The action on the track yielded a stout 810 entries for an exciting weekend of competition. The record spectator turnout enjoyed the variety of activities going down in the pits and the non-stop on-track action. With something for everyone, it’s no surprise this event grows every year.

Orient Express Racing Pro Street
Winner – Rodney Williford / Runner-up – Gaige Herrera

XDA’s WPGC Bike Fest is typically the warmest race of the season. But the warmer temperatures did not slow down the Orient Express Racing Pro Street riders. There were ten new personal best records sets over the weekend that show the strength and advancement of this class.

Justin Shakir is the ninth racer to break into the forties with a 6.482 pass that put him in the number one qualifying spot for the event. Shakir was making great consecutive passes at this event that would end in round two when his engine case broke during his burnout.

James Waugh made another big jump at this event, moving from a personal best of 6.930 to a 6.622, making him the twenty-second racer in the world to enter the sixties. Waugh would not get around Rodney Williford in round two of eliminations to end his weekend. Despite the loss, Waugh would still leave happy but with a little less hair, because apparently on team Shakir, the faster you go, the more hair your friends shave off your head.
Other racers that made minor ET improvements were Gaige Herrera 6.609, Ryan Hable 6.616, Kenny Brewer 6.647, and Curtis Brown 7.054.

Gaige’s 6.609 is also a new combo record for the Quickest Nitrous Hayabusa in Pro Street.

In the MPH department, Rickey Grayson with a 223.28 and Ricky Wood with a 221.34 will make their debut on the GOAT List. Ryan Hable and Kenny Brewer also made slight improvements with a 223.84 and 222.40, respectively.

And for the fourth race this season, Rodney Williford would pick off the competition round after round for another final round finish. Qualifying number two with a 6.505, Williford consistently took wins until he met a new competitor this season in the finals, Gaige Herrera. Herrera qualified with 6.609, and he too was making consistent strong passes all weekend that manifested him his first XDA Final.

The final was looking like it would be a good competition, especially considering Williford had some problems in the semi-final on his broke bye-run pass. The class was looking for Herrera to be the one to knock Williford off his throne, and his performance numbers showed he could do it.

In the final Herrera would cut his best light of the weekend with a starting line advantage of .030 to Williford’s .065. And as the two put on a good show in the final, Herrara couldn’t outperform Williford with a 6.619 to his winning 6.546. Williford remains undefeated this season, and #HeDidItOnPurpose.
DME Racing Real Street
Winner – Mark Hylton
Runner-up – David Stewart

In DME Racing Real Street, Mark Hylton ran his personal best and took the number one qualifying spot with a 7.498 on his all motor Hayabusa.

Hylton would prove unstoppable as he won every round of competition on his way to the final round where he met points leader David Stewart. Going into this race Hylton was only forty-four points behind Stewart, so the final would be crucial for Stewart.

In the final, Hylton would leave the starting line strong, but problems for Stewart wouldn’t get him past the first sixty feet giving Hylton his second XDA Real Street win! Hylton has closed the gap and is now only twenty-three points behind for a potential champion this year.

MaxxECU Pro Xtreme
Winner – Chris Garner Jones / Runner-up – John Collins

Shane Eperjesi took the number one qualifying position in MaxxECU Pro Xtreme with a 3.975. However, in round two of competition Eperjesi would be outrun by John Collins who ran a 4.006 to his 4.022. 

John Collins would go on to the final to race Chris Garner-Jones. Jones qualified with a 3.992. And with Collins running a 3.992 in eliminations, these two competitors were well matched for an exciting round of action.

Jones got the starting line advantage with a .024 reaction to Collins .056. It was a close race at the finish line, and Jones would win his third event this season, running a 3.991 to Collins slightly slower 4.043.

 
HTP Performance Super Stock
Winner – Jeremy Teasley / Runner-up – David Fondon

David Fondon took the number one qualifying position in HTP Performance Super Stock with an 8.762 on his 2020 Kawasaki ZX-14.

Jeremy Teasley took over the riding duties on Tauncy Soprano’s 2020 BMW S1000RR; the same bike Fondon won with at the last two events. These two teammates would find themselves face to face in the final round for a true hand clutch battle.

Fondon left the starting line first with a .096 reaction time to Teasley’s .106. But Fondon’s advantage would not be able to out power the BMW as Teasley took his first Super Stock win with XDA to end Fondon’s winning streak.

HTP Performance Grudge
The HTP Performance Grudge class saw a record turnout of 142 grudge bikes that included forty-two bull racers. The spike in grudge was surged by the Mad Dog 20/20 vs Melania race that was finally going to go down. After Chris Moore backed out of the race at the MTC Summer Nationals in May, he had another two months to prepare for this race. But despite the extra time, Melania still wasn’t ready to face off with Mad Dog 20/20. Moore Mafia fell to pieces on his first shakedown pass on Friday night. Moore spent Friday night repairing his bike into Saturday morning.

On Saturday he made three more shakedown passes while Mad Dog 20/20 sat quietly in the pits waiting to be unleashed. But Moore would back out of the race, after not being able to get Melania ready and had to pay up the Punk Out money. Luckily for the Mad Dog 20/20 fans that bought raffle tickets, $24,400 was raised and one lucky Gadson fan (Shanta Jones) went home with $12,200 in cash. With Gadson’s half of the raffle winnings, the Moore ‘Punk Out’ money, and the Lock-In money from the last race at VMP, Gadson’s team took home $17,950 just for having the biggest bark.
APE Nitrous Bulls
Winner – Richard Gadson / Hail Mary
Runner-up – Malcolm Phillips / Black Jesus

Richard Gadson on ‘Hail Mary’ took out his frustration of not getting a bite out of ‘Melania’ by dominating the APE Nitrous Bulls class. On his way to the final, he took out Lavar Delee on ‘Jizzle’ and Chris Moore on ‘Fort Nite’.

