General Posts

    Hell Raiser Comes Down to Earth   By Bandit with photos by Jack McIntyre.   I’ve been interviewing feature builders and owners for 40 years. You can imagine, I’ve conversed with every personality under the stars, including a prick or two. Sometimes we start to talk and suddenly it’s like shooting the shit with a brother of 20 years. And often this one conversation will lead to a decades-long relationship.   After speaking with Chris, I knew we would be in contact for years to come. He was like talking to an old pal in front of the local bike night, about his latest build. We discussed this bike, his shop, and economic survival, Sturgis, Bonneville, and show circuits. So, where the hell should I start?               CLICK to read…  

  Muskegon was loud and colorful for the 8th Bike Time Rally. The tribe of 100,000 assembled this past weekend by the lakeshore in Muskegon, MI for the annual Muskegon Bike Time Rally. The main drag is West Western Avenue and it transforms into “Steel Horse Alley” on Thursday when the circus comes to town. I flew into Michigan for Bike Time because Biker Pros produced the Extreme Custom Bike Show at Muskegon Bike Time for the Rally. This is the 2nd year and the show just gets stronger and stronger. The caliber of the bikes are outstanding and the builders enjoy hanging out by the bikes, talking with enthusiasts, revving their engines and playing their stereos for the crowds. CLICK here to read….   Advertisement

  Each 5 Ball Racing Leather design gets tested on the street and at major rallys. I’m here at the Smoke Out 15 doing a review on the new Indian Motorcycle as well as the  5/8 Sleeve Black Leather  (5 Pocket) Jack Shirt. It’s rattlesnake tough and lakester slick and made with 1 conceal and carry pocket.  Features snap front , 5 pockets, comfortable iconic Buffalo Leather and 100% cotton black/white plaid lining. J&P’s got’m, slide over and check out the entire line. Click here to get yours.

The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame’s annual induction breakfast sponsored by Bikernet.com and Iron Trader, is one of the premiere events of the 2014 Rally on Wednesday, August 6. The event will be honoring six new inductees to the Hall of Fame and one new Freedom Fighter. The Museum is also pleased to announce that industry legend Mark Blackwell will be serving as the emcee for the 2014 Hall of Fame Induction breakfast. “We’re honored to have Mark serve as our emcee for this year,” said Christine Paige Diers, Executive Director of the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum. “From V-Twins to dirt bikes and everything in between, Mark has helped shape the face of motorcycling in America for the past four decades.” In addition to being the first AMA 500cc Motocross champion, Blackwell more recently helped put American-made Victory Motorcycles on the map. “He has done more to forward the cause of motorcycling in this country than many realize and he is a great addition to the breakfast.” Kudos to the six great sponsors for this year’s breakfast, adds Christine. “Allstate Insurance is our gift sponsor, and our general sponsors include Black Hills Harley-Davidson, The Buffalo Chip Campground, Rushmore Region Economic Development, Bikernet and Iron Trader News.” The annual Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Breakfast is scheduled for Wednesday, August 6 at 9:00 a.m. at The Lodge at Deadwood in Deadwood, SD. Breakfast tickets are available for a $35 donation, tables of eight for $300. Tickets are available by calling the Museum at 605.347.2001, or online here.

Now in its 23rd year, the 2014 edition of the LA Calendar Motorcycle Show was held this year on the lush lawns of the Malibu Golf Course, in the Santa Monica Mountains, near the Pacific Ocean. Highlighting this year’s activities was the emergence of a new custom bike builder to the sport. Read more.

  Wicked Influence, a bike and a girl. Frank over at Wicked Influence in Arvada Colorado builds a wicked bike and through some searching we found a wicked girl to match. With a passion that started with Easy Rider, Frank has been in the industry since the late 70s. After high school he went to school for motorcycle mechanics while his brother went for automotive. Frank wanted to know everything he could about bikes, he even roomed with his instructor so he could pick his brain 24×7. His first bike was a Norton 850 Commando that he rebuilt from the ground up while in school. CLICK here….  

This exceptional new addition to the Indian Motorcycle family will make its public debut on August 2nd at the 74th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and will be available for demo rides throughout the weeklong event along with the rest of the 2015 Indian Motorcycle lineup including the two-tone Chief Classic, Chief Vintage and Chieftain models previously announced. Additional announcements regarding the 2015 line of Indian bikes will also be made the evening of August 2nd. Read more. Advertisement

  Enjoy the camaraderie of other independent, self-reliant women. by Vicki Sanfelipo. Be the first to comment ‘Rallies’, ‘Road Trips’ and it’s human nature to want to belong to a group of like-minded individuals. You see many such groups in the world of motorcycling. In 1985, when I started riding, there weren’t many female groups, and most of the male-dominated groups did not allow women to belong. Computers, social media and even cell phones weren’t prevalent, so most groups were in local communities. I was a tomboy at heart, so hanging out with the guys was never difficult for me, but I longed for opportunities to ride with other women and enjoy the camaraderie. I read every article I found about women who rode their own motorcycles. My first opportunity came in the early ’90s when my local Harley-Davidson Dealership in Central Wisconsin started a new Harley Owners Group (HOG) chapter. I knew that there were a couple of other women in my community who rode, but I had only seen one of them out riding. CLICK to read….  

Paul Aiken Buys an Indian Classic and Goes to Work By Bandit with photos by Wrench. A few years ago Paul Aiken, out of Charlotte needed something to do. He loved motorcycles, was a machinist, and had a creative nature, so he bought a very small parts company called Aeromach. Paul’s shop was akin to Geppetto’s workshop in a storybook. It was dinky, but now contains two state of the art CNC machines, and Paul never lets them rest. The first one started cranking out billet mirrors, and you’re normal line of accessories, grips, pegs, levers, risers, etc. But Paul isn’t the kinda guy who sits around, plus he loves to ride. He went through four different Victory motorcycles, riding them all over the country. Then he jumped the Victory Vision, then a Yamaha Bolt, and most recently a 2014 Indian Chief Classic. CLICK to read…    

  Sturgis Action, FXR shows, Ultimate Builder Growing, Bad Legislation, No Immigration Policy—They Can’t Handle It, New Products, CV Carbs, H-D Sales Forecast, Indian going to Bonneville, Jack Daniels at Vegas Bikefest and so much more. By Bandit, Krash Kranzler, Bob T. Jim Waggaman, Rogue, Mistress Chris, and the rest of the Bikernet Crew CLICK here to read….