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BIKERNET CARIBBEAN REPORT–Well, here’s some news, after all the trips, things are slowly going back to normal (yeap crazy ass normal) so I took some time to add something to this week news. There’s no way I can be right on the spot, week after week, like I have done the past 4 and something years, and I guess there will come a time when I will have no news at all. Time can just be managed in so many ways, and the betterment of Caribbean Custom Cycles is the most important on the list.
Just got back from a back to back Smoke Out and Hawaii trip, of course I am toast, but it’s cool to be part of all those different environments, to be back and hang out with friends, to see guys that I met 3 years ago, opening shops and building more and more bikes. The progress of the local Hawaii magazine and of everyone else. It also bothers me that an event that was an excellent one is being run to the ground. So let’s leave it at that. It was fun to spend time with good friends and fellow builders. The only shitty part about my trip to Hawaii is that I don’t want to leave, and I never get to do shit that I really want to. Every year the schedule gets fuller, but so be it, I could be at the shop welding or grinding ……..
The Smoke Out was out of control. So many people I did not even have time to walk around and enjoy the bikes. I say it and always will, bike per bike those are the coolest in any event I have ever been to. As you might or might not know, I did not win the Chop Off (thanks to the hundreds of e-mails saying I should have) but that is the way it rolls. The coolest thing is being able to talk and spend some time with so many people. You are able to see my bike here at Bikernet, T Bear did a kick ass story about it. (http://www.bikernet.com/bikebarn/PageViewer.asp?PageID=412 and soon in some other publications) Speaking of publications, Easy Riders just did a spread on my Journey Bobber in the August issue. I’m not tooting my own horn, but those are the best photos I have seen of that particular bike.
It’s always cool to get in mags by your own merits, not by having a “godfather” that pushes you there. I guess in the old school way of things, it has much more weight, and believe me, I?ve never gotten a fuckin’ free ride. It’s also quite interesting that people that know you better, or people from your own town tend not to appreciate the stuff what you do, but the difference is very noticeable when you go someplace else. Something that really shocked me in Hawaii and North Carolina is people thanking us for being “approachable”. I guess people are getting tired of egotistical wannabe?s, that is refreshing.
Anyway, I’m out of here, Emily is rolling way South on it’s path to the Gulf and one thing is for sure, there will be waves.
See you guys later….Maybe
Jose
HILLARY CLINTON GETS ELECTED– President and is spending her first night inthe White House. She had waited so long …
The ghost of George Washington appears, and Hillary asks, “How can I bestserve my country?”
Washington says, “Never tell a lie.”
“Ouch!”, SaysHillary, “I don’t know about that.”
The next night, the ghost of Thomas Jefferson appears, and Hillary asks,”How can I best serve my country?”
Jefferson says, “Listen to the people.”
“Ohm! I really don’t want to do that.”
On the third night, the ghost of Abe Lincoln appears, and Hillary asks,”How can I best serve my country?”
Lincoln says, “Go to the theater.”
–from Buckshot
SHRUNKER FXR FEATURE ON BIKERNET–That’s it, the final feature is up. It received more than ten articles over a two-year period and was featured in American Rider and American Motorcycle Dealer. Check it out. It’s a one of a kind and now it’s for Sale $35,000.
BURGER KING SUPPORTS OUR TROOPS IN IRAQ–Just found out that to give our troops a little taste of home, BURGER KING has opened an outlet on the base in KOSOVO!! And they’re NOT gouging on the prices, either!
I don’t know about you, but BURGER KING is soundin’ pretty damn good right now, and I think I’ll be eatin’ there a lot more often!
–Buckshot
WILD WEST RECEIVES RECOGNITION–Did you see Wild West on the History Channel this Wednesday (July 13th at 10:00pm Eastern & Pacific, 9:00pm Central, & 8:00pm Mountain) in the Extreme Bikes episode of AUTOMANIAC.
