Contents
February Issue 48
Ad Index
Features Panhead Randy-48 at 60 American Flat Track is Coming Lillie Glass Blowers Ride Naked Love-Jugs-Police Story
11 24 32 39 43
Columns
11
Rob Brooks Road Dirt-My Brother’s Keeper 21 Woman’s World-Linda Dalton 43 The Motorcycle Law Group 51 Craven Moorehead-A New Beginning, Perhaps 53 Christian Motorcycle Association 56
Departments Ride Safe, Ride Smart 7 Born To Ride Events-www.BornToRide.com 46 BTR Kids 56
Reports Peach County Deputies Memorial Ride 30 C3PO Reads Born To Ride 54 Biker Movie Review-Motorcycle Diaries 55
54
On The Cover American Flat Track’s DAYTONA TT www.amaproracing.com
AAA IFC Angel City 15 BTR Biker Babes 38 BTR TV @ BornToRide.com 38 BTR Facebook 54 BTR Free On Three 4 BTR Lifestyle 37 BTR Radio 5, 52 Copperhead Lodge 16 Cycle World of Athens 13 Find It Now GPS 20 Georgia Motor Trike 4 HD Falcons Fury 28 HD Fraziers 8 HD Raging Bull IBC HD Tifton 31, BC HD Thunder Tower West 3 Heat Up with Born To Ride 27 International Female Ride Day 49 JDub Cycle 54 LawBike.com 1 Leather, Love & Freedom 54 Love Jugs 45 Media Design Shop 22, 38 Motorcycle Law Group 50 Motolistings.com 23 Prestige Real Estate 43 ProRider 7 RGR Motorsports 35 Saddle Creek 20 Sales Reps Wanted 54 St. Pete Beach Bikefest 6 Thunder Beach 10 Toys Wanted 38 Wanted GI Joe 54
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RIDING AT NIGHT
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 its 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. Other 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. For more information go to www.msf-usa.org
This “Bucket List” mission began over 42 years ago when I purchased Old Blue at the ripe young age of 18, shortly after graduating from high school along Florida’s east coast. Old Blue is a 1963 HarleyDavidson Panhead that has unselfishly transported me from one destination to another like a magic carpet, always willing to embark on the next adventure. In addition to the day-to-day local riding and fun, Old Blue carried me on several long road trips over the years. In 1975, she took me from the east coast of Florida to the Grand Canyon and back, and in 1984 from Tallahassee to Chicago. In 1990, she carried me from Chicago back to Florida by way of Detroit, Ontario, New York to Maine, and down the eastern seaboard back to Florida. In 2003, I
rode her from Pinellas County to Milwaukee for the Harley-Davidson 100th Anniversary Celebration. Then there was Sturgis in 2010, and Laconia in 2012, and a couple of Myrtle Beach trips sprinkled in-between. Sometime before the Sturgis trip, I acquired an embroidered patch of the United States, and began coloring-in those states that I had ridden Old Blue through. Shortly thereafter, it became a bucket list mission to ride her through all of the contiguous 48 states. All that leads to this story: for the last few years, there was this large uncolored white area remaining in the American northwest area of the patch. In January of 2016, my wife Mary and I began planning for the Northwestern Panhead Adventure, to be undertaken shortly after I turned 60.
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The Adventure was to include those states that Old Blue had yet to traverse: Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Utah. The following story chronicles the adventure that we undertook during the first three weeks in July 2016. Since we only had three weeks off from work, we had Old Blue and Mary’s 2005 Deluxe shipped from St. Petersburg to Reno, Nevada. After we picked up our bikes form Chester’s Reno Harley-Davidson, we rode through the high desert, to historic Virginia City, and then Pyramid Lake, where we camped along that large lake in the desert. On our approach to this oasis in the desert, it appeared that there were three pyramids on an island in the middle of the lake, resembling the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. BORNTORIDE.COM | BTR 11
From Pyramid Lake, we headed for northern California. There we traversed through the high desert to Litchfield, Susanville, and then off to Lassen Volcanic National Park, which still had numerous pockets of snow on the volcanic peaks. From there we headed to Mount Shasta, another snow-covered volcanic peak, and stayed a couple of days in the nearby town of Mt. Shasta. From Mt. Shasta, we headed to Yreka (pronounced “why reeka”). Once there, we gassed-up; at that time, I noticed that Old Blue’s generator light came on. We headed to an ATV motorsports shop (the only option in that small town), and I borrowed a meter to confirm what I already knew: the generator wasn’t doing its job. I took it apart, cleaned the commutator, and noticed that the splines BTR 12 | BORNTORIDE.COM
on the armature were worn, allowing the gear to spin freely. Within minutes, a guy on a Sportster pulls up to go to the liquor store next to the bike shop, and Mary asks if he knows anybody in town that has any old Harley parts. He says “Yeah, Mr. _________ had a shop he closed down 30 years ago. He passed away, but his sons are building bikes from the parts.” He made a telephone call, explained the situation, and handed the phone to me. I spoke with Randy, who said he probably had a generator, but to call him back in 30 minutes so he could look for it. Twenty-nine minutes later, he drove up in an old truck and brought the generator to me! He wasn’t interested in selling it, so he loaned it to me for the trip! A true sign of old school brotherhood! “Just ship it back after you finish your trip.” Wow! I installed
it, “flashed” the regulator, and we headed to Happy Camp where we camped for the night at the Bigfoot Campground. The next morning we rode to Willow Creek, home of the world’s largest Bigfoot museum, and saw numerous plaster-casts of those big feet. From there we headed to Eureka, California where we went to Redwood Harley-Davidson, and checked into a hotel in Arcata near the Pacific coast. After breakfast, we headed north to Lady Bird Johnson Grove for a walk through the California Redwoods, then rode the Redwood Highway to see thousands of those giant trees. Continuing north, we stopped to put our piggies in the Pacific Ocean, and landed in Crescent City for a good dinner and relaxing night’s sleep. From Crescent City, we travelled along
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Highway 101 in the rain (go figure, it is a rain forest region!), and headed for Oregon. Old Blue was breaking up, running on one cylinder, as if one of the spark plugs was fouling. I pulled the plugs, but that wasn’t the problem – it was an ignition failure. We limped along to Coos Bay, and landed at Coos Cycle Supply where we diagnosed the problem with the help of a guy named Randy! The lack of antique parts did not allow resolution with the original equipment, so we decided on an Accel drop-in, but since it was Saturday, it couldn’t be ordered until Monday, for delivery on Tuesday. That plan would still allow completion of the mission. Following the repair, and tweaking of the carburetor, we headed north along Highway BTR 14 | BORNTORIDE.COM
