Bikernet Blog - Online Biker Magazine

OHIO BIKE WEEK 2014

By Bandit | May 31, 2024

Ohio Bike Week is a bike rally that has gone through many changes in it’s 12 years of existence. Now in its second year of holding the event on the streets of downtown Sandusky, it has become an event worth taking a trip to.

The downtown streets were closed to cage traffic and only motorcycles were aloud in the six block area. Two large stages, as well as three smaller stages were set up on different streets so you could enjoy the Jeagermiester stage, then walk over to the Main Stage and there was no crossover of the music.

Other music venues on site were ”The Jack Daniels Barrel House Saloon,” “The Yuengling Saloon,” and “The Mad River Stage.”

Bands from all over the country were on hand this year including “Jackyl” with Jesse Dupree, “KIX”, “L.A. Guns”, “Warrant”, “The Electric Circus Band” and my favorite, the “Iron Cowgirl Missy.”

Other events included bike shows, bike games, motorcycle racing, as well as the usual themed events. It was amazing how the town came together, as well as the local watering holes. It seemed that everyone was having a fantastic time and very kind to all the riders.

The special parking everywhere you went was very cool. A few of my favs were the “Margaritaville Bar”, ”Jimmie Buckketts” and “The Barrel House Salloon”.

“Mad River Harley Davidson” had a huge set up with music, food, and assorted venders. Traffic was intense at times but that’s to be expected.

I would definitely suggest this event to anyone who is in the Midwest during the first week of June and want to go to a fantastic week of fun, music, riding and having a really great time.

The Mad Hungarian Rating 7 out of 10 stars

By Bandit | May 31, 2024

In Wyoming you can never predict what direction the wind will be blowing from but it will always be blowing. For the May weekend the wind blew me to Casper. Fortunately the weather was nice and it was perfect for a motorcycle show. Robert “Bobby” Eldridge had a dream of a bike rally in Casper for 12 years and last year he kicked it off. He wanted to bring the party to Casper and help out others at the same time; this is the second year for his event, Casper Iron Motorcycle Show and Swap (http://www.casperiron.com/).

Casper sits in the center of Wyoming with a population of 55,000. Coming from Denver I get turned around as the Mountains are south of town instead of to the west. With lots of scenery there are plenty of opportunities for great rides. The North Platte River runs through town and then proceeds south east, there are mountains, lakes, camping, hunting, and fishing close to town. Wyoming has a diverse landscape with everything from high desert to mountains, and ranching to oil production. Attraction range from Devils Thumb to Yellowstone, Wind River Casinos to the Green River valley and some of the windiest mountain tops around. There is something different everywhere you look.

The Central Wyoming Fair grounds were an inviting location for the Casper Iron rally. With plenty of parking …

The idea of any bike rally is to see old friends and make new ones, look at nice bikes and dream or compare to yours, and in general to have a good time. Bobbie pulled all these things together and even had some pretty nice vendors. The vendors are a plus at a rally, they help pay for your fun. Maybe you need some new leather or a part for your project and this is an opportunity to make a purchase. Perhaps you are itching for some new ink or looking for someone to paint your custom bike. Well Casper Iron had a good selection of all the above.

For a small town rally I was impressed with the vendors and bikes. Elizabeth Owen (https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethOwenFineArts) a local artist from Glennrock caught my eye. She has a very fine eye and a hand to match. I am keeping her in mind for one of my next tattoos. If you are cruising through Glennrock and need some ink, I would definitely check her out. Another vendor that caught my eye was Kustom Khaos Designs (https://www.facebook.com/kustomkhaosdesigns) she did all the graphic design work and printing for the rally. Biker friendly is how I would describe her and her work. Well enough of my 2 cent plugs, but these are real nice people and they will treat you right.

With about 950 in attendance the rally pulled in a good crowd for a smaller town. The charity for this years rally was the Central Wyoming Rescue Mission and they raised $2,455 and 150 pounds of food. One thing about the biker community, we give back and are always ready to support a charity. There was also a poker run departing from the rally on Saturday so you could get in some good riding and spend time with friends. The UFM of America run hit several small towns around Casper and had a 50/50 prize payout.

