SEPT 2020 #196
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Contents
SEPTEMBER ISSUE 196
AD INDEX
FEATURES
Michael Lichter - Top 10 Fave Photos Red Devil Richard Ruck & Brittany 80th Sturgis - Pandemic Be Damned
AAA 6
10 26 33
COLUMNS Nefarious James - Your Turn? Christian Motorcycle Association
10
20 53
Affordable Motorsports
42
Allstate - Jeff Ard
46
All World Lift Truck
50
Angel City
41
Boss Hogg Radio
8
BornToRide.com 50 BTR Facebook Group
42
BTR Radio
8
Contents Page 2 Letter From The Editor Dave Nichols 4 Ride Safe, Ride Smart-Strategies 7 Tech Tip - Your Bagger The Strong Arm 38 Born To Ride Kids 53
BTR TV-Great 38
8
Charlotte’s Webb
22
Choice Med Group
43
Craig Can Fix It! - The Tank Whisperer 45 Reader’s Ride - Triumph Bobber 52 Undertaker Reads It 44 Mari Eliseuson Memorial Tribute 42
CraigPaintsBikes.com 45 Cross Creek Band
48
Cycle-Rama 40 Dukes Brewhouse 9 Estrella TV 8 Gotta Havit Insurance 44 H-D Crystal
56, IBC
ON THE COVER
H-D Rossiters
21
Exclusive Feature - Michal Lichter Presents Today’s Top Ten Fave Photos www.lichterphoto.com
High Seas Rally
55
JF Kicks
32
John & Heather Show
40
SEPT 2020 #196
18
DEPARTMENTS
REPORTS
20
Absolute Auction
Lakeland Antique Mall 47
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Leasure Automotive
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Metalsport Wheels
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Mid USA
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Mugs and Jugs - Largo
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Progressive Insurance 3 Roscoe’s Chili Challenge
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Rubenstein Law
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Sonny’s Real Pit Bar-B-Q 51 Tiny Trailer Nation 49 Tropic Trailer 46
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ISSUE #196
BORN TO RIDE Magazine
PO BOX 3021 Brandon, FL 33509
PUBLISHER
Letter from the Editor
Ron Galletti 813-785-3895 888-795-5779 rg@borntoride.com
DAVE NICHOLS
CO PUBLISHER
Deb Galletti dgalletti@borntoride.com
EDITOR
Dave Nichols editor@borntoride.com
FROM THE HELM
ART DIRECTOR
“ROUGH BOYS” ARE COMIN’!
Peter Soutullo art@borntoride.com
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Erick Runyon
ART DEPARTMENT
Juan Guzman, Jared Hartman, Erick Runyon , Peter Soutullo, Craig Miller, Beatnik Steve Werner art@borntoride.com
WEB DESIGN/ELECTRONIC MEDIA Juan Guzman
OFFICE ADMINISTRATION Nancy Ray nray@borntoride.com
MULTI-MEDIA SPECIALIST Jared Hartman, Craig Miller Jasper Harris
SALES & MARKETING 888-795-5779
ROAD CREW
Vick Velosity, Mark Crowder, Doug Bright, Birdman Mike,
SCENIC RIDE CONSULTANT Steve Finzelber-Finz Finds
ON THE ROAD TEAM
The John & Heather Show
CONTRIBUTORS
JP Brady, Neale Bayly, Susan Hurst, Spyke & Mike, Eric Albright, Eric Vician, Myra McElhaney, Paul Murray, James Gladstone Greg Blackwell, Felicia Morgan, John Sullivan
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Ron & Selena Hawks, Chris Miller, Scott Odel, Eric Albright, Chopper Dave, JP Brady, Erick Runyon, Craig Miller
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HOWDY BROTHERS AND SISTERS! September is that most pivotal of months, when we go from summer scorchers to awesome Autumn riding. It is also the perfect time to make some announcements on where the two-wheeled world is going here at Born To Ride. Over the past few months you’ve probably noticed a shift in editorial direction including a fresh look and plenty of old school features that make for interesting reading.
Each month we showcase an incredible custom cycle creation and a gorgeous gal with a centerspread that is ready to adorn your shop or garage wall. There’s also an intriguing Reader’s Ride offering up a bike that proves that your motorcycle has the right stuff to be seen here in Born To Ride. Then there are the articles that look back at Biker History to remind us where we came from and to Biker Legends who inspire us to live our two-wheeled dreams. This month we asked marvelous motojournalist Felicia Morgan to bring us all the farout fun of the 80th Sturgis Rally, where over 400,000 bikers gave the Corona virus the finger and partied on. We also bring you world-renowned custom bike photographer Michael Lichter to show you his personal pick of Ten Tempting Photos that are some of the very best of his lifetime collection documenting the biker lifestyle we love in this issue’s feature article. But wait, there’s more! When is the last time you sat down and watched a really good biker movie? I’m talking about a film filled with rowdy motorcycle madmen and sexy sultry sirens on two-wheels? Well, hold on to your engineer boots, because Born To Ride is proud to announce that we will be promoting the next great biker movie. I’m talkin’ about “Rough Boys”, a scooter flick that captures two very American traditions; the music of the Blues and the biker culture. Bucking the Hollywood system, executive producer Dennis Sanfilippo and biker Blues legend Charlie Brechtel created a feature-
length biker movie two years ago called “Rebel on the Highway.” Made by bikers, for bikers, the film tells the story of a down-on-his-luck musician who makes a deal with the Devil for overnight stardom. The movie was an instant hit at regional theaters, motorcycle dealerships and bike shops where “biker movie nights” sprung up around the country to show the film and sell merchandise. The film is a five star hit on Amazon Prime.
