Contents
April Issue 167
Features Finz Finds-Ride To Charlotte’s Webb 10 TT Isle of Man-By Scott Odell 20 River’s Edge-Rumble at The River 31 King Diamond-Josh Kurpius 48
Columns
13
Woman’s World-Myra McElhaney 43 Rob Brooks-Road Dirt 47 Craven Moorehead 69 Spyke & Mike 63 Christian Motorcycle Association 70
Departments Ride Safe, Ride Smart 7 Everywhere Eddy-Is Everywhere 39 Born To Ride Events-BornToRide.com 66 Born To Ride Kids 70
Reports
31
Cherokee Blue Ridge Run 13 Fun Bar Bike Night Fun 16 75 Chrome Shop 18 Salty Shamrock-Live on The Rock 34 Cycle Rama-Horsepower, Speed, Performance 59 Craig Can Fix It 65
On The Cover
Charlotte’s Webb-10th Anniversary Party Sun May 6th, Wachula, FL Live Music by Jasime Cain
Start Born To Ride TV and Magazine in your city! Call 888-795-5779 The information contained herein is provided by Born To Ride Magazine or by its advertisers. BTR makes every effort to present accurate and reliable information in the issue. Born To Ride Magazine does not endorse, approve, or certify such information, nor does it guarantee the accuracy, completeness, efficacy, timeliness or correct sequencing of such information throughout this magazine. Use of such information is voluntary on your part, and reliance on it should only be undertaken after your independent review. Reference herein to any specific manufacturer, company, commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, service mark, or otherwise does not constitute or imply endorsement of or recommendation of said by Born To Ride Magazine.” “Born To Ride Magazine (including its employees, contributors and agents) assumes no responsibility for consequences that may result from the use of the information herein, including the use of the information obtained at www.borntoride.com and it’s linked sites, or in any respect for the content of such information, including (but not limited to) errors or omissions, the accuracy or reasonableness of factual or scientific assumptions, studies or conclusions, ownership of copyright or other intellectual property rights, and the violation of property, privacy, or personal rights of others. BTR Magazine is not responsible for damages of any kind arising out of use, reference to, or reliance on such information. No guarantees or warranties, including (but not limited to) any express or implied warranties are made by BTR Magazine with respect to such information contained throughout the site.” No part may be copied without written permission of the publisher, Born To Ride, Inc. P.O. Box 3021, Brandon, FL 33509. 888-795-5779, Fax 813-689-2996.
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Ad Index 75 Chrome Shop 19 AAA 6 Affordable Motorsports 46 Allstate - Jeff Ard 62 A.P.A.C.K. 45 Attorney Fran Haasch IFC, 7, BC Big Dog’s Patio 49 BTR Cigar Club 56 BTR Facebook 58 BTR Lifestyle 56 BTR Patch 56 BTR Radio 68 BTR TV-This TV Tampa Bay 65 BTR TV-Great 38 4, 66 BTR TV-ABC 20 71 Charlottes Webb 8 Cherokee Blue Ridge Run 12 CJ Seats 68 Copperhead Lodge 62 Cycle-Rama 59 Crawfish Festival 5 Fun Bar 15 H-D Crystal 72 H-D Florida 27 H-D Lakeland 14 H-D Ocala 73 H-D Rossiters 29 H-D War Horse IBC Heart Strings for Heroes 41 Hollywood Knockouts 64 Indian Panama City Beach 24 Kool Kat Saloon 46 Leasure Automotive 58 Leesburg Bike Fest 21 Love Jugs 40 Magic Mike XXL 64 MotoAmerica Championship 36 Peggy’s Corral 44 Plant City Bike Fest 57 Progressive Insurance 3 Ocala Bike Fest 17 Old Town Bike Night 60 Rivers Edge Bar & Grill 30, 33 Road Queen Female Ride Day 42 Salty Shamrock 35 Screwie Louie’s-Scooter Haven 28 Sonny’s Real Pit Bar-B-Q 38 The Ride Factory 61 Thunder Beach Panama City 23 Trikes By Design 61 Tropic Trailer 58 Wanted Gi Joe 59
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Being prepaired to ride before you start the engine increases safety and fun. This includes being strong enough to hold the motorcycle upright and having the fitness and coordination to properly manipulate the controls. Preparation includes making sure that:
1) 2) 3) 4)
You You You You
fit the Motorcycle inspect the Motorcycle use proper protective riding gear have a good mental attitiude with safety as your priority
For more info, go to www.msf-usa.org
Getting caught in a spiders web will make you a kung foo expert, while your hands violently chop away at the air in front of your face. If you are lucky enough to get caught in the web, Charlottes Web that is, you might never want to leave. Charlottes Web Pub and Grill is the ultimate biker bar, where you will be
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surrounded by friends and good people. On any given day you might just run into Charlotte herself. Once she has met you, you have a friend for life. Get to know this wonderful woman and your life will be better for it. When you first walk into Charlottes Web, you will feel at home immediately. The inside bar is nice and cozy, where one of Charlottes friendly bartenders will serve you your favorite libation. They are a full service bar, and will serve you anything your heart desires. When you walk through the bar on the way to the back patio and yard, you can stop and play a game of pool in the back room. Walk outside and you can sit under the huge oak tree while you rest in the shade. If you so desire, head over to their large outdoor bar or sit at the many picnic tables while you listen to live music. The ride I want to share with you is a self guided, ride at your own pace, back
road ride in the heart of west central Florida. It starts off at Charlottes Web and heads east through Zolfo Springs to Parnell Rd. A nice black top back road that winds through scenic farmlands. If you look to the right side of the road after 4 miles, you may be lucky enough to see African Antelope (Gazelle) roaming a huge private property surrounded by chain link fencing. They are very curious and will often come very close to the road. When you cross FL-66, you will find yourself on roads that twist and turn through more scenic farmlands. These great riding roads are Crewsville Rd and Sweetwater Rd, and are very popular roads with motorcycles. I hope you enjoy this scenic ride. If you would like more rides like this one, go to www.finzfinds.com, and check out one of my scenic back road riding guides. Until next time remember to stay in the wind.