One of the rally’s events this year was a bike build off. The contestants were given about 4 months to build a custom metric bike. The bike had to be street legal in Wyoming which means lights, brakes, brake lights, and a rear view mirror. There were 3 entries and the custom ranged from slight modification to an all out custom build. The winner David Oneyear took an old Kawasaki engine and built a Wyoming cowboy rat bike out of parts from his uncle’s junk yard. A chopper with the front end scratch built and parts taken off old farm implements this bike stands out. To make the tank patina match the rusted iron on the rest of the bike David did a little chemistry experiment. Playing with white vinegar, peroxide, and salt he got a speed rust to develop, hit it with Rain-X and then sealed it with clear coat. The rear fender was a piece of culvert with hay sickle blades welded on and the taillight holders are acetylene tank lids. David said “about 55 the front end wants to fly but it’s a fun ride”. Amanda Kay dressed up the bike a little for some photos.

Of the bikes on display I was impressed with the number of 1930 era Indians. There were 8 in total that were all original and looked to be in excellent shape. Bikes came from local owners, South Dakota, and even California. There was everything from fat tire choppers to dragon trikes and metrics. The local bike shop had their bikes on display but what was missing with the big names like Harley and Indian. I understand the Harley shop just changed hands so I expect to see them at the show next year.

To top off the fun the rally hosted American Hitmen (http://www.americanhitmen.com/), a band from Salt Lake City. A nice group of guys as I got to talk to them for a few minutes. Recently they upgraded their tour bus from a short bus to a motor-home and trailer. You know the short bus, take the back seat out and put a futon n, pack the back with amps and gear; now put in 4 guys heading cross country and imagine the fun. You my have seen them on season 8 of Americas Got Talent. With a combination of covers and their own stuff, they rocked Attic at the Wonder Bar in downtown Casper.

It was a good show for a smaller city in the middle of the wild Wild West.

Casper Iron Motorcycle Show 2014 Winners

Trike

1st – Ken Bassett #1, 1980 Honda CB 750

Stock

1st – Alisha Boam # 4, 2009 Honda Shadow

2nd – Carey Ramos #5, 2010 Harley Davidson FLHX

Mild Custom

1st – Ron Ebann #3, 2013 Harley Davidson Road Glide

2nd – Devore #19, 2011 Harley Davidson Street Glide

3rd – Robert Brown #7, 1999 Honda ACE

Bob Lower #9, 2000 Moto Guzzi California

Barry Roquette # 20, 2006 Yamaha Roadstar 1700

Full Custom

1st – Mark S. Helms #6, 2012 Killer Custom

2nd – Troy Johnson #10, 2000 Custom Chopper

3rd – Bill Millay #16, 2006 Big Dog K-9

Josh Smith #8, 2004 Vengeance Vengeance

Radical Custom

1st – Nick Giangiacomo #2, 1979 Yamaha XS 650

Antique

1st – HOG Ranch #13, ’47 Indian Chief

2nd – HOG Ranch #14, ’47 Indian Chief with sidecar

3rd – Hog Ranch #11, ’38 Indian Chief

People’s Choice

Josh Smith #8, 2004 Vengeance Vengeance

Until next time

David Campbell www.earlsgarage.co

By Bandit | May 31, 2024

Since the spring of 1994 I have not stayed in one place for longer than two months. These exploits cover the whole of the US, Canada and Mexico, too. Through the years I’ve gained the ability to simply move into any town, make it my home, then stay as long as I like. It’s now easier for me to move around than it is to stay in one place.

“How is such a thing achieved,” one might ask? Well…

Long ago, as an antidote to the pressures of everyday life, I began taking motorcycle trips. As these journeys grew longer with each year’s passing, what started as a mission of soul searching gradually became a thing of great passion. I began to hate coming home. Next, I hated being home. Why did I return at all? In the spring of 1994 I set out to see if it was possible to follow this passion for one entire year. It was! In the spring of 1995, I returned only to liquidate everything, save what fit on the bike.

Yet, from the beginning it was never an endurance ride I sought. A life of hardships such as sleeping under a tarp on a picnic table in the rain was not for me. Besides, I’d always enjoyed my own pad. To this day am still very much a homebody. So, what I really sought was a comfortable system I could convert into everyday lifestyle.

I’ve achieved that very well and my life is now one of very low pressure, leisure, travel and, quite often, outrageous adventure. “Now how is that done?” Well, to my way of seeing things there are three absolutes necessary to a successful, long term, road-life. These are: A good home, easy access to showers everyday, and an active social life wherever I happen to be.

“Cool. How do you do that?” The answers that follow are, of course, only my own humble experience.

