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WILLIE NELSON
READS BORN TO RIDE
CONTENTS: Page 3 Girl
3
Road to Bones Expedition
4
David Meaters-The Biker Potter
32
To Ride or Create
50
Slingshot
65
Girls of Biketoberfest
77
The Last Page
100
59 BORN TO RIDE
LIFESTYLE (888) 795-5779 PO Box 3021 • Brandon FL 33509 Sales Department: (888) 795-5779 • (813) 661-9402 info@borntoride.com www.BornToRide.com
Publisher Ron Galletti Editorial Jesse Williams Graphic Design Shawn Jones Photographers Brent Michael Eric Albright Ron Galletti Ron Hawks
Copyright 2014 Born To Ride Inc.
4
THE
105 1 DAY
ROAD O
EXPEDITION
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16,500 Mile
OF BONES
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If you say, “I strangled Alice” fast enough that’s how you pronounce the name of this town, spelled Ystradgynlais explained Dakar legend Simon Pavey. We had gathered in Wales, UK, at the world-renowned Off Road Skills rider-training center to participate in a course especially designed by Simon for the upcoming Road of Bones expedition 13 riders & 1 Co-rider were about to embark on a journey of a lifetime.
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Today is the day that the 14 riders and support vehicle depart from London’s Ace Café heading 28,500 Kilometers East with final destination Magadan, Eastern Russia. Along the way they will pass through 16 countries, ride through all weather conditions and experience some of the best adventure motorcycling in the world.
In 2005 four riders gathered in London to begin a four month ride across Siberia; unknown to us this ride would change the course of our lives. We were riding for our friend, our mate, Kathy McLean who suffered from the very rare Freidreichs Ataxia disease, we formed a charity along with “Kath” held fund raising events from Rio de Janeiro to London and Sydney and proceeded to ride halfway around the world raising money and awareness as we went. Once the journey was complete the fundraising for our tiny charity stopped so after two years of deliberating Compass Expeditions was formed and continue to donate to Freidreichs Ataxia Network today; sadly but expectedly Kathy died in 2013, a fighter to the end. BTR 8 |
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Starting with five BMW F 650 GS Twins and a worn out Toyota Troopcarrier offering five short tours of South America, Compass Expeditions has gone on to become one of the world’s leading motorcycle tour companies with over 35 bikes from the entire GS range five support vehicles and over 30 tours on every continent, (excepting Antarctica), and a rental fleet in Australia, all in nine years! Each year we are lucky enough to have Charley Boorman lead a tour for us in Australia and have Simon Pavey run an off road skills course followed by a tour also in Australia. Joining us for the 2014 Road of Bones Expedition were Walt & Pam USA, (BMW R1200GSA), Robert USA, (Suzuki DR 650), Bayne Canada, (BMW F800), Eric
Canada (BMW F800 GS), Brian Zimbabwe, (R1200 GS), Ray Australia, (Suzuki DR 650), Andrew Australia, (BMW R1200 GS), Jane Australia (BMW F650 GS), Leanne Australia, (BMW F650 GS), Tim Australia, (BMW F800 GS), John Australia, (BMW R1200 GSA) & Geoff Australia (Triumph Tiger XC800). After two years of planning we were about to depart on the 105 day Road of Bones expedition that would take the riders, from the UK, to France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia and Russia. With the Off Road Skills training complete the team enjoyed a superb breakfast at the legendary bikes hangout the Ace Café in London before crossing the tunnel into
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Europe. Mission statement: To provide riders with that elusive “life changing experience of a lifetime” We made quick time across Europe but not before riding through spectacular vineyards of the Rhine Valley and amongst castles scenically along the Rhine River and visiting the amazing Neuschwanstien castle created by the mad Bavarian king, Ludwig II before experiencing what is widely regarded as one of the finest passes in Europe, the immense Grossglockner. The Hungarian capital of Budapest, wonderfully located on the Danube, stunning Romania of Count Dracula fame and the Black Sea resort island of Nessebar, Bulgaria were visited before we reached the Turkish border. Thirty Turkish bikers
had ridden seven hours to greet us at the border and escort the group into Istanbul. By the time we reached this amazing vibrant and historical city we were already down one bike as Brian’s BMW R 1200 suffered a big end failure and his trip was over, on the 1200 at least, Brian became our spare rider and only had three days “off” a bike for the entire expedition. We crossed the amazing country of Turkey, slept in caves converted to hotels and marveled at the Ottoman houses that hung precariously over raging rivers. Riding towards Georgia in the Turkish far northeast was biking nirvana as we rode amongst tea plantations that clung tenaciously to steep hillsides and through vast canyon lands on empty roads that followed the course of lonely rivers.