Let Born To Ride Market, Promote and Document your next event. Call: 888-795-5779
Steve Finz
Charlotte’s Webb Loop Ride Starting at Charlotte’s Webb Head east on FL-64 E (5.7 mi) Turn right onto Steve Roberts Special (10.8 mi) Turn right onto Parnell Rd (6.0 mi) (Cross FL-66) Continue onto Crewsville Rd (8.8 mi)
Turn right to stay on Crewsville Rd (0.5 mi) Turn left onto Sweetwater Rd (5.8 mi) Turn left onto US-17 (8.2 mi) Turn right onto 102nd St/NE Brownville St (2.7 mi) Continue onto 104th St/NW Brownsville St (1.5 mi)
Charlotte’s Webb Celebrating 10 Year Anniversary, Sunday May 6th. Vendors Call: 863-735-8887
Turn right onto Co Rd 661 (2.6 mi) Continue onto Hardee County 663 N/Mosley Rd (2.0 mi) Turn right onto Murphy Rd (5.2 mi) Turn right onto Everett Whidden Rd (0.3 mi) Turn left onto Murphy Rd (4.0 mi) Turn right onto FL-64 E (0.2 mi) End back at Charlotte’s Webb
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Cherokee North Carolina, Vast Beauty and Heritage, it’s priceless. www.visitcherokeenc.com
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Fun Bar in Bartow, 3379 US Hwy, Bartow, Florida 33830, 2nd Friday of Every Month
Scott Odell
It has been four very long years, but BTR made it back to the Isle of Man for the Tourist Trophy races. This time we made a short visit to Belfast, Ireland before we headed over for the action. The best part about traveling is learning new things about history and meeting interesting people. We met up with Gerard, our driver of the infamous Black Taxi cabs of Belfast. He drove us around to some amazing places and informed us of the political disputes and ‘The Troubles’ that started in the ’60s and how things are in Belfast today. Did you know that there are over 99 “peace” walls still separating the Catholic and Protestant neighborhoods and that the gates are locked at night
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and guarded? We visited the longest wall which is over 2 miles long and at least 20 feet high, covered in graffiti. We thought we were looking at the Berlin wall all over again. Another thing that stood out was the photographs and murals on walls everywhere, reminding you of the people who died for the cause or were murdered. Our driver showed us a wall that contained 12 photographs of people just from his neighborhood. As of now, there is peace in the city and hopefully the walls will eventually come down. It was time to head to the Dublin airport
and take our flight to the Isle of Man. It was just a short flight over the Irish Sea, and soon we were touching down on the south end of the island. We were greeted with temps in the low 50s and a slow drizzling rain, not good conditions for racing on the mountain course. Looks like there is going to be some down time today … guess we’ll have to find a local pub and toss back a few pints and share some stories with the Douglas locals. We would also do a little history research for some interesting tidbits for our story. The first time the race was held on the
Charlie Collier was the winner of the single-cylinder class and overall winner of the first event in 1907
Isle of Man was back in 1907 and it was 10 laps on a 15-mile course, not the 37.5mile course used today. It must have been a spectacle seeing pure street motorcycles barely making any horsepower trying to make their way around the course. It grew in popularity, expanding to multiple classes, including sidecars which were added in 1923. Both World Wars got in the way of racing, but it commenced in 1946 with the Manx Grand Prix. The current course is the oldest in the world for motorcycle competition and is still the most dangerous.