Although I live in camp, over the years these camps have evolved into what are, most often, wonderful places to be. I use mountains, trees, deserted structures, etc. to block wind because a windblown camp is truly a miserable experience. Locating the North Star by night will reveal the position of the rising sun therefore allowing me to set camp where it will best catch morning shade from the summer’s heat, and warming sunshine by winter’s chill. A tree overhead will keep me free of dew when all the surrounding land becomes soaked with late-night wet. There are 100 other little tricks, which when taken individually may seem trivial but when applied together can make a home in Nature’s splendor a most magical place to be.

I enjoy a folding chair, snug dome or “home” tent that’s furnished with a slice of foam rubber, two sleeping bags and a single quilt—all stuffed with down which gives me a big feather bed. When sun or rain persists, a roof is erected using one 12-by-16-foot industrial thickness tarp that keeps the surrounding area, including motorcycle, dry and shady, and can be either thrown over everything or strung into trees depending on one’s preference at the time. The motorcycle battery charges all lighting, cell phone, and computer too. There’s also a variety of other tools which, when combined, provide a very relaxing home.

I have become quite proficient at locating very private places on which to stay. I wish not to be disturbed even when sitting home naked to pound on these computer keys until late afternoon. These places are all around us; it’s just that one doesn’t take notice until he begins to use them. Think about it. When was the last time you slept without paying for that privilege? Trust me; it’s an easy thing to become used to.

“What about trespassing laws?” Let me assure you that sleeping on the land is not a real crime. You ain’t gonna do time for it. If the cops do show up (not likely) they’ll probably just check paperwork then let you stay or, at worst, ask you to move on. Still, I seldom make camp near people’s homes because it makes them nervous whereas a lone rider camped out and away is not really a threat. He’s more of a curiosity.

I realize that my approach to the details of making camp are pretty anal, but they are also barbed with many years of experience, and it’s to this eccentricity that I owe such great quantities of ease and comfort in my offbeat travels. For me, a good home is a necessity to making the strangeness of road life so pleasantly wonderful.

As for showers, I can only say that there are more ways to attain them than can be listed here. Yet I will state that, when visiting an area for any length of time, I invariably hook up with a YMCA or gym. These places often provide hot tubs, saunas, and other luxuries too.

To the necessity of a social life I locate a few hangouts then take time to make friends. I seek out rallies, cookouts, campouts, concerts, fairs, or any other event where people come together in a social manner. I also take time to visit many of the friends I’ve made across this great land.

Once these “accommodations” are fixed into place the town is mine. I can stay as long as I like. This kind of freedom may be impossible to fully comprehend until one personally experiences its rewards. But think about it: people’s travels are most often governed by their need for accommodations. What if that need was no longer a factor? Where would you go? What would you do?

As to the travels, leisure riding, huge events, and the kind of highway adventure that can never be planned, well, they are extensive.

— Scooter Tramp Scotty

You can catch Scotty on Facebook

Scooter Tramp Scotty is a regular contributor to Bikernet and more of his adventures can be read right here: Real Life Gypsy Stories with Scooter Tramp Scotty.

By Bandit | May 31, 2024

This is Robert McLeod from Troy Montana, I would like to share the story about two friends of mine Ross Rouhoff and his wife Sharon (Pokey) Hogue that were tragically killed while riding their custom motorcycle on August 11th 2013 in Troy Montana.

Ross & Pokey both loved to ride. They also spent a very long time building their pride and joy, a custom motorcycle. It all started with a custom frame that was supposed to replicate a 1994 Harley FLSTF Softail Fat Boy. They slowly (as a retired couple) built their bike from the ground up. After they received their frame they had a vision and the next step was a motor and transmission. They chose to make this a real head turner and saved up and bought the Polished 115 RevTech motor with chrome 6 speed. Then from there it was the big 6 gallon split tanks and all of the other custom parts and pieces to finally finish the build. Ross had a very intense custom deep eyes skull paint job that was absolutely awesome.

I remember when Ross finished his bike. He came right to my office and told me “It lives!”, and boy were they proud of their creation. Ross was a perfectionist and I have to say it was the most extreme sounding and looking bike I had ever seen in person.

Ross and Pokey loved to ride and show off the bike. Everyone said when they came down the road they did not even have to look because their bike sounded so awesome and one of a kind, people would just say “Here comes Ross and Pokey”.

After their tragic accident last August I was able to help the rest of the family that lives out of town. Ross’s daughter lives in Portland and Pokey’s son lives in California. I was able to contact them and help them through the process of taking care of the property and assets. The bike was in a wrecking yard in Libby Montana and was building up storage fees. I agreed to pick up the bike and store it in my shop until the family decided what to do with it.

Well in late winter the family agreed to transfer the bike to me. I told them I was going to completely rebuild the bike in memory of Ross and Pokey.

