It was about to be one of those dark and stormy nights mystery writers enjoy, except it was going to include the daytime as well, not much fun when you’re planning to putt to the Pomona County Fairgrounds/L.A. Fairplex to ogle the forest of chrome and billet that sprouts annually around January, better known as the Easyriders V-Twin Bike Show Tour 2008.
An Arctic storm of semi-mythic proportions was hammering Northern California, we SoCalers battening down the hatches and rummaged for rain gear as the dark clouds foamed on the horizon. While we all nod our heads and say, great, we need the rain for our parched soil and the ski resorts in the mountains need the snow, but why this weekend? Well, like the mailman who crams my copy of Home Quilting and Ammo Magazine into my tiny mailbox, neither rain, nor sleet nor snow will keep me from my appointed rounds of bike shows for Bikernet.com, the Pomona ER show included.
As Thor would have it, not one single raindrop blanched my camera lens, albeit the skies portended havoc, at least not until the very last ten minutes before I reached home after attending the show during which time the heavens belched fully upon me and my bike. In any case, what’s really important to Bandit and you readers are that my photos went unscathed. Even now as I squat naked in front of my ten-inch square floor heater trying to prevent hypothermia, my rain soaked gear steaming nearby, I pen this hot off the press report. Yes, the show must go on.
As you may or may not know, or even care for that matter, every year Easyriders launches a multi-city series of bike shows, this go around including the lead off event held in Pomona, CA and then moving on to Vancouver, WA (near Portland), Sacramento, CA, Charlotte, NC, Memphis, TN, Dallas, TX and finishing up in Columbus, OH for the end of the series invitational where the winners of the previous shows face off in the final competition to name the top dogs in the industry.
The show bike competition is divided into two categories, The Judged Class and Spectator Class (aka People’s Choice), the ballots scored by scions of the industry and the public respectively. In addition there’s the Pro Class Division, the winners then going on to have a chance of being selected as one of the six 2009 Centerfold Tour Master Builders, an Easyriders production. At this Pomona shindig, celeb bike builders and winners of last year’s Pro Class Division included Jerry Burrows of Roadhawgs, Shannon Davidson of the The Chopp Shop, The Detroit Bros., Christian Dotson of Dotson Designs, Jaxon Fyffe of Wild Card Customs and Tevelen Rabanal of Super Company Customs.
Up on stage spectators were distracted from the acres of bikes and vendors by the choreographed musical performances of the Purrfect Angelz as well as a fashion show and live bands. Meanwhile I was making my own music trolling through the cavernous Fairplex building where as usual the level of design, creativity and craftsmanship poured into the wild spectrum custom bikes left indelible images and no small measure of wonderment at what for my money is the most dynamic artform going. Bottom line all the bikes were winners. With “Spectator Class” ballot in hand, I went about picking my personal favorite, bikes and vendors, as follows. And that would include big jugs, six guns and a Bentley.
Despite the cold and rainy weather outside, inside the LA Fairplex the bikes were flaming hot.
Speaking of flames, as seen in the Spectator Class was one of the most rad customs of the event, a bike built by Nakama Customs and called “El Clasico Loco” obviously with good reason.
The trophy stand took a whole display unto itself.Winners also got major gift certificates not to mentionplenty of promotional magazine coverage.
Eric Beck of 50’s Boy, Inc., located in Simi Valley got my vote for best Vendor Display. (www.50sBoy.com)
Kevin Alsop’s crew from Big Bear Choppers takesup position behind one of BBC’s new production custom baggers.
Christian Dotson’s work of art featured radical “forkless” leafspring front suspension and a mouthwatering engine displayed as part of the Easyriders Centerfold Tour Master Builders 2008. The bike previously won the America’s Most Beautiful Motorcycle award at the Grand National Roadster Show and top honors at the San Francisco Rod, Custom and Motorcycle Show.
Tom Hicks of world’s largest Triumph and Ducati (and Victory) dealership poses with a friend of his three Brea, CA shops. Several custom Triumphs appeared in the show including….
Jamie Noteboom’s Triumph is called “Rose” and it is a bouquet of custom parts built by her husband Kutty at his shop Hippy Killer Garage where he builds cars and bikes. More info at kutty@hippykiller.com.
Juan Salcedo of JS Custom Choppers built “El Bandido” with lots of sumptuous hand-tooled leather and plenty of ammo for his Colt six-guns.
Some serious jugs were found on “The Secret Weapon” built by Chopperdaves Casting Co. located in Long Beach, CA and featuring a BYC frame stuffed with the new S&S X-Wedge engine. Chopperdaves also makes a line of way cool original Old School bike parts. More info at www.chopperdaves.com.
Got Bentley? Vic fell in love with the Bentley GT when it first appeared and decided he’d have a two-wheeled version including Bentley “Cypress” paint and correct leather upholstery and “grill’ set between the front downtubes. The Bentley tank badges were $400 a pop.
Jack Daniels officially commissioned the Las Vegas-based Alley Rat Custom Cycles to “distill” this 100-proof theme bike complete with Jack Daniel shotglasses as velocity stacks. Details include a “cork” gas cap. More info at www.alleyratcustomcycles.com.
Well, a shot of Jack would be appropriate at this time. Til the next go around with more of my picks and pix, here’s a toast and Best Regards for a Great 2008.
