Achtung Baby!

You know what Falco said about Munich girls, right? No? Well no matter because Mai-Lin isn't from Munich, or any other part of Bavaria for that matter. Nope, she's a northern girl. Northern as in Hamburg, Germany. A dreary port town with little in the way of sunshine or fun. Except for the following article - which is all about the motorcycle 'Fun Faktor' (which literally translates to Fun Factor.) Straight from the pages of Motorrad magazine, the Fun Faktor pits Icon team rider Mai-Lin as the lone stuntpilotin competing against four very serious looking German riders. In other words she is the Farfegnugen to their zeitgeist. Truthfully we have almost no idea what this article actually says...namely because we didn't pay very much attention in German class. Sorry Herr Gerstenslager, you were right, we will actually need to sprechen sie Deutsch as adults. 

Team Icon Talks: Nick Brocha

Team Icon Talks is a short interview series conducted with Icon Team riders. Think of it as a podcast. But without the pod or the cast. A couple weeks ago we featured Eric Hoenshell talking tank topping. This installment features Nick Brocha talking stunt riding. Look for Nick's 'Porn-Face' around the 1:23 mark, it's disturbing. Actually don't do that, in fact forget we even said that. But do stay tuned next month for the third installment where Ernie Vigil will talk about the first two episodes. You just can't get this kind of programming on basic cable.

1%ers v. Fashionistas

(Oct. 26 (Bloomberg) -- The Hells Angels motorcycle group sued fashion design house Alexander McQueen and retail chain Saks Inc. for trademark infringement for selling handbags, jewelry and clothing using the club’s death-head design.

Hells Angels Motorcycle Corp. said McQueen’s company, New York-based Saks and retailer Zappos.com Inc. have been selling infringing products in stores in California and online, according to a complaint filed yesterday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. 

The motorcycle club said it has been using the death-head mark, a skull with wings, since at least 1948. The Hells Angels have authorized the use of the marks on jewelry, apparel and “promotional and entertainment services,” according to the complaint.

Saks, McQueen and Zappos have been selling items including the Hells Angels Jacquard Box Dress and Hells Angels Pashmina that deploy the trademarks, according to the complaint. The jacquard dress is listed on McQueen’s website for $1,595 and the pashmina scarf for $560.

A woman’s handbag designed by McQueen called “Hell’s Knuckle Duster” is listed on Zappos.com’s site for $2,329. Zappos is owned by Seattle-based Amazon.com Inc.

McQueen, the designer for whom the fashion house is named, died in February.

Julia Bentley, a spokeswoman for Saks, said the company had no comment on the complaint. Diane Coffey, a spokeswoman for Zappos, said the company has no immediate comment.

Representatives of Alexander McQueen, based in London, couldn’t be reached for comment. McQueen is a unit of PPR’s Gucci Group, based in Amsterdam.

The case is Hells Angels Motorcycle Corp. v. Alexander McQueen Trading Ltd., 10-08029, U.S. District Court, Central District of California (Los Angeles).

Yes, this dress is hideous and the Angels have a right to be pissed...

...but the Hells Knuckle Duster clutch is dope

And while the HA attorney is at it - he might want to look into this beauty. Nothing says 'Please shoot me off my motorcycle' like an unsanctioned deathhead on your chinbar

HiViz

The Icon Alliance HiViz helmet and Victory Jacket gracing the latest issue of Super Streetbike magazine. 

INTERMOT

For the three brave Icon representatives from Portland, Oregon it was just another day colored by jet lag and whiskey hangovers. Our souls were still days behind us, caught in the ethereal void somewhere above the North Atlantic. We were behind enemy lines once again. It wasn't the first time mind you. Not so long ago Team Icon slipped onto the floor of our domestic tradeshow to do battle with established intellengencia. The nay-sayers and roadblocks. The waterproofed minions in their drab black garb. We were disgruntled riders in our own land. It was no wonder that our dissatisfaction quickly turned into an armed resistance.  Now we entered a new theatre, not as underdogs, but as formally trained statesmen with a well known penchant for the gutter lane. "It can't be helped" we thought aloud, as we stumbled from the darkened Kolsch Cantina. We were ready to commence Operation Overlord and the mission is good. 