101 on Wednesday morning to view the rocky Oregon Coast on our way up to Newport. From Newport, we headed east through the mountains, and then into the high desert to Redman, where we spent the night. After breakfast, we headed to Smith Rock State Park, to hike through parts of the dramatic landscape that is a magnet for rock climbers. From there, we headed north through the high desert to Yakima, Washington. During the last 20 miles before crossing the Columbia River gorge, we experienced very strong and shifting crosswinds that were being funneled through the canyons; it was quite an experience! Much of the route in Washington to Yakima traversed through the Yakima Nation, as this territory is the sovereign nation of the Yakima Tribe. We
landed in town and spent the night. The next morning, we travelled to Fort Simcoe State Park, an historic site containing structures and a museum dedicated to the U.S Cavalry and Native American experience in the American frontier during the 1850s. From there we headed east to Sacajawea State Park near Kennewick. The park celebrates the contribution of Sacajawea, the young Agaiduka Shoshoni woman who was the interpreter that accompanied the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1805. The park is situated at the confluence of the Snake and Columbia Rivers, and has a museum that contains numerous artifacts associated with the expedition. We left the park and headed a few miles to Kennewick, and stayed the night in a hotel on a small island in the
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Columbia River, in the shadow of the PascoKennewick Cable Bridge. The bridge style resembles the Sunshine Skyway, although it is much smaller in scale. After breakfast, we continued heading east through Lewiston, Idaho and stopped at the Nez Perce National Historic Park. The Nez Perce Nation originally controlled the majority of, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington, but signed successive treaties with the U.S. Government eventually conceding 90% of their original tribal lands. In the mid-afternoon, we stopped at a roadside steakhouse and had an amazing steak dinner. Following dinner, we rode through some of the most beautiful winter white sweet wheat fields down to Grangeville where we would spend the night.
The next day, we stopped by the local park in Grangeville to see a Mastodon exhibit, waited a long time for a pilot car to “guide” us through a short construction zone, and then about ten miles down the road we descended a steep, winding grade on our way to White Bird. Near the bottom was a truly breathtaking view of a vast plain that had been dissected by glaciers thousands of years ago. That was the beginning of my realization that Idaho is a spectacular State! South of White Bird, we headed along the Salmon River through the mountains and valleys to Crouch, Idaho, where we were staying with family friends. When we told them of our plans to head to Boise the next day, they said “Boise, why would you want to go to Boise? If in Idaho, you need to see
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the Sawtooth Mountains!” So we altered our plans, and we are very pleased that we did. The Sawtooth range is a spectacular smallerversion of the Grand Teton range. We ate lunch in a saloon in Stanley (population 63), and headed to Arco, past Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve, because it was late in the day. Craters includes 750,000 acres of lava fields and cinder cones, and the astronauts trained there in 1969 prior to their Lunar missions because it is the closest environment to that of the moon here on earth. We spent the night in Arco, which is the first town on earth powered by nuclear energy (for one hour) in 1955. After breakfast, we headed 18 miles east to the EBR-I Atomic Museum, the National Historic BORNTORIDE.COM | BTR 17
BTR 18 | BORNTORIDE.COM
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landmark where the test nuclear reactor that powered Arco was located. Being there made us feel like we were part of a 1950s Sci-Fi movie! From there we headed back west to Craters, so that we could experience the volcanic region. We left Craters, and headed for Twin Falls where we would spend the night. Twin Falls is on the south side of the Snake River Canyon. The Perrine Bridge and the gorge that it spans looked spectacular after travelling through the high desert. The next day we went to Shoshone Falls, walked to the site of Evel Knievel’s 1974 Snake River Canyon Sky Cycle jump site, and then travelled to Snake Harley-Davidson, before heading to Salt Lake City, Utah. The trip to Salt Lake City was the least
desirable part of the trip, largely because this segment could only be achieved via Interstate highway. We were spoiled by the two lane scenic highways that we had traversed throughout our adventure. The main problem was that the interstate speed limit was 80 miles per hour, and I was riding a 53-year-old 1200cc motorcycle. Add to that the construction lane shifts with mismatched asphalt elevation layers, grooved pavement, and tandem Semi trucks pulling three trailers whizzing by in adjacent lanes left and right, we felt like we were undergoing jet fighter training! After a night in Salt Lake City, we headed to the Bonneville Salt Flats, where we went out to mile marker six, then back to the Salt Flats Café (the only diner around)
and had some good Mexican food. We spent another night in Salt Lake City, and then went to Antelope Island Great Salt Lake State Park to see the wild buffalo. From there we headed north to the Golden Spike National Historic Site in Promontory where the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad system forever changed the history of America, since it allowed coast-to-coast travel to be accomplished in weeks rather than months or years. We had an incredibly enjoyable western adventure that spanned over 2,700 miles. Old Blue has truly been a major part of my life for over 42 years, and she has served me well! I’m excited about her next adventure. . . . Panhead Randy
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My Brother’s Keeper
Recently I was riding back through middle Georgia lake country following a couple of days spent with my parents. After a stop in Bostwick, an old cotton town, I suited and saddled back up to continue my journey home. A lady rider about my age had pulled in not long after me, and now was having difficulty firing back up her old Harley Sportster. Our eyes met, and I could see the look of “can you help me?” in her eyes. Without hesitation, I removed my gear, retrieved my tool kit, and went to her aid. The problem fortunately was minor, a battery post that needed to be scrubbed of corrosion and tightened down. A warm thank you, a grateful handshake, and she was on her way, as was I. Motorcyclists have some unwritten codes, that we all (mostly) abide by, such as “the wave,” riding staggered with each other, among others. Notably, most motorcyclists also follow the rule, “never leave a fellow rider stranded.” This is regardless of brand or type of bike. I’ve been on the giving and receiving end of this “biker good will,”