Now the same team is in post-production on a new film, “Rough Boys.” The plot revolves around bike shop owner and Bluesman Slim Dixon (Charlie Musselwhite) who passes his love of motorcycles and music to a ragtag group of teenagers. When Slim passes away, he leaves instructions with his daughter Billie (Athena Ransome) to get the rough boys he mentored back together for a motorcycle sojourn through the south to deliver his ashes to the “Home of the Blues” in Clarksdale, Mississippi. But along the way, the mythic tale of a long lost golden motorcycle and a buried treasure throws a wrench in the works. I had the honor of writing the screenplay and directing this torrid tale of motorized madness. Sadly, Charlie Brechtel died on his motorcycle soon after we finished filming. But his legacy will live on forever in “Rough Boys!”
The film will be available on DVD and Bluray as well as Amazon Prime in just a few short months. Best of all, you can WIN the famous $60,000.00 gold chopper that will soon become a film icon. Stay tuned right here in Born To Ride for details. The chopper was built by Paughco MC Parts and Mondo from Denver’ Choppers and you might just be the one to join us on the Buffalo Chip Main Stage next year at Sturgis to take home this one-of-a-kind custom bike! Join Born To Ride for the next big thing in the biker world as we bring you “Rough Boys!”
— Dave Nichols editor@borntoride.com
The Sleepy Commuter You’re riding your motorcycle to work just after sunrise, traveling down a typical suburban street lined with car-filled driveways. As you approach one of these driveways a car begins to move and backs out directly into your path. You brake hard and come to a stop just inches away from the car’s rear bumper. Strategy: Given the hour of day and the type of neighborhood, you could have expected to encounter at least a few drivers backing out of their driveways and heading off to work. Clues include drivers getting into their cars as you approach, or a tell-tale puff of exhaust warning you that the car has been started and is preparing to leave. Watch for brake lights and backup lights, too. If you observe any of the above warning signs, take the following precautions: Slow your pace and prepare to stop, if necessary. Keep your eyes up and cover the front brake lever and rear brake pedal. Stabilize your speed so that if the car does begin to move out into your path, you have sufficient space to stop. If there isn’t room or time to slow to a stop, scan for an escape route to swerve into. If there is no oncoming traffic, swerve to the left; if this route isn’t available, consider swerving to the right. Info: www.msf-usa.org
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EVERYBODY IN THE MOTORCYCLE SCENE KNOWS MICHAEL LICHTER.
He is without a doubt the world’s best photographer of custom motorcycles and the biker lifestyle. His amazing and memorable images have been seen in Easyriders magazine for over 40 years and in many other periodicals and motorcycle-related books all over the planet. Mike will do absolutely anything to get a shot. I’ve seen him hang off the back of a speeding pickup truck to get just the right photo of a custom motorcycle as a pack of bikers roar down the highway right behind him. His photographic documentation of such renowned rallies as Sturgis, Laconia and Daytona are legendary as is his annual “Motorcycle as Art” museum show at the Buffalo Chip in Sturgis during the August Rally. Born To Ride magazine is very proud to announce that Michael Lichter is lending his talents here to show you a personal pick of some of his favorite photographs in biker lifestyle history. Rather than try to nail Mike down to his all-time Top Ten favorites, we agreed that these represent and interesting collection of photos spanning many years of his amazing work. Call ‘em Today’s Top Ten. We spoke to Mike about this proud pick of moto memories from his studio in Boulder, Colorado. He was working on his all-new website that features incredible galleries of his work through the decades. I mentioned that looking at his photos reminds me of images I had seen depicting the cowboys, gunfighters and Native American Chiefs of old. Here was the biker lifestyle captured in all its grungy glory by a discerning eye. Images locked in time of an age when human beings were wild enough to throw a fossil-fuel motor between their legs and roar around on two wheels. Future generations will no doubt look back at us and think that bikers were crazy. Mike told me that he had very similar feelings when he was putting together this year’s “Motorcycles as Art” show in Sturgis. The collection was called “Heavy Mettle” and his curator’s statement in part reads: Since I bought my first Harley in 1977, custom motorcycles have become immensely popular and evolved considerably, as has the culture surrounding them. It was once thought of as
