Jammin for The Captain at Grass Flats

Captain Butch went down Hard on May 18th … come to his all donations benefit at Grass Flats. All means all, so all proceeds go to Captain Butch. • Be at Grass Flats Sunday, August 1, 2010 • Noon till • Live entertainment all day • Shooter Girls • Pig roast with all the fixins • 50/50 • Raffles For more information or donations call Big Mike 727-645-8304, or Eileen 727-545-3064.

From a press release issued by Bonhams & Butterfields…

San Francisco – 28 July 2010 – Bonhams is very proud to have been selected to represent a truly one-of-a-kind motorcycle offered in collaboration with the most successful motorcycle racer of his era, Valentino Rossi.

As written about in the April issues of both Cycle World and Motorcyclist, a highly upgraded and customized 2009 Yamaha YZF-R1 1000cc – the civilian version of the MotoGP bike campaigned by World Champion Rossi – will be offered for sale at Bonhams’ annual Classic California auction this coming November.

Sporting Rossi’s personal “Five Continents” AGV helmet design, this amazing and very specialized motorcycle was the brainchild of former racing champion and AMA Hall of Famer Don Emde.  Emde founded the non-profit Friends of Riders For Health to further the cause in America of Riders For Health, a charitable organization that brings life-saving medicines to people in remote areas of Africa by way of motorcycles. As a way to generate funds for Riders For Health, Emde conceived of this project and then invited the “who’s who” of the motorcycling world to participate.

“Once we got Rossi’s blessing, everyone jumped aboard,” says Emde. Yamaha Motor Corp. USA donated the brand new stock machine, Aldo Drudi translated the graphics from Rossi’s helmet to the R1’s special bodywork imported from Italy, Roland Sands donated Ronin wheels, Bridgestone added BT-003 tires, Öhlins gave suspension, Akrapovic provided exhaust, EBC did brakes, and the list goes on – Vortex, Goodridge, Dynojet, etc. Just with improvements the bike’s value is nearly $30,000, and that’s without the significance of the project and Rossi’s involvement.

This incredible team effort R1, personally autographed by Rossi, will be presented in “track day” trim but it is fully street legal and will be offered with all the necessary accessories and California title. On top of that, Yamaha will donate a day at the Yamaha Champions Riding School for the winning bidder.

The Bonhams Classic California Auction will be held at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles on Saturday, November 13th. Parties interested in bidding on this extraordinary machine – in person or remotely – may register to bid and order a sales catalog at bonhams.com/petersen.

Sellers interested in consigning a unique collector car or motorcycle to this anticipated sale may call 415-391-4000 or e-mail one of the following Bonhams specialists:
•    Nick Smith, Los Angeles, nick.smith@bonhams.com
•    Mark Osborne, San Francisco, mark.osborne@bonhams.com

To learn more about the team behind this project, visit FriendsOfRiders.org. For the Riders For Health website, go to Riders.org.

Retrieved July 30, 2010; from http://www.amadirectlink.com/news/story.asp?id=2161

Environmental and industry groups that frequently oppose each other on a broad range of policy issues are launching a joint campaign calling on Congress to require thorough and objective scientific testing before allowing an increase in the amount of ethanol in gasoline.

Raising strong concerns about consumer safety and environmental protection, the groups have joined forces to sponsor an ad with the tagline “Say NO to untested E15″ as part of an effort to persuade Congress and the Environmental Protection Agency to reject calls by some in the ethanol industry to allow the amount of ethanol in gasoline to increase by 50 percent. The ads began running on July 22.

Some 36 groups have also signed a letter that went to the majority and minority leaders of the U.S. Senate urging opposition to any amendment to the coming energy bill that would authorize the sale of gasoline with more than 10 percent ethanol.

Most gasoline sold in the United States contains 10 percent ethanol (E10). Some ethanol lobbyists are seeking to boost that to 15 percent (E15), or to compromise with a boost to 12 percent (E12).

Ethanol burns hotter than gasoline and corrodes soft metals, plastics and rubber. The groups collectively believe more testing is needed to determine how much ethanol is too much for different types of existing engines to use safely without risking engine failure that could leave, for example, a motorcycle unable to move in the blazing heat of a desert.

The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) also believes more research is needed.

“The AMA supports the use of cleaner-burning fuels but we are concerned that, if the allowable level of ethanol is raised, it could result in premature engine damage or failure while a bike is being ridden on a highway,” says AMA Government Relations Manager Szauter. “We are also concerned about any degradation in performance, fuel economy and rideability that may result from the long-term use of blended fuels with greater than 10 percent ethanol.”

The sponsors of the ad are: The Environmental Working Group; Natural Resources Defense Council; The Hispanic Institute; Engine Manufacturers Association; International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association; Motorcycle Industry Council; National Marine Manufacturers Association; Outdoor Power Equipment Institute; American Frozen Food Institute; American Meat Institute; Grocery Manufacturers Association; Snack Food Association; American Petroleum Institute; National Association of Truck Stop Operators; and The National Petrochemical & Refiners Association.

Retrieved July 30, 2010; from http://www.amadirectlink.com/news/story.asp?id=2157