and it’s one of the many reasons I love the motorcycling community. A couple of months ago, I was driving my pickup home from working up town, when I witnessed a young sport bike rider on the opposite shoulder, struggling with something at his rear wheel. I whipped around as soon as I safely could, and came to his aid. Turns out, his chain master link had broken by his rear sprocket, and for nearly 40 minutes he had been fiddling with trying to fashion a snap of some kind to get him home. “No one has stopped or even slowed down to offer any help, not even to make a call for me,” he lamented. I lived about 3 miles away and had a motorcycle trailer, I told him, and offered to transport him and his bike to his house, which turned out to be only a few miles away as well. I sped home, hooked up the trailer, grabbed a box of straps, and returned to load man and machine. Upon offloading the bike at his place, he offered to pay me for my “troubles,” which I respectfully declined. “It’s what we do,” I told him. To be sure, there are some elements within
motorcycling that refuse to acknowledge or come to the aid of fellow riders. Adherents of certain brands, certain types of bikes, and certain club riders look down upon any not like them, and refuse to assist those not of their ilk. And yet, they are a minuscule percentage of the motorcycling world, a fringe not representative of the vast majority of us. Overall, across the years and miles, I have found members of the motorcycling community to be among the most caring, helpful, and selfless people I have ever had the privilege of knowing. And I’m proud to be counted among them. A couple of years ago, while on a long, multi-day road trip, a friend of mine found himself on a highway shoulder, sidelined by a large screw in his rear tire. While trying to remove the invader so he could insert a plug from a tire repair kit he (wisely) carried, he suddenly was surrounded by a group of patched club bikers, who had pulled over and parked in front, behind, and even street side around him. “Oh crap,” he thought to himself, being on a metric cruiser, and
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traveling alone. His concerns were quickly dispelled, however, when the leader asked, “Any way we can give you a hand?” These rugged riders assisted my friend get plugged and reinflated, then accompanied him back into town to a local bike shop, for a better examination of the tire. When my friend offered to buy them all dinner for their troubles, they graciously declined, but each shook his hand, wished him luck, and were on their way. “Just glad we could help” was their response. Motorcyclists tend to get painted with only a few brush strokes, by the media and the general public. We are often portrayed as scary, hard-core biker gang members, as “Sons of Anarchy” types, or as reckless, inconsiderate “stunters” and “squids,” endangering ourselves and others around us. Granted, there are far too many of those among us. But again, these do not represent the vast majority of riders, anymore than a few “quacks” in the medical field represent the vast majority of knowledgeable, conscientious, hard-working physicians. The late singer-songwriter, Rich Mullins, BTR 22 | BORNTORIDE.COM
once penned a song that, though not specifically about the motorcycling community, most certainly applies to how many of us view each otherI will be my brother’s keeper, not the one who judges him. I won’t despise him for his weakness; I won’t regard him for his strength. I won’t take away his freedom; I will help him learn to stand. And I will, I will be my brother’s keeper. -Rich Mullins, “Brother’s Keeper” I frequently ride with a widely diverse chapter of the Christian Motorcyclists Association, called the Kneebenders, made up of all kinds of bikes, all kinds of riders. We include sport bike riders, cruisers, tourers, a couple of ADV riders, and several Harley riders. We are “red and yellow, black and white” like the old children’s Bible song. We have men and women riders, and we run the gamut of socio-economic status. We even come from the four corners of these United States. Despite all this, we share two commonalities
- we are all Christian, and we are all riders. We are devoted to honoring “the code,” among any and all we might encounter. With all the divisiveness in the world today, even in our own culture, as riders we have the opportunity to make a positive impact by how we treat each other, and how we extend a helping hand to those around us. Let’s endeavor to be “our brother’s keeper,” and model togetherness and generousity to a divided world. Rob Brooks *Rob Brooks asserts “motorcycles are in my blood, in my DNA.” He even claims to have seen them under a microscope. This has not been independently verified. What is verified is Rob’s love of motorcycles, whether riding, writing, or wrenching on them. Rob has traversed America on two wheels, but calls north Georgia home, along with his wife, two daughters, and menagerie of pets. He has published a book, entitled “Road Dirt: The Musings & Ramblings of a Biker Preacher,” available on Amazon Books and Amazon Kindle. Find him at www.rtbrooks.wordpress.com
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American Flat Track is Coming!!
The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA), located in Pickerington, Ohio, is the world’s premier member-driven motorcycling organization whose mission is to promote the motorcycling lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. From the street, to the track, to the trail, millions of Americans enjoy motorcycling. Some ride to work every day. Others ride for pleasure on weekends. Many ride off-road, or journey to places near and far. Still more seek the thrill of competition. Since 1924, the AMA has protected the future of motorcycling and promoted the motorcycle lifestyle. AMA members come from all walks of life, and they navigate many different routes on their journey to the same destination: freedom on two wheels. As the world’s largest motorcycling organization, the AMA advocates for motorcyclists’ interests in the halls of local, state and federal government, the committees of international BTR 24 | BORNTORIDE.COM
governing organizations and the court of public opinion. Through member clubs, promoters and partners, the AMA sanctions more motorsports competition and motorcycle recreational events than any other organization in the world. Through its Motorcycle Hall of Fame, the AMA preserves the heritage of motorcycling for future generations. AMA members receive money saving discounts from dozens of well-known suppliers of motorcycle services, gear and apparel, bike rental, transport, hotel stays and more. The AMA is everything motorcycle. In 2008, the American Motorcyclist Association announced the sale of certain parts of its professional racing properties to AMA Pro Racing, based in Daytona Beach, Fla. The move was brought about by the need for the association to place
