SEPT DEC 2020 2020#199 #91
BOBBY RAMEY Grinding Gears Through
Years!
read it/watch it/ride it
BORNTORIDE.COM
Contents
DECEMBER ISSUE 199
AD INDEX
FEATURES
Bobby Ramey-Happy Birthday Indian Larry-Chopper Shaman Choppertown-Thunder By the Bay Reader’s Ride - Rich Pitoniak’s Painkiller
13 19 30 48
COLUMNS
16
Nefarious James-Be The Change Movie Review-Psychomania Christian Motorcycle Association Spyke & Mike - A Spyke & Mike Xmas
35 41 53 54
DEPARTMENTS Contents Page Letter From The Editor Dave Nichols Ride Safe, Ride Smart-Intersections Tech Tip - HD Miluakee Eight Motor Born To Ride Kids - Happy Holidays
2 4 7 38 53
REPORTS
30
Letterfly - Pinstriping 33 Willie Nelson - Reads It 36 Women’s World - Brown Sugga & Medusa 37 Cartoon 45
ON THE COVER Bobby Ramey Grinding Gears for 65 Years! Happy Birthday Bobby
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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.
AAA 6 Affordable Motorsports
48
All About Leather
45
Allstate - Jeff Ard
46
All World Lift Truck
50
Boss Hogg Radio
8
BornToRide.com 50 BTR Facebook Group
42
BTR Radio
26
BTR Subscribe
26
BTR TV-Great 38
8
Choppertown 29 Craig Paints Bikes
49
Cycle-Rama 43 Elite Transmission & Auto
45
Estrella TV
8
For Two Wheels
32
G.I. Joe Wanted
45
Gotta Haveit Insurance
44
H-D Crystal
56, IBC
High Seas Rally
55
Howard’s Flea Market
11
JF Kicks
9
John & Heather Show
48
Lakeland Antique Mall
47
Leasure Automotive
44
Leather Lid Inserts
45
Metalsport Wheels
5
Mid USA
17
Midwest Motorcycle
18
Pop A Beer
12
Progressive Insurance
3
Rubenstein Law
IFC,1,7,10
Sonny’s Real Pit Bar-B-Q
51
Tropic Trailer
46
Thunder by the Bay
28
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
TAKING THE WORLD BY STORM!
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
LAW FIRM
Rubenstein Law 1-800-FL-LEGAL BORN TO RIDE OFFICE
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HOWDY BROTHERS AND SISTERS!
Brothers and sisters, the proud two-wheeled pirate crew here at Born To Ride are kicking ass and taking names! The Born To Ride Media empire is growing by leaps and bounds. Last month over 223 thousand of you viewed our magazine on line at www.borntoride.com and subscriptions are rolling in from all over the known Universe! Can I hear a “Hallelujah?!” Want to know why? Because Born To Ride brings bikers the very best content and incredible value for you and the motorcycle industry. It’s true. From the magazine you are holding in your grubby mitts right now, to the digital online version, to the weekly Internet Radio Show on Boss Hogg radio, to the livestreaming video extravaganza every Tuesday night known as Born To Ride Live seen on Facebook, YouTube and Choppertown, BTR covers the biker world like no other. Period. Drop the mic! Further proof may be discovered right here on these pages. This month’s Holiday treat of a magazine is packed with motorized gifts that every scooter tramp wants to find under his or her tree. Check out our cover story on Bobby Ramey, a Florida legend who lives the biker creed and takes care of family, coworkers and his community. He’s been grinding gears for 65-years and we’re hoping he’ll keep grinding for another 65! Then there’s our Tribute to Indian Larry in a book
review of Indian Larry: Chopper Shaman, written by some guy named Dave Nichols along with Larry’s wife Bambi and with amazing photography by Michael Lichter. All this plus a Santa-sized Christmas present from Nefarious James, another installment of Woman’s World, a real deal tech tip from John Sullivan, a biker movie review of Psychomania, and Spyke and Mike take us home for the Holidays with yuletide cheer. And out in the bike shed, we’ve got a righteous Reader’s Ride shovelhead called Painkiller by none other than “Shovelhead Rich” Pitoniak of Westfield, Massachusetts. It’s all just a page turn away. Get ready for the all-chopper bike show known as Choppertown at Thunder by the Bay this February, and don’t forget to join the Born To Ride Facebook Group for more scooter shenanigans. It’s a Private Group but you’re invited. Last month over a million motorcyclists came to our Facebook page Borntoridetvmagazine. Come along for the ride and be a part of the Born To Ride party! Join us next month for a killer bike feature when Shannon Davidson shows us an amazing custom bagger he built for Metalsport Wheels, shot by badass Brad Patton. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from your motorcycle family here at Born To Ride. — Dave Nichols editor@borntoride.com
You should be especially aware at intersections, where other vehicles can cross your path of travel. There are many things to scan for, including traffic devices, road surfaces, and the traffic and pedestrians around you. In a slow, tight turn, such as turning around in a parking lot, it helps to counterweight by leaning in the opposite direction of the motorcycle and direction of the turn. Put pressure on the outside footrest. Info: www.msf-usa.org
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Grinding Gears
Through