something for outlaws and renegades, but by the mid-1980s, perceptions started to change, and it became not only socially acceptable to pull up all clad in leather looking tough on a big Harley, it became cool! Motorcycle gatherings grew in number, as did their attendance, and for better or worse, they became more organized and commercial through the 1990s and early 2000s. The days when “we just pulled over to the side of the road, and after a little partying we’d sleep where we fell” as Sonny Barger, a past president of the Oakland Hells Angels wrote, seemed to disappear in seemingly direct correlation to the attention biking was receiving on television. Year after year, motorcycling grew, and then came the economic crash of 2008. All bets were off. Both riders and the motorcycle industry suffered a big hit. The outlook seemed bleak, but thankfully, beneath the surface, a new generation was coming of age with a different set of interests, concerns, priorities, and ways of being. There is a revival underway where there is less concern for what people ride and the accouterments of the culture. More attention is paid to the things that really count — like just getting out to ride and sharing the experiences around riding with friends. Once again, I am encouraged to feel there is a correlation between my work documenting bikers over the last four decades and Owen Wister’s writing about cowboys in the changing American West more than a century ago. In the 1902 introduction to his novel The Virginian, Wister lamented that his romantic vision of cowboys and the American West had vanished. “What is become of the horseman, the cowpuncher, the last romantic figure upon our soil… His wild kind has been among us always, since the beginning: a young man with his temptations, a hero without wings... He and his brief epoch make a complete picture, for in themselves, they were as complete as the pioneers of the land or the explorers of the sea.” I do believe this brief “epoch” is not over and that these “romantic figures upon our soil” are back, stronger than ever, making this the best time of my career to be in motorcycling. For more information about Michael Lichter’s photography or regarding purchasing prints, please visit his new website, Instagram or FB pages. Visit www.lichterphoto.com and tell Mike Born To Ride sent ya.
— Dave Nichols
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LOOKING BACK – PAUL COX NORTH OF BEAR BUTTE. STURGIS, SD. 2003 - Hair flying in the wind, leather and brass, knives and power…Looking back in time to the bandits, pirates, Vikings and marauders that crossed the land before.
FACES. CITY PARK, STURGIS, SD 1980 - City Park was a world of its own, a protective sanctuary for many. Inside its gates, little existed beyond. Such an odd collection of personalities, backgrounds, and faces. The heart of America. A time before bikers wore much Harley gear.
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AFTER THE STORM. RIDING TO THE BELLE FOURCHE DRAGS, SD. 1980 - In 1979, there was flat track racing and hill climbs, but there was no drag strip in Sturgis. If you wanted to see Pete Hill drag race his Knuckle, you had to ride to Belle Fourche. It was questionable whether they would be racing on this day as the group of bikers mostly from Boulder left Sturgis’ City Park campground. Half way to the track, the skies began to clear. A rainbow appeared just as the sun made the wet pavement and prairie grasses glow. Free spirits crossed the “Great West.”
WHAT’S UP? LAKE PERRY, KS. 1984 - Life happens. Mike says he took this photo but didn’t really look at it for about five years. Then he noticed many
aspects of it for the first time. A moment frozen in time. Look at this young lady’s best friend behind her having the time of her life. So in the moment and present, surrounded by a group that is totally engaged. Check out the cameo appearance of the archetypal stoner looking over her shoulder. The one armed biker is just part of the scene. Bikers accept everyone as long as you know how to have a good time.
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PUPPY AT BEAR BUTTE, STURGIS, SD. 1994 - I have photographed quite a few bikers surfing like this, but on this occasion and in this frame,
Puppy exuded the spirit of what biking is all about as he rides his Flathead past Bear Butte. A friend of mine captured that spirit when she looked at this image and said, “Feel the Freedom.”
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HOLD ON. THE BURNOUT PIT AT MYRTLE BEACH, SC. 2006 - According to Mike, this young college girl had never been on a bike before. She just came out to Myrtle Beach Bike Week to see what all the fuss was about. Guess she found out and then some. All the rider told her was “Hold on.” The revs did the rest. Right after shooting this, Mike had a dinner meeting at a fancy restaurant and didn’t realize he was covered in black tire rubber smoke. Pure Class.
EARLY MORNING. CITY PARK, STURGIS, SD. 1979 - I arrived in Sturgis for my first bike week too late to see the lay of the land but just in time for the all-night party that happened every night in City Park. This then was my first morning in Sturgis. I woke up not having slept much and assessed the damages, both internally and externally. What sort of toll did the party take? There was drag racing down the narrow pavement between the tents, there were campfires, wildness until all hours of the morning and a dreamlike recollection of police cars with lights flashing, screaming through the park in the middle of the night.
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- A bike, a tent, and the open plains. You and the elements. Motorcycling teases us with the freedom to be on the road, stop when and where you want to, and slow down and experience the world first hand. Janice Joplin comes to mind; “Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose.”