the management of professional racing in the hands of a well-resourced motorsports entertainment company. The rules packages introduced by AMA Pro in 2009 have been subtly refined to provide technical stability and rules consistency, which has shifted the focus of the sport to the compelling battles on the track among a magnificent group of athletes. DAYTONA BEACH, FL - An exciting change is happening to one of Daytona International Speedway’s (DIS) most popular Bike Week events. Daytona International Speedway is proud to announce that American Flat Track will debut its 2017 season inside the “World Center of Racing” on a one-of-a-kind .6-mile TT course. The DAYTONA TT, scheduled on the evening of Thursday, March 16, will feature powerful, twin-cylinder motorcycles in the AFT Twins class, while spirited single-cylinder machines
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will battle it out in AFT Singles. With a racing schedule that includes the DAYTONA Supercross By Honda, Ricky Carmichael Amateur Supercross, the all-new DAYTONA TT and the famed DAYTONA 200, DIS will play host to the ultimate festival of motorcycle racing in 2017. American Flat Track has been reenvisioned and the DAYTONA TT marks the dawning of a new era for America’s most historic form of motorcycle racing. The championship features the broadest spectrum of brands competing in any form of motorcycle sport, and will serve as a battleground for the great American war between Harley-Davidson and Indian Motorcycles in 2017. The big factories will be competing head-to-head on the race track for the first time since the 1950s, and the battle of the brands will begin at Daytona. “Daytona is the spiritual home of
motorcycle racing and we are delighted to be bringing the intensity of Flat Track racing and the spectacle of a TT to complete the show,” said Michael Lock, CEO of AMA Pro Racing. “2017 marks the start of a new golden era for our sport and we are excited for our legions of fans.” Many flat track races are held on dirt ovals, but the TT moniker indicates turns in both directions and a jump have been incorporated into track design for the DAYTONA TT. To showcase the high speed and intensity of the sport, the track design will feature a fast, sweeping left hand turn alongside the frontstretch of the famed circuit. The track’s unique characteristics are perfectly suited for the fast and furious nature of America’s longest running motorcycle racing championship. “Staging the DAYTONA TT inside the motorsports stadium will expose a new group
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of guests to the many amenities available following the recently completed $400 million frontstretch renovation project,” DIS Track President Chip Wile said. “It’s also going to be a great opportunity for racers in American Flat Track to compete inside the Speedway battling for a coveted Daytona trophy as part of Bike Week.” Tickets to the DAYTONA TT will go on sale Tuesday, Sept. 27 at 9 a.m. and can be purchased at www. daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP. Reserved seating in the newly-renovated grandstands will start at $35 and general admission tickets will be available for $25. Kids 12 and under are free in general admission areas and just $10 in reserved seats. Info: www.amaproracing.com/flat-track Call: 386-492-1014 BORNTORIDE.COM | BTR 25
Thursday March 16th American Flat Track Daytona International Speedway Daytona Bch, Fl Info: 386-492-1014 Saturday March 25th American Flat Track Georgia Short Track Dixie Speedway Woodstock, GA Info: 386-492-1014 Saturday April 1st American Flat Track Charlotte Half Mile Charlotte Motor Speedway Concord, NC Info: 386-492-1014
May 13: Arizona Mile – Turf Paradise, Phoenix, Ariz. May 20: Sacramento Mile – Cal Expo Fairgrounds, Sacramento, Calif. May 27-28: Springfield Mile I* – Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, Ill. June 3: Red Mile – The Red Mile, Lexington, Ky. June 17: OKC Mile – Remington Park, Oklahoma City June 24: Lima Half-Mile – Allen County Fairgrounds, Lima, Ohio July 8: Rolling Wheels Half-Mile – Rolling Wheels Raceway Park, Elbridge, N.Y. July 29: Calistoga Half-Mile – Calistoga Speedway, Calistoga, Calif. Aug. 6: Buffalo Chip TT presented by Indian Motorcycle – Buffalo Chip Campgrounds, Sturgis, S.D. Aug. 8: Black Hills Half-Mile – Black Hills Speedway, Rapid City, S.D. Aug. 13: Peoria TT – Peoria Motorcycle Club, Peoria, Ill. Sept. 2-3: Springfield Mile II** – Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, Ill. Sept. 9: Williams Grove Half-Mile – Williams Gove Speedway, Mechanicsburg, Pa. Sept. 23: Lone Star Half-Mile – Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, Texas Oct. 7: Perris Short Track – Perris Auto Speedway, Perris, Calif. Next Up: American Flat Track will kick off the 2017 season during Daytona’s Bike Week on Thursday, March 16 with the all-new DAYTONA TT, built inside the trioval at the “World Center of Racing.” The DAYTONA TT will mark the dawning of a new era for America’s most historic form of motorcycle racing, and will serve as the first battleground for the great American war between Harley-Davidson and Indian Motorcycles in 2017. For more information: www. amaproracing.com BTR 26 | BORNTORIDE.COM
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Only a month and a half after the Memorial Ride for Officer Tim Smith of Eastman, GA, Joel Yarborough “the Leatherman” had a Memorial Ride for fallen Peach County deputies, Sgt. Patrick Sondron and Daryl “Tank” Smallwood. Again, the local community and riders from all clubs and walks of life, responded to the call in freezing Saturday morning weather and came to Eastman for the memorial ride. Deputy Smallwood was a member of the Iron Warriors, a law enforcement motorcycle riding organization whose presence was prevalent in honoring their fallen brother. A hamburger, hot dog and jalapeno sausage lunch was furnished as part of the ride and an auction started, which ended up in a BTR 30 | BORNTORIDE.COM
heated bid for a law enforcement decorated corn hole game set, which went for $700. Not to be outdone, the ride was delayed for almost a half hour as the second corn hole set went up for auction with a winning bid of $3,000. The first winner was glad he got away with only paying $700. Bikes of all brands (almost 200) lined up along the street beside the Leatherman’s shop. As the bikes headed toward highway 341, it was an eerie sight when they came out of the smoke from a nearby burning field and proceeded down highway 341 on the 55-mile escorted ride to Ft. Valley, GA Law Enforcement Center. Eight Georgia law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty in 2016. Paul Murray
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Let me introduce you to Thom Lillie of Lille Glassblowers, Inc. A couple of years ago I was sitting on the patio reading the morning paper and I noticed an article about a glassblower who had a studio in Smyrna, Georgia. At the BTR 32 | BORNTORIDE.COM
time I was looking for someone or something to photograph and I thought that the art of blowing glass could be a great subject. I googled the name of the glassblowing studio, and when I contacted them to tell them what I was interested in doing I was told to come
on up. I threw a flash kit, tripod and camera bag on the back of the Road King and headed on up I-75 to see what I could come up with. When I arrived I entered a studio surrounded by work tables full of ongoing glass projects.
