Bikernet Banner

11th Annual Indian Larry Grease Monkey Block Party

By Bandit | May 31, 2024
 
 
Well folks, it’s early Sunday morning, the night after the 11th Annual Indian Larry Grease Monkey Block Party, and once again, Stellar weather, swarms of great & unusual people, incredible custom motorcycles, atmosphere, and on and on and on.
 
 
 
 
Way too much to say in a simple post. What I will attempt to do here is walk you through my day, even if just with a handful of images, and after editing, I will post the remaining hundreds of images and video in our galleries. ALSO, PLEASE TAKE NOTE: WE “HOUSE OF CHOPPERS MAGAZINE / BIKERPICS.ORG will be donating .50 cents of All subscribers to our $1.99 galleries directly to the AIDAN JACK SEEGER FOUNDATION, which is the purpose for all of this madness.
 
 
 
 
So here we go, the day through my eyes. 

As you all may know, or not, I am not only a long term Photographer in the Motorcycle Industry shooting for my site BIKERPICS.ORG and our internal magazine, HOUSE OF CHOPPERS MAGAZINE, BIKERNET.COM, and BIKERNETBAGGERS.COM, I am also a partner in the company of Johnny Mac’s Chopper House, just outside of Philadelphia, PA.
 
 
 
 
On the maiden voyage of our new RV and trailer, where do we decide to go first? The extremely tight streets of Brooklyn, NY to the 11th Annual Indian Larry Grease Monkey Block Party.
 
 
 

Indian Larry was born in New York and was interested in mechanics from a very early age. Indian Larry’s inspiration was 50’s – 60’s motorcycle clubs, Ed “Big Daddy Roth” and the legendary Von Dutch.  The skilled machinist, metal-sculptor and master motorcycle mechanic has won countless custom shows, was featured in Motorcycle Mania with Jesse James, participated in motorcycle racing, and originated the hard-core motorcycle style – a blend between classic choppers and hotrod race bikes.

 
 

Indian Larry’s resume includes movie, video, television, and magazine spreads. His eccentric nature combined with a unique and colorful appeal has gathered great interest from media, producing a fanatic fan base. Indian Larry starred in four episodes of the Biker Build-Off series which aired on the Discovery Channel. His personality and uniqueness has translated to people across the world.
 
 
 
 
Indian Larry’s passing in August, 2004 was a tremendous loss for the motorcycle industry and all whom he touched. His vision and craftsmanship lives on in his incredible motorcycles, such as Wild Child and Daddy O. He has been added to the list of American icons, whose clarity on life and the dedication to knowledge affected countless people.
 
 
 
 
There are currently two books written on Indian Larry, one in which “Chopper Shaman” compares him to a mythical creature not of this world and another “Indian Larry” which is a photo history of some of his work and character.
 
 
 
After Larry’s untimely passing in August 2004 his friends and partners Bobby and Elisa Seeger continued Indian Larry’s dream of a custom motorcycle shop creating ride able works of art along with a parts and clothing line. Bobby, close friends with Larry for many years and his wife Elisa started working with Indian Larry in 2002.
 
 
 
Bobby was responsible for marketing and public relations and Elisa his business manager. Along with Bobby and Elisa, there is a dedicated team to ensure quality in every bike, part and clothing item, Honoring Indian Larry’s spirit.
 
 
 
 
 
I.L. Forever!
 
 
Click for website
Click for website
 
 
 
Read More →

2014 Motorcycle Cannonball Run – Part Two

By Bandit | May 31, 2024
 
 
98 Competitors on 1936 and earlier motorcycles, 265 people total (support crew and staff) 3 days of prep (1300 miles)- 17 days cross country from Daytona, FL to Tacoma , WA and 2000 miles to get home.


All of the following blog posts by Vicki are from mc-rag.com, Rider Activity Guide. Many thanks to mc-rag.com for letting us share these fascinating blog postings.  “The most powerful free app for finding and listing motorcycle events”

 
 

Day Nine: 9/14/14 – Burlington, CO to Golden, CO

Being in 3 different hotels can make the group a little fractured but everyone gathers at one hotel in the morning for the competitors to sign in.
 
It was cool and foggy again but nothing like the day before when we left in heavy fog and barely 40 degrees!  Layers are the key since we expect the sun to come out and warm us up with a forecast of 80 degrees.  I did my usual routine of leaving 5 minutes after the group, catching up to them and then stopping to check on any motorcyclist that was pulled over along the road.  If I get too far ahead I just spend more time at a gas stop visiting with people until things clear out.  
 
Dottie Mattern #43 is the only female rider who has made all of her miles so far!  She is riding her 1926 Indian Scout and is a cancer survivor (12 years) and 70 years old!  What a woman.  
 
 
 
I stopped to check on Terry Richardson #101 who had found a nice place to park his bike near a closed liquor store.  His chain guard was falling off so he had to remove his saddle bag and zip tie the guard back up.  Terry is from Kansas and rides a 1932 H-D VL.  He told me that he has 4 children and 7 grandchildren.  He was very surprised when his wife brought nearly all of them to Junction City. 
 
 
The ride across Eastern Colorado is flat but I’m enjoying seeing this great country from the back roads!  Today was the first time we’ve had to jump on an interstate for about 40 miles.  It gave me time to take some pics since i could hang in the left lane.  We’ve started to climb in elevation and some of the bikes don’t like that too much.  We’ll soon be at a lunch stop and people can check on their bikes there.  For miles we could see Pike’s Peak looming in the distance.  
 

 

Lunch was at Rocky Mountain H-D upstairs by their museum.  AMCA member Jim Wear’s son was playing a saxophone while the Son’s of Silence were parking bikes. Interesting stop!  The afternoon took us through the Garden of the Gods and then Hwy 24 through the mountains.  Then we cut through Hwy 126 to 285.  The mountain climbs were hard on these old bikes and I found Kelly Modlin and Rowdy Schneck along side the road letting their bikes cool off.
 
 
I stopped at a scenic turn out and proceeded down the mountain.  At the bottom was a sharp decreasing radius curve with a beautiful stream to the left.  I saw two bikes to the right and slowed down, they waved me in.  One of them had gone off the road and was standing there in pain but talking to me.  As we chatted it became apparent that an ambulance ride would be a good idea.  Since we had no cell service I flagged a car down and asked them to call 911 as soon as they could get a signal.  I followed the ambulance to the hospital (a 55 minute drive) and stayed until after dark, missing the evening party at David Uhl’s Studio.  It sounded fabulous but you’ll have to go get pics at www.motorcyclecannonball.com  
 
 
 
I was so happy to see my dear friend Diva Amy Skaling tonight when I got to the hotel. She brightens any room.  I had two more people to see but she helped me get my bags and made me feel like maybe I too have an entourage!  
 
Tomorrow: Golden Colorado to Grand Junction, CO via Loveland Pass (12,000 ft) YIKES! 

 
 

Day Ten: 9/15/14 – Golden, CO to Grand Junction, CO

Today we got up before dawn for an early departure. Some of my ASM instructors, Magda and Voytek joined us for the morning ride and Diva Amy was eager and ready for the mountain passes that are in her old stomping grounds.
 
 

The elevations were expected to be challenging today as we climbed from 4700 feet to 12,000 feet going over Loveland pass. You could feel the anxiety of the riders as they had prepared their bikes for the steep climbs and changes in air fuel mixture. We only went about 4 miles this morning before the first bike was pulled over along side the road. Sweep, Dave Jones was there so we carried on. We road past David Uhl’s Gallery on the way out. I heard that I missed a spectacular party the night before!
 
 

The route out of town took us through Clear Creek Canyon, It was cool and shady as well as beautiful! We stopped to see if we could help Paul Ousey #83 who was pulled over in the Canyon. He was just not getting enough gas and was on the phone with a mechanic. Eventually he limped the bike near Highway 70 and pulled over again to check the fuel filter (screen). Unfortunately that did not help and we left him roadside since we had fallen pretty far behind. A chase vehicle runs behind the group and picks up bikes that are not running. The rider has 20 minutes to make a decision about getting on the ‘Bus of Shame’ and putting their bike on the trailer. We were so excited to see Paul come roaring in to our gas stop. YEAH!!!!!
 
 

As we headed for Loveland pass we saw a group of riders from Iron Dinosaur pulled over 2 miles before our exit. There was a State Trooper there but we were pretty sure they weren’t speeding. We found one of the riders on his knees struggling with Altitude related issues. I had forgotten that I had some compressed air (inhalant) in my bike. We waited while he used that inhalant, drank water and acclimated. He wanted to continue so we escorted the crew to Loveland Pass. Triumphant! There was nowhere to park at Loveland to get a picture so we continued on to Tennessee Pass for a picture there.
 
 

The colors of the trees, the sky, water and grass were breathtaking. The roads were twisty and challenging, but fun. Our next stop was Leadville, the highest incorporated city in the USA at 10,152 feet. The Elks Club hosted a brunch for us while the bikes were on display. A little girl was fascinated with ‘Buddy’, Cris Simmon’s bike.
 
 

Once we got down from those higher elevations we stopped at a gas station were we chatted with Mike Bell #41 from Texas. He said that he was a 73 year old riding a 91 year old cross country. Now how do you like that! It reminded me that I needed to call my Dad, Glen Roberts and wish him a happy birthday since he turned 79 today! The riders at the gas station all wished him Happy Birthday in unison and he got to visit with Diva Amy who he remembers fondly.
 
The afternoon got hot and we saw scattered showers and experienced some ‘Blow by’ with high winds. Hwy 6 wound to the north and then to the south allowing riders to stay off the interstate as much as possible.
 
