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- Back from Bonneville: speed, salt and next‑issue reporting
- Legislative shifts: e‑bikes, helmets and federal bills
- Transportation funding and industry priorities
- State bills to watch
- Industry news and product updates
- Safety alert: e‑bike and e‑scooter fires in the U.K.
- Global regulatory developments
- Marketplace note
After a return from the Bonneville Salt Flats and a rough backroad detour, the Easyriders crew filed fresh racing and gear updates alongside policy shifts affecting motorcycles and e‑bikes. Engine work and a high‑speed Bonneville run headline the dispatch, while new state and federal proposals signal change for riders nationwide.
Back from Bonneville: speed, salt and next‑issue reporting
The team arrived home late yesterday after a cross‑country run that included a 40‑mile dirt detour off I‑80 near Wamsutter, Wyoming. The route tested both patience and equipment, with washboard roads and desert wildlife slowing progress; the crew finally rolled in and took stock of the bikes.
On the salt, crew members from Departure Bike Works handled final tuning on a 45‑flathead build, and engineer Berry Wardlaw of Accurate Engineering debuted a machine campaigned under the Rough Boys Racing name. Wardlaw completed his first Bonneville pass at about 140 mph. Full technical details and the race narrative will appear in the Nov/Dec issue of Easyriders magazine.
Post Salt publishes Bikernet weekly news for August 28, 2026
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Staff credits on this report include The Redhead, Wayfarer, LA Laura, Viscous Vickie, Danial James, Freak Show Team, Sturgis Prospect Kendra, Paul Davis, Agent Zebra and Berry Wardlaw.
Legislative shifts: e‑bikes, helmets and federal bills
Several recent and pending laws could affect riders and owners of electric two‑wheelers. In Illinois, lawmakers approved an e‑bike/e‑moto measure that treats devices capable of exceeding 28 mph as motor vehicles. Those units would be subject to licensing, registration, insurance and DUI rules; most of the new restrictions take effect in 2027.
California remains active on two fronts. AB 1588 expands the state’s sideshow statutes to explicitly include motorcycles and increases penalties. Separately, SB 1167 seeks to update definitions and rules for electric motor‑driven cycles, mopeds and off‑highway e‑motos.
On Capitol Hill, the Ride in Freedom Act (H.R. 10067 / S. 5274) was introduced in August. Backers, including Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R‑WI) and Sen. Tim Sheehy (R‑MT), aim to block the District of Columbia from enforcing its universal helmet law and frame D.C. as a test case for limiting helmet mandates. The Motorcycle Riders Foundation supports the effort; D.C. officials and safety groups oppose it. The bill comes against a backdrop of six motorcycle fatalities recorded in the District so far this year.
Transportation funding and industry priorities
Beyond helmets, the upcoming surface‑transportation reauthorization is shaping into a broad industry fight. Following the 2026 Powersports Capitol Hill Fly‑In, two provisions opposed by the powersports sector were removed from the House Energy & Commerce base package: a proposal to change the federal motorcycle definition to exclude autocycles, and a plan to subject powersports vehicles to catalytic‑converter VIN etching. Those items remain possible in future negotiations.
Other persistent issues include tariffs, access to public lands, funding for the Recreational Trails Program, PFAS regulation and whether motorcycles retain recognition as a distinct class of vulnerable road users in federal policy.
The House has passed H.R. 4386, the America the Beautiful Motorcycle Fairness Act, which would restore the previous policy of allowing two motorcycles (plus passengers) on a single America the Beautiful parks pass. The bill now moves to the Senate.
State bills to watch
Several states are advancing rider‑focused measures. Washington’s HB 1367 would allow motorcycles to use the right shoulder of limited‑access highways when traffic is slow or stopped — a narrow exception distinct from full lane‑splitting; the bill remained under consideration in the state House Transportation Committee after hearings in 2025 and 2026.
Lane filtering in constrained forms continues to expand: Utah, Montana, Arizona, Colorado and Minnesota have passed limited provisions. California remains the only state allowing full lane splitting. Meanwhile, Minnesota is expanding its Digital Fair Repair Act to include motorcycle parts, tools and documentation for independent shops.
Industry news and product updates
Harley‑Davidson marked 123 years with reflections on the brand’s resilience and community ties. At Sturgis this year the company and partners emphasized customer and employee connections as central to the brand’s endurance, a message highlighted by Matt Swedlund, manager of Brand Partners and Ambassadors at Harley‑Davidson Motor Company.
In aftermarket product news, S&S Cycle announced the HPT542 cam — a direct bolt‑in option for M8 non‑VVT 117–121ci engines with oval port heads — described as delivering a strong, flat torque band and an aggressive idle character. The company also released camshaft chain‑drive kits aimed at precision timing for high‑performance builds and direct replacement for 2007‑up models.
Separately, Burly Brand updated its batwing “bagger” handlebars for recent full‑fairing touring models; the design keeps wiring internal and tucks near the fairing to preserve gauge and speaker access. Two Chins’ Trikes’ Ken Fanger also appeared at the Sturgis rally ribbon‑cutting.
Safety alert: e‑bike and e‑scooter fires in the U.K.
BBC Verify data show a rising number of fires linked to e‑bikes and e‑scooters in the U.K. between 2019 and 2025. Freedom‑of‑information returns indicate more than 2,000 fires during that period, with nearly 700 injuries and 18 fatalities reported by fire and rescue services. Many incidents involved second‑hand or modified vehicles, and almost half occurred in homes or garages.
London Fire Brigade Assistant Commissioner Pam Oparaocha told BBC Verify the service is “increasingly concerned by the significant fire risk” posed by some of these vehicles, particularly when components are altered or sourced online. Video footage of several incidents shows how quickly battery events can escalate.
Global regulatory developments
Internationally, Spain plans new circulation rules set to begin October 1, 2026, covering items such as glove use on interurban roads and footwear requirements. India is preparing a 2027 package of headlight and broader two‑wheeler safety rules, including speed alerts and reflective tires, and measures to address quiet electric‑vehicle awareness systems. Mexico City is considering curbs on app‑based motorcycle passenger services, while China implemented a substantial 2026 package tightening standards, registration and licensing for two‑wheelers.
Marketplace note
Among classifieds and dealer listings, a 2014 Harley‑Davidson FLSTC Heritage Softail Classic with about 16,700 miles was advertised at a price of $17,995, with a 103‑ci Twin Cam engine, six‑speed transmission and cosmetic features such as whitewall tires and gold fat‑spoke wheels. The listing described the bike as having passed a multi‑point inspection.
Reporting and testing from Bonneville continue; technical findings and a full race story are slated for Easyriders’ upcoming Nov/Dec issue. Further coverage will follow as teams complete post‑event checks and dyno work.