actual beds and furniture. Then there are the Snoozeboxes … shipping containers stacked on top of each other and turned into small apartment units. They have a great location usually very close to the grandstands. You can also find private homes where you can rent a room or the entire house. Getting around the island is easy when there is no racing going on. The bus lines will take you anywhere you want to go and there are also cabs that run late into the night. For leisurely travel to the north we take the electric train that meanders through small villages and the
have to wait. He had a bad accident on the new Honda Fireblade a few weeks earlier, breaking a few vertebrae, ribs and his leg. He still made his way to the paddock during race week to support his team mate, Guy Martin. Time will tell what John is going to do and we wish him the best of luck. Later that evening we caught some beach Motocross action in front of our hotel. The weather was turning crappy again, so we made our way down to the ferry terminal to watch the boats land with more bikes coming for the week. There would be no
One thing to keep in mind if you ever come to the Isle of Man, find yourself a good restaurant and stick with it. It is hard to find good food, especially with the influx of 20,000 bikers hitting the island. We found a great Italian restaurant called Alessandro’s in Douglas and that was all she wrote! There are no modern hotels on the island, period. What they do have you will find comfortable though. If you stay in Douglas on the Promenade facing the beach, there are multiple turn of the century accommodations. You won’t be disappointed, and they all throw in a free breakfast! Your other options are camp sites, bring your own or pre- erected tents. They even have Glampsites, where the tents come with
country side and ends up in Ramsey. Today we got a full day of racing in, watching and photographing from Parliament Square in Ramsey. We like this area because there are places to have lunch, go to the bathroom and have a cold beer between the races. Plus, you don’t have to wait for the roads to open back up, you just jump back on the train and enjoy the ride. We have been following the TT for a few years now and have gotten to know the rider’s names, their history and what they are all about. One rider who was sorely missed this year was John McGuiness, who has won 23 races on the mountain course. He had talked about trying to get three more wins this year and retire, but that will
ferries tonight as the seas were too rough. Hundreds of tired bikers were waiting at the terminal to go home mid-week and they were told it would be at least 36 hours before they could get a ferry. I felt bad for everyone as they had nowhere to stay except the ferry terminal. It is one of the chances you take if you want to ride your motorcycle to the Isle of Man. Believe me, you DO want to have a motorcycle over there! The Sunday during mid-week is called “Mad Sunday,” where all the motorcycles on the Island get to ride the 37.5 course, even the section in the mountains that have no speed limits. They are always the hooligans who take it over the edge when it comes
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Motorcycle racing in the Isle of Man did not restart after the end of the First World War until 1920.
to riding and sometimes it cost them their lives. People forget, these are just two-lane roads that are driven daily by people going and coming from work—to the store and to visit friends. There are no barriers, there are no security fences to keep you from flying off a cliff. This is the Isle of Man, the most dangerous road circuit in the world. The racers all now what can happen and they except it.
We had some more down time between race days and made our way to the other side of the island to the town of Peel. We took a walk through a castle originally built by the Vikings under the rule of King Magnus Barefoot in the 11th century. From there we went we down to the Peel promenade for the Moddy Dhoo bike show. Moddy Dhoo is Manx for “Black Dog,” which sounds a whole lot better! Legend has it that
through the paddock and onto the starting line. One rider of note this year is Peter Hickman, who has seen 4 podiums already this week in 3 different classes, will today be his lucky day? The laps go by fast as racing finishes up on the Isle of Man. We find ourselves in the winner’s circle, as Michael Dunlop enters and proceeds to do a burnout for the entertainment of the media. Peter Hickman comes in second and puts on
This year there was only one rider from the USA, Peter Murray riding in the lightweight class. He was lucky enough to hook up with VRS Racing owned by Robbie Sylvester. They had a bike and Peter was the man for the job. We sat and talked with both and shot some video of the conversation. Hopefully, I will be editing the footage soon for BTR Television.
the Black Dog’s ghost still roams the halls of Peel castle. You won’t see a lot of HarleyDavidsons in this bike show, but you will see a lot of British and European beauties that will make you drool. Back to Douglas and the last day of racing, today is the sidecars and the Senior TT, which is the build up to racing all week. All the big names are here as we cruise
a pretty good smoke show himself! Michael Dunlop has become the dominating rider and has proven it again not to count him out. Reality has hit us; the TT is over and we have to go home now. Not so fast, let’s talk about this over a pizza and beer at Alessandro’s … we are not ready to go home. Why not head over to Paris for a day or two? It was a plan … Eiffel Tower,
Did You Know: 252 people have been killed during official competition since 2016
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here we come! We can’t explain how big the Eiffel Tower is! We spent half a day just hanging out there, after going up to the top of course … with a thousand other people. Paris is a huge city with a huge history and
final destination. We went to the American cemetery to pay respect to the thousands of soldiers who have been laid to rest there. Looking out at all of the white crosses brings the reality of what happened here back on
the front gate dropped on the landing craft and splashed down onto the blood stains sands of Omaha Beach. If not for all the allied troops, we would not be here today. June 6 has taken on a whole new meaning
some of the best wine we have ever had. The clock is still ticking and part of our conversation that night at Alessandro’s was about making a visit to the D-Day landing sites in Normandy. There are some places in the world you should visit and this was one of them. We made our way through France stopping in Rouen and Giverny before our
June 6, 1944. You walk away speechless. We made our way down to Omaha Beach and walked out onto the sand at the ocean’s edge and tried to visualize what it must have been like. We were overwhelmed. I remembered a famous photograph, called “Taxis to Hell-and Back-Into the Jaws of Death” taken by a navy photographer as
for us and we pray that the world never comes to this again. Freedom doesn’t come free, so until then keep the wind in your face, travel whenever you can, meet new people and remember you were Born to Ride.
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Photos and text by Scott and Carla Odell
The worst year for fatalities was 1970 when six riders lost their lives at the TT.
Thanks to River Edge for having The Party of The Year until the Next One Memorial Day Weekend.