 

Today was relatively uneventful from a medical standpoint but the trailers brought 12 bikes in to the Grand Junction Harley-Davidson dealership. That was the highest number since day one. Grand Junction served us a great meal catered by Famous Dave’s and then we headed back to the hotel where we’re all together tonight with the parking lot set up for wrenching.

It’s fun to run around the lot seeing what people are doing and of course there are parties all over. Thanks Team Vino for the hospitality!

Tomorrow: Springville, UT and Jeff Decker’s Studio!
Only 6 more days of this fascinating journey.
 

 
 

Day Eleven: 9/16/14 – Grand Junction, CO to Springville, UT

As the riders left the Doubletree Hotel this morning many looked tired. Some had been up most of the night fixing their motorcycles from the strain of the higher elevations. A few who had been out for a few days were back and they were excited to be back on the course. We all enjoyed being at the same hotel. We were up at 5:15 preparing for the 7:00 am start. Caffeine! Where is Bean’re? He’s got some mighty fine Vietnamese coffee!
 

As Diva and I left the hotel (5 minutes after the group left) we realized that it was much warmer in front of the hotel! We pulled over at a gas station to add more layers and ran across some of the riders, including Craig Jackman #82 from California. I had met him the 2nd day of the ride when he hit an oil slick and put his bike down. He was wearing a pair of white pants and he explained to me that he intended to see how dirty they would get on this ride. Well he is doing a marvelous job of getting them very dirty! We also ran across some of the Iron Dinosaur crew who mentioned the rain and mud they ran through the day before, yep, evidence of that escapade was all over their bikes!
 
Today’s elevations were expected to be 3900 to 7500 feet. That was pretty reasonable compared to the previous day where we got to 12,000 feet. There was no hosted lunch today so that meant we could make better time and hopefully get to Jeff Decker’s studio by 3:30 – 4:00 pm.
 

We were going to have to do quite a bit of Interstate.  Though the bikes were only doing an average 45-50 mph it helped not having to stop and start so much.  I was pleased to see that we reached mile marker 25 and I had not seen a bike along side the road.   When we got to mile marker 38, however, there was a rider pulled over.  Kelly Modlin, #24 from Kansas, was pulling his carburetor off his bike.  His bike seized up so he thought he would try another carburetor and he just happened to have a spare!  I flagged down Dave Jones who is more mechanically inclined and continued up the interstate taking pictures of riders whenever possible.
 
 

It’s natural to look at the landscape in Utah and think about the Wild West. Seeing the antique bikes crossing the arid and rugged land I could imagine the dirt roads they used to have to travel and how even finding fuel many years ago could be difficult.  I took a deep breath and smelled something dry and spicy.  Sage?  Weeds?
 

We turned off of the interstate on Hwy 128 and entered the Colorado Recreational area.   Wowsa!!!!  What a beautiful area that is!!!  The red rock formations followed the river. We stopped with some of the guys for pictures and then figured we’d best get going. Suddenly we were stopped by a police officer.  They were closing the road so they could move a movie prop on a large trailer.  It was a train car with actors and actresses in it!   Warner Brothers was filming a movie!
 
 

After leaving MOAB we found ourselves on a dry and hot stretch that took us to Green River for lunch.  We waited there for a while to fall to the back of the pack again.  We had run out of water so we bought 7 more for the next leg.  Good thing since it was a really hot stretch and we gave all of them out too!

We arrived in Springville, Utah at a reasonable time with no medical incidents to report.  5 bikes were hauled in today on the trailer.  32 of the competitors are still tied in points and 16 have dropped out leaving 82 on the course.
 
 

We had a wonderful treat in Springville as we got to visit Jeff Decker’s Studio called “Hippodrome”.  It was fascinating and so kind of him to open his place up for so many people.  Jeff’s wife was busy making fruit infused water.  Jeff opened a locked room for us to see his collection of vests and jackets.  No pictures were allowed.
 

From the Decker Studio we went to the Legends Vintage Motorcycles.  They had a band, fed us the best meal so far and even gave all of us T-Shirts! Diva’s family came to join us for the evening.  It was a celebration.  Time to go edit 191 pictures that I took today, do laundry and write my blog.  We get to sleep in tomorrow with a 7:30 am start!

Tomorrow: Bonneville Salt Flats.

 
 
 

Day Twelve: 9/17/14 – Springville, UT to Elko, NV

This morning came early.  I set the alarm but decided to lay down for just a few minutes.  Fortunately I awoke 45 minutes later but it meant I needed to get moving!  I did my little routine getting my clothes to the trailer and having breakfast, then went outside to see the riders off.  I chatted with the staff and then asked where everyone was.  They said “They all left already!”  Apparently the event coordinator told people to leave as early as they could, I just didn’t get the message.  Diva and I scrambled to get packed up, get gas and go.  I figured we would catch up with some of the riders on the first major hill.
 

The first 22 miles was through town with many stop lights.  We started seeing bikes along the side of the road at mile marker 8.  The air was cool. We got to a recommended gas stop at the edge of town and pulled in.  Buzz Kanter #15 was adjusting his clutch plates because they were slipping.  He was the 4th person we had seen pulled over.  Paul Ousey #83 is his riding partner and we heard a rumor that it was his birthday so we wished him happy birthday and he commented that there was no where else he’d rather be.  Well, it’s still early!
 
 

We headed out of town on Hwy 73 and then started taking some country roads.  After crossing a cattle bridge we got to Mormon Trail Road.  I will never forget it.  There were about 10 of us that were stopped for construction.  There was a weird sign that said “Road Damage Ahead”.  We waited for the flag person to give us the ‘Slow’ sign.  The road was torn up with pot holes, loose gravel, rocks and sand.  It was like dirt biking with the rear tire spinning in the sand.  The bikes bounced and shook and all of us shuddered as we made our way through the mile of construction that felt like 5 miles!  Other than some broken parts and missing screws I didn’t hear of anyone going down or having any major catastrophe’,  but it certainly was a topic of conversation at the next gas stop.
 
 

 

Next stop: Gas and water before the salt flats.  I bandaged a finger on Big Swede #76 and off we went.  It was about 85-90 degrees so we got lucky. The salt flats are interesting.  The salt looks like snow.  The speed limit on I-80 is 80 mph so the trucks and cars were whizzing past the bikes that were doing about 45-50 mph.  We got about 10 miles from Bonneville and saw someone pulled over.  It was birthday boy Paul Ousey #83.  His battery had died.  Diva waved down Randy Aron #13 who just happened to have a battery.  He freaked us out when he did a U-turn and went the wrong way on I-80 for a moment.  Paul was so glad to see him.
 

Michael Lichter was taking a staged photo at Bonneville Speedway.  It was hot but a bit of a breeze saved everyone.  The picture took nearly an hour to stage and shoot. Everyone was ready for some shade, food and drink when they were done!
 
 

Leaving Bonneville, we crossed into Nevada.  There was a long uphill climb that took out a few riders, though some got their bikes going again!  One of them was Scott Byrd #25.  I called for a pick up and left him with some water.  Later, when he pulled in to the finish for the day I nearly jumped up and down to see hat he had gotten all of his points!  We had watched him struggle all day but he did it!  Later Scott told me that he was riding for his sister that he never knew.  She was his parents first born and died after two days.  He remembered visiting her grave and always wondered what life might have been like if he had a sister or was not the oldest child.  Her name was ‘Kimberly’ and Scott had it painted on his tank.  He rides every day in remembrance of the sister he never knew.  What a guy… Go Scott!!!!
 
 

It was 7 miles from our ending point when my friend, Thomas Hayes from Ireland blew a tire.  I gave him a bottle of water and escorted his friend from France to the hotel.  The sky was looking a bit ominous with bolt lightening and rain obviously headed our way.  The wind picked up and a dust storm preceded the rain.  The rest of the evening was beautiful.  Sunset, from California joined Diva and I as we toured the parking lot enjoying the escapades of the day with our many new friends.  Someone mentioned that the Cannonball is like a band of gypsies.  I guess it’s a little like that!

 
 
 

Day Thirteen: 9/18/14 – Elko, NV to Meridian, ID

We awoke to dry weather and a beautiful sunrise. It was great that we were all together at the same hotel.  Many of the bikes had been revived overnight and people are happy that they were riding off the interstate today.  I greeted Hans Coertse #35 from South Africa who is in the lead with the most points and the oldest bike.  His support team was there to see him off.  At our gas stop as we left town the locals pointed out that the front page article in their newspaper was about the Cannonball Run.   Just then the Spaniard who was featured in the article (#58 Francisco Tirado) walked into the station. 
 
 
 
We didn’t get too far before we came upon the first breakdown at mile marker 9.  Two people were there wrenching their bikes on the pavement, wet from a storm that rolled through earlier.   As we got further into the canyon the temperature started to drop so people were pulling over to add layers or rain gear.  It was a bit hard to tell who needed help and who didn’t. A German rider #26 was trying to get his 1916 H-D going and another rider stopped to push start his bike.  More and more riders started to gather to help him out.  I watched the passing traffic, which was going much too fast!  Once the bike started Thomas took off and just kept going.  Robb Kraft #72  was having trouble getting his bike to kick over, then Doug Wothke #88 stopped to help so I left.  I  stopped again only a few miles later with Pat Simmons #100. 
 

 

I was surprised to find so many people at our lunch stop at the Duck Valley Indian Reservation Deli, Gas and Grocery.  Diva Amy and Sunset had run ahead and joined the riders as well.  It was fun and the deli was cute.  The sky was hazy and we found out that it was from the California Wildfires over 120 miles away.  We could smell the hint of smoke.  Must be some big fires!
 