Hosted by pro wrestling and feature film star Bill Goldberg, AUTOMANIAC puts you in the driver’s seat of the coolest, hottest, fastest and most unusual vehicles ever to hit the road. AUTOMANIAC takes viewers into the garage, and out on the road to show how these amazing cars and motorcycles work and what makes them the hottest wheels of any era. The Extreme bikes episode features Wild West’s infamous Dragoon Chopper. Goldberg said he wanted the baddest Chopper around and that?s exactly what he found when he visited Wild West?s new manufacturing facility in San Diego, CA.
For more details and behind the scenes photography visit
Wild West Motor Company,
Tel: 858-547-9780 ext. 104
Fax: 858-547-9760
mailto:shane@wildwestmc.com
http://www.wildwestmc.com
KC CREATIONS TAKES ON V-TWIN MARKETING–Anaheim Hills, CA – KC Creations/Big Inch Bikes Mfg., an industry leading custom bike builder, has hired V-Twin Marketing as their agency of record. Kim Suter, CEO and founder of KC Creations stated, “We decided to go with V-Twin Marketing due to their marketing strengths, networking abilities among industry associates and their total dedication to the V-Twin market.” I had the opportunity to work with Rick when he was the Vice President of Weld Racing’s Motorcycle Division on the Master Builder Program that he developed and we have many of the same business philosophies. I know that this new relationship will prove to be beneficial for both of us”, concluded Suter.
The 2-Lo Magnum frame is 0″ up and 5″ out with a 40? rake and will fit the same tires as the Top Gun Chopper frame. Both of these frames can also be fitted with the new 260/18 Metzler tire. The 2-Lo Magnum softail frame and the Top Gun Chopper softail frame retail for $2995 and the hardtail versions retail for $1995. You can also buy either of these frames as a complete roller which include the following parts and accessories: frame, swingarm, gas tank, fenders, wheels, front end, handlebars, seat and oil tank. Both of the softail versions retail for $10,500 and the hardtail versions retail for $9,500.For further information, please contact KC Creations at (913) 642-3279, (800) 821-9560, or via fax at (913) 652-6712. To see the complete product line from KC Creations/Big Inch Bikes, please go http://www.kc-creations.com. For further information on V-Twin Marketing, please call 714-280-8537.
STEALTH REPORT FROM NC, SHOP OPENING–Last Saturday (7-9-05) we held our Grand Opening at STEALTH BIKE WORKS. Man the time has flew by the past couple of months. In some ways it seems like we just opened. The one thing that I have learned about having your own shop is how fast time passes. When you close the door for the day, you still have things to do. I am not complaining, in fact I enjoy it and I know all the work and long hours will pay off down the road.
We have added Max Brown to our staff. Max brings 30 years of experience to STEALTH BIKE WORKS. We are glad to have Max! The experience he brings covers everything from Knuckleheads to Twin Cams. So I guess we now have most of the bases covered.
Chopper John has been working on a one-off gas tank. It is not finished yet but as soon as it is I will send pictures. We are excited about the kind of things Chopper John can do!
Back to the Grand Opening. We provided food and music. We had a lot of old friends stop by and some people who just found out about STEALTH BIKE WORKS.
July 24th is the 7th Annual Run For Breath “In Memory of Justin Pullin.” The awards for the bike show are coming in and they are killer!
So The next couple of weeks should provide to busy around here. If you need any info on the 7th Annual RFB, Give us a call at STEALTH BIKE WORKS, 704 -882-0889.
Until next time, RIDE!
–STEALTHMAN
REDHILL CHARITY BIKE CHALLENGE–The custom motorcycle that Redhill Motorcycle Werxbuilt for the 2005 Colorado Motorcycle Swap Build Offwas raffled off to benefit the Tiny Tim Center, whichis located in Longmont. The winner was Jessie Bradleyfrom Vermont. She bought the winning ticket while shewas out here on a ski vacation.
The bike was a labor of love, with many sponsors andindividuals donating their time and/or money to helpfund the project. When all was said and done RedhillMotorcycle Werx donated over $15,000 to the Tiny TimCenter.