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At a table in the back a tall guy wearing sunglasses and a bandanna had a big ass flaming tool in one hand and a piece of redhot glass in the other. He was in the middle of a project and couldn’t really stop to meet and greet properly, so I set about getting
realized there was a story that went along with the pictures. My whole career I’ve met so many people with great stories when I thought I was only there for images, I should have learned to expect it by now. As we chatted while Thom continued to work the glass, I mentioned that I rode my bike up from my loft apartment in downtown Atlanta and he said he rode, also. At first it was just something that we had in common, but over time I saw that Thom is another one of those Georgians who can come from all walks of life and just happens to ride motorcycles. Thom’s first bike was a little red Honda 50 cc he received when he was just 7 years old. That’s another thing we had in common, my first motorized bike was the same model. He’s ridden many different bikes since that first red jewel, but now he sits atop a ’96 Yamaha Royal Star that he bought new. At the time he was thinking about purchasing a Harley-Davidson Heritage, but when he sat his 6’2” frame on the Royal Star, it just fit him perfectly. But as we know, usually one is not enough, so as of this writing Ideal Customs out of Clarksville, GA is building him a Café Racer from a Yamaha 750. Thom is a second generation glassblower. His father, Don Lillie, began blowing glass in 1949, when he started an apprenticeship at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. Afterwards Don got a job at Georgia Tech as a scientific glass blower, where he worked for 33 years. After perfecting his craft, in 1965 Don opened a small shop of his own at Six Flags Over Georgia and then one at Underground Atlanta. The first time Thom blew a piece of glass he was 8 years old and he burned his finger pretty badly, so at the time he didn’t want any part of this flaming hot business. And it didn’t help that most sons don’t want anything to do with what their fathers do for a living anyway, it’s the rebel in many of us. But as he got a little older, he saw the potential and realized he may have the talent that could help give him a vision of what he wanted to do with his own life. So in 1981 Thom signed up for classes at the University of Minnesota to study scientific glass blowing like his father had done some shots of him in action. While he kept 32 years earlier. In 1986 he moved back working to form a glass rod into a perfectly to Smyrna and together with his father they shaped golf club, we chatted as I started opened Lillie Glassblowers, Inc. Thom feels taking shots of this artist at work. I could tell that getting his degree in scientific glassthis was going to be simple to find wonder- blowing helps “you understand what is hapful photographs of this subject, but I soon pening to your material when you’re working
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“It’s not just putting glass together and getting a figure out of it, what this does is opens up the design possibilities and techniques.”
with it, it really gives a good boost to your foundation of knowledge … there’s a reason behind it. It’s not just putting glass together and getting a figure out of it, what this does is really opens up the design possibilities and techniques.” Much of Lillie’s contract work is for corporations and special events held around Georgia throughout the year, such as Petite Le Mans and the Vintage Motorcycle Races, both held at Road Atlanta. His work also decorates the homes and offices of personalities such as Elton John, Michael Jordan, the late actor Jimmy Stewart, President Bill Clinton, Dale Earnhardt and also is on display at Charlotte’s NASCAR Museum, just to name a few. Making the most unique piece of art possiBTR 34 | BORNTORIDE.COM
ble for each project is important and is what helps carry on the excitement from day to day, from project to project. To Thom, “The satisfaction that you get afterwards becomes an addiction, so you look forward to the more challenging pieces. It’s more than just a business, I enjoy when a customer comes in and they’re ecstatic … ‘Oh my gosh, I haven’t seen anything like that before.’ You look to make the customer happy but then more important, I want to be happy with it.” He then adds, “There’s a quote that can be read when you’re coming in the building that my old man came up with about 30 years ago, ‘An award shall reflect the achievement it recognizes.’ If a guy wins the Nobel Peace Prize you don’t give him a plaque … you should give the recipient something that’s
worthy of their accomplishment.” When comparing his work in the studio to riding a motorcycle, “The first thing that comes to mind is when I’m making something, there’s going to be something tangible at the end of the journey. In glassblowing it’s something I can see, something I can look at. And on motorcycles it’s about memories but the journey on both can be very stimulating.” He also adds, “I’ve come up with some of my most creative designs while riding a motorcycle … the problem is I’m having such a great time on my bike but then I get a certain design and I want to get back to the studio to start on that design.” That could be a tough dilemma … to ride on or create. But Thom’s creativity isn’t limited to the
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“In glassblowing it’s something I can see, and look at. On motorcycles it’s about memories but the Journey on both can be very stimulating.”
glass blowing studio. He also is pretty handy with a blow torch and a few wrenches and pliers. To me the most interesting motorcycle he has truly is a bicycle that became a motorcycle, in the true fashion of the early motorcycle pioneers who did the same thing which eventually lead to what we all ride today. Thom was surfing around eBay one day and found a thrift store type reproduction of an older model Huffy cruiser bicycle, with the original tires and turned up handlebars. He then found a 49 cc gas powered engine that he knew would fit just perfectly. With a blow torch, he has to use fire in his work it seems, he welded a bracket on the bicycle that allowed the seat to be pushed back on the bike and then he turned the handlebars down in a Café Racer style. He mounted BTR 36 | BORNTORIDE.COM
the 49 cc engine inside the frame, mounted the gas tank, painted it all black, moved the Huffy sticker to the tank and then with a few other modifications he had a ride that I think William Harley and Arthur Davidson would be proud of. In a single Saturday afternoon and for around $200 he had a bike that on first glance looks like it belongs in a vintage motorcycle museum. Another one of those creative engineering twinges that Thom gets from time to time l ead to a giant sized tricycle that he painted bright red and stands almost 10’ tall and seemed to make even Thom look like a little kid out on his first ride on the street. Like most creative people, the process never stops; it just keeps refining itself and morphing into something new.
If you’re interested in seeing if Lillie Glassblowers can do something special for you or an organization you work with, look them up on the internet at www.lillieglass.com or on Facebook at facebook.com/LillieGlassWork Eric Albright
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Some years ago, I picked up a nonrunning 2001 Suzuki SV650 from a guy who just wanted it out of his garage. The poor bike had been abused and neglected, by numerous previous owners. My only reasons for taking it off his hands were (1) I got it dirt cheap and (2) I saw it as a fix/flip. After some wrenching, the SV was running again,
and I soon found it a hoot to ride. I held on to it for awhile, enjoying thrashing it around in the countryside south of our home in north Georgia. Eventually, a younger friend of mine begged me to sell it to him, so I obliged. It’s been several years now, and he’s still rocking on that SV. Maybe I should have kept it. ...