Georgia proved to be a revelation but we weren’t to make it any further than the capital Tbilisi. News had come through that the only border open with Russia had been closed due to a deadly landslide that killed eight truckers. Our itinerary had been thrown into chaos and a new plan hastily hatched which involved riding back to Europe after every conceivable alternate plan had been considered. Returning to the Georgian–Turkish border on our way back to Europe a border guard asked, “Where are you going,” “Russia eventually” we replied, “why not cross at the Georgian–Russia border”? He asked perplexed, incredibly the border had reopened the day we were leaving Georgia to go back into Turkey, another U-turn and rewriting of the itinerary ensued as we BTR 13 |
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rode hastily back for the Georgian border with Russia. We rode the legendary Georgian Military Highway a pass of staggering beauty and amazing history with poet’s writers and armies all travelling this road. The highway winds deep into the Caucasus passing turquoise lakes and numerous monasteries in stunning locations, switchback after switchback greeted the riders as we rode beyond the green fertile valleys into a stark beautiful landscape high above the snowline. At last we reached Russia but they were far from happy to see us and it took eight hours for us to cross the border, with representatives from the local Rotary club waiting a staggering twelve hours to greet us! BTR 14 |
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The Rotary Club organized a somber visit to Beslan, scene of the horrific massacre of over 300 people, nearly 200 of them children in 2004, before we rode east into Russia proper. It wasn’t long before we were leaving Russia to cross the mighty Kazakh Steppe as we turned south toward Uzbekistan. Camping out on the immense steppe was an incredible experience as the riders were surrounded by a vastness and silence that was long thought to have disappeared in this world. We entered the storybook lands of the fabled Silk Road in Uzbekistan skirting the Kyzyl Kum Desert as we rode into Samarkand home to some of the finest antiquities in all of Central Asia with the mighty Registan as its centerpiece. Genghis
Khan, Tamerlane and various despot emirs all had a turn at ruling these lands and all have left their mark. Some of the finest riding of the entire expedition was experienced in Kyrgyzstan as we rode the rarely visited and lofty Kazaman Pass, three days of rough off road riding amongst towering snowcapped peaks and lonely nomadic ger camps that dotted the landscape, with many riders declaring it the “greatest riding days of their lives.” Once again we crossed the vast empty Kazakh steppe camping beside deep blue lakes watching stunning sunsets. Wild dust storms blew in from the steppe at times having the riders lean at an alarming angle into the wind only to be stung by the sand as it blasted into us.
‘It was the Ride that some declared as the Greatest of their Lives.”
“We moved on, in more wet weather visiting Bran Castle, reputedly Dracula’s castle, but of course it isn’t and it is in question whether the man ever spent a night there but Romanian tourism wont let the facts get in the way of a good story.”