This was not an easy task. Let me tell you just rebuilding someone’s bike that you don’t know is one thing, but rebuilding a bike from a friend that tragically passed away was very difficult. I spoke to them in the beginning asking their permission to rebuild the bike and told them I would make them proud. I had to completely remove everything from the bike because everything except the left gas tank was destroyed.

Starting from the front with every piece I would talk with them and ask them what they think of this or that and then go with my gut feeling. This was a very emotional rebuild. I wanted to make the bike something different and not try and rebuild what they had; besides that was theirs and I don’t think I could replicate what they had nor could I ride it. I still have all of their parts and just can’t discard them. I put them in boxes and will always keep them in storage.

I had a vision and followed that vision until it was to where it is today. It is getting very close. Oh what a joy when I hooked up the battery and got her to run for the first time. It shook my shop and rattled the neighborhood bringing new life into what I have built in remembrance of them. The bike is still in black primer but looks great, when it finally goes to paint it will come back Harley flat black.

This is just not a bike off the shelf or a bike that was bought from someone down the street or across town, this bike has a background. The amount of respect and pride I have every time I start it up to ride and I know Ross and Pokey are with me cheering me on.

This summer on August 9th, 2014 Ross and Pokey’s children will be traveling to Montana to spread their ashes. When they come we will spread their ashes and then travel to the Home Bar in Troy Montana (where Ross and Pokey liked to visit). I am having the left tank mounted on a mount and it will be hung in the Home Bar for everyone to enjoy and remember Ross & Pokey.

Home Bar Facebook page.

By Bandit | May 31, 2024

This month I take a tour of my good friend Dominick’s FXR collection. Dom has one of the nicest and most coveted collections around. So here we go, I’ll start with his 1987 FLXR. This bike is a one-off custom, built by Billy Westbrook, as you can see, it’s exquisite!

The two tone green paint is flawless, and all the custom parts are hand made by Westbrook. From the air cleaner cover to the exhaust, Billy puts his special artistic touch on it, and brother it shows! Take a good look at this bike and you will see it’s a rolling piece of art.

Almost every part has the layered look, and is handmade by Billy, it all ties in together for a one of a kind look. Even the pushrod covers and rear fender struts have been hand made by Billy. Handmade means he welds on layers, then hand shape them with files, grinders, and polishing wheels.

I was told the mirror has fourteen individual parts and does not move. Once the mirror is assembled, the rider is then form fitted to it, basically it’s made to fit the owner.

The taillight has been molded into the rear fender and the fuel tank, fender and struts all have the layered look by Billy.

Moving along, we next come to Dominick’s 1989 FXRSP. Also a piece of rolling art! And yep you guessed it, another Westbrook bike.

This bike sports a sweet ghost flame paint scheme along with all the custom one-off parts. Its stunning! Dom is a long time Hamster member, so of course a nice little touch on the timing cover is fitting.

The pushrod covers are in reverse of the ’87 we just saw, and I love the braided fuel line over flows, nice and different touch.

Next up is the 1990 FXLR. This Grey and blue bike really has that street fighter stance to it, long, low and sleek. Almost an artistic racing chopper look to it, I love this bike, my personal favorite!

From the fat rear tire to the molded fenders and side covers, Westbrook has put a dangerously kick ass look on this bike.

Hidden switches, front air dam, drag pipes, custom air box and low bars makes this a racer with an attitude! Even the molded tail light has mean spoiler built in to it.

Check out the gas cap! Bet you can’t figure out how it works? It’s all done with magnets, pins and a hidden key lock.

The stout 80″ motor was built by the late Roger Kallens. Roger built many Billy bike motors in the day and as you can see, it’s beautiful. Roger has a knack and a name for himself for building bullet proof motors that ran to their maximum potential. He could match carbs, pipes, cams and ignitions for max performance, that are still running tight to this day.

Next on the hit list is Dominick’s 1992 FXLR. At first glance of this primer bad boy, and you think it’s not finished, not so! This is the way it is. Few Westbrook bikes came painted, it was up to the owner to have the bike painted or not. Billy is an artistic creator of rolling art, and paint is extra, by request!

This bike in my opinion is over the top! Check out all the molding that went into this bike. From the side panels to the fenders, nothing was untouched. Remember the gas cap? Here’s a close up look on how it works. The actual cap is held on by a powerful magnet and kept in line with a set pin. The tank cap has a special key that unscrews it for fuel.