“We felt like raffling off the build off bikewas the right thing to do and we wanted the charity tobe a local so The Tiny Tim Center was a perfect fit.We would like to thank all of the people who helpedmake this happen, from all the employees in the shopto our loyal customers who sold tickets for us,without them we wouldn’t have been able to pull thisoff.” said Mercedes Ross owner of Redhill MotorcycleWerx. The bike was brought to the Tiny Tim Center?sannual charity event and the director of The Tiny TimCenter drew the winning ticket.
The Bike:The fenders, tank, oil bag, exhaust as well as a largeportion of the frame were hand-fabricated in the shopat Redhill by Scot Ross and his team of builders. Youcan be sure that you haven’t seen a bike like thisbefore. It has 127? engine assembled in house and thepaint, done by Phil Greff of Black Canyon Custom Paintis black with copper leaf and red striping. As withall of there bikes it is a head turner.
The Shop:Redhill Motorcycle Werx, located off Highway 66 inLyons, caters to all motorcycle enthusiasts, stockingeverything from t-shirts to transmissions. Thereexceptional service department has incorporated apower commander dynomometer and has an in house paintshop, Black Canyon Custom Paint. They haveparticipated in the Cherry Creek Arts Festival the”Art On Two Wheels Exhibit” for two consecutive years,bringing the art of motorcycles to the masses. Theywere recognized nationally in 2004 as a Dealernews Top100 motorcycle shop
MAJOR NEW PLAYER ENTERS CUSTOM MOTORCYCLE MARKET– MASURY, OHIO July 11, 2005 — Backed by a team of motorcycle and custom manufacturing veterans, highly regarded entrepreneur Gene Kirila today announced the launch of Hardbikes, a custom motorcycle manufacturer.
Hardbikes is unique because every bike it builds will be designed by a customer with the support of a Hardbikes-trained designer based at one of Hardbikes’ dealers. “Our customer designs the bike of his dreams, and we build it for him,” says Kirila.
Kirila has been recognized as a hero in manufacturing by Fortune Magazine. He has previous started and built three successful firms, all related in some way to custom manufacturing.
Bob Kay, of Biker’s Choice and American Iron Horse fame, will head up sales and marketing. Bruce Kasanoff, an expert in personalization, will be working alongside Kay. Bob McCollum will head up production. McCollum has worked with Gene before and has13 years of mass customization experience.
Cyril Batten, who has 40 years of engineering experience working around high performance engines, left a Chief Engineer position with Mercruiser to head up engineering for Hardbikes. Seth Rosenberg will head up finance with more than 20 years experience working with start-ups and market-leading firms. Mike Green will parlay his years of procurement experience with Chrome Specialties to build a solid supply chain for Hardbikes.
All Hardbikes dealers will have a Hardbikes Design Center on their showroom floor featuring a computer-aided design station, a Chopper fitment fixture and a Pro-Street fitment fixture. This will heighten the customer’s experience, by giving him or her a specific sense of how their new motorcycle will feel between their legs before they buy. You’ll witness this strategy come together on Bikernet.com
Hardbikes has created a comfort triangle formula that calculates an individual’s Hardrider? number, which dictates the relationship between footpeg, handlebar and seat position. The result will be a perfect fitting bike, every time.
Hardbikes will enter the market this year with 10 models using 6 different chassis configurations. The full line of bikes will be announced next month at Sturgis.
Hardbikes will build bikes that are designed by the riding public, but the firm’s dealers are playing a major role in designing the company itself. Hardbikes is committed to building a manufacturing process and selling system that will support the unique culture of the American V-Twin rider.
The new firm’s tagline is “Work hard, play harder.”
For more information contact: Bob Kay
mailto:bobkay@hardbikes.com
Hardbikes
7807 Addison RD. SE
Masury, OH 44383
Phone: 330-448-1119
Fax: 330-448-1130
Web: http://www.hardbikes.com
CROSS COUNTRY REPORT–I received a phone call yesterday from a friend who was riding cross country. It was basically to let me know they had arrived safely but did include a few mentions of interesting things that happened on the way.