Malcolm Phillips on ‘Black Jesus’ made easy work of Gaige Herrera on ‘Pee Wee,’ Russell Dennison on ‘Jimmy Hendricks, and Desmond Spalding on ‘Authority’ as he made his way to the final to meet Gadson.

The final was exciting as both bikes left hard and stayed side-by-side until the win light came on in Gadson’s lane. This win put him in the points lead by only two points over Russell Dennison.
 
3 Sixty 5 Monster Bulls
Winner – Jason Herron / Tik Tok 
Runner-up – David Martin / Unknown

3 Sixty 5 Monster Bulls saw a new face in the winner’s circle. Jason Herron on Spencer Calycomb’s ‘Tick Tok’ came out of the gate swinging. He took out heavy hitter Dave Page on ‘Pickin Pockets’ in round one, and then Junior Johnson on ‘Reparation’ as he made his way to the final round.

In the final, points leader David Martin on ‘Unknown’ was waiting for him. On his side of the ladder, Martin took wins against Joshua Jordan on ‘Italian Ice’ and Daniel Parker on ‘Boston George.’

Both riders gave the crowd an exciting final as they both left side-by-side and stayed in the throttle while they both fought to keep the power under control until the win light came on in Herron’s lane.

Tommies Motorsports DMV Bulls
Winner – Matt Dozier / Rick James
Runner-up – Desmond Spalding / Sho Nuff

In Tommies Motorsports DMV Bulls, two class newcomers dominated three rounds to face off in the final. Matt Dozier on ‘Rick James’ took down Derek Cash on ‘Hustler’, Jermaine Proctor on ‘Puffy,’ and Edward Thomas on ‘Da Setup’ to make it to his first DMV Final.

On the other side, Desmond Spalding on ‘Sho Nuff’ took down Kenyan Crawley on the ‘the Professor’, Cody Lowe on ‘Codeine’, and Sherell Blake on ‘Will Turner’.

In the final face-off, Spalding on ‘Sho Nuff’ was not the master of this final. Dozier left the starting line stronger, and Spalding could never catch up to him as the win light lit up for ‘Rick James.’

Vance & Hines 4.60
Winner – Shayne Proctor / Runner-up – Kenny Cornell
 
The Vance & Hines 4.60 class rarely sees the same winner twice in a season. But Shayne Proctor is changing the game with back-to-back wins.

1 Stop Speed 5.60
Winner – Dustin Lee / Runner-up – Carson Fields

1 Stop Speed 5.60 points leader Dustin Lee may not have made it to the final at the last event, but he made up for it at the WPGC Bike Fest.

After winning five rounds, Lee would face Carson Fields in the final. Fields had just won a race the previous weekend, and like Lee, he was in WIN mode. Unfortunately for Fields, he would react moments after staging leaving before his staging bulbs came down and handing the win to Dustin Lee.

Mickey Thompson Tires Top Sportsman
Winner – Robin Procopio / Runner-up – Pablo Gonzalez

Mickey Thompson Tires Top Sportsman is class full of the quickest heavy hitters in the bracket ranks. This was the first event this year that points leader Jeffrey Santin did not make a final-round appearance. Instead, Pablo Gonzalez, who attended his first XDA race this season, found himself in the final against Robin Procopio.

Procopio was running closer to her dial all day, and Gonzalez would have his work cut out for him. In the final, Procopio dialed an 8.28 and Gonzalez a 7.80. Procopio left the tree first, cutting a .074 reaction time. Gonzalez left with a .033 reaction time; however, he would never catch up to Procopio, allowing her to get to the stripe first with an 8.298 time to his slower 7.864. That’s only a margin of victory of .005 seconds or thirteen inches.
MPS Racing Pro ET
Winner – Jeffrey Santin / Runner-up – Dale Hamilton

It was Deja Vu in MPS Racing Pro ET at the WPGC Bike Fest. Despite the class having 156 racers in competition, Jeffrey Santin and Dale Hamilton would face off for the second final in a row. At the last event, Santin took the win over Hamilton, so naturally, it was Hamilton’s turn, right? After earning seven-win lights in the class, Hamilton would need to turn one more on if he wanted the win at this event.

In the final, Santin dialed an 8.40 to Hamilton’s 9.68. Hamilton left first with a .037 reaction, followed closely by Santin’s .031 light. Santin chased Hamilton down quickly and took another win running an 8.405 over to his 9.684. Santin pocketed $5,000 and is still at the top of the points lead.

Brock’s Performance Street ET
Winner – Russell Dennison Jr / Runner-up – Juan George

Over a hundred racers showed up to compete in Sunday’s Brock’s Performance Street ET race. For the second race in a row, a Floridian was in the final. After seven rounds of competition, Juan George from Kissimmee, FL faced Russell Dennison Jr. However, the race was anti-climatic as George turned on a -.022 red light in his lane, giving Dennison another win to add to his roster.
VooDoo Components Bracket Bash
Winner – Turon Davis / Runner-up – Dale Hamilton

The VooDoo Components Bracket Bash hit a record with a colossal 159 entries on Saturday. After seven rounds of competition, Turon Davis and Dale Hamilton sat at the ready across from each other in the final round, eager for the $3,000 win. Hamilton took himself out of the running and sent Davis straight to the winner’s circle when he cut a devastating -.007 red light.