First introduced in 1999 as Suzuki’s answer to the Ducati 620 Monster, the SV650 is considered by many to be among the first of what’s now called the “naked” or “street fighter” class. A true doeverything motorcycle, with a throaty v-twin growl and fantastic power and handling, dealerships couldn’t keep the bikes in stock
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on their showrooms. Equally embraced by beginners and veterans for its ease of use and maintenance, the SV was at home as a commuter, corner-carver, or track day toy. There are even some amateur racing classifications exclusively for the SV. They are easily discernible at the track, with a low, throaty v-twin roar amidst the screaming fours and triples. Suzuki had beaten Ducati at their own game. The SV650 (and big brother 1000) is already being counted among the great bikes in Suzuki’s illustrious history. With various improvements over its years (save the ill-fated Gladius iteration), the SV has stayed wildly popular among new and BTR 40 | BORNTORIDE.COM
seasoned riders, young and old(er), guys and gals. After a hiatus for several years, the beloved SV650 is back in 2017, very much resembling the original, yet with modern amenities such as a digital dash (speed, gear, tach, miles to E, etc), one-touch “Easy Start,” Low-RPM Assist, and optional ABS, to name a few. Much has already been written on the specs and performance figures of this bike, so I’ll not rehash those. They are easily found on the Suzuki website (suzukicycles.com) and in any Suzuki dealership, such as the folks at Mountain Motorsports. I’ll endeavor to give my own riding impressions and recommendations. I had arranged with Nick and Chuck
at Mountain Motorsports in Buford, Georgia to sign out their first 2017 SV for an afternoon check ride. The late December day turned out perfect, with abundant sunshine and temps hovering in the low 60s, somewhat unusual for us this time of year. Accompanied by one of my riding bros Mike Wood, we picked up the bike and took off for a few hours, me on the SV, Mike on his classic Honda 750 Nighthawk. We planned to ride the bike in thick commuter traffic, out on interstate, and along hilly, curvy country roads, all of which are readily available in our area. I’ve ridden many street motorcycles, across many years, under many circumstances, but I wanted Mike’s
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impressions too, being a relatively new street rider, having ridden dirt much of his life. We found ourselves firstly in choking holiday shopper traffic around the Mall of Georgia, and I found the SV to be light, well-balanced, and very easy to maneuver through the congestion. I’m 5’8” tall, about 155lbs wet weight, and the SV fit me perfect. The seat felt a bit firm, but I’ve got a thinly padded posterior, which may have contributed. The footpegs are well-placed, enabling me to flat foot easily at stops, with no impediment of the foot controls. Handlebars give me a slightly forward lean but not aggressively so. It’s a mostly upright riding position, with my legs only mildly bent.
It’s as if the engineers at Suzuki built the SV for folks like me in the 5’-something range. The bike fits me like a glove. Hitting the highway, I opened it up, running hard up through gears to merge with interstate traffic. The SV’s throttle response is instantaneous, and acceleration is thrilling for this type of bike. The 90-degree v-twin mill makes solid power across the powerband in each gear, and I love the sound of these stock pipes! Throatier than previous SV 650s, the exhaust already has a nice v-twin rumble, but it absolutely roars above 40005000 rpm in each gear. We were running in the upper double digits most of our interstate stint, and the SV is planted, feels solid, and
slices along through the atmosphere with minimal wind buffet on my helmet and chest. I never felt like a parachute, trying to hang on with no windshield. I felt some vibration in the bars, footpegs and at my knees hugging the tank, but I expected and actually liked it, being a v-twin. I felt connected to the bike. Mike and I finally exited the highway toward the North Georgia foothills, taking the SV for some flogging among the rolling hills and curves away from the bustle of North Atlanta. It’s out here that Suzuki’s SV 650 really shines. With good ground clearance to accompany the great handling, the bike practically leans itself into corners. I actually never felt the need to lean off excessively.
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The steering is very neutral, the bike feels very light and is quite flickable, as I found on several roads with quick switchbacks. One particular section of blacktop started with several wide sweepers, then a fairly sharp descending left curve, down a straight quarter mile, followed by a fairly sharp right hander at the bottom of the hill. I affectionately call it “the roller coaster”. We took turns gunning the SV down and back up several times each, mainly to test the bike’s suspension and handling under those circumstances, but also for the sheer delight of it. And what a delight it was. I was howling in my helmet each time I blasted down and back up this section, feeling like Marquez (a little) with the thrill of deep BTR 42 | BORNTORIDE.COM
corner leaning and sharp roll-on acceleration that is so easily achieved on this bike. Mike said he absolutely loved the SV, quipping, “I love my Nighthawk, but man, I could sure have some fun on this cool bike!” A great commuter … check! A capable highway runner … check! A hilariously fun curve carver … check! As the sun began to set on our short but beautiful December day, Mike and I pointed the bikes back toward Mountain Motorsports. We rode out of the foothills, and throttled hard back down the interstate, chasing the sun toward Buford, Georgia. I reluctantly returned the SV to the great folks at Mountain Moto with three parting words, “I want one!”
This renewed iconic Suzuki checks all the boxes for me. A very comfortable, neutral riding position, sharp throttle response, decent brakes, fantastic handling, and that v-twin sound! I for one, am very happy Suzuki has resurrected the SV 650. Whether you are a new or veteran rider, cruiser or sport, wanting a do-everything bike or an addition to your stable, the SV 650 is well worth a consideration. When in the Atlanta area, look up Nick or Chuck at Mountain Motorsports in Buford, and they’ll fix you up. Wherever you might be in north Georgia, there’s a Mountain Moto near you- six dealerships here, and two in Tennessee. Rob Brooks, Dacula, GA
SAVE THE DATE! Saturday May 6, 2017 International Female Ride Day Rides beginning at War Horse Harley-Davidson and Crystal Harley-Davidson to Rock Crusher Canyon for a world record attempt at the largest gathering of women and motorcycles! Australia holds the record for 1,002 at a single motorcycle event. Come be part of history in the making! There will be $1000 prize awarded to the largest group of women in an organization to pre-register and ride in together, also 10 $100 prizes and so much more! The Hampton Inn in Crystal River has special rates just call them at 352-564-6464 and tell them you are with the Road Queen USA group. To pre-register go to www.roadqueenusa.org or call Road Queen USA 352-586-3504. • $25 Pre-registration includes an event shirt, event patch, a drawing ticket for awesome prizes including • $$$, a chance to win a 3-night cabin stay at Copperhead Lodge in Blairsville, GA, Saturday morning breakfast and a concert featuring Jasmine Cain at Rock Crusher Canyon! Invite your friends … Road Queen USA’s version of International Female Ride day for Women that ride and the men that support us! A fun day is being planned for everyone! Pre-Register, call Road Queen USA 352-586-3504 We’re out to set a World Record this year, be a part of it!