One was she had a mechanical problem with her bike just outside of Phoenix AZ. As she was trying to get someone to stop and help over 30 motorcycles passed by and none of them stopped, though they All Waved as they went by. My first question was did you have out the distress signal that you need help? She answered Of Course, you taught me that a long time ago.
It appears that many riders do not know what that is especially some of the newer ones to the lifestyle. Placing a Helmet on the Ground Well To The Rear of The Motorcycle Near The Road So it is Clearly Visable has been a recognized signal that the rider needs assistance for as long as I can remember.
With Sturgis coming up as well as numerous other events around the country it might be a good time to let people know about this. But the disabled rider must also do their part because if riders stopped every time they saw some one sitting on the side of the road and it turned out they were taking a smoke break or draining their kidneys they would never make any time at all.
I realize that a lot of states do not have helmet laws but going interstate you will most likely run into those that do. I may be a good idea for the motorcycle society to also come up with another suitable signal for those that do not have helmets.
My suggestion of females topless was quickly shot down and I am not stopping for some dude with his equipment hanging out so How about asking people what they would think would be a good signal to notify others they need assistance ?
–Rogue
http://www.bikerrogue.com>
NEW VIEW TECH I SQUARE BILLET MIRRORS FROM JOKER MACHINE– VIEWTECH I mirrors have a small rectangular head for a minimalistic and custom look, but also provide EXCEPTIONAL rear visibility due to the use of OUR EXCLUSIVE custom-made CONVEX mirror glass.
Unique “Pocketed” aircraft milling design along the stem for lightness.
VIEWTECH mirror stems and heads are completely CNC machined from billet aluminum(not cast),light-weight,strong,and fully adjustable in every direction to fit just about everyone.
Once the mirror is positioned, a simple twist of a wrench keeps them at your desired tension setting right where you want them, unlike the competition’s non-adjustable designs that fail with time.
Swivel post assembly is completely serviceable and is machined from stainless-steel alloy to ensure corrosion free operation.
Available in show chrome or HARD black anodized finishes.
A direct bolt-on fit for late model Harley hand controls (including V-Rod) and most aftermarket hand controls.
Also available in round, ViewTech II style.
CUSTOM BIKE BUILDER BOOT CAMP– an exciting and exceptionally well organized project is well on its way to becoming recognized as “Bike Builder University,” and for good reason. The first semester of this innovative program was such a huge success that second and third BOOT CAMPS have been expanded and upgraded substantially to handle the growing number of applicants.
CUSTOM BIKE BUILDERS BOOT CAMP #2 will be an all inclusive, high intensity training program held this September 29 through October 1 in Pomona, California. KICK STAND PRODUCTIONS, the event organizers, have locked down a block of rooms at the up scale Shilo Hotel located just minutes for the Camp site.
Why Pomona? KICK STAND put together an elaborate program with non other than PRO-ONE MANUFACTURING. That’s right, PRO-ONE will be hosting the classes at their huge facility which is also located in Pomona. With their massive in house machine, manufacturing and assembly capabilities, PRO-ONE technicians, BOOT CAMP instructors and some of the industries most prominent designers and builders will provide students with class room presentations and hands on instruction covering virtually every aspect of designing and building a custom motorcycle. Classroom style presentations providing insight and guidelines for operating a custom shop include a wide variety of subjects including but not limited to:
Business building and development guidelines
Architectural and Engineering parameters
Bike builder’s tool identification and requirements
Appraisals
Insurance
Legal issues
Tech sessions
And much, much more!
The three day program will open with an itinerary and program “prep course” at the hotel conference facility. This will be followed by an intensive “factory classroom/workshop” at the PRO-ONE facility. Attendees will follow fabrication of several different style customs from the ground up and be encouraged to interact with PRO-ONE and BOOT CAMP technicians. Numerous breakout segments will provide valuable information on topics covering frame design and fabrication, belt drives, custom drive line integration and other relevant issues. This will all culminate with the presentation of Biker Boot Camp Degrees and Certificates of completion.