Hard Times Parts & Service
Winner – Ben Knight / Runner-up – Jeffrey Santin


For full qualifying and round-by-round results of the event, visit www.xdaracing.com.

The XDA will head back to Virginia Motorsports Park for the 3rd Annual Bike Bash on August 20-22, 2021. There will be over 700 Professional, Sportsman, and Grudge motorcycle drag racers will be battling it out for cash and bragging rights in another round of “Running of the Bulls.”

About XDA Racing
The Xtreme Dragbike Association (XDA) is an east coast motorcycle drag racing series with 700+ motorcycle racers competing at each event. Every XDA event hosts professional classes, sportsman classes, grudge racing and a vendor midway. Lifestyle activities such as bike shows, bikini contests, DJ and live bands are also held at select events. For more information on the XDA, please visit www.xdaracing.com or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube @xdaracing

Artist David Uhl – Sturgis 2021 Commemorative

Headed to Deadwood! We will be setting up the gallery tomorrow morning and will be open for business every day through August 15th.

As many of you know, since 2005 David Uhl has offered a special piece for the Sturgis Rally each year. We are happy to announce that this year’s beautiful piece, titled “The Morning After”, has just been completed. The image here is from David’s phone – I will send the final, scanned image out in the coming days.

“The Morning After”

As David stated, “This is the “Brazen Knuckle”, a 1947 Knucklehead built by Dennis Goodson. In examining the raw frame we noticed the brass brazing on the joints initially from the ’40s. That turned into the theme for this entire machine. No paint, just the metals with various treatments.

We are now taking orders for the signed and numbered canvas prints, which are available at special Rally pricing through the end of the rally (August 15).

These Fine Art prints will come framed and we will also include shipping within the contiguous 48 United States for orders placed by August 15.

** Image size appx 26.5 x 20, $950 framed

** Image size appx 40 x 30, $2,250 framed. NOTE: We are offering a special pre-rally price of $1,895 for orders that are placed prior to August 4th, when the gallery opens at the Gold Dust Casino in Deadwood.

As always, edition numbers will be assigned as orders are taken and matching numbers are available for those who are adding to their Sturgis Series pieces.

Please let me know if you’d like to add “The Morning After” to your collection.

Check Out all the past Art from David Uhl commemorating Sturgis Rally at
https://www.uhlstudios.com/fine-art/collections/sturgis-commemorative/

This new piece (title TBD) features one of our favorite cowgirls, Paige Wyatt from David’s Lone Ranger series. On the prints, all details and sizes are the same as for “The Morning After”, which you can review above. We will take orders for this new one through the end of the rally this year and shipping is included within the contiguous 48 United States.

This piece is not done yet, but this will give you a good idea of where he’s headed with it!

Please let me know if you’d like to acquire this new beauty.

Thanks for your time and have a great week!

Best regards,
Greg Rhodes
International Sales Director
David Uhl Fine Art
Uhl Studios

Uhl Studios website
https://www.uhlstudios.com/
303-913-4840

A brother Mike Stevenson, who is a sharp builder, former actor, and all-around chopper rider forever, contacts me on a regular basis regarding bikes. He called sorta excited recently.

Mike and I have worked on bikes together, including Dr. Hamsters Pandemic Panhead. He encountered serious health issues and still wants to ride rigid framed, stretched, highbar choppers to the stars. He won’t ever give up.

Unfortunately and fortunately he’s at the rally in Sturgis now and doesn’t have access to a computer to writing emails, maybe. Who the fuck knows? But when I asked him to email his story, this is what I received. Hang on!

Steve McQueens 1968 Husqvarna Viking 360
Estimate: $80,000 – $100,000

1964 Ducati Formula III
Estimate: N/A

Steve McQueen’s 1970 Triumph Bonneville TR120
Estimate: $40,000 – $50,000

1938 Vincent Series A Rapide
Estimate: $400,000 – $500,000

Bad first: Your list of options in this class is awfully short. As for the good, Royal Enfield decided to export their all-new Meteor 350 to the United States, so that little list now includes this small heritage model. Nice to see something fresh in a space dominated by repurposed powerplants and halfhearted nods to actual vintage style.

It’s a crying shame that you just don’t see many cheap and cheerful retros in dealerships today. Riders shopping small cruisers get the Honda Rebel 300 ($4,599) and the antiquated Yamaha V-Star 250 ($4,499). As for standards and nakeds, Honda offers the CB300R ($4,949), while Husqvarna’s Svartpilen and Vitpilen 401 models (both $5,299) are within range if you’re flexible on that five thousand dollar budget. Those are your new-with-warranty options, aside from smaller brands (CSC, SYM, etc.) and whatever unsold stock you could find of discontinued models like the Suzuki TU250X. The Meteor 350 demands consideration as the cheapest ($4,399 base) and most original offering in its class for 2021. Their most direct competition may come from Triumph’s partnership with Bajaj for a small-displacement retro, but the Meteor has a huge head start: the Baj-umph has been delayed until 2023.

According to Royal Enfield CEO Siddhartha Lal, motorcycling is splitting into two major segments — “commuters and big, fancy motorcycles” — and he wants Royal Enfield to explore the space between those two extremes.

“Our core philosophy [is] making simple, pure, old-school, gorgeous, fun motorcycles,” Lal says. They’re off to a strong start with recent releases like the 650 twins and the Himalayan mini-ADV. After the Bullet and Thunderbird models were retired, Royal Enfield developed the Meteor as a modernized replacement that retains the look and feel of older models. The Meteor name actually goes back to a twin they built back in the 1950s.