Even the handle bars and headlight nacelle are all molded one piece, very nice! The trans, derby cover, foot pegs, air cleaner, ignition cover, horn and inner primary cover have all been kissed with Billy’s special talent and eye for art. Check out the molding on the tank and body work, awesome! Even the swing arm bolts and axle adjustments are hidden and covered with art.

As with all Westbrook’s bikes, there’s a fine balance of color and chrome, and a sleek feeling that everything is flowing the way it should be! Stay tuned next month for part two of this collection, there’s still more to come!

–Tail Gunner out for now!

And no dreaming about these sweet machines, you can’t have them!! But you can have one of your own built, all you need is dollars!

By Bandit | May 31, 2024

This handsome ribbed Cam Cover for ’91 to ’14 Sportster applications was designed by the folks at EMD to mount on top of your existing cam cover. Why ? Because they wanted you to be able to make your engine cool without having to mess with your camshafts blocks and have to bore and align your engine case with a complete cam cover.

Made from cast aluminum, the EMD cam cover uses a trio of longer-than-stock bolts and aluminum spacers that go between the new cover and the stock unit. You can chose to simply bolt the part and leave your stock cam cover untouched or go whole-hog and trim it to match the new cover’s contours. In this quick how-to, we show you how we do it.

Here’s a cover mounted directly on top of the stock cam cover, without modifications. It looks much better than stock already, but follow us as we take this one step further.

The tools you will need : A sharpie, a disc grinder, a cutting wheel and electric file.

Remove your OEM cover and place it on the workbench. Position the EMD cover with the 3 supplied bolts and trace the cover’s contours. You will need to keep the bolts in place during the whole operation.

We traced the outlines of the EMD cam cover.

You can either keep or lose the centering pin at the back of the stock cover; we decided it was wise to keep it.

Before you fire up the cutter make sure you remove the vent bung at the back of the stock cam cover.

Here’s the rough cut done with a cutting wheel. The idea is to get close to the outline; the rest will require more precision.

We find it best to use a thin cutting wheel to get to your final shape. We make a series of cuts very close to one another. Next you can easily knock the remaining bits out with a grinder.

We use the tip of an electric file to fine-tune the cut so both covers are in perfect alignment.

You can grind down and bevel the shoulder on the vent boss because there’s plenty of meat left on that bone.

After properly smoothing all edges until you’re satisfied with the fit, this is what it looks like.

You MUST use the 3 supplied aluminum spacers in order to position the EMD cam cover over your stock part. We purposely made them a bit too long so there may be a gap between the two covers. You will have to grind them down until you get the perfect fit.

You may have to cut the three bolts down a little bit if they hit the bottom of the engine case before making the cover tight, but here’s the final fit.

Here’s the EMD Cam Cover installed on our show bike.

By Bandit | May 31, 2024

First, I want to point out that I was not putting down the television drama (yes, that is what it is) Sons of Anarchy in my last article. To be perfectly honest, I have never even seen an entire episode. Second, I wasn’t putting down the people who enjoy watching the show (my girlfriend watches it….she loves Lenny the Pimp!). I was simply telling the story of a rather interesting (and, let’s face it, slightly disturbing) experience I had with a couple of fans (which is short for fanatic, by the way).

My girlfriend told me that, in all fairness, I should watch one episode. I asked her what she thought of the show and she said, “It’s entertaining.” I asked her if she thought it was realistic. She laughed.

“Ok,” I thought, “I’ll give it a try.” Please keep in mind that when I was a teenager, my mentors were members of a motorcycle club. I kept my mouth closed and my eyes and ears opened and did what I was told. The payoff was that they shared their vast knowledge of motorcycles with me.

My girlfriend picked a couple of random episodes (I didn’t care to or have time for learning the entire story line from the beginning). The first thing I catch onto here is that a woman called “Gemma” seems to be calling the shots. According to my girlfriend, she is the Presidents old lady. In fact, she is on her second “Prez.” She is also the VPs mom. I almost walked out right there. Things have come a long way since I was 16 and saw a woman called Cat (short for Catherine) sprawled out on a mattress, naked from the waist down, passed out after a long, “hard” night at the clubhouse. But I can tell you this: Women DO NOT call the shots! Ever! Women are not involved in club business.

Several women have tried to convince me that this show is a realistic portrayal of a motorcycle club. Really? I get that television writers want to create strong female roles that appeal to the women watching. Hell, my girlfriend is one of the strongest, most independent and determined women I know. It’s what I love about her. But, as I pointed out in the beginning of this, she laughed at the thought of this show being anything close to realistic.