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well beyond the rivers. Mongolia exacted its toll on the riders with one rider breaking his leg and another breaking three ribs amongst the numerous falls, these were tough days but it was what we had come for and at nights we were amply rewarded with wonderful ger camp accommodations and log fires in impossibly beautiful locations. Crossing back into Russia for the last time only took three hours before we rejoined the Trans Siberian Highway heading due east into a remote empty landscape of the endless forests of the Taiga. We eventually reached the M56 or Lena Highway and hit the rough dirt with the sign reading Magadan 3177ks with the vast majority of it dirt. We rode directly north to
The Russians seemed happier to see us this time and the border crossing only took five hours! We were riding into remote Russian now amongst immense wheat farms interspersed with huge stands of Fir trees that served as boundaries. After 2,200 miles since leaving Almaty, Kazakhstan, riding virtually non-stop each day we reached the spectacular Lake Baikal, referred to as the “jewel in the Siberian Crown.” This stunning blue water lake is a lake of superlatives being the world’s oldest lake, deepest lake and holding 20% of the worlds unfrozen fresh water with 80% of its flora and fauna found nowhere else on earth. Continuing on the Trans Siberian Highway we reached Mongolia a country that offers
the riders simply some of the most spectacular riding of the expedition. Mongolia is a landscape of vast yawning valleys dotted with nomadic ger dwellers fattening their stock on the lush green pastures before the brutal winter arrives. Rough dirt tracks disappear over the horizon and riders can choose to take anyone of these tracks, as they all lead to the next remote village, or ride across the immense open landscape. The colors of Mongolia are highlighted by an immense blue sky and beautiful light that makes the entire country glow with a wonderful clarity. The riding became tough as we faced numerous rivers, some deep, all with difficult challenging muddy entries and exits and deep slippery mud sections that extended
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The road has always been a place to find the answers, or ignore the questions.
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“We had an amazing ride through the Caucuses however our jubilant mood was soon soured but an 8 hour border crossing and a miserable scam at the Russian border where one police officer invites us to jump the lengthy que only to be busted by another officer wanting to charge us US$300 for crossing double lines as instructed to do so by his counterpart. Welcome to Russia.”
one of the world’s most isolated cities of Yakutsk, capital of Yakutia before crossing the mighty Lena River, via ferry. The city has no road links and is only able to be entered via ferry. Final bike preparations were carried out in Yakutsk with servicing and tire changing completed before the final push to Magadan and the evenings were spent with the Night Wolves, a great group of guys and girls belonging to what is Russia’s biggest biker club. Under a vast blue Yakutian sky we departed Yakutsk crossed the Lena River again and with a certain trepidation we began what we had all come for, the Road of Bones. The Road of Bones has a tragic yet little known history; Stalin populated his Gulag
system with prisoners from across Russia and POWs during WW2 and interned them in Gulag camps along numerous tracks that led to the many gold & tin mines that exist in the far north east of Russia. It was an unimaginably brutal place with an estimated 2 million people dying during the construction of these tracks and at various mines, their bodies simply left on the tracks thus these tracks became known as the Road of Bones. Immediately the challenges were thrown up with hundreds of miles of deep gravel that a lot of riders hated. We also broke our 5th and last set of trailer springs after only the first day on the Road of Bones and were forced to hire a “local” version of the VW Kombi to assist us to carry our
We reached Volgograd formerly known as Stalingrad one of the bloodiest battles in WWII.
considerable amount of bike spares, luggage and camping equipment, we needed to reduce the weight on the trailer if it were to make it to Magadan. We crossed the Aldan River, yet another mighty river in what was now the extremely remote Kolyma Region. We ascended into the mountains the deep gravel became less so and the Road of Bones became a 50 mph track. The riding was magnificent as we rode amongst larch and fir covered mountains that were dissected by wild rivers all the while the colors of autumn were highlighted by the ever-present blue Kolyma skies, these were days we wished would never end. The weather was holding and remained stunning but was also a double-edged BTR 17 |
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Camping at night was unusually besides pristine rivers campfire and occasionally display of the Northern Lights
The Road of Bones has a little known yet tragic history; Stalin populated his Gulag system with prisoners from across Russia and POW’s during WWII and interned them in Gulag camps along numerous tracks that led to the many gold & tin mines that exist in the far north east of Russia. It was an unimaginably brutal place with an estimated 2 million people dying during the construction of these tracks and at various mines, their bodies simply left on the tracks thus these tracks became known as the Road to Bones.