Meet the Meteor
The heart of the Meteor is its 349 cc, SOHC engine and its classic Royal Enfield thump. RE claims 20.2 peak horsepower at 6,100 rpm, and 20 foot-pounds of torque at 4,000 rpm. The engine gets a five-speed transmission, fuel injection, and a two-valve head. The cylinder sits bolt upright, like RE mills of the past. The long-stroke 350 isn’t a sleeved 410 out of the Himalayan, surprisingly. It looks like the 650 twin from the side, although the similarities are only surface-deep, as the two do not share any significant parts. Oil changes and valve checks are every 3,000 miles after the initial 500-mile check-in. At least the valve cover is easy to access, and the adjusters are dead simple screw-and-locknut jobs.

The Meteor 350 comes in three trim levels and a variety of paint options.

• Fireball, a base model with plain paint options and basic badges. Black, red, or yellow.
• Stellar, a small bump in price gets nicer paint options plus a passenger backrest, upgraded badges, and a chrome exhaust.
• Supernova leads the range with the Stellar’s features plus two-tone paint and a windshield.

I had the choice between a matte black Stellar and a yellow Fireball. Yellow is an underrated motorcycle color, and in person, it was an easy choice for me. I used the Sunshine Express as my daily rider for a few weeks, and it went a little something like this.

Riding impressions
“Hoooo weeee, haven’t seen one of thems in a long time. That yours?” asked an older gentleman as I finished my early morning coffee on the steps outside a diner on the Pennsylvania-Jersey border. This would be the first of many similar encounters with my time on the Meteor. The Royal Enfield name still carries some weight with riders who remember the Bullets of old. I gave the guy a quick rundown of the bike’s story and his eyebrows shot up into his hat when I mentioned the price.

“Huh! Maybe gotta get me one, then,” he said as walked in for some joe of his own.

Straddling the Meteor instantly channels the bike’s “Cruise Easy” tagline. The styling and seating position are somewhere between standard and cruiser. The rider sits upright and relaxed with a generous handlebar bend and mild forward controls for plenty of legroom. The seat itself is scooped and low, with a seat height of 30.1 inches. My test bike was about half an inch lower than that with the optional Low Ride seat. RE also offers a plush touring saddle and a range of seat covers to change up the look. Most riders will have no issue getting their feet down at a stop.

The Meteor has the stance and visual presence of a much larger motorcycle. Some small retros, especially the TU250X, the V-Star, and the old Rebel 250, are easily identified as little bikes. Royal Enfield avoids that distinction with its seat height (a good three inches over the Rebel 300 and V-Star), substantial four-gallon tank, and oversized headlight. The “big bike” feeling carries over into the riding position with that wide handlebar and forward foot controls.

Riding the 350 is more like watching for a meteor cross the sky than it is riding the fiery space rock itself. This motorcycle is gentle, gentle, gentle with a healthy helping of grunt for its displacement. This would be a wonderful first bike or second addition to someone’s garage. That’s not to say that a budget-minded rider couldn’t use it as a daily. The Meteor’s a bit porky at a claimed 418 pounds wet, although it carries its weight nicely. The engine wants to give its trademark thump more than it wants to rev out. Cruise easy, my friend. The engine’s torque bias means it resists stalling and constant gear-changing.

The Meteor is happiest puttering along up to 55 mph on a winding rural highway. It’s not bad in cities, either, where its thin profile and tractable power make short work of commutes and errands. Speeds over 60 mph start to tax and vibrate the little mill, which will keep pulling up to around 70 mph. Save up for a ‘shield-equipped Supernova or an aftermarket solution, if you’ll be hitting these speeds regularly.

Also, pay attention to the engine! While flogging the Meteor down an open stretch of road that cuts through one of our state parks, the bike began to buck and stutter. My earplugs blocked almost all of the engine’s sound, and without a tachometer, I didn’t realize that I was banging the poor bike off its rev limiter. Sorry, Sunshine Express. On the positive side, the stock muffler is downright stealthy if you want to sneak a midnight ride without waking the neighborhood.

Connecting the Tripper system becomes much easier after the initial pairing because the devices remember each other. Tripper uses arrows of different colors and flashing intensities to intuitively guide the rider. I was impressed with the system overall, and I was glad to get my phone off the handlebar and into a waterproof pocket of my jacket instead. I hope we’ll see other manufacturers roll out their own devices like Tripper, and Royal Enfield will miss a huge opportunity if they don’t add this feature to their other motorcycles. Several European manufacturers should be ashamed of themselves for delivering worse navigation solutions on motorcycles costing several times as much as the Meteor.

Like any of the modern Mopar muscle cars, you’d buy this vehicle over its competitors because of its looks and engine. The Meteor 350 has far more character than any of its Japanese competition. And unlike the Austrian machines making twice the horsepower, it has nothing to prove. No sir, this is a comfortable little motortooter that doesn’t mind going so slow that you can actually smell the roses. It’s easy to forget that back in the heyday of North American motorcycling, thousands upon thousands of machines with similar performance made motorcycling accessible to a generation of riders.

