Arana wins his first Pro Stock Motorcycle Race

After 19 years, Hector Arana wins his first Pro Stock Motorcycle race at the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals.

“Quitting never crossed my mind; that’s not me,” Arana said. “I’m going to stick to the end and find a solution for it,” added Arana of his challenges over the years. “I just started going five, six races a year for a while, and I would stay home and work on the bike. If I was going to quit, that would have been the time to quit, but I just could not see myself quitting. I knew I had it, I knew it was there, and with Lucas Oil behind me, how can you quit? When things were going harder, I just worked harder. My determination was even more.”

Arana just barely took the title as he left an opening after round 2 for Krawiec. Krawiec needed to set a time of at least 6.918 in but he ended up just shy with a 6.953.

Arana won the title riding his Buell. Wonder if he’s stick with his ride with the recent news of the discontinuance of Buell Motorcycles at the end of this year. Will be interesting to see.

Stars riding motorcycles

It’s always interesting to find out when stars are into motorcycles.  From Peter Fonda to Jay Leno, there are many TV and movie stars who commonly support our favorite pasttime, but I always enjoy seeing new names in the motorcycle headlines.

For example, I didn’t really know Brad Pitt rode a motorcycle. Angelina looks like a rider, but I never thought of him – until recently when he and his bike made tabloid headlines.  Looks like Brad got a minor scuff up with his bike. Originally they elaborated the story to include someone else getting hurt – possiby papparazzi. But in the end, it was just him.

This story caught my eye because Brad’s a star, of course, but also because of what he is quoted as saying regarding helmets, ”This is my anonymity. With it, I’m just another a–hole on the streets.”

I guess helmets allow all of us our chance to “get away” at times. Good point.

Another motorcycle rider in the news recently – Arnold Schwarzenegger. It’s no big news that the Terminator is a rider, but it was interesting to see that he made the news while paying special interest to the Zero electric motorcycle. When Zero saw that he was interested, they put out a call to the Governor, ”Hasta La Vista, Gas! ‘Governor Schwarzenegger, Switch Out Your Harley for an All-Electric Zero S!’

Look Sarah Connor, this is the future. They can make things like that now.

Other celebrities that turned my helmet around were Al Gore, Cameron Diaz and Fabio. Want to find out who else rides? Check out motorbiker.org. They list all of the celebrity riders in alphabetical order, conveniently. And they even list the motorcycles they ride.

And if you are a celebrity rider and you want to bring your bike to the next movie taping or vacation destination, give us a call at HaulBikes. We will ship your bike safely and confidentially. We’ve shipped for Nicolas Cage’s Ghost Rider movie and handfuls of celebrities – who we will thoughtfully not mention.

Enjoy the ride … on your own bike.

Listen to us on the radio tonight!

Listen to HaulBikes on the radio tonight! We’ll be on Side Stand Up, the world’s only motorcycle radio show tonight, Tuesday, October 13, 2009 at 6:30 pm Central Time (7:30 pm EST). Go to www.sidestandup.com, scroll down and click on the widget on the left to listen in.

MidAmerica Vintage Motorcycle Auction in Minneapolis October 17

There’s nothing more entertaining than scouring the rows of bikes on a quest to find the best of the best at MidAmerica Auctions’ Vintage Motorcycle Auction. From perfect-looking John Player Nortons to vintage Triumph SpeedTwins to Royal Enfield Bullets, the machines on display at MidAmerica Auctions’ Vintage Motorcycle Auction are always the cream of the crop, meticulously judged on things that matter, like period-correctness, attention to detail and overall aesthetics, among others. For most cycle enthusiasts, though, the real treat is just walking around such nice old bikes, picking out details and appreciating that the past can still come alive today.

Bikes from the ’60s and earlier can be very beautiful and rewarding, but they can also be fragile and temperamental. Never buy a vintage bike on a whim. First, do your research. Bargains are rare, and a cheap vintage bike is probably missing a lot of key parts. And be honest about your abilities and enthusiasm for upkeep. Don’t get a vintage bike with the expectation of using it for daily commuting, unless you’re a highly skilled mechanic.

Ready to head to Minneapolis, Minnesota for the next auction? Veer towards the MotorPlex in St. Paul at 9:30 am (CST) on October 17, 2009. Wondering how you’re going to get that precious piece of machinery home? Call us at HaulBikes and we’ll deliver it right to your door. As the official transporter of MidAmerica Auctions, we offer special discounted prices to the auction.

Can’t get to Minneapolis? Bid for the bike of your choice online through Proxibid. What’s Proxibid? The World’s #1 provider of live webcast auctions. Proxibid provides real-time webcast and timed online auction bidding services to thousands of real brick and mortar auction companies. Never miss another auction with this service.

Tax credit available for your new motorcycle purchase with President Obama’s Stimulus Act

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 offers additional tax credits for clean energy vehicles. How does this apply to us motorcycle riders? Not only are electric vehicles applicable for the credit, but so are traditional motorcycles and three-wheeled vehicles.  A 10% tax credit is available through 2011, with a cap of $2,500.

It’s a good time to buy a motorcycle. When you’re ready to buy, we’re ready to ship it for you.

Custom motorcycle seat gives amazing back support

Came across this modified motorcycle that really gives the back a rest. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did: http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2009/07/diy-motorcycle-seat-grants-great-posture-at-the-expense-of-dignity/

DOT reports on The Effectiveness of Amber Rear Turn Signals

DOT’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is reviewing the effectiveness of amber rear turn signals for reducing rear impacts.

Currently, the federal standards allows rear turn signals to be either red or amber in color. The primary conclusion of this report is that amber rear turn signals are 5.3% more effective than red rear turn signals at preventing involvement in crashes where a careful driver would typically use the turn signals.

If you think this is important, you can make a difference. You can send your comments by September 6, 2009 to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and make your opinion known. Here’s the details on how to send your comments >>

Book your bike to Sturgis today

The Sturgis rally is right around the corner. If you’re planning to head to the Black Hills for the big event in August, make your arrangements now. This rally books up fast, especially our shipping trucks, so call us now at 1-888-HAULBIKES to book your shipment.

Looking forward to seeing you at Sturgis.

A new Honda V4 is coming

You may see some unique Honda V4s this fall with fancy hubless wheels and a somewhat futuristic look. Is this more fuel efficient V4 an answer to today’s economy? No matter what, motorcycles are still the cost efficient way to ride.

Expect to see this new V4 for sale in Spring 2010. What do you think of this new model? Check out the pic on Motorcycle Daily: http://www.motorcycledaily.com/22june09_production_v4.htm

International Ride to Work Day

Last Monday was the International Motorcycle and Scooter Ride to Work Day. But shouldn’t that be every day? Check out the Ride to Work site for the next ride days if you need an “official” reason to ride to work.