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sword, with the higher speeds we were averaging one flat tire every 80 miles and were quickly falling behind as we changed up to 11 flat tires in one solitary day! The extremely remote area of the Kolyma Region is littered with abandoned settlements and a number of, what once were, huge cities. Entire cities stood utterly deserted it was as if the residents of these cities fled an imminent disaster, riding amongst them was both surreal and strangely eerie. One city that does indeed remain is Ust Nera, a more forlorn god forsaken settlement would be hard to imagine. All around stood crumbling buildings and everywhere
one looked were heaps of rusting scrap metal, cars bodies, trucks and skeletons of factories. Black coal dust permeated every inch of Ust Nera and we couldn’t wait to leave. Our desperation to escape was exasperated after Walt hit a pedestrian bringing them both crashing to the ground. The pedestrian ran away and Walt rode off to a quiet place to repair his bike and gather his thoughts but not before locals asked Walt if he wanted a priest? We rode into Magadan a day late after riding 16,500 miles and suffering 18 flat tires in five days. Arriving is always the pinnacle of the expedition and as we neared I thought of all that we had
“2 things remained constant, Superb Weather & Flat Tires. 13 Flat Tires in 4 Days..”
experienced since leaving the Ace Café 106 days earlier, from the tragedies to the Triumphs, and I became immediately overwhelmed, it is a surprisingly emotional moment; we had made it to Magadan! WHAT’S NEXT? Every year Compass Expeditions offers an “epic” journey somewhere in the world that supplements our shorter rides in South America, Australia, Africa and Europe. We will be running our 75-day Cairo to Capetown expedition in September 2015 and the Road of Bones expedition again in 2016. BTR 21 |
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ADVENTURE MOTORCYCLE TOURS OF SOUTH AMERICA, AUSTRALIA AND BEYOND Our motorbike adventure tours can take you to all corners of the earth, giving you the chance to experience a number of exciting locations from a new and interesting perspective. We take you to some of the most stunning locations in the world, including South America, Australia and Southern Africa, all on BMW motorcycles. You can experience anything from an amazing scenic ride along the challenging Ruta 40 on our Patagonia Explorer tour, explore the vast Australian interior on a BMW motorcycle rental bike, or cross a quarter of the earth’s surface on the demanding, but epic, Road of Bones: London to Magadan motorcycle expedition. Whether you opt for one of our awesome Australian motorcycle tours or a challeng-
ing quest across two continents – you can be sure your trip will combine excitement with a unique cultural experience and the time to properly take in your surroundings. Because we take you to some of the most spectacular and interesting destinations on the planet, we want to ensure you don’t just experience them as a hazy blur. That’s why our motorcycle adventure touring effectively combines adventure with an appreciation and respect for the culture and beauty of the places we visit. Combined, the Compass Expeditions team have lived and worked in South America for over 20 years; we know the best places to visit, which roads and trails are the best to use, and how to keep our fellow riders safe. Compass Expeditions are world leaders when it comes to extraordinary, sometimes challenging, motorbike touring destinations, including Peru, Brazil,
Bolivia, Argentina and Chile. Adventure is our passion, and we aim to give our fellow travelers a unique holiday experience they’ll never forget. So to experience some of the most amazing sights in the world with a qualified team of intrepid travelers who know the area, contact Compass Expeditions and be a part of the adventure! Final notes: Award winning documentary film -maker, Robin Newell of Thought Films, filmed the 2014 expedition with a view to offering it to TV networks across the globe in 2015. A DVD series will also be made of the expedition and will be available for sale in early 2015. For more information contact +613-53682113 or info@compassexpeditions.com
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WHO IS THIS GUY ? BTR 33 |
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He’s a Biker, an A He May Be a Ph BTR 34 |
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Artist, a Potter and hilosopher, Too BTR 35 |
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One of the best parts of my work for the last 30 years has been the people I have met and worked with. I have shot interviews with world leaders as well as icons of the music, film and sports industries. For the most part, these shoots are fun and every once and a while they’re exciting. But many times it’s the person I don’t know beforehand that will leave the biggest impression on me. Meeting fellow biker, David Meaders is one of those times. Now to hear David speak about himself, he’s just a “rednecked hillbilly” who would just like to “live up to his reputation as the second laziest man in this part of the country.” But he is also one of the last of his kind, especially here in Georgia. His family has been making pottery since his great-granddaddy built their first fire kiln in 1892. I visited with David on a warm north Georgia afternoon and the first thing I see is four horses, I mean four dogs challenging Stuart and me as we rode up the gravel driveway to his home and potting studio. Nestled in a little wooded cove with a pasture across the drive, David lives and works on his grandmother’s old homestead with four British mastiffs—and recently he had a temporary addition to his family with five little pups. There are old pottery jugs sitting on top of the fence posts that surround his home. His Harley-Davidson Wide Glide sits outside his studio door, while Leroy, Sabra, Brutus