And if you don’t like the Meteor, Royal Enfield won’t be too upset. In a parallel to the KTM Duke 200 I reviewed last year, this model’s success doesn’t hinge on North American sales. Its core customers are the legions of riders in Royal Enfield’s home market, where a 350 single is a respectable full-size mount that could see extended touring use. My apologies to any of our Indian friends reading this article and wondering why a motorcycle like this is considered slow and small. We’re spoiled for speed and power here, that’s all. Even so, why shouldn’t Royal Enfield offer the Meteor alongside the 650s and the Himalayan? This is rounds out their lineup, offers a replacement for the iconic Bullet recipe, and entices riders seeking vintage looks at half the price of Triumph’s cheapest offerings.

Highlights
The Meteor 350 is a bang-for-buck powerhouse that could start your riding career or add something completely different to your garage. The Enfield name has more mystique than any of the major brands in this space, and those who appreciate RE’s history will be proud to ride the modern-day Bullet. Ridden within its limits, the Meteor puts fun first and remains competent right up to the rev limiter.

It’s a conversation piece, too. Other riders, and even non-riders, approach with all kinds of questions. Price gets ‘em every time. And with used motorcycle prices climbing, the Meteor might be the right bike at the right time for a wide range of small-bike shoppers.

In addition to some of the bike’s features I liked in the riding section, there’s one more perk of ownership worth a mention. Royal Enfield created a YouTube playlist with clear, easily followed video tutorials for every basic maintenance task on the bike, plus some troubleshooting. I think this is a brilliant, low-buck way to build essential skills while sweetening the pot for potential customers. It raises the same question as the Tripper system: Why aren’t more manufacturers doing this? Too bad the series does not include a video on valve adjustments.

Lowlights
If the Meteor’s best quality is its price, then its shortcomings are sacrifices that had to be made to stay affordable. The paintwork on my Fireball model was thin with some orange (lemon?) peel. The plastic fenders have a cheap look to them in some lighting, but at least they won’t develop flash rust after riding in the rain like the exhaust. Other questionable decisions included weird front brake line routing, an LED DRL around a halogen bulb, and so many engine fasteners that I started to think they were worried about something. The most offensive part of all was the fuel filler lock’s cover. It has too much wobble and feels like it could snap off easily while fueling up.

Other issues have to do with what’s missing. A tach, or even a shift light, would be nice for those of us who wear earplugs. While we’re at it, a sixth speed, or final drive gearing that can attain 80 mph, would be appreciated. One final suggestion would be the addition of a belt drive. The 3,000-mile service intervals are disappointing, and if nothing can be done about that, then why not reduce maintenance elsewhere? Belt drive even fits the Meteor’s mini cruiser positioning. Kawasaki managed this in the 1980s with their 454 LTD.

Looking back on easy cruising
Here’s the thing: All the Meteor’s faults are forgiven in light of its price tag. What’s more, the riders who will turn up their noses at iffy paint, 20 horsepower and unruly hose routing probably aren’t interested in this motorcycle anyway. Buy a premium motorcycle from a premium manufacturer if you want premium fit and finish. Sure, Honda will deliver a higher standard of workmanship on bikes costing a few hundred bucks more at the expense of the Enfield’s soul.

2021 Royal Enfield Meteor 350
Price (MSRP)     $4,399 (base Fireball), $4,499 (Stellar), $4,599 (Supernova)
Engine     349 cc, air-cooled, two-valve vertical single
Transmission, final drive     Five-speed, chain
Claimed horsepower     20.2 @ 6,100 rpm
Claimed torque     19.9 foot-pounds @ 4,000 rpm
Frame     Twin downtube steel spine frame
Front suspension     41 mm fork, 5.1 inches of travel
Rear suspension     Dual shocks adjustable for preload
Front brake     Single two-piston caliper, 300 mm disc with ABS
Rear brake     Single-piston caliper, 270 mm disc with ABS
Rake     26.7 degrees
Wheelbase     55.1 inches
Seat height     30.1 inches
Fuel capacity     3.96 gallons
Tires     CEAT 100/90-19 front, 140/70-17 rear
Claimed wet weight     421 pounds (90 percent fuel and oil)
Available     Now
Warranty     36 months

On Sunday August 8th Michael Lichter invited members of the media and the motorcycle industry to the Grand Opening of his 2021 Motorcycles As Art Exhibition held at the Buffalo Chip. The exhibit is open to the public, free of charge for the entire rally.

 The invitation was: Many motorcycle builders come and go. Economic downturns and fickle twists and turns of moto fads can yield a new crop of talent each year, only for those names to become forgotten by the onset of the next trend.  

Those with metal-lined backbone and character strong enough to buck trends have earned their legendary status and a fair amount of recognition. During the 81st anniversary of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, you’ll have the opportunity to see dozens of these builders display a motorcycle in the style of their choosing in the Sturgis Buffalo Chip’s 2021 Motorcycles as Art exhibit titled “More Mettle: Motorcycles and Art that Never Quit.” 

In addition, this one-time collection will give you the chance to see legendary Lichter Photography one the walls of the exhibit hall surrounding the bikes.

 The exhibit is free and open to the public at the Sturgis Buffalo Chip Event Center from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 7 through Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2021.

More Mettle: Motorcycles and Art That Never Quit will feature a collection of custom motorcycles from the world’s most celebrated builders that’ll show you the spectrum of history and possibilities inherent in custom motorcycling. Without a theme to guide the builds themselves, you will see the world’s most legendary builders shine in their particular niche of custom motorcycle building that’s made them a household name in a world-class gallery setting.

For the second year in a row, builders needed to have completed at least 20 custom builds and been in business for at least 20 years. Faced with the knowledge that half of all businesses fail in the first five years, it was evident these motorcycle aficionados had fought hard to become successful and legendary well beyond the confines of the industry.