Years!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOBBY RAMEY! The American Dream is the worldwide belief that anyone can achieve their own version of success in society and history. More than anything else, this dream is accomplished through hard work. And today we want to tell the story of a man of our own community who made this dream become true. This man is Bobby Ramey. A lifelong biker, owner of All Steel Buildings, papa, beloved dad of his two daughters and a friend to everyone. Bobby was born in Ohio, but relocated with his mother, uncle, aunt and his siblings to Florida at an early age. His mother, Kathleen Ramey, supported Bobby in every step of his way and always provided a
BTR 16 | BORNTORIDE.COM
good home to him. They did not have much at the time, but strong mothers raise extraordinary children and at the age of 92 years, Grandma Ramey, continues to go strong and does not miss a day of work at All Steel Buildings. When Bobby was a young boy, he earned his first dollars working on a farm. He was determined on making his way through his early life by working different jobs. As a man of duty and responsibility with a great love for his country, Bobby joined the Marine Corps at the age of 19, from 1974 to 1978. After his service, he became the father of two girls, Leah and Amanda, and started his first business with his brother –in-law, S&R Metal Buildings. In 1996, his company changed to Corrugated Metal Buildings that then became the ultimate All Steel Metal Buildings and Components. All Steel Metal Buildings celebrated its 20th anniversary this year. Bobby has lived most of his life on two wheels, for transportation purpose or just joy rides, he lives the biker side of life; the one that would throw your brand new helmet across the asphalt just to bring it good luck. He partied in Sturgis, rode the Black Hills, the Needles, Spearfish Canyon and the Badlands….but he’s not done yet. He is faithful to local bike events, including bi-annual trips to Daytona Beach and enjoys riding local roads, hitting local biker spots. We all know bikers like Bobby, he’s the first one who wants to do a burn out or a doughnut in the parking lot. Most of us have all seen Bobby ride around in earlier years on his 1982 Shovelhead. Little did Bobby know way back then that this bike would became his first bike of an impressive bike collection. Ramey’s hall of rides is home to 25 motorcycles. As a hot rod lover, Bobby also added a custom build rat rod to the collection a few years back which can often be checked out at local car shows. A mean lifted, rock crawling Jeep and 1935 Cadillac top everything off. But we are sure there is more to come!Bobby works hard and plays hard, and when you see him step in a bar, you will probably hear: “Shots for everyone!” As a matter of fact, you may be reading this, thinking, “Yeah, I had a shot (or two) with Bobby”, or “Bobby Ramey knows how to party”, because as much as he is a successful businessman, Ramey knows to enjoy life to it’s fullest by having good times with friends, throwing unforgettable parties, riding along with
the Florida Krackers, relaxing on the water catching fish, and spending time with his family. He lives the American Dream. Bobby takes care of the people he loves, his family comes first. His daughter whom he nicknamed “Punk” cherishes riding with her father. “One of my favorite memories ever is riding my motorcycle on the Skyway Bridge with my dad by my side. He smiled and gave me the peace sign the whole way over”. This is something that I will cherish forever.” Punk. But Bobby also gives back to the community. He supports little league teams and other organizations, and through the huge success of All Steel Buildings and Ramey Business Park, he provides jobs right here in Tampa Bay. When natural disasters hit our state or other locations, Bobby is the first one on site rebuilding communities. Years ago, Bobby would take his original work crew to Homestead after Hurricane Andrew hit the city hard. He spent months rebuilding destroyed buildings, and provided new homes for families who lost everything. With each new visit, Homestead would welcomed the Ramey Boys back with signs they posted all over the city, because it was not just a job for Bobby’s crew to rebuild the city. Their work became a mission and was and still is greatly appreciated, not only in disaster areas. Born To Ride is proud to have known Bobby for a long time. He has been a part of our family and has helped to promote many motorcycle events with us over the years. While putting this tribute to Bobby’s 65th birthday together, his longtime girlfriend Judy Waldrop told us, “Bobby’s heart is bigger than life and he has never met a stranger. He is always trying to help out someone, whether it is somebody on the streets or in the community, from buying bags of food for the homeless at Publix, to helping his coworkers and supporting his family.” Friends describe Bobby as hard working, with a heart of gold and a man of his word. They say that when you put an obstacle in Bobby’s way, he will overcome it, no doubt. “I love this man”, Happy Birthday Bobby! Let’s get together and congratulate Bobby to his 65th birthday. A true American Dream achiever and a damn good guy who taught us to always remember to work hard but play even harder. HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOBBY RAMEY! MAY YOU KEEP GRINDING GEARS FOR ANOTHER 65 YEARS!
Born To Ride Magazine, real editorial content for you the reader every month
BORNTORIDE.COM | BTR 17
BOOK REVIEW BORNTORIDE.COM | BTR 19
PHOTO: MICHAEL LICHTER WWW.LICHTERPHOTOS.COM
WHO WAS INDIAN LARRY?