 
 
After lunch as we started down the road I came upon #80, Shimyra Kimura who was working on his 1915 Indian Chief, I called for a pick up and then continued on my way.  I suddenly felt a rumble which I thought was the sound of a semi crossing the center line.  I was surprised and ducked as I moved to the right side of the lane.  To my surprise the rumble came from a fighter jet which promptly turned left and disappeared.  The rest of the afternoon was uneventful.  The ground was flat and dry and the temperature was warming up.
 
 
 
We made our way into Meridian to High Desert Harley-Davidson where we had a catered dinner of meat loaf, garlic mashed potatoes with parmesan and lettuce salad.  It was hot by now (88 degrees). Two of my ASM Instructors, Trish and Cindy, came to visit. 
 
 
 
Time to wrap today up with a bike wash!  As usual we perused the hotel parking lot chatting with the mechanics.  
 
Only 3 more days!

 
 
[page break]
 
 

Day Fourteen: 9/19/14 – Meridian, ID to Lewiston, ID

The reason the Cannonball is called an endurance run is becoming more evident every day.  With only 3 days to go the grind of the past 13 days as well as the days of preparation and travel are taking their toll. The group is still focused but they are obviously tired.  Still, everyone who can ride is out before dawn today even if it is just to ride with the others, complete their personal goals or support those who are still in the competition.  The first riders (class one) left at 6:45 am including Hans Cortese #35 from South Africa who is currently in first place.
 
 
At mile marker three I saw the first rider pulled over.  As I got nearer I could see it was a rider I had helped the day before, #26, “The Frankfurter” ridden by Thomas Trapp from Germany who was in 5th place.  He said he had called for a pick up.  His magneto was kaput and he would have to take a ride on the bus of shame.  I offered to run back to camp to get parts, push his bike, ANYTHING to get him back on the road but he said it was not an option.  I felt the lump in my throat grow bigger.  So sorry!  At mile marker 16 I saw Pat Simmons #100 heading back to camp and just 2 miles later Greg McFarland, #73.  He had broken down the day before and they worked hard to get him back up and going including a new carburetor but his bike had no power.  He was discouraged and told me to go ahead.  Later I saw him putt past my gas stop purring like a kitten. YEAH!!!!
 
 
 
I don’t think anyone was prepared for the next 60 miles.   It was beautiful as we rode through the Peyette River Canyon.  The only problem was that it was freezing cold!  One person mentioned that they had a digital thermometer that registered 40 degrees.  As riders exited the canyon in Cascade, ID they gathered at a gas station to warm up.   They were using the heat lamps for the sandwiches to warm their hands. While my chin was so cold I could hardly talk I knew that I had no right to complain.  I was in awe of these hearty souls, many with no windshield or protection! They warmed up and carried on.
 
 
 
Just down the road another 30 miles was McCall, a quaint touristy town on Payette Lake.  There were many choices of little restaurants to have lunch.  I chose “My Father’s Place” and enjoyed a chicken sandwich with Scott and Sharon Jacobs, Cris Simmons and Jim Petty.  Of course we chose to sit outside in the sun where we warmed up nicely. 
 
 
 
The afternoon was just as beautiful with minimal issues.  Dave Jones was helping Vinnie Grasser #95 so I carried on and Stu Surr #110 from the United Kingdom was waiting for a pick up with his 1926 Rudge. There was no cell service so we chatted for a while about his experience on the Cannonball and how much fun he has had so far.
 
 
 
For many miles I was riding alone.  The color of the trees were changing as we continued north through Hell’s Canyon Recreational area. The smell of the dry leaves and pine trees was delightful as the sunshine continued to warm the air to nearly 80 degrees.  The riders were challenged but enjoyed a ride that took them up Whitebird summit via switchbacks.  We gathered in Grangeville at a gas stop.  The next 40 miles took us across a starkly different terrain. We wandered through wheat fields and I think I saw the largest and tallest Dirt Devil I’ve ever seen but there were many.  One person said they saw one of them cross the road.  Again, gas stations were fun as we all gathered to talk about what we had seen.
 
 
We arrived in Lewiston, our ending destination, a bit early for a change due to a time change to Pacific time where we gained an hour. Hell’s Canyon Harley-Davidson was packed with locals who were there to look at the bikes. It was fun to watch their reactions as they visited with the riders. 

 
 

Day Fifteen: 9/20/14 – Lewiston, ID to Yakima, WA

Some of the excitement is returning to the ride as people realize how close we are to being done with this amazing cross country endurance run. Hans Cortese from South Africa continues to maintain 1st place with his 1924 Indian Scout. Since I run the back of the pack I have never seen him out on the course. Hans is very steady and takes minimal breaks, never stopping for lunch. I found him and wished him well this morning, asking for a picture before he is mobbed tomorrow!
 
 
 
We started out of town, climbing a sweeping hill. By mile marker 2 we had 3 people break down. Vinnie Grasser #95 and Ryan Allen #29 were able to get their bikes going again. By mile marker 15 there were two more bikes pulled over. Ryan is riding a 1929 scout and his fuel line ruptured. He used some tubing and hose clamps to  splice the area.  He mentioned that he needed to calm down so I sang a verse of the Panhead blues to him (with his permission), and off he went!
 

 

The weather was beautiful with mostly blue skies and a cool but tolerable temperature.  It was warming up fast! I had heard that there was not much to look at, but I disagree the terrain was beautiful!  A tumbleweed rolled in front of me and I thought that it looked like something you would not want to get hung up in your bike.  At mile marker 96 I found Ryan again but this time he suspected his problem was his oil pump.  He decided it was time to take a ride and luckily Kelly Modlin had decided to drive the course with his converted ambulance support vehicle on the route.  He picked Ryan up.  At mile marker #96 I found Stu Surr #110 pulled over with his 1926 Rudge.  He said he was just cooling the bike off.  I saw him pouring water on the pipes as I left.
 
 
 
I pulled into a gas station in Pasco for gas and lunch.  Immediately I had a couple of people run up to me.  Apparently one of the participants, Buzz,  had been stung by a bee or had a rock hit him in the mouth.  The left side of his lip and face were swollen.  I could see a dot where he was likely stung. He said he was not having any trouble breathing so I had him take a Zyrtec and continue placing ice on the area.  It did not take long at all and the swelling was coming down.  We waited another 20 minutes and I took off.  Once I got 10-15 miles away I pulled over and watched for Buzz to come by and make sure he was OK.  Later I found him roadside were he was having a problem shifting his bike.  Only 20 miles from the end today.  What a day!
 
 
Our afternoon took us through the vineyards and apple orchards with Mount Rainier in the background.  It smelled so good! We were taken on quite the adventure, even doubling back.  The course marshals were there at one point making sure all riders were accounted for.  I pulled over to take a picture of some of the riders who were riding topless, LOL.  I understand they had been with Michael Lichter (photographer) who took pictures of them swimming in the snake river.
 
 
 
We had a dinner and motorcycles were on display this evening at Owen’s Cycle.  My friend, Todd Strobl was there waiting for me when I got in an hour late. They were all out of meat and drinks so I headed back to the hotel and got a meal.  The parking lot was busy tonight as riders prepared for tomorrow, our last day.  The weather was beautiful and everyone was out walking around or sitting around their motorcycles.  The Olsen baby came along for the entire trip.  He is only 4 months old (or is it 5 months now) but he loves motorcycles.  It was so cute to see how this family (Grandpa Carl and Daddy Matt are in the Cannonball) revolves around motorcycles. Mom Brittany is a racer.
 

 

Watch tomorrow as I post from the road as the event comes to a close. 
 
An amazing journey for so many!
 

 
 

Day Sixteen: 9/21/14 – Yakima, WA to Tacoma, WA

Today the atmosphere was noticeably different as the riders went from exhaustion and anxiety to excitement and anticipation. We are almost done!!!! Nearly 4000 grueling miles on motorcycles that were not meant to travel this far, or exceed 50 mph. We have endured every kind of weather short of snow, road conditions that varied from 4 lane highways to torn up road construction. Fire Ants, Bee Stings, Allergic Reactions, Smashed Fingers and toes, Dehydration, Road Rash, Blisters and more were my daily pleasure to try to address so we could move on to the next day’s challenge. Now, suddenly we are at our last day. Our last night of parking lot surfing was done and tonight we will celebrate at a banquet in Tacoma at the beautiful and artistic Murano Hotel. People happily went about their business checking in one last time. The group of spectators grew to assist with the send off, cheering and clapping as the riders went out one more time. This time the send off was done by name. Go Dottie! Good luck Hans! God Speed Ron! Go for it John! See you at the end Ziggy!!!
 
I’ve gotten really good at U-Turns on this trip and this morning was no exception. Just like a flock of geese we all zipped around looking for the route out of town and then suddenly we were all going the right direction. It wasn’t long, mile marker #5 that I found the first breakdown. #73, Greg McFarland from Texas was working on his 1926 H-D J which had a broken chain. He was working feverishly to get the chain back on and had the master link but no ‘keeper’ to clip the link into place. We discussed what could be done as he loosened his chain to connect the link. I offered to help but he made a funny comment about not wanting to get my hands dirty. I reached down and took the tension off the chain so he could connect it back up. BINGO! Just then Joe Sparrow stopped by on his Gold Wing. If anyone could help Greg it was Joe! I wished them well and took off to catch up to the rest of the group. I never worried about being too far behind. Typically I would catch up at the next big hill. I tried to pass a few bikes to get ahead, knowing I would stop again and fall to the back. At mile marker 12 I found #94 -Rich Rau and his 1936 Harley R from Oregon. I had met Rich before on our way into Cape Giradeau, MO when his battery died and a young man stopped to help. Today he was making an adjustment so I continued on but later, at mile marker 75 or so I passed him as he chugged and popped giving it all he had to make it to the top of the mountain. His bike sounded like it was on it’s last leg and I prayed that I would see him at the finish.
 
