked pots like us to do his work?God loves us no matter what

condition we are in.And remember to stop and smell the flowers!

White Dove Biker Fellowship Church

RED KNIGHTS INTERNATIONAL M/C GUINESS POKER RUN

ON APRIL 18, 2009, THE RED KNIGHTS INTERNATIONAL MOTORCYCLE CLUB ACHEIVED A GUINESS WORLD RECORD FOR ORGANIZING THE LARGEST POKER RUN EVER. IT WAS ACHEIVED BY SIMULTANEOUSLY HAVING 9 STATES AND 22 RED KNIGHTS CHAPTERS STARTING THE RUN AT THE SAME TIME. 2,136 PARTICIPATED TO RAISE $50,000. THE PROCEEDS WENT TO BENIFIT THE FALLEN FIREFIGHTERS SURVIVORS FOUNDATION. I AM PROUND TO SAY THAT MY CLUB, RED KNIGHTS LA1 WAS ONE OF THOSE PARTICIPANTS.

UNTIL NEXT TIME, RIDE SAFE, RIDE SOBER

One historical building built in the 1930’s in Houma, LA has evolved into one of the area’s newest night club venues rocking the Gulf Coast for the last year and a half.

City Club of Houma went through a renovation then reopened October 3, 2008 with the idea of bringing in live music talent from all over the country down to da bayou! Since then, Mike Fesi with the support of his phenomenal staff has produced some excellent shows that will pack the house and add life back to the night life spots along downtown Main Street.

And this small town venue has opened some fantastic opportunities for patrons to get up close and personal with the well-known talents. The fact that the club’s square footage keeps the crowds to within 500 or so, allows the bands to congregate amongst the crowd for some great conversation, autographs, photo op’s and relationships. One great example from the “Thunder Roads Mag” point-of-view is becoming very close friends with the band Pop Evil. They were first introduced to Houma’s style of bayou hospitality by playing support act for Saliva. They returned 3 months later for their first headliner show and have been back on many occasions with supplemental visits when schedules allowed. They’ve become great with the community and did an autograph signing session at Mike Bruno’s Bayou Country Harley-Davidson (autographing an acoustic guitar also for a raffle), interviews with the local rock-n-roll station 106.3. They even recognized kids rarely get the opportunity to attend a rock-n-roll show and put on a private “kid’s only concert” at the club. Members of the band have expressed their new love for the area and the people and feel grateful to go beyond their stage show to give back to the community in some way.

Other bands have expressed the same sentiment. Once they’ve breathed the air, met the locals and swallowed up some of the best Cajun dishes in the world from local restaurants, including the kitchens of local residents. Locals waste no time getting to know the artists and spoil them with genuine generosity. And with this influx of mainstream bands, comes an influx of fans from around the Houma area.

Fesi’s dream with City Club was to gain a share of interest from a House of Blues point of view. And in doing so, those who’ve attended show’s walked away expressing the very same sentiment. And this atmosphere has captured the interest of Chris Recinos, owner of New Orleans-based Eye in the Sky Productions. His relationship with Fesi has allowed the two to put some ideas together that has allowed City Club to accommodate the various artists on the performance list while giving the patrons a comfortable and reputable place to enjoy the variety of music visiting the area.

Since reopening in the fall of ’08, the list of bands that have rocked the crowds from top acts to surrounding all the way to local. Some of the bands performing on stage include; Framing Hanley, Queensryche, Lita Ford, Saliva, Candle Box, Pop Evil, Days of the New, Drowning Pool, 12 Stones, Smile Empty Soul, Cowboy Mouth, Trent Tomlinson, David Allen Coe, The Chee Weez, The Kyle Turley Band, The Molly Ringwalds, Joe Stark Band, Stereoside, Lillian Axe, Meriweather, Travis Matte & the Zydeco Kingpins, Wayne Toups, Foret Tradition, Up and Coming, Slow the Knife and Southdown. Many tribute bands for Journey and Pink Floyd, have found another spot to expose their talents on the stage.