DISCOVER HIS MANY FACES – BIKER, BUILDER, REBEL, LOVER, MYSTIC, ARTIST, HERO IN INDIAN LARRY: CHOPPER SHAMAN
Stuntman, sideshow performer, chopper builder extraordinaire and every-man hero, Indian Larry DeSmedt – so named for riding his chopped Indian motorcycle on the streets of Manhattan – is best remembered by the masses for his remarkable custom motorcycles, wild tattoos and passion for building and riding rolling art. And, to a special few, he was a treasured friend and loyal brother of the road. To celebrate the man and his widespread impact on fans, the industry, and more, Indian Larry: Chopper Shaman – by Dave Nichols, with widow Andrea “Bambi” Cambridge and renowned motorcycle photographer Michael Lichter – chronicles the epic journey from his early outlaw years to the top of the custom-bikebuilding world. This illuminating biography BTR 20 | BORNTORIDE.COM
encapsulates Indian Larry’s multifaceted life, which included an apprenticeship with hot rod builder Ed “Big Daddy” Roth, a short career as a bank robber and subsequent three-year prison term in the infamous Sing Sing prison; a stint in the New York art scene and friendship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, a spiral downward into heroin addiction and a phoenix-like rebirth as the spiritual bike builder revered by so many, up to his untimely death in 2004.
Lichter’s stunning photography, accompanied by images from the Indian Larry archive and Bambi’s personal collection, provide an up-close-andpersonal complement to this remarkable story.While Indian Larry: Chopper Shaman is a biography, Nichols, editor in chief of
PHOTO: MICHAEL LICHTER WWW.LICHTERPHOTOS.COM
Easyriders and V-Twin magazines and host of SPEED Channel’s V-Twin TV, explains that the book also focuses on how Indian Larry lived the Hero’s journey and existed in a bigger-than-life, archetypal life, playing every role in its rich pageant.
Born To Ride Magazine, real editorial content for you the reader every month
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Indian Larry: Chopper Shaman
Dave Nichols: After a 15-year stint in radio, TV and motion pictures as a writer/producer, Dave Nichols turned his lifelong love of motorcycles into a career. He has been the editor-inchief of Easyriders and V-Twin magazines since 1998 and also is the host of SPEED Channel’s V-Twin TV series. He was instrumental in creating many of the motorcycle-related TV series seen on the Discovery Channel, as well.
Indian Larry: Chopper Shaman is his second book for Motorbooks; the first, Top Chops chronicles many of the custom bike builders that Dave made famous on Discovery Channel’s Biker Build-Off TV series. Nichols lives in Edmonds, Wash., with his wife Diane, their son William and a very confused dog named Reggie. Michael Lichter: Many factors make Michael Lichter’s photography distinct – his technical mastery, attention to detail and drive to perfection. In 1977, he combined his passion for
PHOTO: MICHAEL LICHTER WWW.LICHTERPHOTOS.COM
photography with the world of motorcycles when he rode his first Harley-Davidson cross country. In the years since, Lichter’s work has appeared in the Easyriders family of magazines; he has done commercial photography for numerous clients in the industry; and his limited-edition prints are exhibited in galleries and museums across the United States. In addition to Indian Larry: Chopper Shaman, Lichter’s book credits include Top Chops: Master Chopper Builders (with Nichols), Arlen Ness: The King of Choppers (which he coauthored with Ness), Sturgis: The Photography of Michael Lichter, Billy Lane Chop Fiction and Choppers: Heavy Metal Art.
Andrea “Bambi” Cambridge: Better known by her stage name, Bambi the Mermaid, Andrea Cambridge is a performer on Long Island, N.Y., where she met and married Indian Larry. With the release of this book Born To Ride would like to celebrate the life of Indian Larry with our readers. Next Month we will begin a 3 part series of Born To Ride’s coverage of Indian Larry’s life and times in BTR Magazine.
BORNTORIDE.COM | BTR 21
look for our
big event
coming in january!
THUNDER BY THE BAY Bill Dodge
Choppertown ‘Live’ is coming to Thunder by the Bay. That’s right, the very same Choppertown that you’ve seen on countless movie streaming platforms and all over social media. It’s all about biker good times including every biker movie and motorcycle-related television show you can imagine. Now Choppertown Live will bring you one kickass ridein custom chopper show at one of Florida’s legendary best biker events. Back in 2004, friends Zack Coffman and Scott DiLalla started One World Studios Ltd. and produced their first motorcycle film called ‘Choppertown.’ Since then, they have been offering only the best independently produced motorcycle movies and have taken over the social media world by storm. BTR 30 | BORNTORIDE.COM
The logical next step would be to bring you the Choppertown experience ‘Live’ and that historic, family-friendly first step will be happening in Sarasota, Florida, on Feb, 19th, 20th and 21st at Thunder By the Bay. The goal is to bring you a three-day immersive ‘experience’ complete with a motorcycle builders’ invitational featuring some of the country’s most-respected bike
Roosterz Rods
(L) John Benedict (R)Tim Hahn