HOME ON THE RANGE. STURGIS, SD. 1988
NICK’S ECSTASY. SUNDANCE, WY. 2002
It was a time when choppers were king and bike builders were on TV every week on the Discovery Channel’s “Great Biker Build-off.” Builder Nicke Fredella was right in the thick of it all. When asked how he felt when this burnout photo was taken, Nick told Mike, “I feel like Satan coming out from the depths of hell, coming through the smoke.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MICHAEL LICHTER’S PHOTOGRAPHY OR REGARDING PURCHASING PRINTS, PLEASE VISIT HIS NEW WEBSITE, INSTAGRAM OR FB PAGES. VISIT WWW.LICHTERPHOTO.COM AND TELL MIKE BORN TO RIDE SENT YA.
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HAPPY TIMES. BILLY LANE RACING HIS 1919 HARLEY. STURGIS, SD. 2019 - We end with this photo of legendary bike builder Billy Lane,
totally in his element and loving life. Billy is piloting his 1919 Harley racer during his Sons of Speed vintage races. Mike Lichter truly has a unique and heart-felt gift when capturing the biker lifestyle. This image says it all.
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WHEN WILL IT BE YOUR TURN ? Sometimes those drunk men have passengers that ride with them. That’s a problem. Many times at the party or after the party, the rider seems to forget one very important detail. That passenger with them, the one they claim is theirs or that they’re just giving a ride to, relinquishes control of their life and turns it over to the drunk rider the minute they get on the back. That is the ultimate responsibility anyone can be given. Being put in control of whether someone lives or dies. Why? Please, someone tell me why you would risk that other person’s life for vanity, control or just stupidity.
When will it be your turn? When will the Reaper knock on your door, put out his hand and demand his payment. One day you will stand before him for that payment. For decades I have been riding my motorcycle around the country. I’ve experienced a ton of stuff. I’ve been to a lot of events, traveled countless miles, and met incredible people. With all of this, I’ve experienced great joy but recently, I’ve also experienced horrific life-altering sorrow.
Over the years I have spoken many times on a topic that I’m sure many of you are tired of hearing about. Tough. Suck it up because here it comes again. We live in stressful times. With many of the readers of this page being bikers and whatnot, we like to party a little. Sometimes a lot. Men in particular, like to be in charge. Drunk men sometimes demand being in charge.
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Riding impaired; being drunk behind those handlebars is a stupid move. If you want to kill yourself doing stupid stuff like that, it’s your right. It’s your life. You don’t have the right to decide for that passenger.
So if the rider is impaired, then why does the passenger get on and leave with them? There are many reasons for this from what I hear. Fear of being stranded, fear of conflict with the rider if he or she doesn’t get their way. Love for the rider or trusting that the person wouldn’t put their life at risk. After all, we’ve all said “I’m fine, I only had a couple.” Where is all of this going? Well, here is the hardest truth I’ve ever had to stomach. The beautiful young lady in the picture on this page is that hard lesson. Her name is Mari Eliseuson. She is also how I can tell you with all my soul firsthand what it’s like to lose someone so very close to you. It’s like having everything seen and unseen in your body ripped out. She got on the back of an impaired rider’s motorcycle at
a local establishment. Someone she had known and trusted. On their ride, he was speeding, lost control of the motorcycle in a turn and went off the road, killing her at the scene. His ass is on ICU. He had a responsibility to her and he failed. He killed her. Period. No traffic, dry road, no deer, just plain old stupidity that resulted in the senseless death of a beautiful person who put her trust in him.
"CARE ENOUGH TO GET THE WOULD-BE PASSENGER HOME SAFE SOME OTHER WAY." What those impaired people never think of, alone or with a passenger, is of all the family, friends and acquaintances who are left behind to cope with what’s happened. I can tell you that this has affected my life and will until I expire. Don’t do it. Don’t drink and ride, but if you do (and I’m saying don’t), leave that back seat empty. Care enough to get that would-be passenger home safe some other way. Just remember that if you don’t make it home, all those people you have left behind will have to go through what I am right now. Grieving is the worst feeling in the world. Trust me, I now know. In closing, all I can say now is directed to Marin’s spirit. Rest now, my sweet Angel. You’ve changed my life in so many ways and I will always cherish that. You were my salvation. I’ll always love you. NEFARIOUS JAMES AMERICAN
PHOTOS ERICK RUNYON MODEL BRITTANY
The amazing motorcycle you are no doubt drooling all over belongs to Richard Ruck of Tampa, Florida. I had the pleasure of giving Richard the Editor’s Choice Award at the Easyriders Bike Show last year and had Michael Lichter shoot this scoot for a feature. Sadly, Easyriders was purchased by a Canadian company that wanted the brand for their fashion blue jeans and the magazine died a hideous death. Fast forward to today when the illustrious Erick Runyon has photographed this sweet scooter for your demented perusal. Rich grew up around motorcycles in the Catskills. He was a wild child and his dad bribed him to get good grades by getting him on a 1982 YZ50 dirt bike. “I loved that thing,” Rich remembers. “I couldn’t wait to get home from school every day and ride that thing.” Rich was a motocross guy until he was 18 and the dirt bike flair can still be seen in many of his custom Harley builds. He went to college for business management and ended up moving to Florida 24 years ago. “I was tired of only being able to ride one month out of the year, so I moved to a place where I can ride year ‘round,” Rich tells us. Then in the mid-’90’s a friend bought a Harley Fat Boy and let Rich ride it. “It was the first time I was ever on a big V-Twin and it changed my life. I got bitten by the Harley bug hard! I was hooked.” He went to Daytona Bike Week and was dreaming of owning his own big twin. “I bought a few old Harleys and did the bolt-on thing for a while,” Rich says. But with every bike, his bike building skills progressed until he was building full-on, ground-up customs. “I love old iron and you used to be able to buy an old Shovelhead for a few grand.” Rich currently works for a hospital in the Engineering Department, but when he gets home, he is building bikes out of his garage. “It’s my passion,” he says. “I think about bikes from the moment I wake up, until I hit the hay every day.” And that passion has been the inspiration for cool customs like the ride you see here that he calls The Red Devil. “I used to watch shows like The Great Biker Build-Off and would watch those guys kick those bikes over for 2 days before they would light. I thought, ‘Man, just reset the timing!’ But then, when I first finished this Shovel, it was the first time I used a mag, I did some things different, there I was out in the garage, kicking this thing until my knee throbbed. I named it The Red Devil right after that.”