It was the spring of 2014. A regular customer who worked as a police officer came into my shop complaining bitterly about the excessive heat that his 2013 Police motorcycle was generating. Although all V-twin engines run hot, especially when riding at slow speeds, a police motorcycle is a serial offender because of all the slow riding officers must do. I had heard this type of complaint many times before, but I had never heard of a good solution to the problem. I thought of several partial solutions such as an oil cooler or the costly option of rerouting the pipes. I knew these ideas would only provide a partial solution. The officer was a good customer, and I could feel how frustrated he was with my unsatisfactory answer. I decided to delve into the subject BTR 44 | BORNTORIDE.COM
and see if there was any viable solution out there. I spoke to mechanics in other shops, searched the Internet, read several highly favorable magazine articles, and asked my customers if they knew anything. Before long, one name emerged and it was a memorable name at that – Love Jugs. Love Jugs, Love Jugs kept echoing as the only answer to my query. With a healthy touch of cynicism, I googled Love Jugs and made my first visit to their web site. Wow, there was so much helpful information to plow through. Now, as a Harley mechanic, I know my stuff and I quickly saw and understood that if this product was anything like they claimed and demonstrated, the name that echoed in my ears made a lot of sense to the gray matter between them. Air cooling an engine that
demands air to cool it does make sense. Even digging into their web presentation, it was apparent these people were on to something, at least in theory. I advised my customer to order a unit for my installation on his police bike so we could see if it was as good as the company – and everyone else said they were. He had considered the matter as well and he was excited about the idea. It would take too long to make the purchase through the red tape of the Department so he decided to make the purchase directly from the manufacturer, Hammerhead Engineering, himself. My customer is an avid rider. He not only works on his motorcycle, he puts on lots of miles for pleasure when he’s off duty. Much of his ride is shackled by city traffic,
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participation in parades, escorts, rodeos, ticketing, etc. Especially in slow riding conditions he felt the burn, big time. Every officer who reads this knows exactly what I’m talking about, as do you other Harley riders. That summer of 2014 brought us sweltering record breaking heat. It was a long hot summer featuring temps more than 100 degrees for over a month. That extra heat created an unsuspected field laboratory to really test how the Love Jugs would perform. After installation, I kept in frequent touch with my customer to monitor his thoughts. He told me that the Love Jugs had literally transformed his ride. Even with the unprecedented heat wave he said he rode comfortably under all conditions, especially those conditions that would have had him burning up before he installed his Love Jugs. But that is only half the story. Comfort is important, but what was happening inside those cylinders? Because I serviced his bike and the other motorcycles in his fleet, I can report first hand on how critically important Love Jugs were to him and his Department as well. His bike was a 2013 while the
other bikes in the Department were 2014s. The first indication that the Love Jugs were working was in the oil changes. All the 2014 bikes had the usual heavy black gook look in the used oil. Only the motorcycle with Love Jugs yielded a liquid that had less than half the discoloration. This informed me that the Love Jugs was working. Elimination of the heat of the engine also significantly reduced the oil heat which showed up visually during the oil changes. To me, the biggest part of the story was in the service. While the test motorcycle had zero repairs, each of the others needed some combination of new rings, cams, push valves, and even new cylinders. These repairs are heat related and it made sense the test bike’s Love Jugs had tamed the heat and forestalled the related problems. It was not unusual for many of the repairs to take several weeks, thus putting the bike and the rider down for extended times in those cases. The test motorcycle was out on the road through it all with nothing more than an oil change and checkup as necessary. I asked the officer if he had any other observations to add. He informed me that
the cooling system had no adverse effect on the battery. I checked this with Steve West, CEO of Hammerhead Engineering and he told me that the total draw was a mere 3.2 AMPs with both fans running. The final chapter of this story happened recently. The test bike was recently retired and sold in good condition. The officer, who did own the Love Jugs, had them transferred to his new machine. After this long-term test, I must endorse Love Jugs and recommend that every police motorcycle on the road be equipped with this product. They look great; they will save a load of money on repairs – including down time; and they will add to the officer’s comfort making their ride safer as well. In fact, I think that every Harley-Davidson be outfitted with the useful product. The look, good, they’re priced fairly, and they work like a miracle. Find out where you can get your Love-Jugs for your motorcycle, become a dealer or supply your Police Motorcycle Unit. Call 561-499-0974 Nic “Special K” Shultz Harley-Davidson of Madison Madison, Wisconsin
Events www.B February 2 Madisonville, TN 2nd Annual Polar Bear Ride Your friends from your Local Widowmakers MC and your local Sons of Liberty Riders RC will be hosting a Polar Bear ride through the country. Lunch will be at Biker Rags (they will provide Pizza and Soda) We will meet at the Church Parking lot at 9:30am and KSU up at 10:30am. Lets Bring a Extra Jacket, Can food item or Monetary Donation to help support Preacher Morgan and His OAA Restoration Center (Homeless Shelter) This year we will be having a Poker Run ($10 with half going to the winner) and a 50/50 drawing. We will also be giving away door prizes at the end of the ride! 423-536-8035 February 7 Tampa, FL Born To Ride Radio 8pm - 11pm radio live streaming (every Tuesday) live@borntoride.com. See it and hear it live with Craven Moorehead and Ron Galletti; music top 10, special events, interviews, places to visit, what’s hot, special guests and more, call in and tell us what’s on your mind 813-756-6444 February 13 Buford, GA Frazier’s H-D Valentine’s Day Shopping event 4pm - 7pm; 20% off H-D licensed products. 770-945-6011 February 11 - February 14 Buford, GA Frazier’s H-D Hogs N’ Kisses Sale; 15% off H-D licensed products. 770-945-6011 February 18 Buford, GA Join Frazier’s H-D for the Milwaukee Eight Workshop. Stop by BTR4644| |BORNTORIDE.COM BORNTORIDE.COM BTR
Borngreat To Ride market, promote, and your next event; There are Let some events coming up, so getadvertise out there and meet up call with404-788-3907. old friends!