builders, as well as unique vendors, a chopper-only ride-in chopper show, a Choppertown Marketplace called ‘The Chop Shop’, great live music and some sweet custom cars on display courtesy of Roosterz Rods. The fun kicks off Friday the 19th at 5pm at the 40’ x 80’ Big Top where you’ll be able to experience a motorcycle builders invitational show full of some of the country’s top builders and custom bikes by such talented wrenches as Kyle Ray Rice, Jared Weems of Weems Motor Co, Richard Ruckus of It’ll Ride Choppers, and Del Morte Customs. We are talkin’ 40 custom choppers of pure excellence for you to drool all over. The Invitational will be capped on Sunday with a Builders’ Choice
CALLING ALL CHOPPERS Richard Rukus
Kyle Ray Rice
Toth Fabrication
Jared Weems
award which will be judged by the invited builders as a recognized award of excellence from their peers. A special highlight will be Jared Weems of Weems Motor Co. and his famous David Mann Tribute Triumph Build. We’re excited to announce that Jared will be also be unveiling his second David Mann Triumph Chopper build. David Mann only painted two Triumph Choppers in his legendary career and Jared has built both! Be sure to shine up your choppers because on Saturday, Choppertown Live will be hosting its firstever, ‘Choppers-only’ Ride-in Chopper Show. This show is open to ANY Chopper; any year, make and model. If you consider your bike a Chopper, bring it to the show and show it off to the world and possibly win an award. Categories will Include, best Flathead, best Knucklehead, best Panhead, best Shovelhead, best Ironhead, best Evo, best Twin Cam, Best European and Best Japanese Choppers along with a Best of Show Award. Surrounding the Invitational Big Top, you’ll find vendors of every sort in the ‘Chop Shop,’ from local artists, to the best of the motorcycle aftermarket world. If you’re looking for a new part or product for your scooter, you’ll find it here as well as T-shirts and show merchandise. As if you really needed another reason to visit Florida in February, this will be your unique chance to step inside the Choppertown film experience of industry makers and rule breakers. You just can’t beat the great weather, bikes, food and entertainment, but most of all, you can’t beat the Choppers of Choppertown Live and Thunder By the Bay. Be there! For more info contact Erick 813-661-9402. BORNTORIDE.COM | BTR 31
“For centuries, teams of gifted carriage and wagon builders established their output as high quality by applying thin, painted stripes over the finished joints.” Today, centuries of tradition live on through the artist known as Letterfly, who produces accurate, finishing touches on the most attention-getting motorcycles from Daytona to Sturgis.
Letterfly creates pinstriping the old-fashioned way – by hand with paint. In addition to his command of Airbrushed Murals, Gold Leaf Gilding, Wet-Blended Pictorials and Hand-Lettering – all disappearing from the mainstream - Letterfly is in demand as one of the top producers of Old School Pinstriping on the planet and he lives right here in the Tampa Bay area. Bikers like to watch the artist use skills developed over his four decade career to transform each biker’s dream into a painted reality. Letterfly is the nom de plume, or brush name, of the artist Dave Knoderer. His demeanor as a showman with a brush is the result of drumming, painting and performing with the circus in his youth. The circus is where he learned how to travel. Letterfly hits the road every summer. His hand painted pinstriping and mural design services are a perfect fit at the customer-dedicated Harley-Davidson stores he frequents up north, east of the Mississippi. Access to the artist couldn’t be more convenient for most bikers- all it takes is a road trip.
Now, during the wintertime, you will find Letterfly at his home/ studio/paintshop called ArtPark in Plant City, Florida where over-all paint jobs, fabrication of special projects and the decoration of an endless variety of vehicles, expressions of art, pet portraits, cake mixers, etc. take place. Act now to commission a one of a kind old school design that will set your
bike apart from the rest. Motorcyclists enjoy one-on-one with the artist at his home in Plant City. Letterfly also frequents regional bike events like Thunder by the Bay, The Full-Throttle Biker Build-off and the customer-dedicated Harley-Davidson stores in the region where he creates one of a kind images of all kinds on the spot.
Dave is also a gifted story teller who shares vignettes from his days of performing with horses on the circus, anecdotes from his life as a theatrical, residential and motorhome mural artist and as an automotive and motorcycle pinstriper. He gives inspiring, informative and entertaining talks to aspiring students, civic groups and riding clubs.
The most fascinating narratives are for the participants of his annual Custom Paint Workshops where he reveals nuance of the painting processes, the mindset that allows remarkable results and hints about secret techniques he developed over the years. Dave writes interesting essays for his blog: LetterflyWrites. home.blog. and creates apropos content for magazines. Letterfly is also an author who has written the book: “Tales of a Traveling Airbrush,” a memoire about his creative, colorful and oftentimes turbulent life on the road soon to be published. Find out more on his informative website: Letterfly.com, subscribe to stay in the loop of the artist’s activities via his email newsletter: letterfly@aol.com, or contact Letterfly directly: 813-505-5539 to commission awe-inspiring artwork of your own.