I think the only realistic thing I saw Gemma do in the couple of episodes that I did watch was that she smacked a young girl in the face with a skateboard after learning that her old man “did” the girl. The only reason I could buy that is because I could see my girlfriend smacking me in the face with a skateboard if I was ever that stupid!

I guess my point is this: Things have come a very long way since I was a kid but women are not club members. Gemma is 100% a figment of a writer’s imagination. She is not based on a real life person and the things she does would NOT happen in real life.

I asked my girlfriend to remind me why she actually watches this show. She said for the same reason she watched “The Sopranos”. “It’s not realistic but it is entertaining.”

The two main characters in SOA:

Gemma is Katey Sagal, and is actually married to Kurt Sutter, who writes and produces the show. Gemma is the grand old lady in the Sons of Anarchy biker club. She was married to the founder of the club, John Teller, and then to Clay Morrow who became leader after Johns death. Gemma is also the mother of Jax Teller, who is destined to inherit leadership of the club when Clay is too old to ride.

Then there’s Tara from Mad Men veteran Maggie Siff, she was Jax’s childhood love. She is an accomplished surgeon and doctor who often ends up fixing up family and members of the club. She receives quite a bit of ‘training’ from Gemma on the role an old lady plays in this club. She has a love hate relationship with Gemma throughout the show.

By Bandit | May 31, 2024

Rally coverage is not my bag, and there are plenty of other guys interested in that job, so I’m not going to get into it. For me Leesburg was about seeing a lot of old friends and meeting new. Think I’ll talk about pals for a few minutes.

I’d been bullshitting with Ken and Tara on the internet for quite some time. Both have a big interest in hitting the road for longer periods of time. For this ride they had two weeks and decided to make camp at my abandoned trailer park for the duration of the rally. Just down from my camp is a beautiful spot with a huge droopy tree giving them plenty of shade, dew coverage (morning dew generally won’t creep under trees), and privacy.

I hooked them up with a free week gym membership for showers. We stayed up late nights sitting on the boat dock that I make camp on, smoking cigars and talking late into the night. We talked of philosophy and dreams, and the time, at least for me, was really positive.

Although Ken has a good paying job, it seems to be draining the life out of his spirit and he aspires to a change. This was the first time he’d taken Tara camping and Ken was nervous about it. But the chick seemed tough as nails and, aside from complaining about nothing, it was obvious that she really enjoyed her time out here. By day we would eat at the $6 Chinese buffet before they wandered off to explore the rally.

On the last morning he showed up at my camp about 11:00am while Tara continued to saw logs. Ken and I walked to the gas station for coffee, and once Tara finally woke, we all hung at camp till about 2pm. Both seemed exceptionally mellow then.

Sometimes my camp spots are very natural and beautiful and I’ve seen them drain the nervous energy from those who’ve come to escape, leaving them more akin to jello. When I asked if they’d rather be in a hotel both answered, “Nope.” Sometimes the virtues and calmness of Mother Nature are lost to this modern world.

Those two headed off for Daytona after the rally, a place they’ve been to before, to rent a hotel on the beach. But, after getting such a late start, Ken didn’t want to spend the money for such a hotel short stay, and that night they put up in my abandoned trailer out on the coast. It was also a great place to stay and they sent photos. Probably see them again since both want to visit Panama before returning home.

Tom showed up and although he’s walking, he’s not yet able to ride, nor does he have a motorcycle after the crash on the way home from Daytona this year. Because of this Bruce drove down to Punta Gorda in his truck to grab Tom and bring him to the rally. They set out lawn chairs in a doorway on Main St. and I hung there a lot. We ate pizza.

Ursula The B.R.O.A.D was here and it was good to see her back in the scene again. After the accident, which cost her part of one leg last year, she is obviously not 100% yet. With reat quantities of spirit and tenacity she exudes, her comeback seems uncommonly quick to me. A type A personality, already she continues broadcasting her radio show.

Sassiee Nichole showed up with her squeeze Pierre. Big mouthed, boisterous and fun, I’d been talking with her over the net but we’d never met before. They took me to the VFW for lunch. Aside from food, the place had a band and there was “chair dancing” of all fucking things.

I think those drunken chicks just made that one up on the spot. It was funny as hell though. Afterwards Pierre and I sat outside talking bikes. But that conversation soon faded into philosophy. Pierre is a registered nurse and he spoke of how this job nourishes his spirit. Say’s he just bullshits with people as we were doing at that moment, but helps them with their needs at the same time.