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and Number Five warn us to wait until David says it’s alright to come inside the fence. He comes out of his studio with a grin on his face and a hand in the air to greet us. The first time David remembers getting on a motorbike he was nine years old, “First time I got skint was about 1960, I believe about everybody’s been skint by a mini-bike, most dangerous machine ever made, most fun I ever had.” Since then he’s ridden everything from Bultacco to Norton to Triumph to Harley. His ride now is a ’02 Harley-Davidson Wide Glide with a dropped down front end and several other modifications, which basically make it a “hot rod.” He used to take it to the drag strip and consistently ran around 13.10 seconds in the quarter mile, which is somewhere around 107 mph. David’s wife of 32 years, Anita, passed away in July of 2002. “Hospice came in to be with his father two days after Nita’s passing” and 31 days later he passed away as well. David never had time to grieve the loss of his wife because he had to take care of his father. “I didn’t realize how tired I was physically, mentally, and emotionally until after that was all over with.” Shortly afterwards he bought the Wide Glide and without it “I probably wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you today.” Riding that Harley “gets me out of my head, totally and completely.”
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Sometimes David will throw a leg over his bike late at night or early in the morning and ride his favorite road, the Richard B. Russell Parkway. “My favorite time to go up there is when the moon is full and there’s no clouds. Nobody around you, there’s no traffic. See you can run 20 mile an hour if you want to or you can run 50 mile an hour.” To David life is precious but simple, “Life to me is making a little pottery, riding that Harley and chasing those fair haired petite women.” David is the nephew of Lanier Meaders, who is probably the most famous folk potter in the US. The Meaders family history of potting began in 1892 when David’s great grandfather John Milton Meaders and his sons built their first log shop and fire kiln in White County, Georgia. As early as the 1830s, as many as 70 potters were operating within a four mile radius of Mossy Creek in White County. Storage jars for food, pitchers, bowls and cups as well churns were all coming out of this small north Georgia region. John Milton hired some of these local potters and in turn they taught his sons how to pot. It wasn’t considered a folk art then, these were necessities of life. In 1967 the Smithsonian Institute came to White County to shoot a documentary on the old way of making pottery and (David’s GF) was going to be one of the subjects, but he became ill and his uncle Lanier stepped in to do the job. One of the most well known styles of folk pottery is the face jug, and David is keeping the art form alive, but he likes to call his jugs “Goober Heads.” The face jug evolved over the years into also being called the ugly jug. It is said that some people would store their alcohol in them and wanted to be sure to keep the children away. So by the 1920s they were making them even uglier to maybe frighten the children or at the very least be able to warn them off. David says, “There has been a Meaders continuously, from the day they started (in 1892) until today making pottery.” And he is still doing it the old way. He gets his own clay from Georgia creek sides, makes his own glaze, mixes and hand turns the clay and fires it in his old brick kiln. Many people have asked him if there’s any difference in how he and his grandfather potted, and “I say yeah, I got a chainsaw and electric lights.” For me the only bad part about my afternoon with David is when I have to wrap up what I’m doing, strap everything back on my Road King and say goodbye. But I always want to ask for one parting thought, one life philosophy you might say. With David it came easy, “Get up every morning and see what happens, I mean that’s it. What can you do about it? I have no control over nothing, the only thing I have any control over is my attitude. You leave me alone and I’ll leave you alone. Don’t kick your dog, don’t hit women, and sure don’t hit kids.” Eric Albright BTR 48 |
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For more Info on David Meaders and his Artwork, www.folkpottery.com
Let me introduce you to Thom Lillie of Lille Glassblowers, Inc. A couple of years ago I was sitting on the patio reading the morning paper and I noticed an article about a glassblower who had a studio in Smyrna, Georgia. At the BTR 50 |
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time I was looking for someone or something to photograph and I thought that the art of blowing glass could be a great subject. I googled the name of the glassblowing studio, and when I contacted them to tell them what I was interested in doing I was told to come
on up. I threw a flash kit, tripod and camera bag on the back of the Road King and headed on up I-75 to see what I could come up with. When I arrived I entered a studio surrounded by work tables full of ongoing glass projects.