Born To Ride Magazine, real editorial content for you the reader every month
BORNTORIDE.COM | BTR 33
BE THE CHANGE I sit here writing this article from a back porch of a friend’s home in the country, my scooter parked in the driveway ready to go, watching a beautiful woman taking a shower while her Doberman growls in my ear. What a life. It’s finally come down to the end of the year with the start of a new year right around the corner and I have to say it’s about damn time. I reflect back on 2020 with vision of 30/30 and I have to say it’s been quite the eye-opener. We all go through tough spots in our lives, and hopefully, if we’re smart enough about it and recognize it for what it is, we can learn from it. I know with everything that’s gone on with my life this year, it has opened up my eyes in many ways. There are many out there who struggle with loss, addiction, illness, disabilities, mental disorders, and sometimes worse off, loneliness. All of which are very real struggles. Resetting one’s mind to a proper thought process may be the answer. Maybe a change of environment, change of the people you hang around with, change of a job, I don’t know I’m not a doctor. What I do know is it’s the little moments in life that can make all the difference in the world. Even in our toughest moments, there is always someone going through
something worse than we are. I know, hard to believe but it’s true. So I guess with all this preaching I’ve just gone through, I might as well add a few more things. All those out there who are going through the harshest things that life’s got to throw at us may just need a single show of kindness from a fellow human. That kindness we receive in our darkest hour even from a complete stranger can mean the absolute world to
"Gather together and spend time with one another, build those memories and share the love that is the biker lifestyle. Don’ t just get together after a loss but before. Don’ t just use the words, do the deeds."
them. It could even save their life. We go on benefit rides, memorial rides, celebration of life rides and those are all very noble causes. But sometimes, the biggest difference we can make in a person’s life could be as simple as a conversation, a handshake or just listening to them. A simple show of kindness. We to remember as a lifestyle that we need to celebrate life itself while we are still living and not only after we pass. Gather together and spend time with one another, build those memories and share the love that is the biker lifestyle. Don’t just get together after a loss but before. Don’t just use the words, do the deeds. As they say, be the change that you want to see in this world and live by it. It takes a weak person to beat down and insult someone who is already going through a hardship in their life. It takes a stronger person to help them with a hand up and not a hand out. That’s what we preached for decades and somehow it has been tossed to the side of the road for vanity, status, fashion, or popularity. Live your life on your own terms. Everything you do affects everyone around you. Remember that.
NEFARIOUS JAMES AMERICAN
BORNTORIDE.COM | BTR 35
LAST MONTH OVER
1 MILLION VIEWS
WILLIE NELSON READS IT!
Women’s World Brown Sugaa and Medusa
Danni Benson started out riding on the back of her boyfriend’s bike. He tended to drink a bit and she realized that riding with him wasn’t safe. She learned to ride her own and bought a 1998 GSXR 600 sport bike. Later she traded it for a Ninja 600 sports bike and dumped the boyfriend. She let a friend ride her bike and she was taking a short ride on his when the road suddenly ended, turning to gravel. With the combination of an unfamiliar bike, gravel and trying to turn quickly she crashed! It took a year to recover from her broken wrist, busted knee and scraped face. Although her home state of Indiana doesn’t require riders to wear a helmet she now does because of this accident. It wasn’t long before Danni was itching for a new bike. Since she’s been riding for over ten years now she’s begun to enjoy longer rides and the open road more than the speed of a sport bike. Without telling any of her friends she began shopping for a cruiser type bike. When she came riding up on her new black Harley-Davidson Softail Slim with her dreadlocks blowing in the wind her friends were stunned! She named the bike Medusa because of the way her hair looks while riding and the way her friends seemed to turn to stone at of her on her new bike. BTRthe 26 sight | BORNTORIDE.COM The longest ride Danni has done solo is from her home in Indianapolis to Cincinnati. She and her ‘old man’ often ride with
the club where they are members, but she also enjoys riding with women’s groups that she connected with online. One of the groups, Unique Queens inspired her biker name “Brown Sugaa.” She also sometimes rides with Divas United on Bikes and Black Girls Ride. Earlier this year Danni and another woman rode from Indianapolis to Memphis where they met up with about 20 other women through the group Black Girls Ride (BGR). From there they road in an escorted ride lead by a Slingshot three-wheel motorcycle, all the way to New Orleans. The scariest part of this ride for Danni was crossing Lake Pontchartrain on the world’s longest bridge! For 8 miles of the 24-mile bridge, you can’t see land in any direction. In NOLA they connected with approximately 200 BGR women who came in groups from other host cities to attend the Essence Festival. Not only were they able to enjoy the sisterhood of other black women motorcyclists but at the annual Essence Festival, known as the ‘party with a purpose,’ they shared a week of empowerment, educational seminars, entertainment, and an Essence Magazine photoshoot. A major highlight was the annual Black Women in Music event where they saw superstars such as Mary J. Blige, Erykah Badu and Janet Jackson. Through riding with various groups to events Danni “Brown Sugaa” and Medusa have connected with women across the country!
If you or someone you know has a unique story contact info@borntoride.com Myra@MyraMcElhaney.com.
Myra McElhaney BORNTORIDE.COM | BTR 37
Inside Harley’s MilwaukeeCHECKING OUT THEIR 4-VALVE HEADS
With the 2017 introduction of their Milwaukee-Eight motor, H-D finally stepped into the twenty-first century! The major reason for saying this is, that’s when they fitted their big-twin powered bikes with a completely new motor, which they named the Milwaukee-Eight. For the regular Softail and touring line-up, it displaces 107-cubic inches and in their CVO and performance bikes, it has 114-inches of displacement. Along with the larger displacement, it had several new features: one of which is that it has four valves and two spark plugs per cylinder.
Along with these power improvements, there were several mechanical changes designed to decrease the amount of excess heat that the motors generate. This was accomplished three ways: by increasing the cooling fins on the cylinder heads, by lowering the motor’s idling speed and by adding a secondary cooling system on all of the motors’ cylinder heads. The standard motors now feature oil-cooled exhaust ports while the motors in the heavier bikes, the trikes and the CVO models, use a liquid cooling system that is similar to the one H-D has equipped these bikes with for the past several years.