All great religions and philosophies contain a common mantra. If one is able to forgive his enemies and help his fellow man then his own spirit will gain a deep sense of fulfillment and happiness. This is not a thing I was born knowing and after taking myself to the depth of hell in those younger years, I was forced to open my mind and become willing to learn these truths from those who would teach me.

Through the years of experience, I have learned these philosophies and the things of which Pierre spoke. One must give with no thought of repayment if he is to receive anything truly worthwhile in this world. Still, the idea does not always come easy to me. Pierre seemed to have a much better grasp of it, and I could only agree with him. I personally believe the object is not to get to heaven, but instead to create some semblance of it here in earth.

Jena was in town and gave me a call on the last day. She and a friend met me at the Chinese place for lunch. I’d not seen her in years. An exceptionally tall woman who retains a certain sexiness about her, Jena is a girl who will ride across the country by herself and has also made solo journeys to other parts of the world as well. A very interesting chick and it was really good to see her again.

As for the rally…

Leesburg is always hot and it never rains on this show. As the rally has continued to grow, this was the first year it was just too fucking crowded. All day and night it was assholes to elbows and after a couple hours you just wanted to get out of there. Hopefully they will expand it, but the surrounding area is residential, so I’ve no idea what is going to happen.

My next stop would be Panama City in the panhandle of Florida, the 350 mile journey had to be made in one shot. Wednesday I’d start working on motorcycles there for a mobile repair shot run by Easy Eddy.

You can follow Scooter Tramp Scotty through his Facebook page.

You can read more of Scotty’s adventures right here on Bikernet:

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By Bandit | May 31, 2024

If there’s anything that is worse than being stranded with a flat tire, it’s being stranded with no way to repair it. Picture it: you’re out on a beautiful Sunday morning, the bikes purring like Tony Bennett crooning I left my heart, and all of sudden the tire loses pressure. What moments ago was a pristine example of motorcycle design in motion is now about as awesome as a hobo pushing a shopping cart. Worse yet, there’s no help in sight. This pretty much defines a “this friggin’ sucks moment,” doesn’t it?

Unfortunately motorcycle tires rarely go flat at convenient times and even fewer bikes pack a spare, which leaves you with two choices: you can fix the thing your own self and get back on the road or you can curse the fates and call for a tow.

If you are reading this and you have AAA, now would be a good time to verify that you have the motorcycle service on your account. If not, they have been known to refuse to provide the service to you and that will make an aggravating situation even worse.

First up, these are the tools you’ll need for the job:

Tire Plug Kit
Tire Inflator (pump, CO2 cartridges, on board or battery powered compressor).

Tube and Gloom

I must digress for a moment to point out that if your bike is running tube tires, as many spoke wheel cruisers, dual sports and retro standards do, you’re in for some tough sledding. If you can remove the tire and you’ve got a spare tube or a patch kit along with the knowledge to use it, you may be in luck. The next task is getting the tire off the bike and then prying the tire off the rim by the side of the road. None of which are simple tasks.

Removing a wheel on the side of the highway is tough enough if you’re riding something like a Bonneville let alone a Road King or other heavy cruiser unless you happen to have a center stand. There are folks out there who can pull this off, so if you have the experience to install a new tube without pinching it then you’ve got a fighting chance of getting back on the road.

Then again, if you can do all that then you won’t find this info of much use. However, if you don’t have the skill or knowledge to successfully complete all seven of those steps perfectly then the side of the road is the wrong place to learn how to do it. Your chances of success are 50/50 at best. My recommendation in this case would be to try effect a temporary repair using an aerosol inflator like Fix-A-Flat or Tire Slime and then ride the bike gingerly and sedately to the nearest safe port of call for a professional repair.

If you’re on a bike with tubeless tires it’s a different kettle of fish. In most cases a safe, effective and temporary, emphasis here on the word temporary, repair can be carried out on the side of the road that will at least let you finish the ride and get back home.

Before we dive into the nuts and bolts of tubeless tire repair let me point out a few salient facts. First, there is not a single manufacturer of tires or repair kits that considers an external tire plug to be anything more than a temporary repair. Second, although a case can be made for placing a properly repaired tubeless tire back in service after it’s been dismounted, inspected and patched from the inside, I think you’ll find that the consensus among tire manufacturers, engineers and technicians is that a repaired tire should always be replaced, if only because there may be hidden damage that can cause a catastrophic tire failure without warning. Third and most obvious is that the best tire repair kit ain’t worth squat to you if it’s not on your bike, so if you don’t have a quality tire repair kit, along with the means to inflate the tire when you’re done, put their acquisition at the top of to do list, before the next big ride.