Mike has expressed his appreciation for those in the motorcycle community and has a good flavor for the music that attracts the biker community. He continues to look for acts that expand into the genres that capture the tastes of everyone, including bikers. City Club of Houma can accommodate events as well as participation in poker runs. Mike looks forward to including the club into the biker scene and hopes to get input from local and visiting riders on ways to make the community feel embraced and appreciated by the club.

City Club of Houma is located in downtown Houma, LA at 7861 Main Street (across from the Court House). To contact the club, you can call 985-580-7800. You can also visit www.cityclubofhouma.com or simply text HOUMA to 69302 to receive updates. Check them out and we hope to see you there soon.

(With additional photos from Mike Bruno’s Bayou Country Harley-Davidson website & the City Club of Houma website)

POKER RUN FOR ARIANNA PADDIE

6-year-old Arianna Paddie, suffering from Pontine Glioma (a type of Brain Stem Tumor) requires treatments from Houston and combined with traveling has built a tremendous burden on Arianna as well as her family. The local community and various groups have stepped up to the plate to help. One such group is the Street Survivors, hailing from Schriever LA.

While the Street Survivors organized the event, Bruce & Debbie at The Armadillo Club in Thibodaux hosted the location for the fund raiser. The poker run leaving Jubilee Casino in Shriever allowed bikers to travel all along the bayou and river roads offering a great view during the ride and ending at the Armadillo. There they were treated to excellent food, live music, door prizes, multiple raffles and an auction that produced quite a sizeable amount in donations. Another donation provided came from the attendees from the Memorial Day Biker Party held in Sandy Hook MS in May ‘09. Just another prime example of the generosity from the biker community reaching out from all around the area.

Arianna’s situation has brought assistance in the form of fund raisers throughout the community which included golf tournament, garage sale, plate lunches and an account has been set up for donors that can be given in her name at any South Louisiana Bank. A hearty thanks goes to the Street Survivors for holding this well-organized event and additional thanks goes out to other groups and independents who’s generosity proves once again, a biker’s heart is as big as the world when a child is in need.

VETS FOR VETS 2009

Hundreds of "sledz" rolled into this year's “Vets for Vets" run showing their pride in America and Respect for our nation’s military. This yearly event just gets bigger and bigger every year and with more vendors, bands, games and other entertainment the word of mouth draws larger crowds. The ride that takes the participants through the "War Veterans Home " is almost non-stop and the Vets there really enjoy watching the bikes roll past as they cheer and wave. It's hard not to get that lump in the throat as you realize the awesome debt that has been paid by so many to allow us the Freedom to ride and live as we see fit.

This is one event that we should all feel privilaged to be a part of and everyone who rides should plan on attending every year. Not to mention the great food, music and fun you will have. What an outstanding job the organizers and their crew do in pulling off such a smooth event. Thank you all, for your hard work, the effort really shows. See Ya next time....

BIKERS SUPPORT BROWN IN HISTORIC SENATE VICTORY

Scott Brown captured the national spotlight in his bid to replace the late Senator

Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts,and he is a modern American success story,

rising from relative obscurity to be the first republican in decades elected to

the U.S.Senate in the most liberal Democratic state in the country.

Paul Cote of the Massachusetts Motorcycle association joined newly-elected

Senator Scott Brown at his victory celebration at the Park Plaza Hotel in

Boston following his shocking election upset.The MMA worked with Sen.

Brown ’s campaign in gratitude for his support of motorcyclists ’ legislation over

the many years he has served in the state legislature.

“Since last September,when the Massachusetts Motorcycle Political action

Committee (MMPAC)supporters started gathering signatures to get Scott

Brown on the ticket for the US Senate Special Election,we have knocked on

doors,stood outside grocery stores and even ‘hung out at the landfills ’ to get

Scott elected,” said Rick Gleason of MMPAC..

Not only is Brown a biker-friendly politician,but he rides a Victory motorcycle!