THE MILWAUKEE-EIGHT’S COMBUSTION CHAMBER IS A 4-VALVE DESIGN. THIS IS A MAJOR IMPROVEMENT OVER THE TWIN-CAM’S 2-VALVE SYSTEM. HAVING TWO SMALLER INTAKE VALVES IN EACH COMBUSTION CHAMBER IMPROVES THE MOTOR’S LOW RPM PORT VELOCITY; YET THEIR OVERALL SURFACE AREA IS GREATER THAN THE TWIN-CAM’S SINGLE VALVES, WHICH IMPROVES THE MOTOR’S CYLINDER FILL RATE.
Harley’s engineers also improved the motor’s low-end torque. They were able to do this because the four-valve layout in the cylinder heads allowed them to shorten the valve timing on the intake valves. Also, in the four-valve layout, each valve has a smaller port, which increases the intake charge speed inside of the ports. This means that the motor doesn’t need the intake valves to open before the piston reaches top dead center, which increases the motor’s lower RPM efficiency. All of these developments were big improvements over H-D’s previous V-twins. So, before you dump a fist full of green-backs into a Twin-Cam motor’s innards, visit your local H-D dealer to take a test ride on a Milwaukee-Eight powered bike. Which we think you will be impressed with.
BTR 38 | BORNTORIDE.COM
- John Sullivan
ALONG WITH THE SMALLER VALVE SPRINGS, THE TOP OF THE NEW CYLINDER HEADS HAS FOUR RAISED MOUNTING STANDS THAT THE ROCKER ARMS ARE BOLTED TO.
-Eight Motor
THE NEW CYLINDER HEADS’ INTAKE PORTS USE SEPARATE PASSAGES FROM EACH VALVES’ HEAD TO ABOUT HALFWAY BACK TO THE PORTS’ MOUNTING SURFACE, WHERE THEY MERGE INTO A SINGLE LARGE PORT. THE EXHAUST PORTS HAVE THIS SAME DESIGN.
THE CYLINDER HEADS’ SECOND SPARK PLUG IS LOCATED IN A POCKET IN THE CENTER OF THE CASTING, WHICH IS NOT EASILY ACCESSIBLE. CHANGING THIS SPARK PLUG REQUIRES RAISING UP THE GAS TANK AND USING A SPECIAL TOOL TO PULL THE PLUG WIRE OFF OF THE SPARK PLUG. THE DEVICE NEXT TO THE SPARK PLUG IS THE COMPRESSION RELEASE.
THE VALVE SPRINGS IN THE MILWAUKEE-EIGHT MOTORS HAVE ABOUT 1/3 THE STATIC PRESSURE OF THOSE USED IN THE TWIN-CAM MOTORS. THIS WILL GREATLY REDUCE THE WEAR TO THE CAMSHAFT LOBES.
TO FURTHER REDUCE THE MOTOR’S OPERATING TEMPERATURE, THE STANDARD MILWAUKEE-EIGHT MOTOR HAS OIL-COOLED EXHAUST PORTS.
If you have a Tech Tip you would like to see, let us know at editor@borntoride.com
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This month Born To Ride reviews the 1971 film “Psychomania.” If you like old British horror films, then this one’s for you. Maybe I should have said horrible old British films. Either way, Psychomania has a lot to like or dislike, depending on your level of intoxication. The film centers around the life of “Tom” who is the leader of a ‘motorcycle gang’ called the Living Dead. Tom and his ‘gang’
ride authentic period Triumph motorcycles, and meet in a field with several large vertical stones which somewhat resemble Stonehenge. When they gather there, they often discuss what they will do in the particular day, but there is always talk of committing suicide, so they can live forever. Where could they get such an unsavory idea? From Tom’s occultist Mum of course! In a
dream like sequence, Tom has the pleasure of seeing his lovely Mum sign a deal with the Devil to have eternal life. His soul is assumed to be part of the deal, as there is a tot in a basket screaming as Mum signs the deal. All this weirdness is further accelerated by a frog. I dunno? It’s just strange. We’ll get to the Frog—plus stones thing later. On one particular day, Tom and his gang decide to ride through town and wreak havoc on the locals. They ride through a mall square like setting, tipping over shopping carts, baby carriages, and other things until the Bobbies arrive. A chase ensues and most of the members escape the long arm of the law. Tom hell-bent on killing himself rides his motorcycle through a guardrail and into the river. In a strange ritual, Tom is buried sitting upright on his motorcycle near the stones. His gang makes wreaths of flowers and other artifacts, which are buried with him as a guy plays the guitar and sings. Mum’s weird butler buries a frog necklace with him and all the other stuff. Later, a motorist breaks down near the stones, and has the horror of seeing Tom ride his motorcycle out of the grave. He of course is struck by the speeding Triumph and assumed dead. Tom then proceeds to call home from a local public house, and speaks to the butler and his Mum. Later he kills several people from the pub, and escapes into the night. The next day he arrives at the stones where the gang is trying to figure out who stole Tom’s body, and motorcycle. Thinking Tom is the thief, the gang begins questioning him and one of the members sneaks up to stab him in the back. This is where they realize that Tom had really come back from the dead. Seeing how cool it is to be immortal, the rest of the gang sets out to be just like Tom and each one kills him or herself in increasingly more bizarre ways. All succeed but Tom’s girlfriend, who after a failed attempt, really wants to live a normal life. In the end Tom gives her the ultimatum to join him in the ‘living dead.’ While she is deciding what to do with the gun he has handed her, his lovely Mum performs a ritual which turns her into a frog, and the rest of the ‘dead gang’ into stones while she shoots Tom. Sound confusing? Yeah, it does to me too! I guess the moral of the story is: Don’t feel too froggy, cause you might get stoned.