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Those days of kicking until he was blue in the face are over now. His good friend Rob Schwellinger of R&R Cycles helped him rebuild the motor from the ground on up. “Rob let me be his apprentice. He is a true wizard whenit comes to dealing with old motors.” Naturally, the boys hopped the mill up a bit. “It runs like a sewing machine now!” Always cruising eBay and Craig’s List for old Shovels with titles, Rich started this bike project as a motor, a tranny and a frame from a 1975 H-D. “I’ve been inspired by allot of the old school bobber and chopper builders, like Indian Larry, Paul Cox, Ryan at Paper Street and I love Jeff Cochran’s bikes,” Rich says, “and a lot of the look in my previous builds were heavily inspired for him, I was going for something a little different in this one but some of the parts such as the shifter and brakes are from Jeff Cochran’s Speedking Racing. The axle plates are from John at Hardtail Choppers Inc., the springer is a Harley inline and that’s an Avon Speedmaster on the front wheel. “I made the mid-controls, narrowed the back fender and the Sportster tank, and built the exhaust.” The chain drive is by Lakeside Customs, the seat is by Biltwell and the handlebars and oil bag are from Anthony at Tin Works. Rich handled most of the polishing on the motor and tranny himself but brought in a heavy hitter when it came time for paint. “The frame was powdercoated candy over chrome and I wanted the paint on the tank and rear fender to match that look exactly.” Rich says that Scott at Attitude Paint was up for the challenge. “He did a full gloss black and then sprayed the candy paint over it. It looks like a Christmas ornament when you see it in the sun.” “Bikes are my passion,” Rich concludes. “And I like to take my time with my bike builds. I love to make parts from scratch and keep learning. I don’t have any big plans to have my own full time shop. Right now it’s something I love to do when I’m not working at the hospital. I don’t want to squash my passion for bikes. I don’t want this to become a job that I don’t like.” Amen to that! You can follow Rich’s builds at itllridechoppers on Instagram. — Dave Nichols
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STURGIS, SOUTH DAKOTA, AUG. 7-16-20 RIDERS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE HAVE RELIGIOUSLY MADE THE ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE TO SOUTH DAKOTA’S “CITY OF RIDERS” DURING THE RALLY’S EIGHT DECADES’ REIGN AS THE MOST FAMOUS BIKER BASH IN THE WORLD. While the parties, concerts, races and riding are indeed legendary, it’s the landscape and spirituality of the Black Hills that make this rally the top contender when it comes to bucket list destinations. No matter where a rider may bivouac or what kind of event schedule may be laid out, everyone who scoots into Sturgis comes with a must-do ride list and they set about the task of taking it all in with wild abandon. From the heads of Rushmore, through the Badlands, Deadwood, Spearfish Canyon, Custer and the Wildlife loop right on out to the Devil’s Tower in Wyoming, there is magic to be found along the roads well beyond the city limits of Sturgis. All of this was taken into account as the City’s management sat down in June to ponder the possibility of cancelling the 2020 run due to the world-wide panic over the pandemic. They realized that invited or not, bikers would indeed flood their little berg come August. The safety of their residents was the agenda, of course, but the issue of economics was also a well-hashed topic. With shut down business, cancelled events and the earth generally tilted off its axis in world-wide upheaval, sponsor dollars had shriveled to nil as the industry danced around trying to figure out how brave attendees might be in the face of the COVID virus. Just how much of a fiscal risk was involved and how much social responsibility came with hosting a big-ass party as the world started calling bikers “super spreaders” weighed heavily in the negotiations. It was a crapshoot call, but in the end, Sturgis took a gamble and decided to embrace the event with open arms. Kinda. While it was officially announced that the 80th Sturgis Rally would indeed be held, a mumbled statement that the City would not be participating in any official events quietly followed as an estimated 240,000 bikers prepared to roar into the city. Cancelled were opening ceremonies, the historic photo towers at either end of Main Street as well as any of the normal events as the City clearly hedged its bets on participation by merely standing back and collecting incoming revenues from vendors while not having to shell out any funds on hosted activities. Which turned out to be just fine with riders since the majority took “social distancing” to a higher level and hit the road to all the cool spots rather than merely lurking around downtown Sturgis. Deadwood, for example, was off the hook busy. Even so, just as in the past, Main Street was still a photo op of sardine-packed, rubber-to-rubber motorcycles lounging on kickstands at various times during the 10day run. The energy on the streets and in the hills was that of an elated band of bikers who were just happy to be in the wind. And the weather did its best to accommodate. Masks were rare but smiles were not, which is not to say that revelers were ignoring the seriousness of the factors that have held the world captive. Riders we spoke to were solicitous in their decisions to attend and encapsulated a myriad of reasons to cast off confinement. In some cases, hotels were not issuing refunds so decisions to attend were based on “use it or lose it” practicalities. Vacation times had already been reserved and arrangements set, so in they rode. Once in Sturgis, the like-minded set about living out what
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" The energy on the
streets and in the hills was that of an elated band of bikers who were just happy to be in the wind. And the weather did its best to accommodate."