You were able to get an up-close view from every angle as each bike is individually lit and displayed atop elevated pedestals spread throughout the hall.

Builders

Aaron Greene, Aaron Greene Customs
Arlin Fatland, Two Wheelers M/C Denver
Bill Dodge, Blings Cycles
Billy Lane, Choppers Inc.
Brian Klock, Klock Werks
Carl Olsen, Carl’s Cycle Supply
Cole Foster, Salinas Boys
Cory Ness, Arlen Ness Enterprises
Dan Bacon Carr, DC Choppers
Dave Perewitz, Perewitz Cycle Fabrication
Donnie Smith, Donnie Smith Custom Cycles
Fred Cuba, Fred’s Speed and Sport
Jerry Covington, Covingtons Customs
Jim Nasi, Jom Nasi Customs
John Shope, Dirty Bird Concepts
Kiwi Mike Tomas, Kiwi Indian Motorcycles
Mark & Paul Shadley, Shadley Bros
Matt Olsen, Carl’s Cycle Supply
Michael LaFountain, Raccia Motorcycles
Mondo Porras, Denver’s Choppers
Pat Patterson, Led Sled Customs
Paul Cox, Paul Cox Industries
Paul Wideman, Bare Knuckle Choppers
Paul Yaffe, Paul Yaffe Originals
Richard Pollock, Mule Motorcycles
Rick Fairless Strokers Dallas
Roland Sands, Roland Sands Design
Shinya Kimura, Cabot Engineering
Taber Nash, Nash Motorcycle Co.
Tim McNamer, Ballistic Cycles30
Tom Keefer, Franklin Church Choppers

Michael Lichter

Michael Lichter began photographing custom bikes and the biker-lifestyle in the 1970s. Working with Easyriders Magazine since 1979, he has produced over 800 stories for them. Michael is also a regular contributor to 16 other publications around the world, has 11 coffee table books to his credit and exhibits his photographic art in galleries and museums in the USA and abroad.

As a curator, Michael first started creating themed exhibitions with custom motorcycles and art in 2001 at the Journey Museum in Rapid City. In 2009, the annual exhibition was moved to the purpose-built 7,000 square foot gallery at the Sturgis Buffalo Chip where it was given the name “Motorcycles As Art.”

Michael has operated out of the same commercial photography studio in beautiful Boulder, Colorado for more than 35-years.

Find out more about Michael Lichter and see his work here:

Facebook: facebook.com/lichterphoto
Instagram: @michaellichterphotography
Website: lichterphoto.com

 

 

 

I have been thinking about this for a good while now. I THOUGHT I was done with the Harley-Davidson dealer business, but every time I try to get out, I get pulled back in but probably not for long. I plan on contributing a lot more for BIKERNET in the near future.

With that being said, it seems nowadays it has all changed. I guess everything does. First, I would like to say I have been this side of the industry for about 25 years. I have been riding since 1976. Yeah, I have seen some things! What I see nowadays is a decline.

People with great knowledge used to work in dealerships not nowadays. Been to one lately? If you have, you know what I am speaking of! Young kids at the parts counters, not knowing anything. I had a guy tell me it took him 4 trips to get the correct spark plugs and it took him 2 trip to get the correct air filter? Come on?

A lot of this has to do with the pay scale, and a lot has to do with no interest in motorcycles from the people who get these jobs!

I have always said you cannot take a guy or a girl who has no interest in bikes or the lifestyle and train them. IT DOES NOT WORK!

I started getting interested in bikes (Harleys) when I was in the 10th grade. I would read anything I could find that was about Harley-Davidson motorcycles. I learned the history and tradition behind the Motor Company.

I was lucky enough to meet a guy along the way Mike J., he taught me a lot. He would talk and I would listen, and I would take it all in. WE are still the best of friends to this day.

There were others along the way. I always listened. I never tried to impress these guys with what I did not know! A lot of years down the road I met my good friend Bandit. I have learned a great deal from him not only about bike and this business but some life lessons as well.

Back to what we were talking about. I see these kids come into this business with no knowledge, no base knowledge and they struggle big time. They stick around maybe 3-6 months and move on.

They have no love for the business, no love for bikes, no passion and they leave with nothing. The cycle repeats itself over and over.

I have seen this business in the ‘90s. It was wide open. People standing in line to buy bikes, but not today. Next time you are at a dealership check out how many new bikes you see.

To be successful in this business you must have a passion for motorcycles. I do not see this nowadays. These kids see it as only a job. Most don’t ride, most cannot afford to, and some have no desire to!

I truly hope all this changes. This is a GREAT industry to be a part of!

Oh, by the way, if anyone cares to know what I am doing right I got a call asking if I would be interested in helping with a BIG inventory problem? BIG is an understatement!

So, for now that’s what I am doing. Oh, and I am also trying to get their parts counter straight??? Like I said, I am going to be more involved with BIKERNET in the near future.

UNTIL NEXT TIME, RIDE!
–STEALTH

All attendees of the annual Sturgis Rally have burst into flame and perished in shrieking hollering agony due to the Delta Dawn Variant of the Jerrycolona Virus that came from the Wu Tan Clan laboratory in the Testosterone Valley of China Smith via Dan Duryea.

Motorcycles went flying helter-skelter, spinning through the air and slamming into the clouds as the Corona viruses interacted with the carbon footprints being left on the ground creating a globally warmed mutated variant of the varianted doppleganged dissimilar new variable of the Panda-Created Bat Pandemic Death Contagion causing tree ignition explosions due to 90 degree air temperatures, destroying all the forests of the earth and in nearby towns.