 

We got to the top and I gasped as we came around the mountain to reveal Mount Rainier and it’s snow covered top that looked so close we could almost touch it! We stopped to get quick pictures then continued on since all bikes needed to be in by 1pm today. We had one more gas stop and I lolli-gagged until every last person left the station. I was going to miss these times when we would stop and discuss the last leg of our journeys. I took a picture of #82, Craig who was working on the dirty white pants thing (see previous posts). Everyone had left but one rider remained in the parking lot. #9 – John Stanley from Oregon who reminded me of my friend Roger Deffner although John had so many pins on his vest it looked like chain mail and would probably work like chain mail too! He told me he was going to need to find someone with a 9/16th wrench so he could loosen his clutch plates to get through all of the stop and start of town. He said normally you don’t want your clutch to slip but he needed to allow it some slip so it would not overheat. Of course I cheerfully offered my wrench and let him know I would get it from him later at the finish.
 

 

There was a crowd at Destination Harley Davidson in Fife, WA, just 2 miles from the finish line. They provided a nice lunch and the Seattle Cossack Motorcycle Drill Team was there to greet us. The bikes staged for their departure, Class One at 1:55, Class Two at 2:00 and Class Three at 2:05. I took off early to go to the LeMay Museum and take pictures as they came in. As I started over a long bridge I saw #3 – Buck Carson from Texas pushing his bike with a Texas Flag on the back and a Cowboy Hat on. I continued over the bridge and then made my way back. Did I see this right? Is he really going to push his bike for 2 miles? Yes, there he was, still alone. I did a U-Turn and parked my bike on the other side of the bridge making my way to the top so I could take pictures. I walked behind him for a moment, honored to share this moment then exclaimed “Buck Carson you are my hero!”
 
 

It was time to get to the museum so I got back to my bike and continued on. A beautiful museum it is with a huge grassy field and an inflatable red arch set up as the finish line. Here they come! Hundreds of people clapped and cheered as the riders entered, class by class. behind them all, after most people had left the finish line was Buck Carson, now joined by Ryan Allen #29 pushing their bikes up the long steep hill. I was thrilled to see that other riders had joined them to push them up the hill to the finish line. It spoke volumes to me about the camaraderie and spirit of teamwork that embodied our entire group. I was really going to miss these guys.
 
 

The festivities at the LeMay: press, pictures, interviews and the performance by the Cossacks was entertaining and fitting. Champagne was poured over riders heads and into their mouths while other’s rejoined their families who had flown in to be there at the end. My friend, Meg McDonough found me and we shared some sweet moments before I got a call that my bike was needed. Team American Iron had offered me a lift home in their motorhome since they were going right through Illinois. Their plan was to leave right after the banquet. I’m in!
 
 

The evening gathering at the beautiful art deco Murano Hotel was noisy and the slide show put together by Michael Lichter got everyone roaring with laughter, cheering, clapping and commenting. We celebrated many of the successes of the past 17 days including the person who won first place overall, Hans Cortese #35 from South Africa. Hans who had ridden a 1924 Indian Scout gave an entertaining speech. When the crowd was dismissed many sat in disbelief. Is it really over? Do we have to wait for two years to do this again? Where will the next Cannonball go (route)? Will they still be pre-1937? Hmmmm……I wonder if I can get an old bike before that time so I can get to know it and join the riders next time.
 
 
 
Tons more photos!!

Vicki has an amazing photo album of the whole journey on her Facebook page with over 500 photos.  To see Click Here.
 

 
 
 
 
 
Read More →

2014 STURGIS LEGENDS RIDE

By Bandit | May 31, 2024
 
 

The annual Sturgis Legends Ride is organized by the Sturgis Buffalo Chip to raise funds for local charities, including Black Hills Special Olympics and the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame was held on Monday August 4th beginning in Deadwood at the Historic Franklin Hotel.

 

Riders who have tickets for the ride are able to park in a section blocked off especially for them. They mingle, meet and talk to the many people there including some celebrities.
 
 
 
 
 

Prior to the ride there is an auction and this year the featured item was a 2014 Harley Davidson Street Glide built by the students of Sturgis Brown High School under the direction of some well known builders. Some other items up for auction were a painting by David Uhl and a signed guitar.

 
 

The group then goes on the Legendary ride and ends up at the Buffalo Chip to continue the party and enjoy the concerts.

 

 

 

Black Hills Special Olympics

The Vision of Special Olympics Black Hills is for children and adults with intellectual disabilities in the Black Hills and its surrounding communities to have local and regional opportunities to participate in year-round sports training and friendly athletic competitions with fellowship, good sportsmanship, courage, determination, spirit, dignity and respect.

 

Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame

The Mission and Vision of the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame is to collect, preserve, and interpret the history of motorcycling, honor those who have made a positive and significant impact on the sport and lifestyle, and pay tribute to the history of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. We do this through offering comprehensive and educational exhibits and showcasing rare and unusual examples significant to our history and sport.

 

The Student Build Challenge is an innovative motorcycle mentorship program designed to empower students and promote technical education in South Dakota. The bike build project teaches valuable life skills, builds confidence and creates community. Under the instruction of industry veterans, Keith Terry and Randy and Nick Cramer, Sturgis Brown High School students learn state-of-the-art techniques to customize a stock Street Glide provided by Harley-Davidson in the 2014 program.

While students undoubtedly come away from this chopper class with some exceptional technical know-how, they also learn important life lessons like teamwork and the value of seeing a project through to completion. In addition, by working alongside leading motorcycle industry professionals, the bike build project opens students’ eyes to industry careers and provides them the skills and experience to put them one step ahead. 
 
 
Read More →

2015 Indian Scout First Ride

By Bandit | May 31, 2024

Indian Motorcycle wanted the new Scout to stand out on its own as an evolution of the original model, and not a tribute or a copy. Featuring a modern, liquid-cooled engine, compact proportions, striking styling and light weight, the Scout should allow Indian Motorcycle to appeal to a broader customer base including new riders. You can order your Indian Scout now from your local dealer; deliveries are expected at the end of the year. 

Photos:  Barry Hathaway, Brian J. Nelson, Tom Riles, Indian Motorcycle

Preserving, honoring and perpetuating brand heritage has been a defining element for a certain American motorcycle company since as far as we can all remember. Many more manufacturers have used this approach, like the once-again-defunct Excelsior-Henderson, and a handful of low-volume manufacturers currently staging a comeback. Norton, Crocker and Brough-Superior come to mind. While Indian Motorcycle has hammered the ‘heritage’ nail square on the head since relaunching the iconic brand in 2013, it would appear that all along, the Minnesota-based company had a much broader vision for its product line and its future on the marketplace.
     

Just one year after launching a family of chromed out, leather clad heavyweight cruisers, Indian Motorcycle has now unveiled what it describes as a “contemporary yet classic interpretation of one of motorcycling’s most famous and coveted bikes.” We’re talking about the 2015 Scout of course. To launch this new model, Indian organized a memorable VIP party at their display location in downtown Sturgis at the beginning of the rally on Saturday, August 2nd. A host of celebrities, industry people and press was on hand to witness the historical event featuring highlights such as an introduction by Mike Wolfe of American Pickers and a spirited speech from Indian Motorcycle aficionado and actor Mark Walhberg. Closing the special shindig was a wild ride up the Wall Of Death by American MotorDrome Company on a specially modified 2015 Indian Scout.

   

The American MotorDrome Company had a modified 2015 Indian Scout running on their Wall Of Death. It was a sight to behold. Look them up!

Counterbalanced to minimize vibrations, the Scout’s 1133cc liquid-cooled DOHC V-twin engine uses a gear primary drive so there’s no transmission lag at any speed. Overhead cams are chain driven and the transmission uses a wet clutch system.  

Overview
Let’s now focus on the 2015 Scout and on the sum of its parts. A clean-sheet design for a premium mid-size American motorcycle, the Scout weighs in at a mere 558 pounds dripping wet, making it the lightest bike in its class. The Scout is powered by a 60-degree, liquid-cooled 1133cc (69 cu.in.) V-twin engine that delivers 72.2 ft/lbs of torque at 5900 rpm. (We’ll talk about horsepower later). The Scout’s fuel injected V-twin has 4 valves per cylinder and chain-driven dual overhead cams. It uses a wet, multi-plate clutch that’s gear-driven from the crankshaft to transfer torque to a 6-speed transmission. That’s a clearly modern, compact design, and not a piece of V-twin nostalgia.

The Scout’s proprietary V-twin is used as a stressed member of the modular frame that’s made from several cast aluminum pieces, contributing to the bike’s light weight and structural rigidity. But as technically advanced as it may be, the Scout’s frame was also designed to appear as a natural and stylish evolution of the original rigid model from 70 years ago. It features that triangular design at the rear, with a pair of coil-over monotube shock absorbers leaning radically forward to follow the top braces of the aluminum swingarm. Very cool.

See how the various cast aluminum frame elements are arranged around the engine, using it as a stressed member. This might also leave the door open to easily use frame pieces using a different fork angle. We’ve seen the Scout as a low-slung cruiser, but it wouldn’t take much for Indian to tweak it and offer a street tracker version on a future model.

More styling elements derived from the Scout’s original DNA can be found on the bike. Take the headlight for instance: it seems to have been plucked from a hidden stash of New Old Stock parts. There’s also the bobbed front fender with its chopped leading edge, and last but not least, the subtle character lines and aggressive contour of the fuel tank. The latter looks like a distant relative to the vintage Scout’s tank as it would have evolved over many decades. Well done, boys!