 Icon exposes itself on the main floor - luckily in Germany this is not a crime

So that's how it is - Well played, Pirelli. Apparently in Europe the gloves, as well as the tops, are off. Icon will do great things here me thinks...

Modern Cologne is relatively new city...

as a result of Allied Force's urban planning division - thankfully the Koln Cathedral was spared 

The Koln Cathedral today - The Metal God approves

There can be no doubt, we are in Germany - dance puppet dance

Looped

AFG Moto can't stop won't stop. This time they're at it on the Sacrifice 2-smoker. Hoshi shows a local Toyko variety show what's up. And down.

Busted and Broken - Sha_DOH!

I just wanted to let you know that your helmet saved my life! I was involved in an accident this past weekend. A lady driving and SUV decided to make a right turn without using her turn signal directly in to my bike. I ended up doing a front flip off of the bike and landing directly on my head, continuing my roll forward and eventually landed directly on my face. Had I not been wearing my Domain 2 Sha_do helmet I would not be able to write this email to you guys today.

It is my firm belief that you guys make the best protective gear for riders out there to date and I wanted to give your company a thumbs up.

I am a SSgt in the USAF and have been riding for about 6 years now, this is the 2nd time I have been down on my bike and both times I was wearing your protective gear and I'm still here to tell the stories today. When I get the bike fixed and the money saved back up I will definitely purchase another ICON helmet to protect my head.

Thanks again!

SSgt John R.

USAF

Engine Engine #9

We like naked Ducati's. Not Monster naked mind you - nothing of the prefabbed factory stock nudes. No, we like fine Italian supermodels that have been shucked of their couture outerwear. Stripped fashionistas that are at once both shamed and brazen. Such unholy conglomerations as the following trellis framed lolitta. Check out the wonderful world of BikeEXIF for the more of #9.

Resistance is Futile

After the apocalypse there won’t be that many people left so efficiency is going to be key. We’ll have to clear the roads of ashed out Escalades, remove the gold from fort knox, and of course there’ll be the matter of fending off the invading aliens/zombies/dinosaurs or what have you. Thinking ahead, the boys over at Raytheon strapped on a Domain Helmet and decided to build themselves an apocalypse preparedness suit. Bring it on Judgment Day...bring it on!

The Magnificent Bastard

Straight outta Salinas comes our latest steed - a 1986 VF1000R. We've long since admitted our prediliction for all things 80's Honda. The first VFR is arguable the pinnacle of that era. Not pinnacle in that it's a great bike - it most certainly is not. In fact this particular one sat on the dealership floor until 1990. Not exactly the mark of desirability - and for good reason, it's an absolute tank. No, when we use the pinnacle label it's more in relation to style and steez. Thick & saucy, with a throaty smokers cough reverberating out the twin Yosh, it demands attention. She was built as a homologated production race bike meant to do battle in the endurance race classes. Unfortunately the Honda engineers missed a few key elements on their merry way to fatville. But twenty five years later, dressed in fine HRC race livery and hitting the scales at an impressive 600 pounds the VF has truly become a Magnificent Bastard . 

We've got big plans for the water whale. Stay tuned for her makeover into a RS850 x RS1000RW x GS1000 x MFP endurance pursuit bike. Yoshimura Tornado seat with exposed battery tray, a pair of external mount PIAA's, staggered cans, yellow plates, and maybe even rebuilt carbs. Yeah, she'll still be the fattest girl at the dance - but she's got a cute face, big chest, and she puts out. Once you reach a certain age you'll realize how desirable that combination can be. Viva la VeeFour.

Red conventionals with a drop out axle - so race

An Autumn blast through the pretty side of the Slabtown district

Spooling up Avon's always seems so classy - in a British accent kind of way

Oury's are the mandatory dress code at Club Icon 

Inspiration #1 - FWS1000/RW1000RS

Inspiration #2 - RS850R

Inspiration #3 - Sexy eyepatch 

Inspiration #4 - Staggered asymmetrical pipes

Inspiration #5 - Bol d'Or

Inspiration #6 - Bold lean angles

Inspiration #7 - Mean GS1000R

Inspiration #8 - Dual spots and twin raccoon burners

Inspiration #9 - The Bronze KZ1000