Welcome to Friday Fudge. If it’s weird, funny, or strange motorcycle news, or it just plain won’t fit anywhere else on the site – you’ll find it here.
Lost gun, will travel
Hey, California readers – have any of you found a shotgun by the side of the road recently?
That’s a bit of an odd question, but it’s one the LAPD was asking recently after one of their motorcycle cops discovered his 12 gauge was missing. Apparently, the locking mechanism that holds the scattergun to the bike broke, and the officer didn’t discover the gun was missing until it was too late. At least, that’s the official story: We’re a bit suspicious that he actually lost the gun because he was bored, and dropped it while practicing imitating this scene from Terminator 2.
Speaking of which, here’s what that scene would have looked like, if James Cameron had been a bored 14-year-old playing with stop-motion Lego filmography.
Source: LA Times
Cafe outcry
Ever heard of a little place called the Ace Cafe? We thought that might ring a bell, but if it doesn’t, then read up on it here. Basically, the Ace was a fixture on Britain’s early cafe racer scene, and has been resurrected since as a sort of nostalgic cash-in on its past glories; it’s where hipsters hang out after botching their CB350 builds, swilling back coffee as they glumly stare out the window and wish they had a bike with transistor ignition. Authenticity is a cruel mistress when your bike won’t run. There’s also a lot of rockabilly and hot rod culture floating around the place these days.
But all that high-octane fun is apparently a little too boisterous for the cafe’s neighbours. Apparently, some of the cafe’s visitors have been doing a little stunting in the streets around the landmark. And, in nanny-state UK, that gets a no-no from the po-po, who are thinking about shutting the cafe down. See, there’s a new law in place this year in the UK that lets the authorities close down venues that promote anti-social behaviour, without any chance to argue in front of a judge first.
So, the Ace’s management is worried, and have been putting up posters asking their clients to please, please not act irresponsibly, as the police have issued them a warning. Sounds like the start of a ’70s bikesploitation movie plot, to us …
Source: Motorcycle News
Bean’re rides again
A few months ago, we told you about famous motorcycle nomad Bean’re and his attempt to set a world record for distance ridden on a minibike. Alas, he had a fair bit of trouble, but he’s overcome all that and set a new world record now.
Along with a backup team (always a good idea when you plan on riding a minibike for hundreds of miles), Bean’re managed to ride 1,407.6 on a 49cc pocket bike to get to Sturgis; he broke a record set by William Rodgers, of Tennessee.
But there’s a twist. Bean’re actually beat Rodgers’ record on Rodgers’ bike. When the previous record holder heard Bean’re was hoping to make the record run to Sturgis, he lent him the bike, and a load of spares and tires. Now, that is one helpful dude!
You can see Bean’re in action on the record-setting bike below … we don’t think he normally dresses like that, but we’re not sure.
Source: Motorcycle-USA
Hog power
We live in a world where eco-worriers tell us the sky is falling and we need to do something now. Thanks to ever-increasing regulations, soon you won’t be able to buy anything two-wheeled that doesn’t have a few kg of emissions-reducing crap bolted on, unless you count bicycles. And in that case, better make sure you don’t break wind while you’re pedaling, or The Man will install a muffler on you, with some sort of rebreather system.
But, there’s light at the end of the tunnel, and it comes thanks to bacon! That’s right – some clever chaps in the USA (go ‘Murica!) have put together a motorcycle that runs on good old-fashioned bacon – the bane of vegetarians everywhere, but the blessing for carnivores. Unless you belong to a religion that prohibits it, of course.
Anyway – the motorcycle in question was built for US-based breakfast food company Hormel. Apparently, they had a lot of bacon grease as a waste by-product at their Illinois plant, and couldn’t figure out what to do with it. Then, in a stroke of brilliance rarely seen in today’s world, someone decided to build a bike that ran on the stuff, as a masterful PR stunt. Also, who wouldn’t want a bike that ran on bacon?
It’s not just a gag, either. The bike runs on biofuel brewed out of the bacon fat, and actually ran from Minnesota to California. Try doing that with tofu leftovers …
Source: MyFoxAustin
Because it’s already been done, and with no support! Bean’re’s a wimp who has to have a support van, then brags about a Long distance ride like he’s a hero! Many others have already done it without any help what so ever. Here’s one. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Muma, Hell , I beat Bean’s record twice with no help. Only reason I never bothered with registering the record is because IT”S ALREADY BEEN DONE!! LOL! If Bean is such a badass record holder, how come he won’t answer any questions, on his own site, from fellow long distance small bike riders?
Re; Hog Power. Running your infernal combustion on alternate fuels is nothing new: http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/07/31/smell_french_fries_this_toronto_restaurant_owners_1981_mercedes_benz_runs_on_deep_fryer_grease.html