Saddle Up!
Time for a ride. I am 6’2” and was wondering if I wasn’t a bit too much rider for this bike. Indian says that in its stock configuration, the Scout will fit riders from 5’4” to 6′, but I quickly found myself at home behind the bars. However, a line of accessories is available to extend or shorter the reach of the bars and foot controls for those of us looking for a better fit.

According to Indian Motorcycle engineers, the 2015 Indian Scout was designed as a powerful, yet approachable motorcycle that can appeal to riders or varying degrees of experience and skills. It may sound like a bit of a paradox, but after spending a day on its leather saddle, I found the user-friendly Scout to behave exactly the way you want it to.

With its very low seating position and overall height, the Scout will make most riders feel at ease in just a few minutes. It feels light and docile, and is easy to maneuver at low speeds. Torque delivery is well controlled and makes riding in traffic a breeze. The Scout responds well to rider input on the road too. It has long legs if you feel like blasting away for a while, and has very adequate brakes when it comes to coming back down to earth. The riding position is what I would call ‘ready for action”. The pullback handlebars are ideal for a person of average size (and most women), but I might be interested in a set of shorter bars so I could further lean into a more aggressive position and take advantage of the bike’s 100 horsepower.

That’s right kids, while the1133cc V-twin offers an impressive 72.2 ft/lbs of torque at 5900rpm, things get really interesting after 6000 rpm. The engine still has another 2000 rpm to spare, and the horsepower will then peak at a whopping 100 at 8100 rpm. Redline is at 9000 rpm, so you can go ahead and turn on the wick to feel the pull; it’s loads of fun! But again, it’s really up to you to call on these wild horses, because at lower revs and thanks to generous amounts of torque, the Scout is truly a peach of a cruiser, and you don’t have to let the Scout scream to have a great time with it. 

Accessorizing the Scout
User friendly, nimble and spicy at the same time, the Scout can also be customized to better fit your needs and can accommodate a passenger for two-up riding. Optional saddle bags and a cool factory windshield are also available.

Pricing & Availability
Available colors for the Scout are Thunder Black, Indian Motorcycle Red, Silver Smoke (matte finish) and Thunder Black Smoke (matte finish). You can already place or order for your 2015 Indian Scout starting at $10,999; deliveries are expected at the end of the year. Click on the banner below to find out more.   

 
Read More →

2014 Sturgis Buffalo Chip’s Biker Belles Event

By Bandit | May 31, 2024
 
 
I was asked by Toni (from Sturgis Buffalo Chip) if I would be on the panel and share my experiences with other women. I seriously applaud what the Buffalo Chip is trying to do to empower women and I agreed. I have been at several of the events and each year it just gets more enjoyable and I look forward to seeing old friends and making more. The speaking panel consisted of a variety of women with various backgrounds, which to me is great to share so many different experiences. Upon arrival you are greeted by the Buffalo Chip gals and they are so pleasant it is a great way to start out. Followed by the Team Diva Comfort Zone, which included hair care, nail care, massages, all donation only and proceeds to the Charity Helping With Horse Power. 
 
 
 
 
 

Let me tell you about a few of these amazing women:
 
“Anything worth doing is worth OVERdoing”

This is the credo of Diva Amy, mother of 2 grown children, and wife of a great guy for 30 plus years. You cannot miss her on that custom painted and embellished “Diva Glide.” A 2007 Road Glide with a hefty 77000 miles and the fact it has never been trailed is impressive. She is constantly asked how many crystals are on the bike, how long did it take to put them on one by one, and how much did it cost?? She does not know the answer to those three questions, because it was all about creating something that screamed DIVA.
 
 
 
Her favorite color is leopard and Swarovski crystals are all over her bikes, helmets and clothes. Getting the thumbs up while on her bike is a tonic. She wants to show people it ain’t over yet…reinvention at middle age is possible, and there is no time to waste.  You have to grab it and twist that throttle while you can. Her whole family rides, even her handicapped daughter is able to ride on the back of her husband’s bike. Diva Amy is the owner, designer, and creator of all things for her company, TEAM DIVA.com specializing in headwear and accessories. Bret Michaels and fans are some of her greatest customers. She also is the host of a ride benefitting Helping with Horsepower during Arizona Bike Week. This has raised awareness and money for this great charity. She is a pleasure to work with and a fantastic friend. 
 
 

Andie Gaskins, Fast Andie an up and coming pro-drag bike racer. An energetic woman and mother she is a fast paced, highly driven woman with a dream. She encourages those around her to seek their passion.
 
She is seconds from the goal of going pro and I look forward to the official announcement of this success.  She may be small, but arrow dynamic she is when she takes the bull by the horns and makes it happen. Featured on Biker Burnouts and many magazines, she is a well-respected force to reckon with. Andie has competed in the Sturgis drag circuit, finishing second in overall points her first year, followed by a point’s championship in 2009. She also has competed in the All Harley Drag Racing Association during the Sturgis Rally, qualifying in the number one spot in the Super Eliminator class in 2009, and then qualifying in the number one spot and winning the Super Sport class in 2010 and winning Pro E/T Sturgis 2013 Amsoil Rally Races. She competes in the man’s world that could alter many but does so with integrity making her a wonderful example for young girls.
 
 

Claudia Garber an executive with the Harley-Davidson motor company, she brings an awesome strength with her. She is very successful in the man’s world of marketing, but that is certainly not the only field she is successful in. It was not a requirement to ride to work at the motor company but she felt compelled to learn how if she was going to promote it.  What is awesome is she also brings with her a never give up attitude, she fell in her first class trying to learn but also brought with her that you are never too old to learn. A pleasant soft spoken woman, successful in business and able to balance home with work, which is a task in itself these days. You may ask, “Yes, but can she ride?” I can assure you she can and does so very well! I have had the pleasure of riding with her many, many times.  There is so many strengths these women have.
 
 

Kathy Tolleson founder of ROAR Motorcycles in Daytona Florida, and an author sharing her love of motorcycling, she started riding at the age of ten and still is at sixty. She shared her passion of helping women and how to help build up their confidence through teaching classes and fitting motorcycles to women.
 
Audrey Nesbitt a female motorcyclist and successful National Online Marketing Director and PR rep for Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys. During her time there, Audrey has been an advocate of motorcycle safety, ‘”Keep Me Alive Don’t Text And Drive” and several other areas she is passionate about. She shares her strength and encourages women to ride and be safe. 
 
 
 
 

It was a pleasure meeting up with so many women with the same interest and that is riding. The weather was awful and the Road Captain Vicki Sanfelipo, a strong, well known rider and advocate for motorcycle rights and safety issues in the industry watched the weather hoping for a break in the rain. For the first time in history a ride was cancelled due to flooding, which was all over the area. Truth is it gave us more time to share. I know the MC was trying to end the panel discussion but I was not done talking.

I wanted to encourage women to be true to themselves. That it is ok to be who they are. It is deeply important to me that as a woman in the motorcycle industry keeping things real, keeping it honest and having integrity is of great importance. There will always be people that have other agendas.  It doesn’t mean perfection to me, it means sharing both mistakes and triumphs. To gain strength from those men and women who have paved the way and encouraged me. It also means proving wrong who doubted what I wanted to do. You know why I love iron, because I hate plastic! You feel me.
 
 
 
 
To the Karlee Cobb’s, Sara Libertes’, the Andie Gaskins: stay true to who you are! Beauty starts on the inside. To the Maggie May’s and Claudia Garber ‘ It’s never too late to start!’  Inspire, build up and give back, you don’t have to hide behind a group or title. Be ok with who you are and show your personal beauty! There is nothing I find more rewarding to me than riding. I want to share that passion. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that some will come and some will go but I will always ride! Live, love, laugh, ride! Yep that would be this one legged blonde.
 
 
 
Helping with Horsepower
Laura Klock intends to connect, inspire and challenge your audience. She reaches this goal with her presentation titled “ANY ROAD”, where she shares personal life experiences, racing and riding stories, and genuine encouragement.

Named Cycle Source Magazine’s 2008 Motorcycling Woman of the Year, and named again in 2011, Laura is listed as “a true enthusiast, a real person with a great sense of self and purpose”.

When we launched the first Helping With Horsepower™ Bike Rebuild Program at the Abbott House in Mitchell, South Dakota, we really had no idea that God’s plan was for it to grow to help troubled and at-risk youth in other states and facilities as well! We’ve completed a second bike rebuild at the Abbott House, and launched the licensed programs at many new facilities.
 


Created to raise funds for South Dakota charities, Biker Belles bring women, their families and friends together to celebrate the role they play in shaping the culture, sport, art and the history of motorcycling.  The two main charities they support are Helping With Horsepower and the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame.
 
 

Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame
 
The Mission and Vision of the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame is to collect, preserve, and interpret the history of motorcycling, honor those who have made a positive and significant impact on the sport and lifestyle, and pay tribute to the history of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. We do this through offering comprehensive and educational exhibits and showcasing rare and unusual examples significant to our history and sport. 
 
 
Cat Hammes, The One Legged Blonde:
 

Cathryn “Cat” Hammes is often heard before she is seen, and then she isn’t in sight for very long. A blur of pink leather and chrome, Hammes fell in love with the rumble of Harley-Davidson motorcycles on her very first ride, and she hasn’t stopped cruising since.

 
In the spirit of the fabled motorcycles that she rides, Hammes is as tough and resilient as her ivory and chrome Fat Boy®. She took that bike on a 9,000-mile trek in 2005, exploring the far reaches of Canada, and when the weather allows she can be seen—and heard—riding that same bike around the town of Racine, Wisconsin. Hammes’ Fat Boy had to be rebuilt after a serious accident in 2006, and much of Hammes’ body had to be rebuilt too. Her friends say she is stronger for it.