An award shall reflect the achievement it recognizes.
At a table in the back a tall guy wearing sunglasses and a bandanna had a big ass flaming tool in one hand and a piece of redhot glass in the other. He was in the middle of a project and couldn’t really stop to meet and greet properly, so I set about getting
realized there was a story that went along with the pictures. My whole career I’ve met so many people with great stories when I thought I was only there for images, I should have learned to expect it by now. As we chatted while Thom continued to work the glass, I mentioned that I rode my bike up from my loft apartment in downtown Atlanta and he said he rode, also. At first it was just something that we had in common, but over time I saw that Thom is another one of those Georgians who can come from all walks of life and just happens to ride motorcycles. Thom’s first bike was a little red Honda 50 cc he received when he was just 7 years old. That’s another thing we had in common, my first motorized bike was the same model. He’s ridden many different bikes since that first red jewel, but now he sits atop a ’96 Yamaha Royal Star that he bought new. At the time he was thinking about purchasing a Harley-Davidson Heritage, but when he sat his 6’2” frame on the Royal Star, it just fit him perfectly. But as we know, usually one is not enough, so as of this writing Ideal Customs out of Clarksville, GA is building him a Café Racer from a Yamaha 750. Thom is a second generation glassblower. His father, Don Lillie, began blowing glass in 1949, when he started an apprenticeship at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. Afterwards Don got a job at Georgia Tech as a scientific glass blower, where he worked for 33 years. After perfecting his craft, in 1965 Don opened a small shop of his own at Six Flags Over Georgia and then one at Underground Atlanta. The first time Thom blew a piece of glass he was 8 years old and he burned his finger pretty badly, so at the time he didn’t want any part of this flaming hot business. And it didn’t help that most sons don’t want anything to do with what their fathers do for a living anyway, it’s the rebel in many of us. But as he got a little older, he saw the potential and realized he may have the talent that could help give him a vision of what he wanted to do with his own life. So in 1981 Thom signed up for classes at the University of Minnesota to study scientific glass blowing like his father had done some shots of him in action. While he kept 32 years earlier. In 1986 he moved back working to form a glass rod into a perfectly to Smyrna and together with his father they shaped golf club, we chatted as I started opened Lillie Glassblowers, Inc. Thom feels taking shots of this artist at work. I could tell that getting his degree in scientific glassthis was going to be simple to find wonder- blowing helps “you understand what is hapful photographs of this subject, but I soon pening to your material when you’re working Speak your mind without saying a word.
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“It’s not just putting glass together and getting a figure out of it, what this does is opens up the design possibilities and techniques.”