So, what type of kit works best? Excellent question, Grasshopper! In broad terms, tire repair kits fall into two broad category’s those that use rope type seals and those that use a rubber, mushroom type plug. Although the rope seals are often somewhat easier to use, it’s my opinion that the rubber plug variety make a better repair, so those are the ones I recommend. This is especially true if you’re touring and the repair may have to last awhile before you can the tire replaced. While it’s not my intention to act as a shill for any particular company I do recommend Stop & Go kits, I’ve never had one let me down and their Puncture Pilot, which includes a small compressor, is at the top of the list.

With that diatribe behind us, here’s the 411 on how to conduct a roadside tubeless tire repair.

At the first sign of trouble pull of the road and find yourself a safe spot, well away from moving traffic. More people have been killed or injured while changing a tire by the side of the road than you can imagine, so rule number one is to protect yourself and your buddies by getting out of harm’s way.

Once you’re in a safe spot your next job is to locate and assess the damage. Nine times out of 10 the problem will be some foreign object, most likely a nail, or other chunk of road debris that’s penetrated the tire tread. If the injury isn’t in the tread, if the sidewall is torn or punctured or the valve stem torn, stop right there. Sidewall damage can’t be repaired, and replacing the valve stem means removing the tire and breaking the bead, so damage of that sort means it’s time to start dialing up a buddy with a trailer. Fortunately those scenarios are rare and straightforward are punctures relatively easy to repair.

Use a pair of pliers or a multi tool to remove the offending object. If you have a marker handy, circle the damaged area. It’s amazing how hard it can be to locate the puncture when there’s nothing there to mark it.

Tech Tip: If you can’t find anything obvious, pour a little water or any other non-carbonated-non-flammable liquid over the tire surface and look for the bubbles.

Your repair kit should have a full set of instructions. It’s good to reading through those to gain some understanding of the process before there’s a problem.

First: Use the rasp in your kit to clean out the hole. If you feel metal-to-metal contact you’ve punctured a steel belt, so work that thing like you mean it and smooth over the edges lest they saw through the plug. This step is tedious, so stay calm and do a thorough job because you may not get a second chance at a roadside repair.

Second: Following the instructions, load the plug or seal into the installation tool.

Third: Insert the plug or seal through the puncture. Although details vary, in essence the rope seals are forced through the puncture and left in place when the tool is withdrawn. The rubber plugs are placed in a nozzle which is inserted into the tire. The mechanical action of the tool is then used to push them through the nozzle and into damaged area of the tire. Once the plug is in place the tool and nozzle are withdrawn and the plug firmly seated by pulling upwards on it with your pliers. Once the mushroom portion of the plug is seated the tail is cut off level with the tread.

Fourth: Inflate your repaired tire. You can use CO2 cartridges a hand pump an onboard compressor, or even an air-line that screws into one of the sparkplug ports if you are experienced with such tricks. After trying every type of inflation device on the market I’ve settled on carrying a small on-board version that runs off the bike’s battery. I’ve found this to be the most compact and the least-physical method of inflating a tire and one of the few that can easily inflate street bikes tire to the recommended pressure. After the tire is inflated chill-out for a few minutes to make sure it holds air before getting back on the road.

Before we wrap this up, let me reiterate that a plug is a temporary means of repairing a tire. Every plugged tire should be dismounted and replaced at the earliest opportunity. Once the repair has been made, you’ll need to keep your speed and distance down and riding no further than you have to until the tire’s been inspected.

Let me also remind you again that the best tire repair kit in the world won’t help you if it’s not with you when you need it.

By Bandit | May 31, 2024

Each year, the Kustom Fab shop tries to do something a little different to spark our creative juices and help us find new inspirations for our custom projects. This year, we decided to travel to Nagoya, Japan, to check out the Joints Custom Bike Show.

We have heard only great things about the show and figured it would be an awesome opportunity.

Our lead mechanic, Norio, took on the daunting task of being our tour guide/translator. His skill and familiarity with the area were key ingredients in our having a great time in Japan.

It’s hard to decide what fascinates me the most about Japan.

Between the rich culture, great food, and majestic scenery, Japan seems to have it all.

The bike show did not disappoint and having the ability to experience everything else Japan had to offer was just icing on the cake.

If you are into older Harley motors and parts, then this bike show is your Nirvana. The show builders found various ways to take old parts and integrate them with new ideas, making the show a truly unique experience. Shows like this re-kindle our creative fires and keep us going forward.