“The fact is that she don’t [kid] you,” says friend Jeff Gustin, who did the work on Hammes’ bike after the accident. “She’ll tell you, If you don’t like it, you never have to talk to me again.’ She’s not going to hide anything from you, and if you can’t accept her for who she is, then don’t even bother. That spirit has come out even more since the accident.”
By Brady Delander excerpted from an article for OandP.com  

To read more about Cat Hammes – The One Legged Blonde please click on one of the links below:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Read More →

Heavy Rebel Weekender

By Bandit | May 31, 2024
 
 

 
 
It was a crispy July morning in Winston Salem. I was at the car show, soaking in the sun, as the candy paint reflections of hot rods and choppers cooked my skin from all angles, like the Smoke Out did the weekend before. To my delight, no one mentions the heat. Conversations are hush, and attendees quietly reflect on the shrine of chrome and steel before them. The cars and bikes are louder and wilder than any one person in attendance.
 
When the natural light dimmed, the core group and myself retreated into the Millenium Center of Winston-Salem, NC, for southern-fried rock and roll of all different colors and flavors. Within a couple of hours the river of PBR had carried the party to its destination. I found myself in a dim basement flanked on all sides with flying beers cans, glitter-filled balloons, and overhead plumbing. The crowd screams, “HOLD FAST!!” with the beat of the drums. This practice is called the Heavy Rebel Weekender, 14 years old. At Heavy Rebel Weekender the contrast between the nights and days is… well…

 
 
Heavy Rebel’s basecamp is called the Millennium Center, although it seems a half-century older. The building looks like a courthouse from the street. Once inside, the 30-foot ceilings can only been seen by the lusty red lights that wrap every bulky support pillar. PBR sponsored flags with the ghosts of rock and roll, like Johnny Cash adored the perimeter of the main concert hall, laying blessing upon their pilgrims. With three days of endless bands, Heavy Rebel fills three different stages, almost never leaving an empty slot. This often divides the small crowd in attendance, but makes each show intimate. They are memorable, and in my experience worth the trade off of the shoulder-to-shoulder crowds. 
 

The two smaller stages move you down into the “The Underground,” a dark and industrial basement that echoes each drumbeat and howl. Long passages separate these two stages, with only the competing music to guide you. You can almost hear the creaks of Old Hank’s bones in the echoes.

The event has more than enough room to grow in the old Venetian venue. Some large rooms on the top floor are left empty, except for the deep, wooden bars, and you practically have visions of all the rye bourbon, mint juleps, etc. that the past events have demanded. 

“Welcome to the Overlook Hotel, Mr. Torrence. What’ll it be?” said a voice in my head.

“I’m awfully glad you asked me that, Lloyd.” I replied. 
 

 


If you took away all the cars and motorcycles at Heavy Rebel Weekender, it would still be a music festival mecca. However, they are inseparable. This is the “kulture” crowd: the Model T rat rods, ’57 Chevy’s, and chromed out pickup trucks are ridden there by the same people standing next to you by the stage. The focus is on the cars, but the choppers were in full force. Gorgeous shovels and panheads sporting candy paint jobs littered the any spaces between the cars.  The list of bands is too long to mention, but one look at their website will relieve all fears of a dull moment. 
 

Being anywhere in the event was an experience. Walking through the halls you could hear Hard Days Night by the Beatles crooned through with 60s surf vibrato guitar by “Drunken Prayer”. The singer sounds like Jerry Lee Lewis’ voice was trying to jail break from his chest. Pair this dimly lit basement me and I felt like I’m in the deleted scenes of Pulp Fiction. I took to my left and suddenly Jillian Rossi of Hell Cat Pinstriping appears out of nowhere (it’s kind of her thing). 
 
 

She is beaming from ear-to-ear, and is wearing a slightly different emotion than from when I saw her earlier in the heat of the car show. 

“Ice cold pinstriping! Get your pinstriping here!” she yelled that morning, slicing through the crowd with her Radio Flyer wagon. This girl expertly worked the crowd, but she has never needed any help getting attention. I remember her telling me how excited she was about being able to see the bands. “This is my first real rockabilly show.” I shared in her excitement. I had never been to such a broad music festival in the South.

All string bands like “Lucky Tubb and The Modern Day Troubadours” bang away on standup basses, the thick metal strings wobble chaotically across the necks like a loose drive chain on a chopper. A water barrel turned garbage can was dragged into the crowd during “The Goddamn Gallows” set. Everyone present immediately recognized their responsibility to fill their hands with rummaged PBR cans and try their luck at hitting their favorite band member (of which there were many). 

When some of the band members started throwing them back, it was of course time for a mosh pit. After a few close calls with elbows and cans, Jillian hid behind my shoulder in between gleefully firing off her own shots. She was the old west gunfighter and I was the bullet-riddled horse in the middle of the shootout. It was nice to feel needed. I realized now that basically everyone reeks of beer for the entire three day span, like any other motorcycle event worth its salt.
 
 
 

Side car distractions added a whole ‘nother level of flavor to the event. Burlesque shows in the “Wiggle Room” welcomed women of all persuasions to strut their stuff. The ladies were more than helpful in providing the audience and their date’s some tasteful boudoir inspiration to gritty but powerful soundtracks. Like anyone else trying to get to Carnegie Hall, it was clear that the ladies had practiced. Tiny Tulips, my personal favorite (the girls all chose their own stage names) delivering a steamy performance by acting out a scene of a church-goer stripping off the layers during the Sunday service. She was gorgeous. To see her later sipping a beer and looking ready to actually attend that church service was an eye opener. All the amateur performers were present at the concerts throughout the night. 

Krispy Krème eating contests, and mud wrestling, and other contests filled the voids in the afternoon heat between the bands. My only regret of the event was missing the PBR drinking contest on Saturday morning to sneak into the Sheraton hot tub across the street from the event. 
 

“I could use some water,” I said to James in the elevator, headed back to the concerts. 

“You and me both man. It was great though,” says a stranger standing behind us.

“Whats that? Heavy Rebel?”

“No. Well, yeah. Yeah. Eight beers in one minute! I won the contest,” he beamed. We shower him with praises.

“Thank you, thank you. I do what I can. We’ll see you over there… Wait… this isn’t my floor.”

He walked away laughing. Long live the king. 
 
After three days of Southern rock and roll, I repacked my hardtail sporty with an equal degree of difficulty as the Beer King that Monday morning. I was careful to swing by the Millennium Center, to see nothing, just as I had predicted. Heavy Rebel was gone, dispersed amongst Dixieland, just like the old ghosts of rockabilly themselves.
 
 
 
Read More →

J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show – Sturgis

By Bandit | May 31, 2024
 
 
At Biker Pros we put on custom bike shows across the country with the objective to support the industry and keep customizing alive and well in the USof A. Our 2015 series kicked off in Sturgis and will visit 13 cities and award over $90,000 in cash and prizes.
 
On Tuesday, August 5, 2015,  I was up early and in Downtown Sturgis prepping for the Ultimate Builder show on Wednesday. As I walked down Main Street I noticed a guy snoring as loud as a chain saw on a booth table. 
 
It turns out he was the guy they left to close up shop and to secure the money. Before heading back to the hotel, he stopped in for a cocktail and ended up buying rounds for the house with the firm’s cash. In the wee hours of the morning he staggered back to the only place he could remember. Ahh, the life of a Sturgis virgin. As they say, it takes a team to raise a village idiot.
 
 

We made the rounds to bars, builders and bike shows promoting the J&P Ultimate Builder. When our day started out it was blue skies and lollipops. By mid-afternoon it was Storm’n Norman with unrelenting sheets of rain and cracks of thunder that made the hair on your neck stand up and salute.

Wednesday morning started off as a dark and cloudy day with black and gray boiling clouds so close you could almost touch them. Would that keep the custom bikes away? No.
 
 
 

All morning the rain gods threatened but they stayed away. The bikes came rolling in slowly at first and then at a quick clip. By 1PM we were close to capacity. We had cool MOD Harley’s, killer Radical Baggers and out of the box FreeStyle sleds. But my favorite bikes at the Sturgis show were the Retro MODs. And the coolest of the cool was a 1941 H-D WL from Dennis Crabtree.

He calls it Baby Stroker. The Bobber, when not at bike shows, gets an annual shake down at hill climbs. And he has rubbed on the engine to the extent that it now makes 5 times the horsepower that it did when it rolled out of the factory.

The bike features a flathead mil. The model number breaks down with the W family of motorcycles. The W series at the time was the newest incarnation of the 45-cubic-inch (740 cm3) flathead motor, and was developed from the earlier R family 1932–1936. The L designates a “high compression” engine.
 

Retro MOD J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show Class – Winner receives $1,000 Arlen Ness Gift Certificate
1 – Dennis Crabtree – “Baby Stroker” – 1941 H-D WL
2 – Allen Malmin – 1974 Shovelhead

Another sled that immediately caught your attention as it rolled in was “The OZ”. It looked familiar yet different.

Turns out the frame from our last year’s winner, Shaun Ruddy, was built by TD Ward and that board tracker stance was unmistakable. Basically, this is a hand-fabricated sled with chrome gas tanks that were hammered-out until TD’s arm almost fell off. It boasts a bullet-proof 74” S&S Panhead.
 
 

FreeStyle J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show Class – Winner receives a $2,000 Gift Certificate from Belt Drives LTD
1 – TD Ward – “The OZ” – 2015 Rods & Rides Motorcycle Co.
2 – Julie Guilford – “No Reservation” – Kustom’s Inc.

Gotta say that the King Customs’ 2009 Fat Bob motorcycle stood out in a sea of custom sleds. It only had 2 colors, black and copper. The tough looking bike features 15” wheels front and back. The mil sounded like thunder and no wonder with cams, heads, tuner and exhaust updates.