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Thanks to River Edge for having The Party of The Year until the Next One Memorial Day Weekend.
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Thanks toFun Salty putting on such a great event. Bike Night Last Thurs of the Month. BarShamrock in Bartow,for3379 US Hwy, Bartow, Florida 33830, 2nd Friday of Every Month
6606 GaLl BlVd ZePhYrHiLlS, Fl 33542 (813)-782-4272
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Women’s World OPEN ROAD GIRL
When Melinda Johnson was in her 20’s she rode on back of her boyfriend’s bike. When that relationship ended she was a single mom with two teenagers, working a fulltime job, and various parttime jobs— such as cleaning offices and selling Avon and other direct marketing products. There wasn’t much time to think about riding, but she did miss it. Later when dating a new guy, she mentioned that she’d love to ride her own motorcycle and he said, “Why not?” They bought bikes together and then she signed up for the rider course. Melinda started riding around the neighborhood to get used her new HarleyDavidson Dyna Low Rider. It was a big change from the little bike she’d taken her class on! Soon after venturing out onto the highway she crashed! Wearing full gear (remember, ‘All the gear; all the time!’) she was OK, but her bike had to be hauled away for three weeks in the shop. She was scared, and her confidence was shattered but with a loan payment and a new bike, Melinda wasn’t going to give up! She knew she could figure it out, so she got back on the bike. The boyfriend wasn’t around much to ride with and she didn’t want to ride alone. So where do you find a new riding buddy? Why Craigslist, of course! Melinda answered an ad that said, “looking for female motorcycle riders,” and found another single mom to ride with. Later she went to a biker bar and met a group of guys to ride with. Most of them were friendly and welcomed her, not minding that she was a new rider and a bit slower than they were. They treated her like the ‘little sister’ of the group. One guy wasn’t BTR 26 | BORNTORIDE.COM as patient. He often complained that she couldn’t keep up and didn’t ride as fast and
the community of women and recognized them as a growing market segment. She changed the name of the company to Open Road Girls. She dropped the unisex logo and replaced it with her vision of a woman on a bike with her hair in the wind. She expanded the line to include additional clothing and accessories. In April 2015, after working her full-time job and building her business, Melinda took the big step and quit her job! Now she works all the time in the business she loves. Now she even rides an Open Road Girl branded Indian Chiefton bike! From developing products, creating the company website, aggressively as the others. He even seemed handling internet marketing a bit rude. Melinda won him over though. duties, bookkeeping and hauling a trailer to And then she married him! motorcycle rallies and shows where she sells In 2010, after riding about five years, products—Melinda does it all! She’s built a Melinda who’d always had an entrepreneurial large and active Facebook community, too. streak, worked with a graphic designer to Meeting the ‘girls’ (who range from their design a logo and create some T-shirts and 20’s to 60+) is her favorite part of the sweatshirts to sell at bike rallies. She called business. When someone drives hundreds the business “Open Road.” of miles to a “Meet & Greet” to say she’s Melinda wanted to build this line of an inspiration--and oh, by the way, she’s products into a business, so she took wearing an Open Road Girl T-shirt—Melinda workshops and read online forums and feels that she’s doing what she was meant to books about business, developing a website, do. Inspiring other women to ride their own internet marketing, and product development. and be badass! She joined a Master Mind group with three The newest addition to the Open Road other business women who became advisors Girl line is backpacks. She also has just and encouragers to each other. introduced an “I Ride My Own” collection. Melinda had been working for an import Melinda is looking forward to the 2nd company since age 15. Working her way annual Open Road Girl Rally in Springfield, up through picking and packing, customer MO the 2nd week of August 2018. You can service, sales coordinator, and management learn more about Open Road Girl events and gave her valuable skills and contacts for products at www.OpenRoadGirls.com and in building a business. Although there was the Open Road Girl Facebook page. a great learning curve she already knew If you or a gal you know would like to be about things like working with manufacturers, interviewed for this column, send an email selecting vendors and negotiating pricing. to Myra@MyraMcElhaney.com with Women’s Selling shirts at bike rallies, Melinda loved World in the subject line. Myra McElhaney
If you would like info on Born To Ride Womens Club, Email info@borntoride.com
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The State of American Motorcycling