S.C.SUPREME COURT HEARS MYRTLE BEACH HELMET LAWSUITS

South Carolina ’s highest court heard oral arguments Wednesday,February

3 over whether a city can require motorcycle riders to wear helmets,despite

the lack of a state law requiring the practice.State law doesn ’t require riders

21 and older to wear helmets,but in an effort to get rid of two bike rallies

held there each year,the Myrtle Beach city council voted unanimously in

2008 to pass 15 ordinances intended to dissuade bikers from coming to town,

including the controversial mandatory helmet law for motorcycle riders and

passengers of all ages.

Justices peppered an attorney for the city with questions over what they

seemed to view as the intent of the ordinance --not to make Myrtle Beach ’s

roads safer for bikers,as had been argued,but to drive the bike rallies away

from the Grand Strand.

Representing his brother Bart,who leads a pro-bike rally group of business-

owners and is challenging a ticket he received for not wearing a helmet,

State Representative Thad Viers argued to the five justices that a state law

governing traffic ordinances spells out what local governments are allowed to

do regarding traffic laws.Viers filed more than 30 pages of briefs containing

multiple sections supporting his various legal arguments against the city

helmet ordinance.

But Virginia-based A.I.M.attorney (Aid to Injured Motorcyclists)Tom McGrath,

who argued before the court representing 49 helmet law protesters who were

ticketed,filed a much shorter brief,saying,among other things,that most of

the arguments don ’t matter because the city ’s ordinance is at odds with state

law,and for that reason alone it should be tossed out.

“The gist of the city ’s arguments is that it has the right to do whatever it wants

to do as long as it declares something to be a public nuisance and decides to

abate it,”McGrath ’s brief begins.“...If the ordinances conflict with state law,

the ordinances are void.If the ordinances are void,their underlying merits are

Now it remains up to the State Supreme Court to decide the issues,and it

may take months to render a ruling.McGrath has his hopes up;“Based on

the questions the Justices asked the attorney for the City it seems the Court

likely will render a favorable opinion for freedom.Hopefully,we won ’t be

disappointed.”

MOTORCYCLE CLUB WILL SEND PATCH INTO SPACE

The South Houston chapter of the Los Carnales /La Familia law enforcement

motorcycle organization has been given the opportunity to send items into

space on the Space Shuttle Mission STS-134 on July 29th this year.

It will be the first motorcycle club represented in space.The club has developed

a special patch for the occasion.It has Los Carnales /La Familia Nation with

both the state of Texas and California on it.

INDUSTRY REPORTS BAD YEAR FOR CYCLE SALES

2009 was a bad year for bikes,with the Motorcycle Industry Council reporting

the lowest sales in a decade.The MIC noted a 40.8%drop in sales from the

2008 season,with roughly 520,502 bikes sold in 2009 compared to 880,000

that were sold in 2008.

The MIC reports monthly sales of most major motorcycle manufacturers,

including:BMW,Harley-Davidson,Buell,Honda,Kawasaki,KTM,Triumph,

Yamaha,Suzuki,Victory,and the Piaggio Group.The MIC also creates

estimates on all non-reporting manufacturers.

With non-reporting sales included,the total sales for 2008 was 1.1 million

according to the MIC,and though last year ’s total hasn ’t been tabulated yet,it

is expected that 2009 will break a six-year streak of sales above the 1 million

The biggest drop in sales occurred in the scooter category.Scooters boomed

in 2008 as gas prices reached record highs.

as the economy begins to stabilize again,the MIC predicts that motorcycle

sales will begin to increase.

TENNESSEE “LEMON LAW ” MAY SOON INCLUDE MOTORCYCLES

Tennessee ’s “Lemon Law ”may soon be extended to include motorcycles,if

the legislature takes action on a measure sponsored by representative Vince

Dean,of East Ridge.

Dean says motorcycle buyers should have the same rights as people buying

cars and trucks that don ’t perform properly.He says any mechanical and

structural problems can be more dangerous for motorcycle riders.