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Born To Ride Magazine, real editorial content for you the reader every month
the rally has typically been: racing, camping on lawns, street food, bike shows, bands and buffoonery. A palpable sense of gratitude to be away from home stirred with determination and ecstatic jubilance highlighted the freedom of the biker lifestyle. Old Glory was sharply snapping in the breeze most everywhere you looked and American Pride glowed from behind every set of handlebars. As the only official biker event all year, since the last week of Dayton was COVID canceled, it seemed fitting that it should be the 80th anniversary of the Sturgis Rally and set against the backdrop of the Black Hills in South Dakota.
For most of us, the Rally typically kicks off with the opening of Michael Lichter’s “Motorcycles as Art” museum show hosted by the Buffalo Chip on Sunday afternoon but this year, as Michael’s 20th anniversary at the Chip, there was a bit of a change up. Specifically, there was no Michael in attendance. Instead, others presented the builders and discussed the machines as Michael chimed in via live-feed from his home in Colorado. Lichter had installed the exhibit, then returned home to prepare for a scheduled surgery. While his presence was felt, his peers who wandered among the magnificent machines understood the arrangement. Some activities, however, were unchanged. The Buffalo Chip’s signature Legends, Biker Belles and Rusty Wallace runs still garnered stacks of cash for local charities. Racers still toed up to the burnout box over at the Sturgis Drag Strip on Monday and Tuesday and by Wednesday morning the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum hosted the annual Hall of Fame breakfast to welcome their newest inductees. The 2020 list included folks from coast to coast and their supporters traveled out to show their love. Inductee Vicki Sanfelipo, a nurse from Wisconsin, thoughtfully provided face coverings for all her attending friends and family. Sanfelipo’s fellow inductees included Allen Alvarez, Arlin Flatland, Dave Mackie, Micah McCloskey and Jody Perewitz. Honored as Freedom Fighters were Sturgis residents, Wayne and Susan Lettau. The Buffalo Chip’s nightly concerts were a scaled back version of their typical blowouts but the masses still showed up to rock the house at night while hanging out for bike shows, stunts, races and shows during the day. And, despite the threats of another outbreak and at the risk of giving the world one more reason to scorn us misfit bikers, an estimated 462,182 riders turned up to celebrate the one thing bikers cherish the most: FREEDOM.
NEXT YEAR’S STURGIS RALLY DATES HAVE ALREADY BEEN SET SO MAKE YOUR PLANS TO ROCK THE BLACK HILL AUGUST 6-15, 2021.
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Giving Your Ba INSTALLING ALLOY ART’S FAIRING MOUNTING BRACKETS If Harley’s baggers have a weak link, it’s in the two inner fairing mounting brackets. On 1996 through 2013 Electra Glides, Ultra Glides and Street Glides, Harley used stamped sheetmetal brackets to attach the inner fairings to the bikes’ front forks. The lower section of each bracket is securely bolted to the outside edges of the top and bottom triple trees and the upper section of each bracket bolts to the inner faring in two places and also to the outside edge of the radio. The problem develops with the end piece at the topmost part of the bracket, where it bolts to the inner fairing. That end piece is welded to the edges of the actual bracket. This end is about eighteen inches up from the lower bracket to the fairing mounting point. As the bike travels over most roads, the vibration from the front fork moves up through the fairing mounting brackets and the motion makes the bracket act like a whip; this movement can and does eventually break the bracket at the point where the bracket and its end piece are welded together. Once the upper brackets break, the added vibration on the fairing mount can travel out the secondary speaker brackets, which then break at the point where they are attached to the fairing mounted radio speakers. With both of those brackets broken, the rider will hear a lot of rattling coming out of one side of the fairing and might notice that it is vibrating at its upper edge. If both fairing brackets break, the top of the faring looks like it is dancing. To repair the broken bracket and keep the problem from reoccurring, the gang at Alloy Art developed a set of molded nylon brackets that they call the Strong Arm, part number ASB1, MSRP $96.95. They are available either direct from Alloy Art or from your local Drag Specialties dealer. Their brackets replace the stamped metal factory brackets. By making the brackets out of industrial grade nylon, which acts as a dampener, they eliminated the brackets tendency to act as a whip, thus cutting down on the fairing overall vibrations. They use all of the original positions for mounting holes and are a total bolt-in replacement. Having a staff member whose 2007 Electra Glide had broken fairing mounting brackets, we ordered a set of Strong Arms. Installing the two parts took us the better part of four hours. Although the job tested our collection of Allen wrenches, we didn’t have to cut any parts or drill any holes. After the bike was back together, the fairing was good and tight, with nary a rattle coming out as it rolled over our bumpy roads. — John Sullivan Source: Alloy Art Alloyart.com Drag Specialties Dragspecialties.com
THE ALLOY ART BRACKETS ARE A CASE STUDY IN AN ENGINEER THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX. AS DIFFERENT AS THESE BRACKETS LOOK FROM THE FACTORY BRACKETS, THEY WORK MUCH BETTER.