Much has been written and discussed in recent years about the apparent decline of motorcycling in America. Sales have been down over the last decade or so. Baby Boomers are beginning to age out of riding, and yet their children, the Millennials, aren’t flocking to dealerships as previous generations did. Harley-Davidson has posted quarterly sales declines for about a year and a half, and most other major brands, domestic and import, have felt the pinch of decreased showroom traffic. Much hand-wringing has ensued as a result, with some bemoaning the future death of our sport – riding replaced with driverless automobiles and highways, Uber and Lyftstyle services becoming the norm, and expanded rapid transit forcing motorcycling into some impending extinction. In the past year, further evidence of motorcycling’s slow slide was said to be observed with the sudden death of Victory Motorcycles, an announcement that shocked us all. Polaris’ reasons were actually understandable, as they chose to focus R&D and marketing on the legendary Indian brand. EBR (Erik Buell Racing) shut down operations, again, which was not as surprising. Even MV Augusta, the boutique Italian sportbike brand, has found itself in and out of bankruptcy the past few years. And yet, Triumph has posted record U.S. sales in 2016 and 2017, with the reimagining and reengineering of their Bonneville line. As I’ve stated before, they seem to have their finger on the pulse of the American rider, young and old. Industry insiders and outsiders agree that more can be done to grow motorcycle riding in America. Robert Pandya started the “Give a Shift” Initiative, a forum to discuss the health and future of the Powersports industry. AMA has been generating dialogue over effectively passing our sport on to the next generations. And the big brands are showing signs of awakening, realizing that slapping some fresh paint and accessories on old models won’t bring in flocks of new riders. New and revived brands are positioning themselves to grab market share, such as Royal Enfield, Hyosung, Ural, Husqvarna, even Janus (built in Goshen, Indiana) among others, all building appealing machines for the next generation. I’ve given this some thought myself and would like to offer some suggestions from my observations – for the industry, and for us as passionate riders. To the motorcycle industry: We are not in the 1980s anymore. Gone are the days of assuming “If you build it, they will come” (apologies to “Field of Dreams”) or “race on Sunday, sell on Monday.” I remember in my youth when everyone from Harley to Honda advertised on TV, in magazines and newspapers, and even on billboards. Just marketing in motorcycle publications won’t cut it – you’re “preaching to the choir” so to speak. Go grab the attention of potential riders, like you used to in decades past. Build bikes that are approachable, appealing, and affordable to new or returning riders. There’s a reason Indian sells so many Scouts
and Scout 60s. They aren’t huge, heavy and intimidating, they aren’t the price of a small car, and they evoke a nostalgia younger generations want to connect with. They are but one example. Harley’s Iron 88 is a big seller, the entire Triumph Bonneville line moves as do Ducati’s Scrambler models and BMW’s RnineT offerings, not to mention the Japanese “Big Four” with cool, retrostyled bikes, all under 1000cc and many under $10,000. Build more of those, market them, and future generations will walk through your doors. To the Riders of America: There are many reasons we ride. We talk about these among ourselves, in our riding groups, and in the moto-media we consume.
But when was the last time we invited someone to visit a local bike shop or dealership with us? Or attend a bike night or rally event with us? Or volunteered to attend a motorcycle safety course together? A new Lightspeed Data study cited in Powersports Business revealed that in 2017, Millennials comprised 36% of all bike sales, new and used, at an average of $8,500 per bike, with Generation X riders not far behind. That is promising, but we must “keep the throttle pinned” by discussing and demonstrating our wonderful world of motorcycling at every opportunity. Millennials will ride, Gen Xers are returning to the fold, and the emerging Gen Z (18-under) can catch the fever as well. Let’s be contagious. May the future of motorcycling in America be bright. Rob Brooks Born To Ride Magazine, Real Editorial Content, Real Value for you the Reader. BORNTORIDE.COM | BTR 47
K
ing Diamond started almost entirely on a whim. My friend Chris Lampman told me to stop messing around with a generator shovel project I was putzing with and to do the pan in a VL frame project I had in my garage. We started working on the bike in October or November of 2007, and finished it by the third week of March 2008. We put in a lot of time in my garage that winter. Almost every part on this bike is made from scratch or heavily customized. The frame needed a new backbone and a new neck forging, as well as new motor mounts to fit the panhead motor into the smaller VL frame. We had to weld in new bearing cups in the neck, and I modified internal fork stops
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to work with the Ceriani front end. The bars were made from scratch. The seat pan was modified to increase the flip-up on the back; I also made a custom seat pivot bracket. The gas tank was heavily modified (removing a half-inch from the bottom, tapering middle section from the top, frisco’ing the bottom moving the petcock and putting in a new filler neck on the crown of the tank). The clutch lever is a modified aluminum British lever made to fit a H-D clutch cable. We cut the neck stem on the Ceriani trees in half and extended to fit in the VL neck. The pipes were handmade. The top motor mount, the foot peg and brake setup, the kick shifter, the primary cover mount/taillight and license plate mount, the sissy bar, the mousetrap eliminator, and several other things I am