Richard King, King Customs’ President, is building bolt-on packages like Kyle Shorey of Shade Tree Fabrications and Paul Wideman of Bare Knuckle Choppers. The idea is to give enthusiasts a way to transform their stock bikes simply and easily with kits in just a few short hours.
 
 

MOD Harley J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show Class – Winner receives $1,000 Gift Certificate from Rinehart Racing
1 – King Customs – 2009 HD Fat Bob
2 – Kristen Riley – “Annie Oakley” – 07 Dyna Low Rider Trike

Our new class this year is the Radical Bagger class and we started the season out with a bang. The craftsmanship, the imagination and enthusiasm was off the chain.

We met up with Vic Baggers last year and they took a top 3 with their custom Victory. This year they built a special Indian that really popped. It featured three colors, flat black, iridescent green and tin. 

Does it have power? Ah yes, the bike called Crazy Horse featured 10.5 to 1 custom pistons and hand fabricated plenum, intake and exhaust. The go-fast parts were custom fit to pump up the power. The Indian includes modified Springer front end with air ride and Air FX rear suspension. The rear fender and bags feature an all steel tail section.
 
 

Radical Bagger J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show Class – Winner receives  a $1,500 Fat Baggers Inc. Gift Certificate
1 – Vic Baggers Customs – “Crazy Horse” – 2014 Indian
2 – East Coast Baggers- Gold Dust – 2014 Road King

At the awards ceremony Zach Parham came up on stage and talked about J&P Cycle’s commitment to the motorcycles, customization and the J&P Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show.

Paul Widman, President of Bare Knuckle Choppers and our 2014 J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder National Champion, took the stage and said that for him, the Ultimate Builder was one of the best show series that he has attended.

He also stated that he was gunning for the MOD Harley championship in Chicago on February 13 -15, 2015 and was aiming for the Harley-Davidson 120R engine as the grand prize. Wideman is building a FXR custom bike for the championship. Bring it on Champ!

The Adventure Rolls on—Each year Sturgis is an adventure. You never know what will happen. Last year one of our guys got banned for life from the Buffalo Chip and his escapades were captured on a YouTube video.
 
 

This year I caught up with Bandit at the Buffalo Chip when he was yelling at Bob Kay during the filming of the wrap up of the Biker Battleground Phoenix. Biker Pros was engaged to handle the voting and awards ceremony at the Chip.
 
 
 
Kay selected the judges (Bandit being one of them) and they needed more energy in the scene so Bandit yelled, “You’re full of shit” and then they went at it. It was fun to watch but I’m sure it will remain on the cutting room floor.
 
 
 
 
This year we had lodging set up and then lost it, got it set up again and then lost it again. So we put a call out to Danny Gray. He owns the Deadwood Roadhouse, which is a private lodging, party and entertainment venue in Deadwood, SD. Hot damn, this was going to be fun.
 
 
 
Unfortunately it was booked. But he did have room for us… in his horse barn. He assembled a few bunk beds and pushed them to the corner and presto change-o we had a suite of beds betwixt and between a Jeepster, a snowmobile, a Smart Car, (4) Harleys, a Segway, tools and a Suzuki Samurai. It had the unmistakable aroma of battery acid, oil and petrol. The shower was in a makeshift area that is used for dressing his deer during hunting season.
 
 
 
Even so, the Horse Barn was close to the action in Deadwood and Sturgis as well as being a nature wonderland that was just a garage door away.
 
So Sturgis 2014 is in the books. And a good time was had by all.
 
 
 
Read More →

5-Ball Racing 2014 Chapter 3, sorta

By Bandit | May 31, 2024

This has been a scramble, and not exactly on time, but we’ve moved forward and the whole scenario is working out perfectly. We’ll see in about a week. If you believe in anything, you believe in your efforts to make your dreams come true. So pray, work hard, check the alignment of the stars, work harder, have some gypsy check your tarot cards, work even harder, and rub Buddha’s belly. Whatever it takes to keep you moving forward.

Here’s the deal with our streamlined trike effort. Our original notion called for sending the materials to Kent Weeks, of Lucky Devil Metal Works, around the first of the year. He was going to build the frame and ship everything back.

We slipped a few months behind, but then Kent’s tube bending resource discovered his machinery was not capable of tight radius bends. He discovered another source, but the air-compressor was shot and he needed Kent’s help with repairs.

Then someone rolled a ’61 Chevy into Kent’s shop. It had a couple of rusted-out fenders and Kent went to work.

In the meantime, we ordered and received the heavy-walled tubing. Then we ordered pieces of dragster equipment to use for the front suspension. I also worked with Paughco on a touring frame for the driveline cradle and rear suspension.

So, now we are a few weeks away, with the majority of the chassis parts in hand, and a JIMS I35-inc twin cam engine, a Carl’s massive Typhoon carburetor, a JIMS beefy race 5-speed transmission, a BDL primary drive, D&D exhaust, and we’re chomping at the bit, but we’re not going to make Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials this year.

Talk about the stars in alignment, a couple of days before the SCTA speed week in Bonneville, the skies opened and suddenly the salt flats were a salt lake and the meet was canceled.

But in the meantime, the Departure Bike Works team tinkered on the Bonne Belle any chance they got. Lee Clemens refitted the BDL primary to the engine. He didn’t like my shifting mechanism, so he investigated an electric shifter from Pingle. In order to ensure proper battery supply, he set up the bike to be started off an exterior starter, so the battery would only power the electric shifter.

The ignition is run off a Morris Magneto and of course there are no lights or bullshit on this puppy. Lee also changed the gearing to a 50-tooth rear sprocket, although our formula called for a 51-tooth. I don’t remember what I had on that puppy the last time we went, but it wouldn’t pull it.

Our class is 750 Altered, partially streamlined, pushrod Gas or Fuel. The record for APS-PF is 142 mph, but there is no record for APS-PG, which made our day.

Lee carefully refitted the inner primary and he built a new set of wider bars for maneuverability. If we get out there and come close to a record, I will change the bars back.

The new ones are not aerodynamic enough for my thinking, but the narrow bastards are a bitch for everyday use.

We had a tough time with returning oil to the bag, so Lee enhanced the breathing system and removed the oil filter. There is more to do, and while Lee pops 5-Hour energy drinks and blasts back to Richmond, Virginia from Sturgis, he’s making a list with Brenda, his lovely wife, and will send it to me quick, I hope.

I need to route the venting oil lines, fit a rider to this beast and weld on new Biker’s Choice peg tabs. I need to make a side stand triangle to support the bike, once Lee ships me the solid, knurled foot pegs.

I also need to weld a tab on the bars to support the kill switch. Let’s see, what else?

I scrambled over the weekend and checked off the list:

Fitted Dr. Feng for riding position and drilled holes for foot pegs just below the rear axle.

I made the kill switch mount, painted it and mounted the kill switch.

I found a little battery locally, charged it and put it in position for testing tonight.

I got ahold of George the Wild Brush to patch the frame in spots where Lee removed tabs, and he can pinstripe our class 750 APS-PG on the fender.

I ordered a Biltwell P-Pad and bought a wide strip of Velcro to hold it to the tank.

I made the bike stand mount on the bike, and the triangle, plus added a Hamster points cover to the mix.

I needed to run all the oil venting lines (2) to a T junction, them make a guide to the rear chain for lubricating.

I managed to complete all my tasks over the weekend and added a few aerodynamic changes to the mix.

I started to put tools aside and went on a search for my pump-up Kendon lift, which has been a life saver. It wasn’t on the property. I started to search my feeble mind for the culprit. I asked Ray. He though it might be at Willie’s. That wasn’t the case. Then something made me reach out to Buster. Fantastic, he had it and I made a run over to his place to retrieve it.

Here’s the list so far and Andrew will stop by tomorrow with our team T-shirts. The scramble is on. And so far, we don’t have any sponsorship funds, so we are all saving quarters to make this happen. Not sure what we did wrong? The registration alone on the salt is $750 to race.
 
 

Cooler
Kendon lift
Safety wire
Case of yogurt
Case of soft protein bars
Kangen water
Safety wire tools
Hacksaw
Tools, lots of them
Extra chains
Oil
Fuel containers
Tarps
Pop-ups
Banners
Extension cords
Screw gun, battery-powered drill, charger
Camera

There you have it, with less than four days ahead of us and records waiting on the salt. I will study my class tonight and try to avoid any scrutinizing mistakes on the salt. Wish us luck.

Sponsors:

JIMS

Paughco

Lucky Devil

Biker’s Choice

Carl’s Speed Shop
 
Biltwell Inc.
 

D&D

BDL

5-Ball Racing Apparel

 
 
 
Read More →

5-Ball Racing Report for August 14th, 2014

By Bandit | May 31, 2024
 
 
But first the adrenaline junky list:

****Mojave Mile****In The Books****April 12-13****12,000 foot runway, one mile shutdown….
****N H R A**** Leaders, T/F, Doug Kalitta, F/C, Robert Hight, M/C, Andrew Hines**** 
****NHRA**** 8/14-17****Brainerd, Mn. 
****E C T A Ohio Mile****5/3-4 (In The Books)****6/7-8 ****6/10 ****Valerie Thompson kicks ass, 208.71, BMW S 1000 RR) ****7/12-13****9/27-28****
****El Mirage****6-22****John Noonan, ****250.7**** (NEW RECORD) on a 250.69 record****, Next Up 7-13, 9-14, 10-19, 11/8-9****
****S C T A Speed Week****August 9-15, 2014****RAINED OUT****
****10 Days, 44.444444 Seconds ****Bonneville Speed Trials****August 23-28****
****World Finals****Sept. 30—-October 3, 2014****


First and fore most the 10-day weather forecast for Wendover, Utah. 