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with it, it really gives a good boost to your foundation of knowledge … there’s a reason behind it. It’s not just putting glass together and getting a figure out of it, what this does is really opens up the design possibilities and techniques.” Much of Lillie’s contract work is for corporations and special events held around Georgia throughout the year, such as Petite Le Mans and the Vintage Motorcycle Races, both held at Road Atlanta. His work also decorates the homes and offices of personalities such as Elton John, Michael Jordan, the late actor Jimmy Stewart, President Bill Clinton, Dale Earnhardt and also is on display at Charlotte’s NASCAR Museum, just to name a few. Making the most unique piece of art possible for each project is important and is what helps carry on the excitement from day to day, from project to project. To Thom, “The
satisfaction that you get afterwards becomes an addiction, so you look forward to the more challenging pieces. It’s more than just a business, I enjoy when a customer comes in and they’re ecstatic … ‘Oh my gosh, I haven’t seen anything like that before.’ You look to make the customer happy but then more important, I want to be happy with it.” He then adds, “There’s a quote that can be read when you’re coming in the building that my old man came up with about 30 years ago, ‘An award shall reflect the achievement it recognizes.’ If a guy wins the Nobel Peace Prize you don’t give him a plaque … you should give the recipient something that’s worthy of their accomplishment.” When comparing his work in the studio to riding a motorcycle, “The first thing that comes to mind is when I’m making something, there’s going to be something tangible at the end of the journey. In glassblowing it’s something I can see,
something I can look at. And on motorcycles it’s about memories but the journey on both can be very stimulating.” He also adds, “I’ve come up with some of my most creative designs while riding a motorcycle … the problem is I’m having such a great time on my bike but then I get a certain design and I want to get back to the studio to start on that design.” That could be a tough dilemma … to ride on or create. But Thom’s creativity isn’t limited to the glass blowing studio. He also is pretty handy with a blow torch and a few wrenches and pliers. To me the most interesting motorcycle he has truly is a bicycle that became a motorcycle, in the true fashion of the early motorcycle pioneers who did the same thing which eventually lead to what we all ride today. Thom was surfing around eBay one day and found a thrift store type reproduction of an older model Huffy cruiser bicycle, with the original tires and turned up handlebars. BTR 55 |
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“In glassblowing it’s something I can see, and look at. On motorcycles it’s about memories but the journey on both can be very stimulating.”
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He then found a 49 cc gas powered engine that he knew would fit just perfectly. With a blow torch, he has to use fire in his work it seems, he welded a bracket on the bicycle that allowed the seat to be pushed back on the bike and then he turned the handlebars down in a Café Racer style. He mounted the 49 cc engine inside the frame, mounted the gas tank, painted it all black, moved the Huffy sticker to the tank and then with a few other modifications he had a ride that I think William Harley and Arthur Davidson would be proud of. In a single Saturday afternoon and for around $200 he had a bike that on first glance looks like it belongs in a vintage motorcycle museum. Another one of those creative engineering twinges that Thom gets from time to time lead to a giant sized tricycle that he painted bright red and stands almost 10’ tall and seemed to make even Thom look like a little kid out on his first ride on the street. Like most creative people, the process never stops; it just keeps refining itself and morphing into something new. If you’re interested in seeing if Lillie Glassblowers can do something special for you or an organization you work with, look them up on the internet at www.lillieglass.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LillieGlassWork Eric Albright BTR 63 |
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SLINGSHOT™ WAS DESIGNED FOR ONE PURPOSE:
EXHILARATION
This is SLINGSHOT. Head-Turning Exhilaration and style in an awe-inspiring three-wheel roadster. The open-air cockpit of the SLINGSHOT hits you with a 360-Degree rush of sight, sound and smell. Both driver and passenger experience a front-row shot of adrenaline. Sitting just inches above the road, you can feel the rush of pavement under your seat and in your chest. It’s wide stance is light and powerful, making for heart-pounding acceleration. Just punch it and you’re there.