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REMOVING THE OUTER FAIRING STARTS AT THE WINDSHIELD, THERE ARE THREE TORX SCREWS TO REMOVE.
ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE FAIRING, THERE ARE FIVE TORX AND ALLEN BOLTS THAT RUN DOWN EACH EDGE OF THE FAIRING TO REMOVE.
WITH THE OUTER FAIRING OUT OF THE WAY, WE SAW THAT THE UPPER ENDS OF BOTH OF THE FAIRING MOUNTING BRACKETS WERE BROKEN OFF.
Born To Ride Magazine, real editorial content for you the reader every month
ur Bagger The Strong Arm
REMOVING THE OUTER FAIRING STARTS AT THE WINDSHIELD, THERE ARE THREE TORX SCREWS TO REMOVE.
EVEN THOUGH IT HAS A LARGER CROSS SECTION, THE STRONG ARM WILL FIT RIGHT WHERE THE FACTORY BRACKET CAME OUT OF.
THIS CLOSE-UP SHOWS JUST WHERE THE BRACKETS BROKE, RIGHT AT THE POINT WHERE THE BRACKET’S MOUNTING PAD IS WELDED TO THE MAIN SECTION OF THE BRACKET.
WE FIRST BOLTED THE NEW BRACKET UP TO THE FORK ASSEMBLY, THEN THE INNER FARING AND FINALLY THE RADIO.
WE REMOVED AND REPLACED THE BRACKETS ONE SIDE AT A TIME. THE FACTORY BRACKETS ARE VERY STOUT EXCEPT AT THEIR UPPER END.
ONCE BOTH OF THE NEW BRACKETS WERE IN PLACE, WE TIGHTENED ALL OF THEIR MOUNTING BOLTS. THERE ARE SIX ON EACH SIDE: TWO AT THE INNER FAIRING, TWO AT THE RADIO AND TWO AT THE TRIPLE TREES ON THE FORK. INSTALLING THE FAIRING, COMPLETED THE JOB. THE FINISHED INSTALLATION WAS VERY TIGHT WHEN COMPARED TO WHAT WE STARTED WITH.
Do you have a question for John or a Tech Tip you would like to see? editor@borntoride.com
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THE FINISHED BOBBER IN HASSE’S GARAGE.
HASSE CARLSSON’S TRIUMPH BOBBER
THIS IS WHAT THE TRIUMPH LOOKED LIKE THE DAY HASSE BOUGHT IT. PRETTY SWEET.
When we decided to put a Reader’s Ride in every issue of Born To Ride magazine, I reached out on our Facebook page, asking riders to send me their photos. I was instantly barraged with hundreds of great motorcycles by riders like you. But the little 1957 Triumph Triton bobber seen here touched my heart. It comes to us all the way from Sweden where owner Hasse Carlsson heard the call. Hasse bought this scooter in 2012 and says he only paid a few thousand dollars for it. “I’ve always liked old school bobbers,” Hasse says. “So I decided to build one myself.” The Triumph was taken down to the frame and Hasse found a hardtail rear end on eBay in Arizona
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HASSE FOUND THIS HARDTAIL REAR END ON EBAY.
for fifty dollars. He also got a new front wheel because he loves the look of the old drum brakes.
The engine had been gone through by the previous owner and ran like a top so nothing was needed there. Hasse owns quite a few motorcycles so he found many of the parts he put on this bobber right in his own garage including the seat, handlebars, and taillight. He built the exhaust himself. Hasse says the bike is a ton of fun to ride and that he gets a lot of “thumbs up” from people on the street. Hasse told me that he has always loved motorcycles and this little bobber is his favorite. We can see why.