All students will be provided with a wallet full of “Discount Bike Builder Bucks” which can be used for products at the PRO-ONE Factory Store and a “goody bag” jam packed with all kinds of cool stuff! Additionally the promoter will provide daily lunches and transportation between the host hotel and PRO-ONE facility. Provisions have been made for the hotel to provide a daily full buffet breakfast prior to class start times.
If you’re interested in entering one of the most prestigious, exciting and gratifying professions catering to a lifestyle and clientele like no other, CUSTOM BIKE BUILDER BOOT CAMP will provide you with the tools for sure fire success.
The September course is filling fast with applicants from all over the U.S. and as far away as Asia and Europe, so get off the couch and call KICKSTAND PRODUCTIONS at 800-346-9266. This may just be the most important call you’ll ever make. For an in dept overview of the programs content check the web at www.custombikebuildersbootcamp.com
READER’S SHOWCASE BIKE–Bandit – kick ass work you have done to the mags. Would love to see my bike in the reader?s rides.
We would love to see your scoot featured on Bikernet in the Reader’s Showcase area. It’s a department where you can post your own feature, tell your story, or replay tech tips.
For years Joann Bortels of Crazyhorse paint was the Reader’s Showcase editor in exchange for Bikernet advertising. She’s gone on to be featured in several magazines and to write paint technique books for MotorBooks international. We’re looking for a new Reader’s Showcase editor. Drope me a line, if you’re interested.-Bandit@bikernet.com
WELD RACING ANNOUNCES NEW PRODUCTS–Kansas City, MO- Weld Racing’s Motorcycle Division recently announced the addition of 2 new products to round out their billet line of brakes. Weld’s new patent pending Pulley/Rotor Brake System incorporates a state-of-the-art heat resistant coating found on the inside of the rotor ring, where it connects to the pulley, not on the braking surface, in order to bleed heat away from the drive belt. Weld also found that by using this hi-tech coating, the brake pedal pulsation commonly associated with similar competitor’s products is completely eliminated or greatly reduced, giving you smoother, constant “stopping power.” The Pulley Brake is available in both 65 and 70 tooth, narrow (1 1/8″) and wide (1 _”) configurations.
Mark Finnie, Vice President and GM of Weld’s Motorcycle Division has been the driving force behind the expansion of their brake line. Mark Finnie stated, “We have always been an innovator in everything that we design and manufacture and our new Pulley/Rotor Brake System is no exception. We tested every type of coating available to make our new Pulley Brake setup superior to others.” “The pulley/rotor can be ordered separately, or as a complete system including the caliper and the bracket with the pulley designed to match the wheel, in left or right drive side,” Finnie added.
The complete system comes with the pulley with the attached brake rotor rings, pulley mounting hardware, pulley/brake bracket, anchor rod (with hardware), centering spacer and weld-on tab. (Brake line not included) The complete system retails for $1344 in polished and $1495 in chrome.
Weld has also introduced their new Driveside Brake System that tucks the brake rotor behind the pulley for a clean, custom look and will fit on stock Harley-Davidson Softail bikes with a very few minor modification and is perfect for all custom applications. This brake system is available for 65 and 70 tooth pulleys, both wide (1 _”) and narrow (1 1/8″) configurations. This totally new and unique brake system was specifically designed to work exclusively with Weld wheels, rotors and brake calipers. This system comes complete with caliper, driveside bracket, weld on tabs, centering spacer and all related hardware. (Brake line not included) and is available for left or right side drive fitments. The complete system retails for $649 in polished and $699 in chrome.
Please call 866-753-4289 to receive Weld Racing Motorcycle’s ’05 catalog (TELL ‘EM BIKERNET SENT YA) featuring their complete line of wheels, rotors, pulleys, sprockets, billet calipers and apparel or visitwww.weldmotorcycle.com on the internet. Weld Motorcycle, 6600 Stadium Drive, Kansas City, Mo. 64129
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