Ms Newby's Panama City Beach, Florida

Panama City Beach, Florida is home to two of the fastest growing bike rallies in the South: Thunder Beach Motorcycle Rally, held annually the first weekend in May and October. www.ThunderBeachProductions.com


This week's featured bar is Ms. Newby's, located at the heart of the rally that stretches across the beach at many official venues from Frank Brown Park (where you will find more than 100 vendors, plus stunt ride shows and burnouts) to Pier Park (where you will find the "Best of the Beach" Custom Bike Show.

Ms. Newby's started out as a liquor store in 1975. In the 36 years that have passed since then, they've added a bar, a drive-thru for the liquor store, and a patio bar that features live entertainment Thursdays thru Sundays.





Ms Newby's features a full liquor bar and has lots of cold beer, but they are best known for "Hunch Punch," made of a 50/50 blend of their strongest liquors and fruit juices. Hunch Punch is a throwback to the days of keg parties, bonfires and college toga parties. It's Animal House in a cup!

The 11th Thunder Beach Autumn Rally in Panama City Beach is Sept. 28th to Oct 2nd, 2011 and the 14th Thunder Beach Spring Rally is May 2nd to 6th, 2012. 


To find more biker-friendly bars & saloons, visit Bars4Bikers.com.

Bars4bikers brings together biker friendly bars, pubs and saloons from all over the world. Bars4bikers.com reminds you to drink responsibly, and don't drink and ride.

Mid-Ohio needs to help its bike event

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Written by Rob McCurdy

The new bosses bought a track, a driving school, a bad schedule and one struggling event. Green Savoree Mid-Ohio, the owners of Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, desperately needs to give its one-time signature event an extreme makeover.
Does Ty Pennington know anything about motorcycles? The Honda Super Cycle Weekend presented by Dunlop Tires certainly requires an overhaul.
The action on the track was never better than a few weeks ago. Nevertheless, it was a box-office dud. Once upon a time, the Superbikes brought tens of thousands to north central Ohio.

my friend Kenny Cummings at Mid-Ohio in 2008 photo copyright Aron Ahlstrom.

The streets and roads were filled with folks on their two-wheeled machines, taking over Lexington, Mansfield, Ontario and parts in-between. Green space in the Esses and elbow room in the paddock were hard to come by. For the last couple of years, that hasn't been the case... Read more

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MOTO & FUTURISMO (Part 1)

FUTURISM & MOTORBIKE

Maybe Futurism was a typical Italian trend, maybe not. Frankly I do not know.
I’ve never been interested in that before to ride a bike.

Afterward I realized what does it means.

You can imagine those men in the early century riding motorbikes at speed above 100 / 120 mph. Or even airplanes, made mostly of wood and paper.


That was the sensation of SPEED and Braveness.
I am talking about the COMMUNION between man and machine !

In the time we live now, this seem an ancient concept, but it is isn’t.

Just draw your mind about the current technology, biotech installation in human bodies, extraordinary computers leading and assisting men in their races, robot and machines doing things that was not possible to do years ago.

Where the men finish and where the machine (or the automation) start ?
Was Futurism a preliminary stage of Cyberpunk ?

Maybe …

There is no end in communion between mankind and machines in the future.
But do not forget the BRAVES who were riding and racing in the past.

Troutman & Barns

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Dick Troutman and Tom Barnes (builder of Lance Reventlow' Scarabs, Pete Brock's Samauri, and the first Chaparrals for Jim Hall) also built some motorbikes. Here are two shots of their 450 Honda engined desert bike. Photos are from the 06/68 Cycle World.

The frame used 4130 steel and all tubes but steering head and swingarm 1.25" x .049" wall, and the swing arm was 1.375" x .095" wall. Engine and shock absorber mounting plates were of .125" sheet. Wet weight - 328 pounds. Engine - 4 speed Honda 450 with 40mm DCOE Weber carb.