— Chopper Daddy Dave
CH
to sit Dange proble same. and fo He sa often you w Being the pe my co that s Don’t have
RONNIE and EMILY’S
CHRISTIAN MOTORCYCLISTS ASSOCIATION When it comes to riding, andOne of the challenges we face in life is found in controlling our anger level and how we respond to it. The easiest way to handle anger is to blow up and become part of the problem rather than part of the solution. The cause for anger is often so insignificant that it is ridiculous, such as yelling about who gets to lead a ride or even who gets to sit where they want to sit at an event, or cut in a food line. Danger is only one letter from anger and it really causes problems when we react to a situation rather than respond to the same. I once was involved in an argument with a family member and foolishly decided to test what another relative had told me. He said that when people are angry and in an argument, they often go into a non-listening mode, and you can say anything you want and they will not respond because they aren’t listening. Being young and dumb I decided to try it. I brilliantly stated that the person had a purple elephant on top of their head. Amazingly my comment was unheard by the arguer. By the way, don’t try that stunt at home, it may backfire on you. Don’t spend time looking over your shoulder at what you could have done or what you should have said. The problem with
looking over your shoulder is that sooner or later, having a backwards look causes us to run into the obstacles in your way. In Psalm 37:8, the Bible says, “Don’t get angry. Don’t be upset; it only leads to trouble.” Here we are admonished to not even allow ourselves to get angry, that’s the command. It is followed by a promise that anger leads to trouble, and who really wants more trouble in their lives? Throughout the stories about Jesus, time after time He is tempted by one person or another, but He always keeps His cool. Rather than yield to temptation, Jesus always used His control over His anger. That way He was in the best position to solve issues in a way that people listened to what He had to say. That control is what allowed Him to build such an awesome following in His three short years of ministry. The next time you feel anger coming on in your life just remember the “d” that turns anger into danger. Not only will you enjoy life more, you will be more effective in sharing your thoughts and ideas with others. You will also enjoy a higher energy level by not getting involved in unnecessary frustration. So, if you don’t get angry and you don’t get upset, trouble has no place in your life. Like the Caribbean song says, “Don’t worry, be happy! With Jesus on your side you have no reason to worry! In the Wind, Denny Dingler
Check out BornToRide.com for more articles from Christian Motorcyclists Association
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When are more things going to open back up? How many people are they going to allow in one place before they close ‘em down? When does mask-wearing, social distancing, and seeing people on computers go back to only times of visiting sick family members?” I cackle, ‘awww Mike, I see your pondering the good ol’e days. Not long ago, in a far-off galaxy…’
I Fist bump from 6 feet away, my BTR friends. What a wicked, wacky, and covered face world we live in. Just when you thought we were going to get back to some kind of normal, that totally turned into ‘the past’. Life now really just happens through everybody’s funky facial prophylactics, or through some online portal that you can’t tell if they’re wearing pants or not. It’s a good thing Ron and Dave ‘the flashman’ doesn’t have Mike send video links into the Born to Ride radio or TV show from his sanctuary. They would have to make sure it’s a headshot only interview. Mike breaks in and says, “yeah Spyke, now I’m not a true nudist, I just don’t like wearing a lot of clothes. But it sure sounds like fun working with no pants on. Could you see me riding the Fat Bird 3 sporting only a Born to Ride t-shirt and a jock strap?” I raise one wing over my head and cackle, ‘well dude not really. But, when we do get back to rolling down the road on two wheels, it would take away from everybody pointing and looking at me, that’s for sure!’ Mike breaks in, “now, planning for the future is twice as hard for various obvious reasons:
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Mike retorts, “well Spyke, within the past year, there have been so many days I wish I could have changed some things that have happened. Most I’ve had to accept and change my life to adjust. But, there’s a reason why the rear-view mirrors are so small and the windshield is so big on the scoot. Where we are headed is much more important than what was left behind. Today, everything is a blessing or a lesson and how we perceive it, hopefully changes our lives for the better. Now, what they are saying is that the herd immunity theory of fighting this pandemic is going to either kill us all or bring us closer together and wipe it out. Then there are those crazy conspiracy theorists out there that call this a scam-demic. Saying powerful people purposely planned it to happen and President Trump is behind it all. They are also the ones who believe the moon landing was staged…”
I cackle, ‘dude you’re not a conspiracy theorist but definitely crazy, in a good way. You always look out for me and my next certifiable conspiracy ride. Just this past month, you took me up to Screwy Louie’s Scooter Haven and had me take a lap around the campground with Garbage Gut, a local goat that likes to roam. The next weekend we were out at a friend’s farm and I was riding Miss Daisy, a slow and easy trotter. I had a better time on the horse than the goat, that’s for sure! But the best cruiser of all was when I got to fly across the road on the back of a tortoise. Man, he was hauling ass and ran over a snail!’ Mike laughs and babbles, “I know Spike! I picked up that escargot to check it out and see if he knew what hit him. He gurgled to me, ‘it happened so fast that it was all just a blur.’ Speaking of blurs and flying, we both need a little wind time together. Since riding the Fat Bird 3 is still not an option, looks like four wheels will have to do. Let’s get your talons in the truck, my knees below the keys, and it’s wheels rolling down the road until the trees become a blur.”
– SPYKE