Average predicted temperature from Friday the 15th through Friday the 22nd is 91 balmy degrees accompanied with light breezy days.

ZERO chance of rain. 


The planets and the stars appear to be aligning perfectly for the Bonneville Speed Trials. Looks like the Salt Gods are very happy.


Bright and early Sunday morning the 24th, with a wave of the starters flag in a figure-eight and it’s time for our moment on the salt. A moment in time with information recorded, a number your team alone can claim. Some Salt Pilots are fortunate enough to accomplish their life long dreams recording their fastest personal time. In some cases the number qualifies for a coveted class record.


This morning Dr. Willie and I loaded and delivered the Raycer to the Team at Twins Turbo for completion of the intercooler. The Twins are installing a dry ice tray, sealing the tail section and adding a pair of scoops for big gulps of cool air while traveling at warp speeds on the infamous Bonneville Salt Flats. 


Missed the news last week while on the road heading to Sturgis. Hauled Ass early Wednesday the 30th out of Bikernet Headquarters, destination, Sturgis, 1,300 miles later. Arrived first light Friday morning, Exit 32 to set up for Lyndall Racing Brakes with the Unknown Industries. The FXRs are equipped with composite rotors, taking advantage of their near weightlessness, their handling advantages and superior stopping power. We’re running a pair of 320mm forever black on the Busa frontend. Stopping is a good thing once in awhile.


Sturgis 2014–12 days on the road, with a few images and a ton of unbelievable tales to embellish in the future. 


Arrived Friday, 8/1/14. 

Turn right Clyde, Exit 32 Sturgis, South Dakota . Anchoring our 10×10 on the asphalt with the talented Unknown Industries Crew. 


Horsepower and Torque


With 13 ½ gallons of race fuel used on the dyno, our results reached 263 HP and 248 ft. lbs of Torque.

Sunday 8/3/14, about noon I met Master Tuner Dan Thayer on the edge of town to retrieve a Tuned and very Happy 5-Ball “Raycer” sporting a Turbo Doc Series 66 Aerocharger. Dan Thayer adjusted Turbo mounting, front stainless steel exhaust, Twins Turbo, Bell Intercooler system. He tuned the 124-inch R&R Cycle/Hyperformance Twin Cam engine, Daytona Twin Tech Gen 4 computer, Horsepower Inc. 62mm Throttle Body, Marc Susman air plenum, kicked with a Spyke starter and charging system, Rivera Pro Clutch w/ lockup. 

www.vtwinfuelinjection.com 

Home from Sturgis


Arrived safe and somewhat sound early morning Monday the 11th. It’s been nonstop in preparing for the upcoming ultimate quest for adrenaline, speed and a safe return. Leaving for the salt in less than a week, followed by the Bonne Belle and crew. 

Ride Safe, Fast and Forever, 

Haul Ass!
Ride for Your Life!
–Ray C Wheeler
Performance Editor
 
 
Read More →

FOR THE LOVE OF MOTORCYCLES

By Bandit | May 31, 2024

Editor’s note: I’ve been chasing Yaniv Evan for several months to write a feature about the P-16. He’s like trying to interview a starving field mouse, darting from one empty container to another one in search for food. No time to talk.

I finally ran into him at the shop opening. He had a shop on the alley behind Melrose, one of the busiest, trendiest streets on the planet, in Los Angeles, on the edge of Hollywood. But the alley was a far cry from facing the street. He might as well have a shop on a dusty street on the outskirts of Riverside.

At one point a vintage racing clothing store built thick glass panes into the wall separating their shops, so customers could see the Powerplant crew working. It was sort of a ruse perpetuated by the vintage clothing manufacture to give their vintage attire a sense of authenticity. It worked for a while, then the clothing shop closed down and Yaniv was faced with the dire opportunity to have his own shop on the main drag.

He reached out to several friends and tried to create a coalition of lines to cover the cost of the high-dollar Melrose street-traffic rent. Then he spoke to Roland Sands.

Roland has a terrific quirky, building in Westminster, California, in the center of middle-class suburbia. It’s a terrific building, but doesn’t give him the fast, young-blood, hip street traffic he needed to test his apparel offerings. Then he ran into Yaniv. Together they partnered to open this too-hip shop. See the release below.

I mentioned the Melrose ruse. It’s an area of too hip, but not too real products. It’s crazy. There’s a Ralph Lauren vintage store just up the street. You can buy an actual vintage motorcycle jacket right next to a paint splattered denim jacked for $500.

So, what are you supposed to think if you run into someone wearing a worn denim jacket at a trendy party, and it’s covered with paint splatters as if the guy just painted an entire apartment complex? So, are you supposed to think he’s a hard working stiff, or sloppy with paint? Maybe he’s rich and buys clothes at trendy stores, or what? WTF? They also sell vintage biker clothing, so what the hell? You see a babe wearing their too hip biker apparel, but does she ride or have a gold credit card?
 
Anyway, this is a mixture of feature photography by the masterful Peter Linney, and event shots from Markus Cuff and Art Hall. Enjoy–Bandit 

On Friday, July 11th Yaniv Evan of Powerplant Motorcycles and Roland Sands of Roland Sands Design opened the doors of their new concept store to 500 of their closest friends.

The longtime friends wanted to create a retail space for anyone who loves being on two wheels. Roland’s complete line of RSD Apparel and motorcycle accessories will be available for purchase and special order.

The shop will also feature Yaniv’s P16 custom parts and apparel, including his infamous vintage collection of jackets, tees, shorts, and pants. The shop will carry a complete range of industry heavy hitters including: both men’s and women’s apparel, premium denim, accessories, outerwear, helmets, and hard parts.

The goal is to create a space for all types of riders because we all have one thing in common; we all do this For the Love of Motorcycles.

Roland Sands Design is a motorcycle, product and apparel company that has its roots in racing, custom bike building and design. The RSD apparel line has a subtle merging of motorcycle heritage and modern components, for the perfect combination of style and function in jackets, secondary layers, gloves and T’s.

The RSD motorcycle accessory line comes from a high performance background with the desire to create unique products to fit your Harley-Davidson and Triumphs.

Roland lives the two-wheeled life and his crew is a diverse collection of road racers, off-road, dirt track, supermoto, and custom bike builders and riders. It is this diversity that allows them to work with the best in the industry on a variety of projects.

Powerplant Motorcycles specializes in custom vintage motorcycles. Originating in Los Angeles, California Powerplant has been in businesses for over a decade. Powerplant aka P16 was created from the love of Racing, Aviation, Hot Rods, and Vintage motorcycles.

Yaniv Evan is Powerplant Motorcycles. Over the years of working and forming Powerplant, Yaniv has been experimenting with different materials from Stainless to Brass and Bronze…. from leather to found objects…

Yaniv has developed his own unique style of taking something, whether it be a found object, a piece of Brass, and turning it into his own signature style which comes from his labor of love, building Powerplant Motorcycles. P-16, the 16 represents the 16th letter of the alphabet, P.

This retail space is an extension of “the garage”, a place where you can come to get inspired. When you walk in the shop you are immediately surrounded by the scent of reclaimed wood, leather, and gasoline.

Bikes built by both riders are showcased through out the store and a full selection of hard parts will be available soon.

Yaniv and Roland are builders first and foremost, and that will never change. This is a grassroots movement for people who ride by people who ride. This is your one stop shop for all things related to two wheels. It’s a place to hang out, it’s a ride meet up, it’s a destination shop, it’s a fashion statement and it’s all FOR THE LOVE OF MOTORCYCLES.

THE BIKERNET EXTREME P-16 TECH 

NAME/COMPANY: powerplant choppers
CONTACT PERSON: John
STREET/CITY/STATE/ZIPCODE: 7416 Melrose Ave. LA, CA 90046
PHONE: 323 383 7781
E-MAIL: neevo13@aol.com
WEBSITE: powerplantchoppers.com

BIKE NAME

TYPE/YEAR: P-16 bomber
BUILDER: yaniv evan “neevo”
OWNER: neevo

ENGINE

BUILDER/MANUFACTURER: S&S performance
YEAR: 2013
DISPLACEMENT: 93-inch
CAM(S): S&S
PUSHRODS: S&S solids
IGNITION: S&S
OIL SYSTEM: S&S
CARBURETOR(S): dual throat
AIR CLEANER: custom made by P-16
EXHAUST-SYSTEM: custom stainless oval by P-16

TRANSMISSION

BUILDER: Baker 4-speed
PRIMARY DRIVE:
PRIMARY CASE:
CLUTCH:
SECONDARY DRIVE:
PULLEY/SPROCKET:

CHASSIS

FRAME (BUILDER): Powerplant (oval tube) single downtube
MATERIAL: hand made oval steel
RAKE/STRETCH: o rake o stretch
MODIFICATIONS: handmade
OTHER: goose necked and shortened

FRONTEND

MAKE: 1946 Harley springer
TRIPLE TREES: H-D
FORK TUBES: Legs extended 2 inches

WHEELS

FRONT: 21 with a double star hub
REAR: 18-inch with a rear drum , star hub

BRAKES

FRONT: never
REAR: OG drum

TIRES

FRONT: Avon speed master
REAR: Firestone

ACCESSORIES

GAS TANK: handmade with stainless brackets (p-16)
OIL TANK: one off half tank and battery cover
FENDERS: rear handmade fender
HANDLEBARS: powerplant stainless special
SADDLE/SEAT: handmade leather
HAND GRIPS: modified Cole Foster
FOOT CONTROLS handmade by Powerplant

Read More →

Start typing and press enter to search

Scroll to Top