sure I am missing, were handmade, as well. I tried to use round stock and curved shapes for everything, to get a rounded, organic feel on the bike. I decided early on to have a quality fit and finish to this bike, which meant polishing, chroming and powder coating all the parts possible. I had the cases and the heads on the engine polished, as well as the entire transmission. I had the cylinders powder coated silver. All aluminum was sent out to be polished; Gary at J&D Plating did all of my chrome plating and polishing. For the paint, I told Harpoon to do whatever he wanted, and he came through to perfection. For assembly, I used chrome
hardware throughout and used cloth-covered wire for the minimal electrics. In short, I spent way too much time and money to get this bike done-and clean looking. After I made it look so pretty, I started riding it and promptly doused everything with oil. Eventually I found the crankcase breather was clogged,
forcing oil out of the engine in all directions. Once I repaired that, the oil leaking slowed tremendously. I rode all summer, it is fast, comfortable, and a real pleasure to ride. It looks nice and beat-up now, and it will look even better as I continue racking up the miles and flogging it around town. Thanks go to Chris Lampman for all of his help building this bike, and all the 7th Street crew in St. Paul for their help and support. I stole ideas from all over, but I got a ton of inspiration from Max Schaaf, Rockabilly Jay, Irish Rich, Arlen Ness’s old yellow VL bike and All Stubbings’ “Detail Freak” bike (both versions-early and late). Thanks to Josh Kurpius for taking the pics, respect! David Polgreen and Chris Lampman
Story and Photos By: Josh Kurpius
Tech Sheet
General Owner: David Polgreen Fabrication: David Polgreen and Chris Lampman Year and Make: 1961 Harley-Davidson Model: FL Assembly: David Polgreen and Chris Lampman Engine Year: 1961 Model: FLH Rebuilder: Jason Clampett & Kokesh Motorcycles
Ignition: Morris Magneto Displacement: 74” Lower End: Stock Balancing: Stock Pistons: Stock Cases: Polished Stock Heads: Polished Stock,Repaired Cams: Andrew B Carb: S&S E Air Cleaner: Velocity Stack Pipes: Custom Built Transmission Manufacturer: Harley-Davidson Year: 1953 Type: Ratchet Top with Kickshifter Engine: Sprocket: n/a Trans: Sprocket: 23 Wheel: Sprocket: 51 Painting Painter: The Harpoon Type: You tell me Color: A bunch, gold leaf under tank & fender Frame Manufacturer: Harley-Davidson Year: 1930’s Type: VL Rake: Raked to 33°, new backbone, neck forging, motor mounts Stretch: None Color: Black Powdercoat
Accessories Bars: David Polgreen Risers: Ceriani Integral Fenders: Wassel Ribbed fender Headlight: 4” Spotlight Taillight: 50’s Norton repop Pegs: Who knows Electrics: Cycle electric generator, tiny capacitor Gas Tank: Narrowed, sectioned and frisco’d sporty tank Oil Tank: Santee Seat: Modified Bates pan, covered by Sean at Fatlucky’s Other: Imperial primary cover, Primo belt drive primary Forks Type: 32MM Flat Track Builder: Ceriani
Wheels Front Brakes: None Wheel: 21” WM1 Dunlop Tire: Avon Speedmaster
Rear Brakes: 63’-66’ Hydraulic Drum Wheel: 19” Excel Tire: Avon SMK II
You My Spyke & Mike “Are Daddy?”
Hey there, my BTR friends, well I can honestly say March Madness was a good thing for us. Craig came through on his promise and my bike was ready for Daytona. What an awesome job that man has done! Check out his ad in the mag or just go on the web www.CraigPaintsBikes. com and see all his masterpieces. The man truly is an artist, and he fully stands behind all his work. One of his specialties is repairing rusted tanks. It’s only $129.00 with a threeday turnaround. When Mike brought it home I couldn't believe my eyes. It was the Beauty and the Beast all in one package. He then loaded it up and away we went. We had a blast staying with some longtime friends, John and Karen, in Flagler Beach. It's a nice area away from the hustle bustle of Daytona and a great ride through the forest or along the coast back into town. Mike and I did the usual suspects: Iron Horse, Cabbage Patch, Main Street, Destination Daytona, The Broken Spoke, and visited with my feathered sister, Goldie and her parents Lou and Gail. We also made time to go by the homeless shelter and a couple of their hangouts to buy them cold ones, cigs, and treats for their help in getting me back to daddy two years ago. Quite a few of them remembered him and were glad to meet me. It was another happy and tearful reunion scene for sure. Mike told me, “Life is good when you can pass on random acts of kindness and return a favor or two!” It was an awesome adventure being in the wind and riding side-byside with thousands of my fans at Daytona this year. Hanging on Main Street reminded me of old times, except for that ugly memory from two years ago that I now try to block out. But it has taught me a lesson: to keep my talons up and stay on the bike. Like the little Karate Kid said, “nobody bothers me”! One of our most memorable moments was getting to see another old friend of ours, Jean Davidson. She travels around the country telling about her experiences and the lifestyle she lived being in the Davidson regime then going on to write children's books and starting the Yell and Tell Foundation. It's a program that teaches youngins what to do in dangerous or scary situations. Then, meeting her son Jon was a special bonus. He’s been helping her out with the new book and appearances. What a great guy with so many stories to tell. Jean almost stole the show by trying to take