Polaris is a recognized leader in the powersports industry with annual 2013 sales of $3.8 billion. Polaris designs, engineers, manufactures, and markets innovative, high-quality, off-road vehicles, including all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and the Polaris RANGER® and RZR® side-by-side vehicles, snowmobiles, motorcycles, and on-road electric/hybrid-powered vehicles. Polaris is among the global sales leaders for both snowmobiles and off-road vehicles and has established a presence in the heavyweight cruiser and touring motorcycle market with the Victory and Indian Motorcycle® brands. In addition, Polaris continues to invest in the global on-road small electric/hybrid-powered vehicle industry with Global Electric Motorcars® (GEM), Goupil Industrie® SA, Aixam Mega S.A.S., and internally developed vehicles. Polaris enhances the riding experience with a complete line of Polaris Engineered parts, accessories, and apparel, Klim® branded apparel and ORV accessories under the Kolpin® and Cycle Country brands. Polaris Industries Inc. trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “PII”, and the Company is included in the S&P Mid-Cap 400 stock price index. Information about the complete line of Polaris products, apparel, and vehicle accessories are available from authorized Polaris dealers or anytime at www.polaris.com BTR 65 |
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AN EXHILARATION DRIVING EXPERIENCE
THE CHASIS CARBON FIBER REINFORCED BELT DRIVE
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5-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION
SHORT HEADER EXAUST
2.4L DOHC ENGINE
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2O15 POLARIS SLINGSHOT™ HEAD TURNING EXHILARATION Slingshot™ is an entirely new on-road driving and riding experience. The open air cockpit of Slingshot™ hits you with a 360 degree rush of sight, sound, and smell. With side by side seating, both driver and passenger experience a front row shot of adrenaline. Its wide stance and sport-tuned suspension will make you want to charge every corner and never let off. With a low to the ground vehicle stance, you can feel the rush of pavement under your seat and in your chest. Slingshot™ is lightweight and powerful, making for heart pounding acceleration. Just punch it and you are there. SLINGSHOT™ SL DIMENSIONS / CAPACITIES Dry Weight 1684 lbs. Curb Weight 1743 lbs. Overall Length (in/mm) 149.6 in/3800 mm Overall Width (in/mm) 77.6 in/1960 mm Overall Height (in/mm) 51.9 in/1318 mm Track Width (in/mm) 69.1 in/1755 mm Wheelbase (in/mm) 105.0 in/2667 mm Ground Clearance (in/mm) 5.0 in/127 mm POWERTRAIN Engine 2.4L DOHC Displacement (cid/cc) 2384 cc Bore and Stroke 88mm x 98m Compression Ratio 10.4:1 Valve Train DOHC, VVT Fuel 91 octane or higher
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PERFORMANCE Rev Limit (RPM) 7000 RPM Peak Power (HP) 173 HP @ 6200 RPM Peak Torque (ft-lbs) 166 ft-lbs @ 4700 RPM FLUID CAPACITY Fuel (Gallons/Liters) 9.77 Gallons / 37.1 Liters
SLINGSHOT SL BRAKES Brake Rotors (Front & Rear) Vented, 298mm diameter WHEELS AND TIRES Front & Rear Tire Type Kenda "Slingshot" 799 Front Tire Size 225/45R18 Front & Rear Wheel Type Forged; 10 Spoke Front Wheel Size 18x7.5 J Rear Tire Size 255/35R20 Rear Wheel Size 20x9.0 J
TRANSMISSION Clutch Type Dry, Single Plate, Hydraulically Actuated Transmission Type 5-Speed Synchromesh with Reverse 1st Gear Ratio 3.753:1 2nd Gear Ratio 2.258:1 3rd Gear Ratio 1.512:1 4th Gear Ratio 1.000:1 5th Gear Ratio .729:1 Reverse Gear Ratio 3.672:1 Gear Shift Pattern H Bevel Drive Ratio 2.312:1Final Drive Type Carbon Fiber Reinforced Belt, 36mm x 147T Final Drive Ratio 1.590:1 STEERING Actuation Rack-and-pinion Assist Polaris EPAS, Speed Sensitive Steering Turns, lock-to-lock 3.2 DRIVER AIDS ABS (Anti-Lock Brakes) Standard ESC (Electronic Stability Control) Standard Traction Control Standard This is SLINGSHOT Head Turning Exhilaration and Style in an Awe-Inspiring Three Wheel Roadster.
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