The measure moved forward in a House Committee in early February,and

a companion bill is awaiting consideration in the Senate Transportation

WASHINGTON BILL ADDRESSES BIKER PROFILING

In a monumental and historical vote,the Washington State House of

representatives passed HB2511 -a bill addressing “Motorcycle Profiling ”-by

a margin of 96 to 2.This landslide vote provides an indication that legislators

are actually getting the idea that profiling is real and needs legislative relief,

while the lack of opposition was seen as a silent show of support from Law

During the legislative process,“It was remarkable to hear the legislators

mention the organized and well presented information from the motorcycle

community,”reports Donnie “Mr.Breeze ”Landsman,Legislative affairs Officer

“Motorcyclists aren ’t looking for special rights,”Landsman said.“We want

the same rights that are afforded to every other section of the population as

american citizens and as citizens of Washington State.We aren ’t being given

The group found a champion in Rep.Steve Kirby (D-Tacoma)who introduced

a bill that would force local law enforcement agencies to adopt a written policy

designed to condemn and prevent the profiling of motorcyclists and to institute

training to address the issue.

It ’s illegal to profile minorities,it should be illegal to profile motorcycle riders,

the bikers said.The Washington State Patrol uses a training brochure called

“Basic Biker 101 ”that starts with the statement “Bikers are dangerous ”and

gives instructions on how to gather information about them during traffic stops,

according to David Devereaux of the Outsiders Motorcycle Club.To further

substantiate their claims of harassment,Devereaux said that when bikers

showed up en masse last year their annual “Black Thursday ”lobbying day to

find sponsors for the anti-profiling bill,state troopers surreptitiously took down

all their license plate numbers.

Next,the bill goes over to the Senate for consideration and will be assigned to

a hearing committee,most likely Judiciary.

“This has been a very good year for ABATE of Washington and the US

Defenders of Washington,”said Landsman.“We have worked together to

make this happen,and are truly on the same page.”

OREGON RIDERS CONVERGE ON CAPITOL

Motorcycle club members,independent riders and even non-riders alike

came together in solidarity in Portland to protect rights specific to bikers.The

first “call to action ”by the US Defenders motorcycle group brought out over

70 bikes to the Oregon State Capitol recently,making a positive statement

of unity between clubs and independent riders.Quiet Mike,the Information

Officer for US Defenders said he was pleased with the show of bikes,“It was

an excellent turnout,the most motorcyclists we ’ve had here for a long time.”

US Defenders is a movement formed from within motorcycle clubs from

individual states to implement and support motorcycle rights.The grass roots

organization is supported through the Confederations of Clubs across the

country,and is composed of state “citizen biker manpower ”from Motorcycle

Clubs and Coalition of Independent riders (C.O.I.r)representatives.

Quiet Mike,who also serves as Vice-Chairman for the Oregon Confederation

of Clubs said this was a well-planned event.“We set up in the capitol so people

could come and meet with their state representative or state senator.Several

people set up appointments in advance,and they were able to express their

concerns about how bikers ’ rights are being affected.”

Many people were there to discuss helmet laws,others for civil rights where

profiling motorcycle club members is concerned,and some brought up that

motorcyclist fatalities caused by car drivers should carry more serious charges

than just a traffic fine.

ADULTS IN KANSAS COULD BE FINED FOR KIDS RIDING WITHOUT

Adults could soon be fined in Kansas for allowing minors to go without wearing

helmets while driving or riding a motorcycle.

It is already illegal in Kansas for anyone under 18 to operate a motorcycle

without wearing a helmet,but currently it is the youngster who gets a ticket.

Under provisions of the new Senate bill,it would become illegal for owners

of a motorcycle or motorized bicycle to permit a person under 18 to drive or

ride on their vehicle without wearing a helmet,so the adult would receive a

Use of motorcycle helmets has been on the rise nationally,according to the

National Highway Traffic Safety administration (NHTSA),which reported that

67%of motorcyclists wore a helmet in 2009,compared to just 48%in 2005.

SAVE THE DATE -MAY 6-9,NCOM CONVENTION

The 25th annual NCOM Convention will be held Mother ’s Day weekend,May

6-9,2010 at the Orlando Airport Marriott,7499 Augusta National Dr.,Orlando,

Florida.This annual gathering will draw bikers ’ rights activists from across the