We just lost a Made in USA motorcycle

[Slojo]

It all boils down to what Mr or Miss Czech said. It is not the problem of who is in office the problem is in those who vote them into office. Benji said it right something like this (not a direct quote) "a representive republic" until those who figure out they can vote themselves benefits.
0 is probably more intelligent than most people give him credit for. The problem here is he is misguided destroying this society and country as a whole by intent. You must listen to what 0 has said and what he has done. Truly an evil man.
It is because the Repubs will not offer a better candidate than the Bushes that we have the 0 (that is a zero not an O). The media has not helped out here as their original intention, A Free Press remember?, not a corrupt controlled press.
After the big argument it was said the only way to defeat the USA is from within. Since our success in the big arugument we have slowly lost all of our industries one at a time.

We are being eaten alive by outsiders from within. More Illegal immigrants is the answered here right?
Joe.

[rwm]

cry babby reporter

you need to know why this guy cries (czech reporter) slick willie worked a deal to put an army base in the czech republic in exchange for a fast track to green cards for czech people.it backfired on the czech goverment. they lost young workers by the 1000's .fearing a loss of young work force the czech gov. stoped giveing out travel visa's to the usa.problem solved ? the czech kids asked to go to canada.visa given .easy solution see they are not brown. get in a car and drive to the usa.windsor tunnel here we come. at the time this was legal (remember fast track to green card) this is part of why us. citizens need more id to go back and forth to canada and us.after almost 15 years of the czech sweathart deal. THE CZECH GOV pleaded with obama to end the fast track he did and said reporter was denied greencard .so we are idiots for electing a man that denied him. corry,barry hawk and perry your stuck with alot of tall blonde girls with no place to call home

ps the czech media blames us for 7 euro's a gallon for gas and there failed economy.no different then any other country the media just passes the buck

[Pete Gagan]

I managed to get on with everyone quite well while I was president of the club, and was never once called to task for being a Canadian president of a predominately American club. I think it is because I have always made it a personal policy to keep politics and religion away from the hobby. I suggest we all do the same. This is a motorcycle club, not a political club. We have more than enough discussion about judging and who should run the club without involving Obama, NAFTA, and China. As for me I am heading out to the garage to make some improved brakes for my Cannonball Run 1914 Zenith using my excellent and affordable Chinese machine tools, which are more than adequate for my limited skills. The lathe, milling machine, power hacksaw, air compressor, beadblaster, plasma cutter, etc,. mostly new, cost less than one quality second hand American, English, or German lathe. 'nuff said.
Pete Gagan

[Chris Haynes]

No Pete,
That certainly isn't enough said. By buying all that cheap Chinese crap you are putting workers in the US and Canada out of work. These unemployed workers can't afford to buy or build vintage motorcycles. However the, I'm getting ever richer every day, Chinese are buying them and taking them offshore. Do you think they are going to come back?
Go ahead and use your cheap Chinese tools and don't give a thought to someone here who is trying to earn a living.

[silentgreyfello]

Pete,
With all due respect, I think this thread is relavent to motorcycles, and politics that affect motorcycles and our choices. If you don't want to participate in a discussion of this nature, then don't.

Don't even get me started on Chinese junk, and the supporting of these communists that employ slave labor. But then again, you probably saved some real money.

[sludge]

using my excellent and affordable Chinese machine tools, which are more than adequate for my limited skills. The lathe, milling machine, power hacksaw, air compressor, beadblaster, plasma cutter, etc,. mostly new, cost less than one quality second hand American, English, or German lathe. 'nuff said.
Pete Gagan

c'mon man, your better than that, try a second hand outlet for affordable quality machine tools (In Cleveland we go to HGR Industrial Surplus - ya can actually haggle over price with these cats), gotta be a similar place in your area, try craigs list as well. just because were all gearheads to one degree or another doesn't mean that we are one dimensional, we actually do talk about other things even at meets.

[indianut]

If the Chinese JUNK is adequate for your Skills, then you have Limited Skill as a Machinist. You can buy a decent used Bridgeport Mill for $1500 and chuck all that Chinese JUNK onto it and mill it down to poor quality CHIPS! In these times it seems pretty Foolish to me to Brag about your JUNK Chinese tools! Nuff Said!