Do you have a favorite Biker Movie we don’t have? Let us know: info@borntoride.com
The Phantom Movie Review
BORNTORIDE.COM | BTR 41
COMING NEXT MONTH! DON’T MISS IT!
PHOTOGRAPHER BRAD PATTON FEATURES SCARLET QUEEN ON THE SHOW STOPPER BY SHANNON DAVIDSON
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Rich Pitoniak’s Shovelhead Calling Card No less of a motorcycle legend than Mondo Porras of Denver’s Choppers calls Rich Pitoniak “Shovelhead Rich.” A lifelong biker and machinist by trade, Rich is a long time mechanic and passionate gearhead out of Westfield, Massachusetts. “Painkiller” is the name of Rich’s dazzling 1967 Shovelhead chopper seen here, a bike he’s owned for 25 years. The scooter has been reincarnated a few times in different frames, but when Rich started his business, Pitoniak’s Custom Cycles in 2004, he wanted to build a bike to be a calling card for his shop. And BTR 48 | BORNTORIDE.COM
what a calling card! Painkiller was created in the style that Rich likes best; a classic old school, less-is-more chopper. The Shovel motor sits in a 1948 HarleyDavidson wishbone frame and has a H-D ratchet top 4-speed transmission. A Rivera Pro Clutch with a 3-inch primary belt drive puts the power to the ground. The engine is a 74-incher with a mild port and polish job. Rich is running an Andrews A2 grind cam and fire is lit with a Vulcan Engineering Electronic distributor single fire ignition fed by a Harley CV carburetor, breathing out of a
set of 1 ¾-inch drag pipes. The triple trees are 5 degree raked trees that Rich designed and machined himself with a set of 41mm, 2-inches over stock forks. Wheels are 80 spoke wrapped with Pirelli tires and the brakes include a 4-piston Performance Machine caliper up front and a H-D 4-piston in back. The leather seat was done by Black Canyon Leather. Being a machinist, Rich likes the contrast of polished aluminum, chrome, copper and brass. We do too! This bike is a rider and Rich rides the hell out of Painkiller. Even as a daily
Send photos and information of you and your motorcycle to editor@borntoride.com
BORNTORIDE.COM | BTR 49
rider, it still wins awards wherever it goes. The brass components and black cloak of paint are a beautiful combination, that paint is PPG triple black with Gold Leaf flames, expertly handled by Spike’s Paint. Rich tells us that Painkiller is the favorite of his four Shovelheads. We think he has a great eye for design and he even shot the photos you ae looking at himself, working with model Stephanie Lucille to provide the sexy icing on this painkilling motorized cake. Pitoniak’s Custom Cycles’ specialty is engine and bike building. As a machinist, Rich really enjoys engine building with a main focus on paying attention to tolerances and reliability, primarily working on Panheads, Shovelheads and Evos. You can find Rich’s shop Pitoniak’s Custom Cycles on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and www.pitoniakcycle.com
—Rich and Chopper Daddy Send photos and information of you and your motorcycle to editor@borntoride.com BTR 50 | BORNTORIDE.COM
THE TANK WHISPERER MAKES YOUR OLD TANKS LAST FOREVER
The heart and soul of your bike is the fuel tank. Originally, the tank was new and clean, but over the years that all has changed. If you are tired of cleaning carburetors or think you need a new tank because yours is too rusty or it leaks, I have the solution. We clean tanks and preserve the metal – even permanently stop leaks! The highgrade epoxy coating we use is second to none; we can even remove most Kreem and Red-Kote liners. We have a fast turnaround time; it’s the easiest thing you’ll do all week.
