Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/929813
WheelsOfGrace.com Volume 9 Issue 5 33 MOTORCYCLE INDUSTRY NEWS Putin's secret motorbike: Kremlin Says Allega ons Against Russian Leader Are 'Half-Fake News' By Damien Sharkov Russian President Vladimir Pu n is a man of many outdoor hobbies, as the Kremlin o en likes to point out, and motorbike riding is one of them. In a recent slip of the tongue about his ride, however, Pu n has raised ques ons about the honesty of his property records. Strolling past the Mitsubishi stand at Russia's annual Innoprom engineering exhibi on in Yekaterinburg, Pu n took a look at one of the Japanese company's motorcycles. "I have one, not exactly like this one, but I have a motorcycle by your company," Pu n said in front of reporters and a group of delighted Mitsubishi execu ves. "But to be honest, I try not to ride it." The video of the exchange quickly spread among bloggers and others eager to find out more about the president's two-wheeler. Shortly a erward, Russian news site Meduza reported that a skim through Pu n's last annual income and property declara on—a mandatory disclosure for all Russian officials—showed he didn't own a motorbike, let alone a Mitsubishi. He has declared only three cars and a wagon. The Kremlin was quick to refute the sugges on that Pu n was hiding a secret Mitsubishi motorbike in his surely crammed apartment garage. "This is half-fake news," Pu n's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told independent news channel Dozhd. "There are several motorcycles [in the] special designa on garage and in his own me Pu n has ridden one of them." The garage Peskov referred to is for state-funded garage official vehicles operated by the Kremlin's security service—the FSO. Pu n did not purchase the bike himself, which is why it is absent from his declara on, Peskov said, adding that Pu n may know not his ride as well as most gearheads. The vehicle he rode was a Kawasaki, not a Mitsubishi, the spokesman added. Kawasaki did not immediately confirm if one of its bikes is in the Kremlin's garage and, if so, which model. Some of Pu n's biggest supporters are motorbike enthusiasts. The infamous Night Wolves biker club not only tours Europe promo ng the brand of "patrio sm" the Kremlin currently extolls, but it has also ridden alongside Pu n. It should be noted that during Pu n's ou ngs with the Night Wolves, his ride of choice has been neither a Kawasaki or a Mitsubishi, but a Harley-Davidson Lehman three-wheeler. glenDale motorcycle racer, 66, sets worlD recorD at 284 mPH By Darsha Philips GLENDALE, Calif. (KABC) -- Ralph Hudson was not the favorite to set the record for the world's fastest sit-on motorcycle, but the 66-year-old did just that, hi ng an average speed of 284 mph. "When everything happens just right and it all comes together, it really isn't that big of a deal to go that fast" said Hudson. But it is a big deal. The Los Angeles na ve owns a small shop in Glendale, Ironwood racing, and was up against seasoned professional Al Lamb. At an al tude of 12,000 feet, the condi ons in Bolivia were also a challenge. "I felt a li le bit of the wind. A couple mes I had to straighten out and keep from li ing my head up," Hudson said. Hudson began racing back in 1970. He took a 28-year hiatus to take care of his family, but speed kept calling his name. "I said to myself 'Am I going to be the guy who is always talking about doing this, or am I going to be the guy who actually does it?'" Hudson said. Now at 66 and a world-record holder, Hudson s ll has no plans to slow down. In fact he's working on se ng another record. "The goal is to break 300 mph," Hudson said. The lesson here? NEVER too old to ride nor to follow your dreams! sHeriff revokes gun rigHts for associating witH motorcycle club By David "Double D" Devereaux A recent incident in Modesto, California further evidences that law enforcement is employing a new strategy to target motorcycle clubs. The MPP has reported on the na onal trend towards law enforcement a emp ng to disarm motorcycle club members, including those that have no criminal record, for no other reason than their associa on with a motorcycle club. In fact, many incidents, including the instant case in California, involve individuals that have a Carry Concealed Weapon license, which also means they have no criminal record and have undergone extensive background checks. Infringing on the right to legally carry strikes at the heart of biker culture. There are nearly a million registered motorcyclists in California. According to the Na onal Motorcycle Profiling Survey 2017, the Second Amendment right to