me for a ride on my new scoot. Mike was all up for it, but Jon wouldn't let her, saying, “We’ll miss the plane back to Milwaukee.” I squawked, “I will ride with you any day, just get rid of Jon.” She whispered to us, “I’ll be back at the Crystal River Harley Dealership in a month and Jon might not come. Bring Spyke, the Fat Bird 2, and let’s do it then!” Mike replies, “Jean you're on! We will see you there.” After returning home and letting me rest for a few days, he takes me to one badass BTR event held at the Salty Shamrock. It was a great time hanging out with our local biker family, chillin’ with Sharpie, and getting to see an old-school rocker, Pat Travers. Mike cuts in, “I just stood there, closed my eyes, and listened. What a flashback! That man can still crank out the tunes like he did 30 years ago.” If you missed the Peggy’s Corral anniversary bash you missed a killer good time. Soul Circus Cowboys rocked the place. All the girls in the pudding wrestling and wet T-shirt contest put on a great show and kept it clean. Well, as clean as pudding wrestling goes. … But the greatest moment for me was getting to see my illegitimate daughter for the first time. At least that's what Mike said. He told me that he traded one of my first eggs to some 1%er club in Sturgis right after it popped out of my butt at the Broken Spoke one night. He babbles, “They said they needed a special embryo for some ritual and gave me a Mustang seat and beers in exchange.” She came running up to me screaming, “Mommy! mommy! I’ve heard and read all about you. Now I want to hold you. Please? Please?” Mike bellows out, “Spyke, I couldn't believe it. I got a text that morning saying someone special was to be at Peggy's and we should be there. But I would have never guessed it would be her.” She really got a kick out of holding me in her lap while sitting on my new scoot, and so did I. Looking up at her funny feathers just made me wonder. It was Sturgis and what goes on in Sturgis stays in Sturgis. … But really, if there ever was a remote chance that I could mate with a human, would this be the result? Mike yells, “Spyke, I highly doubt it and I don't even want to think about it. Finish typing ‘cuz we need to make like a wig and go on a head. A few minutes later he fires up the Fat Bird 2 and plops me on my perch behind the windscreen. Then he gets my wings in the wind, his knees in the breeze, and its wheels rolling down the road. I'm finally back home. SPYKE
Do you have a Favorite Pet like Spyke? Let Us Know and we’ll feature your story. 888-795-5779
BORNTORIDE.COM | BTR 63
Fuel Tank Rusty? Craig Can Fix It!
On a motorcycle, your fuel tank is the heart and soul your machine What do you do when it’s rusty, when it leaks? Radiator shop over-the-counter stuff? You know it doesn’t work, with you try anyways and guess what? It doesn’t work. I offer an alternative service for the inside of your tank, I remove all rust clean them out and coat them with epoxy tank liner that’s clear and works, I guarantee it with gasoline and even methanol. I even repair failed Kreme and Redkote liners. I save vintage tanks that leak, rusty tanks that nobody would ever think of using again. I turn them around quickly within three days Many of the leading motorcycle dealers use me on a regular basis, (Tampabay Powersports, Tampa Triumph, and Eurocycles Tampa) when they’re tired of cleaning carburetors they call Craig. Prices are 129 any tank any condition, three day turn around.
www.CraigPaintsBikes.com • 813-407-2226
www.B Events Friday, April 6 Homosassa, FL High Octane Saloon Nature Coast Biker Bash (4/6-4/8). Live concerts, Ride-in Bike show, food & drink specials, vendors and more.HighOctaneSaloon.com Inglis, FL (4/6-4/8) Screwie Louie’s Scooter Haven Spring Rally. Bearded Brothers (4/7 & 4/8), Swap meet Sat/Sun. 727-565-8743 Saturday, April 7 Lakeland, FL Run for the Wreaths 3rd annual Poker Run 9am Johnny G’s. Door prizes, auctions, raffles, 50/50, food and drink specials, vendors and more. 813504-2372 Panama City, FL Grand Lagoon Tacos and Tequila Fest 11am-3pm The Grand Marlin. Local restaurants and bars will compete for the coveted titles as we crown two winners – Best Fish Taco and Best Margarita in the Grand Lagoon. GrandLagoon.org Sebastian, FL Step up America Poker Run 10am-3pm American Legion Post 189. Poker Run to benefit the Step up America program which is designed to teach our future generations about what it means to be a responsible citizen in this great country. StepUpAmericaEvents.org Titusville, FL Brevard Lawride 8am4pm American Police Hall of Fame; escorted ride through the Kennedy Space Center (federal complex and requires helmets). DJ and live music, raffles, 50/50, amazing BBQ (included with ride), vendors and more. BrevardLawRide.org Friday, April 13 Bartow, FL Lakeland H-D Bike Night 6pm-9pm at Fun Bar. LakelandHD. com Braselton, GA (4/13-4/15) Motoamerica Championship Racing at Road Atlanta. This is the first event of the Motoamerica 2018 Championship. Come out for sportbike racing and check out the Tony Hawk Experience. MotoAmerica.com Saturday, April 14 Inglis, FL COAP Chili Cook-off 11am4pm Screwie Louie’s Scooter Haven. 727-565-8743 66 | BORNTORIDE.COM BTR 76
There Thereare aresome somegreat greatevents eventscoming comingup, up,sosoget getout outthere thereand andmeet meetup upwith withold oldfriends! friends!