Vast clouds of Covid dust filled the air causing mutated cases of new cases. Cases also were reported of other cases caused by caseness. Viruses enlarged to visible size and shaped like leopards were reported to be carrying children up into trees, setting them down onto branches and snarlingly eating them, many while still screaming for their parents, all of whom were already dead from the Corona Beer Variant Anomaly Case Count Variable Inversion Layer Ozone Depletion Icemelt.

Bodies now line the streets and some are falling from the skies. Black clouds of Corona Daytona Delta Dawn viruses are seen rising from the corpses and spreading across the hot planet and killing all but me and all others like me who duly report on such matters.

Bikinied and Daisy Duked women who were, prior to having been torn to shreds by Corona Leopards, sensually trying the elicit heterosexual responses from the males in violation of the Rainbow Protocols, could be seen expressing regret that they ignored the Stay Safe Mandates by
not wearing masks, helmets, and Delta-Defying suits of armor now being distributed by President Biden, Governor Newsom and Matt Damon, currently in the penalty box for saying a word currently on the Forbidden Vocabulary Data Sheet.

The very planet sprouted tubes of virology that rose up from the terrain and ascended into the clouds, the Earth itself now being transformed into a 24,000 mile in diameter Corona Melanoma Oo La Paloma Blanca Virus and now thus as a result posing a threat to the entire solar system thus requiring an end to
the space program until further notice.

All rockets are under lockdown safety mandates until further notice. Meanwhile all my efforts and all the efforts of my fellow saintly and filled-with-holiness journalists and reporters and sources and according-to’s who tried vainly to encourage the ruffian hordes of uncaring disease-spreaders and highly immoral self-absorbed fun seekers concerned only with their own needs and not the needs of the planet or its inhabitants in Gondwanaland….to obey the rules….were met with laughter and derision and comments ranging from “You gotta be kidding” to “Fuck you and the cunt-faced crossdresser who gave you birth and from whose cock you suckled until your Aids infected balls dissolved into syphillitic ass-nodes. Prick.”

This was uttered a lot and with increasing ire depending on the degree of repetition. Overweight loud and boisterous flu dispensers called “bikers” jammed together shoulder to shoulder, drinking beer, slapping Daisy-Duked womens’ asses in violation of the womens’ fragile emotional nature not to mention the violation of their near-naked buttocks, and using vocabulary clearly forbidden by the Supreme Court, the Constitution, the UN Restriction Revisions and Assembly Bill 5520966470118359177 and generally not wearing masks.

While videoing one encounter I was subjected to the following litany of abuse by some grey-bearded tattooed very loud red-faced load of suet about the size of a Nazi shoreline concrete gun emplacement who, if I might quote, shouted while laughing at the same time “Listen you slimy little semen drinking eel, take your fucking stay safe protocols and your aids-infected tonsils out of the fucking way of my face or I’ll take your covid-fearing transgendered gonads and spread them across an anvil. Yes, I’ll wear gloves, and sledge hammer them into tapioca which I will
then feed to your boyfriend via a tube up his ass. Ok?”

This is what we’re up against as soldiers of safety to a hurting planet. I agreed to his demands, incidentally. In case you were wondering. Clearly nothing is going to stop this annual assault upon the safety of humanity until the day motorcycles are declared enemies of the People.

Motorcycles seem to be the one unifying element of this horde of whatever they even are. Take those away you take away their vaulting selfish immoral need to imperil the empowerment of the We’re All In This Together corralment of renegade individuality into compliant and environmentally-safe unity.

J.J. Solari

Watch for wild Jack Galleries coming soon to the Cantina.–Bandit

Have a plan

Focus on organization

Spread out as much as you can. If you don’t have enough bench space, grab a piece of chalk and draw squares on the floor, labeling components in the order they came off. Taking the seconds to scribble and sort feels like a lifetime in the moment, but trying to find that one mount or spacer when you almost done is significantly more frustrating. I’ve been there, and I promise it is not a fun place.

Keep out distraction
We love a good garage gathering as much as anyone, but when you’re working on deadline, it is not time to have people over to hang out and bench race. An experienced helping hand can be nice and very welcome. However, you won’t have the bandwidth to teach as you go, or to supervise someone whom you don’t trust to do things exactly how you want them done. A plan is extra important should you have someone over to help. Be sure it is thought-out and clear.

Write your list and cross things off
Your plan should include some milestones. “Rebuild engine” is a poor plan; one that includes steps such as “remove and inspect cylinder head” is better. This gives you guidance and also a feeling of accomplishment mid-project when you cross things off the to-do list. Embrace these moments, because they can recharge your mental batteries when your energy is getting drained by a large task. Breaking up a project into chunks also helps you time food or mental breaks to keep yourself fresh.

Take the time for a final once-over
Tightening the last bolt feels great … but was that really the last bolt? In a flurry of work, it is extremely easy to skip the torque wrench or not run the proper pattern when tightening things down. When you think you are done, take a moment and go front to back—or top to bottom, or whatever makes sense for your task—and mentally put your mind to each part you touched while also physically checking that you did you job correctly. Nothing is worse than thrashing to get something done just to have it break again because of something you missed during a moment of autopilot assembly.

Day 1

Friday afternoon Maree and Graeme Lowen ride the Goldwing to Dunedin. This Ice Run is organized by the Deep South Chapter of the Patriots
Motorcycle Club of which Graeme is in the throes of becoming a member. You must attend three meetings, three of their organized runs and lead an
organized run.

