It all started five years ago with 400 die hard chopper freaks, and Edge, a straight shooting fulltime military man, who loves old school choppers. “We wanted an event that would not be flooded by billet barge riding R.U.B.'s sporting more money than taste parading around in their brandy new “Officially Licensed Motor Clothes” posing for each other. Nope, not the scene we wanted,” said a hard core brother with a bottle of whiskey swaying by his side. “We'll leave that for Daytona Bike Week and, I'm sorry to say, Sturgis.” What they envisioned was a real event for real riders. Guys and gals who put their blood, sweat and tears in what was between their legs. Home built rides that showed a certain style and individualism that us Americans are world famous for. Folks who ride in what they built and boy, did we get it.
No one was seen wearing an O.C.C. shirt at this event. There were no gaudy “Theme” bikes built just for display. The bikes at this event were built for the road, not the show circuit.
Well, at the birth of the Smoke Out back in 1999, none of the regulars envisioned that it would turn out as well as it has five years hence. This year 15,000 riders blasted in to the sleepy little southern town of Salisbury, North Carolina to meet up with other backyard builders as well as some chopper professionals who got so good at it that they now make a living out of their wrenching and ingenuity. Guys like Fabricator Kevin, who makes awesome one of a kind custom stainless steel parts, Irish Rich Ryan from Denver who is the king of all things tech, CJ Allan from CJ's custom engraving who can carve just about anything in metal, Bradley Shelby from Hands Off Polishing in Garland, Texas who makes rust shine like a new penny, to name but a few. No dealership set-ups, no bubble wrap parts at the Smoke Out.
If that's not enough to make you wanna drop your socks and ride down, We also hosted the cream of the Discovery Channel Hard Core builders: Indian Larry, Hank Young, Billy Lane and his Choppers Inc. crew were all on hand to answer your building questions and hang out with the crowd.
Friday was a day to test the metal of the riders as they arrived. The skies opened up and turned the Rowan County Fair Grounds into a sea of mud, reminding me of the scene at Woodstock '69. Undeterred, riders continued to roll in. One guy was heard saying that “Hogs like to wallow in the mud,” and “great weather, this will keep the wannabes at home under cover.”
The Horse staff was hard at work, lining up the entries for the bike show that had no first, second and third place winners. They picked the best 10 bikes judged on originality, engineering and down right coolness. Hard Core Chopper Magazine had heard of the event and even sent a photo crew all the way from Tokyo to check out the best that the U.S.A. had to offer. The legendary Frank Kaisler was there to schmoose and reunite with old friends as was gonzo illustrator Jon Towel who designed the poster for the event.
Ice Cream Man From Hell and yours truly hosted the evenings entertainment. We invited bands like the Crank County Dare Devils and the Unknown Hinson who stopped the show on Saturday night. Of course, I.C.M.F.H. and I brought the evening a touch of class with the nekkid ladies from MAL Entertainment and hosted the ever-popular Horse Maiden Contest on Saturday night. A trailer was burned in effigy and the free burn out pit proved to be as popular as always.
There is a debate raging between calling the new chopper builders “Old Skool, or New Skool, this is one event that is, well, to coin a new term, “Pre-Skool”. It was announced by Hammer, the editor or HORSE, on Saturday night, that in spite of rumors to the contrary, Smoke Out 6 will be again held at the Rowan County Fair Grounds next year–start planning now.
–TBear
Bradley Da Polisher has represented our great state with honor in previous years, this year he would be joined by myself, Spanky, the lovely Danny (a.k.a.Vanna) and the fine folks from Flyrite Choppers here in Austin, Texas also. People would just look at us and say “You came all the way from Texas for this?” Well Hell Ya!
Having used the F250 road-ark to make our way through the heavy rain from Houston through Alabama, we finally arrived in Salisbury about noon on Thursday and made our way to the hotel. Spanky and Vanna had a premium location on the main parking lot at the Holiday Inn. We caught a couple hours sleep, and then it was off to the liquor store for refreshments and a trip to locate the fair grounds. Thursday night ended sometime about 3 am with the beginning of what was shaping up to be one damn fine weekend.
At the very time the rally was to begin on Friday, the skies opened up and Mother Nature began to Piss On My Parade. Slow at first so folks just set out in front of their rooms and continued the party waiting for the break. When the rain only got heavier everyone finally had enough…”Screw the rain ain’t none of us gonna melt! Off to the Smoke Out!”
Upon our arrival we headed out to locate Caffeine the Pin Striper as Spanky hoped to get some work done. We found Caffeine sharing a spot at the fair grounds with Fabricator Kevin, Buck of Goblin Millworx and a couple of dudes who were yelling a bunch of shit as I walked up. Seeing how I was wearing my Bikernet shirt I thought they might have an attitude and just ignored them. I learned on my return to Caffeine’s tent (my home base) after a cruise through the festivities that these two crotchety dudes were no other than the famous engraver CJ and TBear of Bikernet and Horse fame.
As I approached this time Fabricator Kevin had joined these two, I started talking to them and introduced myself as RFR. It was at this point that I learned that TBear had on my first visit informed CJ and the rest that if I came up and said I worked for Bikernet they were kick my ass and take my camera. Geez tough fuckin crowd! Good thing I told them my name first. Oh yea Bandit if you see someone in any of these images that owes you a story, he was not there! I can vouch for that.
TBear from that point on as well as everyone else there extended us the utmost in hospitality. TBear introduced me to all kinds of different folks, he also told the main stage security dude to allow me access to wherever I needed to go! Did not get his name, but he likes Budweiser.
TBear also took a shining to my photography assistant Vanna. Vanna is into photography also, so I gave her my back up camera and sent her to gather images of the ladies and folks in general. Some of the images you may be viewing you can thank Vanna for. Vanna & I headed then headed for the stage to take control of front center. As there was still some time prior to the show I left Vanna for a second when who should take a shinning to Ms. Vanna next? Nick from Choppers Inc; she politely informed him she was with someone and we were no longer allowed to leave Vanna alone. This did not seem to deter Vanna’s new beau when they would cross paths throughout the weekend.