[Barry Brown]

Hey guys, go easy on Pete. His heart is in the right place and he is just a victim like most of the rest of us who don't want to admit it. I do however agree with the lack of quality with Chinese machine tools , I have a 1940's South bend lathe and an old high school Rockwell ( made in USA) combination mill and I have built a lot of bikes with these. They still work great . But look back to the 1950's and if you are old enough you may recall if it said "made in Japan" it illicited the same response today as" made In Commie Land." The big difference of course is the tyrannical regime the Chinese are now running whereas Japan had a semblance of democracy. Anyway, not to worry because this 'globalization" crap is doomed to fail when the oil gets too expensive to ship stuff so for now just enjoy your New Zealand lamb, blueberries from Chile and crapola lathe from Shanghai.

[Ohio-Rider]

I agree with Barry. We need to give Pete a pass on this subject. It sure as hell ain’t his fault that our country can’t produce a decent machine tool at a competitive price anymore.

Bridgeport mills, as good as they are, pretty much are just for hobbyists anymore. You can’t earn a decent living with them any more. Just not productive enough any longer to be profitable. thats not Pete's fault either.

[KNUCK]

Well Guys I feel your pain. If it wasn’t for the terrific 8 yrs of Cheney running the country ( I mean GWB) someone else might be in office right now. So now who’s really to blame? Should we blame the people that got “hoodwinked” by our new Prez or the people that kept GWB in office for 8 long years? Pretty much a toss up.
Dave

Please, I am tired of that one. I thought we went to war for oil. Why do I now pay $3.00 a gal for gas.

The only people who got "hoodwinked" were independents and the people who usually don't vote, but did this time.

[KNUCK]

If you really care and want to buy American then start with what you put in your mouth. Motorcycles, cars, and toys are bad enough but when it comes to my food, time to draw a line in the sand.

Don't buy anymore food from Mexico, China, Nicaragua, etc. I would be much more concerned with what goes in my body. Look at the label on everything you eat. There is enough fruit and vegetables from the USA, even if it costs a few cents more.


Support the local farmers, buy local while you have a choice!!

[indianut]

I agree with Barry. We need to give Pete a pass on this subject. It sure as hell ain’t his fault that our country can’t produce a decent machine tool at a competitive price anymore.

Bridgeport mills, as good as they are, pretty much are just for hobbyists anymore. You can’t earn a decent living with them any more. Just not productive enough any longer to be profitable. thats not Pete's fault either.

I make a Fine Living with my Bridgeport Milling Machine, thank you. A new Series 1 is 14,000. A comparable Jet is 5,000. I'll bet you a Rigid Frame Chief against a HD 45 that if you buy both of them right now and work then side by side the Bridgeport will not only produce Better work from the get go, it will outlast the Import be at least 500%. That seems pretty competitive. We have now been trained that Everything is supposed to be cheap and disposable. There are MANY things available that are Higher quality, and yes, more expensive, and built right here. By the time a new American Made Milling machine is ready to be rebuilt, hey just like Our quality built American Motorcycles, you will probably have spent 20,000 replacing Disposable Chinese junk. And still have Chinese Junk! What work I haven't lost to the CNC, I have lost to China. Except for my customers who see the Value in American Craftsmanship.

[fillibuster]

qu Pete: "I managed to get on with everyone quite well while I was president of the club, and was never once called to task for being a Canadian president of a predominately American club. I think it is because I have always made it a personal policy to keep politics and religion away from the hobby. I suggest we all do the same. This is a motorcycle club, not a political club. We have more than enough discussion about judging and who should run the club without involving Obama, NAFTA, and China." end qu

Ditto, Ditto, Ditto!
Anybody ever seen a church congregation halved by political dispute? Ugly.
Anybody wanna wear their political persuasions on their sleeve at Davenport? with a vengeance, I mean? Are you ready to go to blows over things? Could go there, you know. Don't doubt whether the other side is every bit as angry and indignant as you are. The recipe is ripe. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: politics is poison, regardless of whether you're in a bar or a church.

For the good of the club, I'm asking for a truce, short of an administrative action. Come on guys, let's agree to disagree, and give it a rest.

[Paps]

What is truely amazing is the comments posted. Every single one of them have merit ! We are getting hit from every direction !! Paps

[Ohio-Rider]

Danny, The value in American craftsmanship will never completely disappear because that’s just not going to happen no matter who’s cutting steel with what machine. The machine doesn’t make parts, the guy in front of the machine is making them.

Not to cause a fuss, but just about any machine tool purchased in the US today has likely got an Asian control hanging from it. Tell me I’m wrong. Please, tell me I’m wrong.