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Fastest Man on Two-Wheels: Bill Warner Breaks 300 MPH

Congrats to Bill Warner, who became the fastest man on two wheels with his 311.945 mph pass on Sunday morning on a turbocharged 1299cc Suzuki at the Loring Timing Association’s Land Speed Race at the former Loring Air Force Base in Limestone, Maine.

The 42-year old rider from Wimauma, Florida topped the 300 mph barrier for conventional motorcycles on July 17, 2011, beating his own world record of 278.6 mph set last October in Texas.

Faster speeds have been recorded on the enclosed missle-like streamliner motorcycles, but this is the first time a rider has broken the 300 MPH barrier on a conventional two-wheeled bike.

Posted by MJ Lloyd Reynolds/MJR Media marketing services for the motorcycle industry - mjr.media@earthlink.net

"Freedom" Notes From The Road by Johnny & Jay

Johnny Lange and his partner, Jay Barbieri  of Strip Club Choppers are packing up for another Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. You will find them again this year at the Sturgis Buffalo Chip. I get their monthly news updates that usually include promotion of their upcoming events and franchise opportunities. But like most true bikers, Johnny and Jay are also big-hearted and patriotic, and like to show their appreciation to combat veterans. Photo by Jim Dohms/Daytona Bike Week 2011... Read this by Johnny.

"A couple of weeks ago an old friend of mine contacted me and asked me if I had parts available in flat black and without hesitation my inner salesman kicked in and I proceeded to give him the available product inventory. We chatted for a while and I quickly learned that he was upgrading a Harley for his nephew who was currently serving his third tour in Afghanistan after two successful tours in Iraq. And when I say successful, I guess that means still alive and well.

"I told him I had to leave town and would get him some stuff at my cost before Sturgis and didnt give it much more thought because I was so self absorbed in preparing for all the activities I have scheduled in Sturgis.

"Things changed dramaticlly for these young men, when on July 12th Lance Cpl Robert S Greninger of Greenfield, Minnesota was killed conducting combat operations in Afghanistan. Cpl Greninger served alongside my friend's nephew SSgt Chris Shranko and saved the lives af many of his fellow soldiers with his actions that cost him his life.

"When I was informed of this I began to think about all the young men and women who pay the ultimate price for us to enjoy all the freedoms we take for granted in this country. The freedom to take a summer vacation, the freedom to fly on an airplane, the freedom to attend a motorcycle event. And I know its a cliche, but Frredom is not free. It cost this young man who was just begining his life, his future.

"You may not personally know anyone who is serving but everyone over there is someone's son or daughter mother or father so the next time you see someone in uniform remember the reason you were able to go to the movies last night is because they paid the ultimate price to keep us free. You may not agree with the politics or the administration that is in office but these young men and women don't have time to concern themselves with that. They are too busy sacrificing their lives so you can enjoy yours.

"Obviously I felt the need to do something more so I will be donating all the parts for the bike as well as sending a care package of SCC swag to Afghanastan for the entire unit, which seems so inconsequential when compared to the sacrifices these men and women are making who serve in every branch of the military.



"I am not going to do my usual shameless self promotion at the end of this month's article suffice to say it just doesn't seem appropriate." - from the road, Johnny Lange - SSC.

Posted by MJ Lloyd Reynolds/MJR Media marketing services for the motorcycle industry - mjr.media@earthlink.net

Dale "Lynn" James vintage motorcycle photos

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All pictures via the fabulous website : www.americanbantam.com

Dale pictures copyright : John Ramos

Back in the OLD days Dale used to race motorcycles. He raced from 1970 -71 very competitively and a few years after just for fun until the mid 70's. Most of the races after 1972 were marathons and enduros with his dad (who was quite fast by the way :-) He raced a 250cc Bultaco most of the time. It was a very fast and reliable bike for it's time. Here are some pictures taken by a professional photographer (John Ramos) who went from race to race taking pictures of everyone.

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