It was a great fine calm day for a ride with dry roads and little traffic, until we hit SH 1 at Clinton and then it became a slow ride to Dunedin. Keep in mind that winter runs from June to August.

This is the first of the Patriot organized runs for 2021.

Day 2

Saturday dawned a bit cold and foggy with a smattering of a frost around as well. We figured that by the time we got started there would have been enough traffic to clear the roads and remove slippery areas.

It proved to be true as we made our way at about 90 kph (55 mph) over the motor way and into Killmog. There were some ten bikes and a backup van with a trailer. It was nonstop from Dunedin to Oamaru, something that I am not used to but
I did manage.

The pace was slower than what I would have liked, but I learned later it was the lead rider’s call.
Apparently, he rides like this all the time. Not good pace when with a group.

Some riders needed to refuel in Oamaru by which time it started to warm up a bit. My handlebar mitts were a boon for me. Oamaru is the largest town in North Otago, in the South Island of New Zealand, it is the main town in the Waitaki District. It is 80 kilometers south of Timaru and 120 kilometers north of Dunedin on the Pacific coast.

Then it was onto Timaru at the same frustrating pace. It’s not often I am in a group being passed by four-wheelers, because we are going so slow.

It was into Timaru, and I refueled there but it was the entry into the Robert Harris Café on the east side of SH 1 in Washdyke that caused a bit of
confusion amongst some of us riders that had stopped to refuel.

We could see all the bikes parked up on the south side of the café but without obvious entry
into it? It never occurred to our leader that the entrance was on the north side. I rode into a large parking area of the building down from the café, did a U turn and rode up the footpath, across bit of a
rock garden and into the carpark on the north side.

About four others followed me. We also met up with some riders from Christchurch and had lunch.

After lunch, Keith took over as the lead rider and picked up the pace as we rode through Fairlie (I did not stop for a pork pie) and on up over Burkes Pass. As we entered the straights around Dog Kennel Corner there were a few police cars out stopping speeding motorists.

We hauled in for a break at Tekapo for refueling. The afternoon started a bit cool. But it
was soon to get a whole lot cooler, as we rolled Out west to the Balmoral Military Camp and headed south and over the Tekapo Canal.

We could see all the fog hanging around the top end of Lake Benmore. When we turned west again, we could see a dense fog bank at the gap known as Simons Pass. Jacko warned us about fog and a hoar frost in Twizel, but it started at Simons
Pass. As soon as you were into the fog, the hoar frost gripped the area as well!

Hoar frost is a type of feathery frost that forms because of specific climatic conditions. The word ‘hoar’ comes from old English and refers to the old age appearance of the frost: the way the ice crystals form makes it look like white hair or a beard.

The density of the fog varied from here on and offered different layers of fog over Lake Pukaki. They appeared rather picturesque if the dense clouds remained in the distance. It was crossing the
dam where the thick fog started to mess with our vision, in addition to the hoar frost all the way
into Twizel.

Keith led us into the township and to the gas station but seemed a bit lost after that. We couldn’t see much in front of us. Another rider with his cell phone acting as a GPS took over and three of us
followed. Only he led us to the wrong camp ground.

When he dismounted, he had a light layer of frosty ice on the front of his jacket. He wasn’t the only one. However, as we were the only ones in the wrong campground. The GPS was reset and we all
followed him around in very dense fog. We could only see about 25 meters. Even then, we had to stop and reset the GPS before arriving at Lake Ruataniwha campground.

We knew we were at the right place when we saw bikes inside the fence. That must have been the bunk block. We went to the main entrance and checked in.

Maree is not fussed about sharing a room with a whole lot of guys, but we got a Motel unit as did several others. It was an hour or so later that we
got a ride in a van to the local RSA for our evening meal. There must have been some 30 of us.

Day 3

Sunday just sort of dawned much in the same condition as the previous day. I wandered around taking photos as hoar frost is not something most of us get to experience.

Up at the bunk house bikes were in various stages of being started, some more reluctant than others. Riders aimed a kerosene blast-heater at a bike to try to thaw out the carburetor. I returned to my bike and although the engine turned over rapidly it wouldn’t fire. I could smell an excess of fuel and the battery began to decline.

I got a jump start from a car, and it fired into life with no trouble. I was not game to turn the engine off as it did not appear to be happy, but at least it did not die on me. A cold ride as well as fogy followed all the other riders out to the main road to head south to Omarama.

Out on the road side young buff guys stripped to the waist taking brave photos with hoar frost background—no girls.

The fog did rise a bit, and we simply rode out of it just around the bend past the turn off to lake Ohau. Then into Omarama and we refueled
and made our way to the Wrinkly Ram for Brunch.

Having eaten some brunch, it was time to hit the road. One of the riders made comment about me not really needing the handlebar mitts any longer. They would look good on his bike. However, they still looked good on mine and away we rode towards the Lindis Pass.

My fears of there being ice over the pass were unfounded and the road was dry. It was the stop at Tarras that provide us with chilly clues. I got talking to a lady who drove from Tekapo in the morning. She told us that the first club group ran into dense hoar frost and thick fog all the way from Tekapo to the Ohau turnoff. The guys who left 20 minutes later missed most of it.

She saw a classic truck and caravan that slid off the road and another 4-wheel mishap.

We were indeed lucky that the Christchurch guys headed south with us. From there on it was a warm ride until we reached Lumsden where, even though we were only half-an-hour from home, I still felt cold enough to put my jersey back on that I took off in Frankton.

Home safe!