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CHRISTIAN MOTORCYCLISTS ASSOCIATION Getting in the wind is a favorite pastime for bikers, there’s just no other experience that compares and offers such a sense of freedom. That being said, riders need to be evervigilant and pay a lot of attention to the traffic surrounding them. There is an old saying, “You can be dead right and still be dead wrong.” This can simply mean that even though you may have had the right of way in traffic, you can still end up as a traffic statistic. Even if there are no injuries, the whole day can be ruined by someone not paying attention to the road and causing an actual or near accident. There is also the issue of the sudden anger that such foolish driving causes, as well as the feeling of fury at the carelessness of someone not paying attention on the road. Last week I was driving a cage on a four lane road that had median cut-outs for U turns. As I approached the cut out I made note of a car trying to pull into the turnaround area in order to wait for the oncoming traffic. As I got closer to the intersection it became evident that the errant driver had no intention of stopping. As the car pulled into my lane of traffic I had to make an evasive maneuver, almost hitting the car on my right side. As the cars came to a complete stop, I have to admit that my blood momentarily
began to boil at the dangerous and ignorant driving. Fortunately, I remembered a lesson from the past, and after several minutes I became able to settle down and forgive that driver for his terrible driving ability. The lesson I’d learned in the past was simply that I can hang onto my anger and let it control my day, or forgive the driver and regain a happy disposition. After all, in so many traffic incidences, the guilty party isn’t even aware that you exist, yet they have gained control of your day, and your attitude! This applies with cages or cars, and is possibly more important, for safety reasons, to bikes. In the Bible Jesus was asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me?” Jesus answered, “. . . seventy-seven times.” Matthew 18:21-22. To my way of thinking this means unlimited forgiveness is the goal. Jesus Himself was the example, no matter what people did to Him, He forgave everyone. What would you rather have, an angry, unforgiving disposition, or a happy forgiving spirit. I know that none of us is perfect, that’s why we need Jesus, because He was perfect. With a happy, cheerful attitude you will not only feel better about others, you’ll feel better about yourself as well! Forgiveness is the key and happiness is the joy that can so easily be yours. The next time you want to get angry, just remember Jesus’ example.
In the Wind, Denny Dingler
Check out BornToRide.com for more articles from Christian Motorcyclists Association
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A SPYKE & MIKE CHRISTMAS
It’s that joyous time of year my BTR friends. Just be safe and careful. Most of all be responsible and do like Mike did, to a point. I’ll let him explain. Mike says, “thanks for putting me on the spot Spyke. Everyone please be aware of your surroundings this holiday season. I went to a Christmas party and happily joined in on the festivities. I had a few beers, a few shots and a few Holiday drinks. Thus getting very intoxicated. But before becoming totally inebriated and making a fool of myself, I realized that I was over the limit. So I did what I’ve never done before, I took a cab home. Sure enough there was a sobriety checkpoint on the way. But being in a cab they just waved it through. I arrived home safely without incident. This was both a great relief and a surprise because I had never driven a cab before! I don’t even know where I got it from. Now that it’s in my garage, I just don’t know what to do with it...” Spyke cackles, ‘only you Mike, only you. In honor of your idiotic decisions I wrote a jingle in the tune of: It’s the most wonderful time of the year. It’s the most wonderful time to drink beer. When the brew starts flowin’ And frothy heads growin’ in cups of good cheer! It’s the most wonderful time to drink beer. It’s the hap-happiest season for Mike. When his good friends throw a bash And they get really smashed
BTR 54 | BORNTORIDE.COM
‘Till they’re blowin’ up chunks It’s the hap-happiest season for drunks. Switch to vodka and gin With your friends then begin To go stumbling around in the sand. Then at the parties your lit And the girls get all blitzed From eggnog they’ve got in their hand. It’s the most wonderful time to drink beer For Solo cups they’ll beg And lines form for the keg Mike’s not seeing things real clear. It’s the most wonderful time to drink beer Switch to vodka and gin With your friends then begin To go stumbling around in the sand. Then at the parties your lit And the girls get all blitzed From eggnog they’ve got in their hand. It’s the most wonderful time to drink beer For Solo cups they’ll beg And lines form for the keg Mike’s not seeing real clear It’s the most wonderful time… Yes, the best get drunk time... It’s the Yule-phoric time of the year!’ Mike says, “well Spyke, I kinda wish it was that Yule-phoric. It was more covidphoric and drove me to create this jingle. It’s written in the tune of: The 12 days of Christmas. In the year 2020 the virus gave to me: 12 face masks 11 canceled trips 10 sanitizers 9 curbside pickups 8 zoom calls 7 mental breakdowns 6 feet apart 5 pairs of gloves
4 nasal swabs 3 travel restrictions 2 weeks quarantine And a massive shortage of TP Now Spyke, you know I’m not super religious but in years past I really enjoyed going down to the local church and checking out the Christmas presentation. There will be no nativity scene this year because the three wise men face a travel ban. All the shepherds have been furloughed. The Inn keeper had to shut down because of tier 3 regulations and a slump in bookings. Mary and Josep pulled Jesus out of preschool. And all the Angels were grounded due to possible spreading of the virus. What’s worse is that Santa won’t be flying because he would break the rule of six with Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Donner and Blitzen. As for Rudolph with that red nose, he will be getting tested and quarantined.” Spyke cackles, ‘that about sums it up Mike. But I gotta tell you a lot of people don’t get the face mask thing. So I’m going to put it in human layman terms. If you walk around nude and someone pees on you, you’ll get wet. If you wear pants and someone pees on you, you’re partially protected. If the guy peeing on you wears his pants, he pees IN his pants and you don’t get wet. Now let’s hope everyone gets the principal! Plus, it doesn’t help having some states on lockdown and some states not. It’s like having a peeing section in the pool! Also, whoever thought the comment: I wouldn’t touch him/her with a 6-ft pole would become a national policy, but here we are! So while we can still be out and about, get my feathered ass into the truck, get your knees under the keys and get its wheels rolling down the road. The virus can’t catch us in the wind!’ — SPYKE