Jim and Lynn Loomis are doubly proud of their dealerships as Napoleon Harley-Davidson in Napoleon, Ohio, has won the Gold Bar & Shield Circle of Excellence award, which is based on motorcycle and related product sales performance, customer service and satisfaction, and operations. Their other dealership, Piqua Harley-Davidson in Piqua, Ohio, has received the Platinum Bar & Shield award, given to the top six Harley-Davidson dealerships in the U.S. Congrats to both of your teams… Police in Bloomington, Indiana, were called to All American Storage on a report of a stolen 2001 Harley-Davidson. When they looked at the security video they could see Michael Ray (36), who also has a storage unit on the premises, loading the motorcycle onto a trailer and driving away. Ray was located by a detective and admitted stealing the motorcycle and selling it for $700, and had no clue where the scooter was. The police still haven’t found it. Ray was charged with felonious burglary and auto theft, and is being held without bond… Nate Donley and his brother-in-law Shane Bise of Washington Township, Ohio, were working in Donley’s garage on his late father’s old Harley-Davidson getting it ready to be painted this spring. When draining the gas tank some gasoline spilled and was ignited by the kerosene heater. It didn’t take long for the whole house to go up in flames, resulting in a total loss including their cars. All three adults, two children, and two pets escaped the fire uninjured. The Harley did not survive. The community has raised over $11,000 so far on their GoFundMe account… When members of the Illinois Motorcycle Freedom Run and the Canaryville Veterans Riders Association in Chicago saw a story about U.S. Military Veteran Matthew Layton of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, saving 14 people in last November’s fires, and losing his house and everything he owns, well, they just had to help one of their own. They loaded up a semi with goods that Matthew needed and drove down there and not only delivered their help personally they presented him with a check for $5,000 to help pay the rent on his new home for the next 12 months… Rob Hartzler of White Pigeon, Michigan, heard a story about Mayan families that lived around Lake Atitlan in Guatemala needing a motorcycle to deliver goods and medical supplies in the area. They had been asking for a Kawasaki KLR 650. The wheels started turning and Rob bought the exact motorcycle, hopped on it and drove it from his home to Panajachel, Guatemala. It took him two weeks and 3,800 miles in November and December. He delivered the motorcycle, visited his daughter Izzy who works in Panajachel, then they both hopped a plane and came home for the holidays. He described it as, “Most beautiful riding I’ve ever done in my life.”… In Lincoln, Nebraska, the fight has been going on for 20 years to repeal Nebraska’s mandatory helmet law, and this just could be the year. With one-third of the Legislature, including new bill sponsor Sen. John Lowe being new this year due to term limits, the fight is stronger than it ever has been. Sen. Lowe said he rode a motorcycle in college but gave it up because wearing a helmet made it harder to hear and impaired his peripheral vision. It boils down to a “pro-freedom and pro-tourism” issue that could result in $1.7 million in annual tourism revenue lost because motorcyclists rode through neighboring states… That’s it for this month; it’s all about you, the Midwest biker. Ride fast, but ride safe.