Craven Moorehead APRIL FOOLS - A LOT OF THEM. …
Yeah, time flies by once again. Nothing seems to be simple in life anymore and I won’t bore you with the details as I did last year. I will, however, share one of the highlights of my life from last year but not too much. By the way, It is not plagiarism if I use my own quotes from an original piece that I created so don’t go there! Besides, I rarely get criticism regarding my articles, but when I do, I try to take the readers concerns and hatred of the content to heart. For some reason, I don’t seem to care if people just hate me for being me, I do however become unsettled when my dedicated readers take cheap shots or express dislike for my literary expressions. These articles and columns are like children to me - kinda, and I like it when people respect them as if they were a living entity. No, I am not suggesting that these pieces are alive but to me, they are something that I created so whether I think I did a good job or not, is not important, it’s simply that I did something that I hope my readers enjoyed. Look at it this way, I’m just a cook at a cheap diner and if you don’t like the food, you can always send it back and refuse to pay for it. But because you picked up this magazine for free (or paid a small fee for a subscription) there is little reason for the cook to leave a bad taste in your mouth simply because we have a difference in opinion, and the consumer of this material is always welcomed to comment on content in this magazine whether it be good, bad or indifferent. Don’t be an “April Fool” just be cool!! Getting down to the business of real foolishness, if you want to see how things are going in our society, just watch the news for a few minutes and you can see where our country (and the world) are headed. No, not the biker community just these people who make
foolish decisions regarding the actions they take. Every day there are reports of shootings, robberies, and a plethora of other stupidity that seem to defy reality and often these foolish actions seem as if they were ripped from the pages of a horror novel. On the bright side, the regulated media often cover stories of the good that bikers do for the community and the world. I have lately seen positive reports regarding the Phoebe Jonchuck run and the ride to Bushnell paying respect for our veterans. These events happen very often because as bikers, we have respect for our country, family, veterans, and community. The other blundering fools who commit crimes that seem senseless probably do not possess the heart and soul of a biker. It’s a sad situation when we have to witness the senseless, foolish commission of crimes against our children, communities, and nation in general. These, my friends, are the real “Fools” and we should be thankful that our 2-wheeled society does hold a higher standard when it comes to the affairs of the world that we live in. Here, once again I have to make a reference to ‘social media’ and the latest issue regarding “Facebook” which is currently under scrutiny for information that was stolen from it users by one of its associates that allegedly gathered (your) personal information for illicit purposes. Alleged election interference was at the forefront but there are more important implications involved in this issue. This story began in late March but I’m sure they will still be covering it long after the time that you read this article. I don’t think that I know anyone who does not use Facebook or the myriad of other social media sites but I’m not the judge of what you personally should do. I do know one thing and that is simply ‘don’t put stuff on these sites that you don’t want the world (or your parents) to see. ‘And be careful about what you share on these outlets. I have often said that big brother is watching but nowadays it’s more than just the government. There are a lot of fools out there who will use any personal information they can garner to do harm to people whether it be financial, hate or revenge motivated. Users beware and don’t be a fool!! There are many more things that I could add to this opinion that I possess but I am responsible for my own thoughts and actions. I try to do the best for my community and keep my heart as pure as I can under the circumstances! Yeah, I’m broke all the time, but I come up with a few bucks by recycling aluminum cans which also helps our planet. I told you earlier that I was going to re-run a small piece from last year’s article but I didn’t. “APRIL FOOLS”!!! Until next month ‘speed safely’
Let us know what you think of Craven Moorehead, info@borntoride.com
CRAVEN BORNTORIDE.COM | BTR 69
Christian Motorcyclists Association My aggravation meter was climbing, and after thinking about the fact that the battery in the bike was about 5 years old, I decided to go ahead and replace it, more dollars and more frustration! When I finally got everything put back together, I realized that I had several assets helping me: experience, a manual, technicians (not a great help there) and forums online with a word from those who had gone through the same thing. I began to feel content in the midst of the challenges. The Bible tells us of one who was arrested, thrown in jail, and was chained to a wall. In Philippians 4:11, we see a man named Paul that was in dire circumstances, yet he was content in the moment because he trusted in Jesus as his Savior. Most folks would have looked around at the jail and the chains that locked him to a wall and seen a huge negative. Paul simply saw that he had a captive audience in which to share his joy, yes, I said joy. Paul understood that if he was walking with Jesus, nothing else mattered because, in the end, everything would be all right. Just like getting frustrated in the process of changing a battery in my bike, Paul and I both had reason to be content, we believe in and serve the King. If you would like to learn to be content, study the life and love that Jesus has to offer. When all else seems to be going haywire, Jesus is there to lead the way to contentment! In The Wind, Denny Dingler Check out BornToRide.com for more articles from Christian Motorcyclists Association
A few days ago, I decided to get some wind in my face. So I got on the bike, pushed the start button, and heard a weary, pitiful moan rise up from the bike, followed by silence. The timing was disappointing, but over the winter it became clear I’d soon need to replace my battery. That day was now! I haven’t changed a battery on a bagger in a long time, but hey, how hard could it be? I already knew I’d have to take off the seat and one saddlebag to get to the battery, but when those items were off it looked like a forest of cables waiting to prevent my task. After some grunting and starting over a few times, I was finally able to see the top of the battery. Once I got it out of the bike I loaded the battery up and headed in to get it tested, to verify its demise. Unfortunately, even though I had charged the battery the night before, my trying to start the bike several times negated the idea of testing the battery with a full charge, it needed to trickle charge overnight. Frustration was becoming the word of the day, along with any hope of taking a ride that day. The next day I got it tested, but the technician couldn’t say if the battery was, or was not, needing replacement. BTR 70 | BORNTORIDE.COM