ENTRIES WANTED FOR PECQUENCOURT

One of our favourite European events is the MC Pecquencourt show which is held each March (this year it clashed with the Custom Chrome Europe show and I moaned about it for, oh, well, I’ve not really stopped yet…).

It’s a huge show with every aspect of motorcycling represented, but the centrepiece of the weekend is the Radical Custom Show, organised by Nicolas Chauvin, builder of some rather fine motorcycles over the years. Nicolas would like to invite more British bikes, so if you have a machine that you think would stand muster in the show – the criteria is that it must be original and/or radical – then get in touch with him.

To be in with a chance to enter, send photographs of your bike, with spec and a copy of the V5 before 20th February 2011 to

Nicolas Chauvin
BP 47
60290 Rantigny
France

or email: rcbspecquencourt@free.fr

If your bike is selected then, trust me, you’re in for a great time. MC Pecquencourt treats its guests like royalty – they will pay for your fuel and ferry, put you and a guest up in a hotel for three nights and feed you absolutely magnificent food. You can see why I grumbled so much about missing this year’s show.

BSH 321 READY TO ROLL

The weather may be cold, but the new issue of BSH is hot! Oh good grief, you can not imagine how emabrrassed I am to have just written that sentence. But it's true. There's also a definite speed thing going on with 321, from Jeff Decker's magnificent Black Lightning to coverage of the BUB Speed Trials, from Sick Boyz Customs' street racing Besame el Culo to a cracking rigid Bandit and an orange go-faster trike. There's features on Autumn Nabdness, the Gosport Help For Heroes Run, Brightona and the Hog Bog Rally, as well as the splendid regular presence of two stonking tech articles and, of course, the fastest bloke of all, Ogri.

DEUCE OF SPADES

Recently, I was lucky enough to be invited to the world premiere of Faith Granger's film, 'Deuce of Spades' (well, actually I rode in on the coat tails and in the hot rod of someone who was actually invited, but we'll let that pass...)

Inspired by her own 1932 Ford roadster, the film was entirely financed, written, directed and filmed by Faith, an absolutely remarkable achievement. With talented but entirely unknown cast (save for cameos by Gene Winfield and Bill Hines playing themselves) who donated their services for nothing, the result is a charming and beautiful movie, and we'll be bringing you a full review in BSH 322.

The premiere was held in Fillmore, southern California, and the Ms Granger tour de force phenomenon continued as she persuaded the town council to turn the clock back to 1955, and to close off the town centre to all but pre-1960 vehicles for the day, while the premiere was held in the Towne Theatre on Central Avenue, that looks very much as it did when it opned in 1916. Rockabilly band, Mystery Train (who feature on the film's soundtrack) played in front of City Hall in the afternoon, lunch was served on the Fillmore and Western Railway and a fine time was had by all.

You can find out more information about the film at Deuce of Spades.

CRY BABIES

Further to the story about the Hells Angels’ law suit against Alexander McQueen, news reaches us from closer to home of another fashion company ripping off the club’s image. Nippaz With Attitude, a London-based babywear clothing company, has been told to stop selling its babygro suit which not only uses a winged skull, but top and bottom rockers and the words ‘No Angel’.

Nippaz With Attitude counts among its customers the likes of Madonna and Liam Gallagher but, suddenly, for the purposes of this situation, they suddenly became a poor, defenceless little company up against the might of nasty bikers. “We have to give in because we can’t afford to fight them. We are a tiny baby company. The whole reason we did the design is to pay respect to the old bikers’ gangs, essentially referencing the Hells Angels. They are supposed to be anti-establishment but they have come after a tiny baby company,” a worker was quoted as saying in the Metro newspaper.

Excuse me? This company blatantly infringed copyright, which is in effect stealing from someone, to produce and promote a commercial product for their own gain. As you’ll see from the picture, the inspiration for the design is obvious, and the use of the words ‘No Angel’ indicates that the firm knew exactly what it was doing. Presumably they assumed that because it was ickle cute babies, they had every right to steal someone else’s intellectual property and then bleat about it asked to cease and desist. Incidentally, Nippaz With Attitude has a history of thinking it can do just as it likes – sportswear company Nike also threatened the company with legal action after it infringed Nike’s copyright.

HELLS ANGELS vs ALEXANDER MCQUEEN

Just eight days after filing a lawsuit over Alexander McQueen's designs featuring the club's trademarked name and death head logo, the Hells Angels have reached a settlement with the French fashion house as well as with retailers Saks Fifth Avenue and Zappos.com. According to major fashion web site, WWD.com, the defendants have agreed to pull all merchandise referencing the Hells Angels, including knuckleduster rings, clutches, a dress and a pashmina (which have sold for between $495 and $2,329) from their websites and stores. What's more, the three companies also said that they'll recall any of the merchandise that's already been sold to customers and destroy it. No doubt, in reality, this means that they will make ‘reasonable effort’ to repossess the items, but expect to see some of them turning up on eBay for premium prices.

SHEER MADNESS

Thanks to Si for passing the link onto this...

CAN YOU KICK IT?

I’m not sure about this latest item from Paughco. The ‘KICK’ pedal is cast from solid brass with, er, the word ‘KICK’ in lettering. It will set you back $99.95 plus shipping, and more information is available from www.paughco.com. I suspect I’ll like the first one I see fitted to a bike, after which it’ll be pretty old hat.

HARLEY FACTORY FOR INDIA

At the beginning of the year, the Blog reported on the advance of Harley-Davidson into India, and suggested that maybe, just maybe, the MoCo might begin production on the sub-continent. We got resoundedly flamed for even suggesting such heresy.

Yesterday Harley announced that it will launch assembly operations in India for motorcycles that will be sold in the Indian market.

“Assembly operations in India are a natural next step for Harley-Davidson as we build our brand presence around the world,” the company’s president and CEO, Matthew Levatich, said.

So far, Harley-Davidson India has been importing completely assembled motocycles from the USA, but a plant is being constructed in Haryana which, when it opens in early 2011, will see components shipped from the American factories to be assembled in India. Assembling bikes from parts will be subjected to a 10% sales tariff, as opposed to 60% on a completed imported motorcycle. There’s a cold wind blowing through Milwaukee…