Bikes under cover. Snow on our favorite roads. Chill factors into the scary region. Yup. It is profoundly Winter. BUT nows the time to be making plans for the 1998 riding season. We suggest you put The 4^th Annual Mother Road Ride/Rally® in your riding plans for this year. We've opened Early Bird Registration and signing up is no more complicated that completing the form on the back of this newsletter and sending it to us. "Get Your Kicks on Route 66!"

Early Birder from Missouri

Vernon Stanton of Agency, MO tells us that he plans to "join up" with Mother Roaders in Joplin, MO. Vernon was a big fan of the Route 66 television series in the early sixties and is "always looking for a reason to ride." Vernon has topped 700 miles a day in two of his four trips to Sturgis and is a Life Time HOG member. Welcome aboard The 4^th Annual Mother Road Ride/Rally®, Vernon!

2.5 Million in the Cash Register

Bikers Dream Inc. announced in November that they got a loan of $2.5 million from Tandem Capital. They plan to use the money to expand their Riverside, CA factory. You may have already seen that they are buying Illusion Motorcycle Company.

Drive In Theaters LIVE!

Just 826 of the 3,500 around in 1980 remain but, happily they are there. For sure there is at least one on Route 66 . . . in Litchfield, IL. And when I saw it in July, 1997 it appeared to be thriving. Urban sprawl can be blamed for their demise. Their land became too valuable to use as a drive in theater. Most have outdoor seating near their concession stands that motorcyclists can use. Relive a terrific experience when you have the chance.

Rally Forum on the Internet Opens

We've just opened an interactive forum for The 4^th Annual Mother Road Ride/Rally® at: http://www.hhjm.com/rally. I think you'll enjoy exchanging ideas with other people interested in the event. Your contributions are invited as well.

Route 66 Events Calendar

And that reminds me to tell you that there is a Route 66 Events Calendar on the Internet. See it at: http://www.hhjm.com/66/calendar. In addition to learning about things happening on our favorite highway you can submit events you are aware of.

Motorcycle Classified

And there is also a Classified Ads forum on the Internet. In the past, people (particularly those from overseas) have expressed interest in buying a used bike to participate in The 4^th Annual Mother Road Ride/Rally®. Now everyone can check bikes for sale - or advertise their bike before a world wide audience. Check: http://www.hhjm.com/bikes/class for details.

Manhattan Motorcycles

Ducati says they will open a dealership at 42^nd and 11^th Avenue in New York. Are you ready for this? They will be displaying the bikes in an atrium and will flank them with a cappuccino bar and a section for special events. Ducati leathers are already out and the plan is to introduce sunglasses. Shades of H-D! (Pun intended.) Ducati had slipped to the edge of bankruptcy before selling 51% of the company to a Fort Worth, TX firm. Now their plan is to sell 20,000 bikes, up from 12,000 in 1996.

So Long Two Stroke

Honda says that by the Spring of 1999, two stroke motorcycle engines will be a thing of the past. In order to meet new emission regulations in October, 1998, they will equip existing two cycle engines with catalytic converters. Models with these engines go on sale in February, 1998.