s, Rides & Destinations BornToRide.com/events to check out the 2017 line-up and 10-point walk-around. 7709445-6011 February 18 Conyers, GA Falcons Fury H-D Customer Appreciation Day 11am - 3pm (every 3rd Saturday). Stop in to enjoy free food and drinks while you check out the new H-d 2017 line-up. 770-9797999
and test ride the new 2017 H-D line-up1 2:30pm - 4:30pm. Free. Weather permitting. www.killercreekharley.com. March 10 - March 19 Daytona, FL 76th Daytona Bike Week. www.officialbikeweek. com/Bike-Week-Calendar
you will remember. www. MarchMotoMadness.com April 1 Concord, NC American Flat Track Charlotte Half Mile, Charlotte Motor Speedway, 386-492-1014
April 19 - April 23 March 16 Unadilla, GA Angel City Spring Daytona Bch, FL American Motorcycle Rally. Angel City is Flat Track Daytona International the first town built with biker’s February 18 Speedway, 386-492-1014 in mind. It incorporates an Roswell, GA Join Killer Creek “Old West” theme and has an H-D for the LED Lighting March 18 atmosphere all its own. Bike Workshop at 11am. Enjoy a Albany, GA 7th Annual Lt. Cliff games, bike show, bike ride, coffee & donut breakfast and Rouse Memorial Dice Ride 9am live music, wet T-shirt contest, learn about how LED Lighting American Legion 2916, FBO burn out pit, lots of vendors and can improve your ability to 10:30am. Lunch; Auction; Music; two saloons, you are sure to see, as well as be seen by 50-50. Info: Facebook. Cliff have a kickin good time. Wet others. Reserve your seat www. Rouse Memorial 229-435-5440. and dry camping is available. killercreekharley.com. 478-627-3168 March 18 February 25 Lebanon, TN Spring Thaw April 22 - April 30 Annual Outer Millington, TN CarrollStrong Bike Show & Swap Meet - 15th Banks Bike Week. Non-Stop Benefit and Dice Run. The event Annual 10am Wilson County Entertainment & Riding, 100 starts with a pancake breakfast Exposition Center. New & Used Miles of Scenic Barrier Islands, and Dice Run Registration bike parts, accessories, bikes Live Bands & Bikini Contests, at Bumpus Harley-Davidson for sale, biker clothing, & more. Guided Tours & Poker Runs, Memphis, TN; Second Stop: 615-364-1828 Bike Shows & Bike Washes, Leatherwood Motorcyle Works, Vendors & Food, And more! Third Stop: Shakerag Bar and March 25 252-338-8866 Grill, Fourth Stop: VFW Post Woodstock, GA American Flat 7175, Fifth Stop and Festivities: Track, Georgia Short Track Dixie April 27 - April 30 The Haystack in Millington. All Speedway 386-492-1014 Blairsville, GA Gauntlet donations will go directly to a Thunder in the Mountains fund that has been set up in March 30 - April 2 Rally at Copperhead Lodge. Garrett’s name. www.youcaring. Tellico Plains, TN March Moto Motorcycle rally in the North com/garrettcarroll-730025 Madness Mother Rally. If you Georgia Mountains, 3 days, love to ride, love to eat, love vendor village, live music, March 5 camping, outdoors and love guided rides, and motorcycle Roswell, GA Speed date a spending time with good people, events. Harley at Killer Creek HarleyMarch Moto Madness is for 706-835-7433 Davidson. Come to Demo Day you! Join us for an experience To Send submitinand eventomore events visit www.GeorgiaBikeEvents.com yourview events info@BornToRide.com, help us help you.
April 27 - April 30 Seven Springs, NC Thunder on Tobacco Road Spring Rally at Mason Dixon Park. Music, Motorcycle Rodeo, Games & Contests, Vendors, Camping and More. This is an adult party so no one under age of 18 is allowed on premises. No Club Colors, No Attitudes, No Glass & No Worries. 804-894-0558 April 28 - April 30 Braselton, GA MotorAmerica Road Racing at Road Atlanta. The popular racetrack of Road Atlanta will be back for a third successive year in 2017. The circuit is also known for the red Georgia clay that outlines the track and further distinguishes it from the other venues in the series. MotoAmerica.com/road-atlanta Harbinger, NC 15th An May 5 - May 7 Maggie Valley, NC Thunder in the Smokies Spring Rally Maggie Valley Festival Grounds. Come ride the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Enjoy Tour Rides, Music Concerts, $1,000 Bike Games Cash Prize, $1,000 Bike Show Cash Prize, Prizes, Vendors and much more during our three-day rally! We are the largest rally in the Great Smoky Mountains of NC. All bikes and ages welcomed. 828246-2101 May 5 - May 6 Lebanon, TN 3rd Annual Spring BORNTORIDE.COM || BTR BTR 47 45 BORNTORIDE.COM
www.BornToRide.com/events Redneck Rumble. Live Music, Camping & More Wilson County Exposition Center BothBarrelsPromotions.com May 6 Homosassa, FL International Female Ride Day 10am Crystal H-D. Meet n Greet Jean Davidson, live music, drawings and more. 352-586-3504 May 7 Hiawassee, GA 27th Annual BMW MOA Georgia Mountain Rally. All Riders Welcome - No Matter What You Ride!!! The BMW Motorcycle Club of Georgia returns to the picturesque fairgrounds in Hiawassee. The area offers rewarding twisties, inspiring vistas and renowned mountain hospitality. Plus, this is dual-sport heaven for all skill levels. The perfect start to anyone’s riding season! The rally setting has lakeside tent and RV camping. These local hotels and cabins offer alternative accommodation. Register and pay before April 21st and save $10 with Early Bird Registration at just $55 per person (not per motorcycle). Advance registration and payment will speed you through the process when you arrive at the rally site. Registration after April 21st or on site at the rally is $65! Improved lots for tents and RVs are available at extra cost. www. bmwmoa.org/events May 12 - May 21 Murrells Inlet Myrtle Beach Bike Week Spring Rally. “The Carolina’s Largest Motorcycle Event” Motorcycle Rally
& Tours on the Grand Strand of SC. The Loop Tour, Myrtle Beach Bike Week® Coastal Motorcycle Tours, Bike Nights, Bike Shows, Wine Tours, Stunt Shows, Vendors, Entertainment, Attractions, Event Merchandise & Much More. Vendors, Bands myrtlebeachbikeweek.com
only 21 and up. Adult activities and games, great food and entertainment, hot shower and plenty of primitive camping, RV’s & Primitive camping with campfires (non-electrical) free. 813-629-4802
May 20 Lexington, NC 19th Annual Show-off Car, Truck & May 17 Motorcycle Show 8am - 3pm Surfside Beach, SC Crude’s 7th Annual Ride for Vets 9am American Children’s Home. Activities for “Kids Zone” Vendor Golden Egg. Meet and greet fee $40. Goody bags to first for breakfast. This is an all 50 entrants. Raffle, 50/50 day ride from Golden Egg in Surfside Beach down through drawing, silent auction, DJ, Isle of Palms, Sullivan’s Island food, local area vendors. Silent & Mount Pleasant SC and then Auction and much more! All proceeds benefit American stopping at Red’s Icehouse. Children’s Home. 336-357-7126 SpringBeachRally.com May 18 - May 21 Lafayette, AL Renegade Ranch Bike Rally Spring 2017. Must be 18 years of age to enter. THURSDAY NIGHT Karaoke with DJ Jammin’ J. FRIDAY NIGHT “Jay Hinkle and the Poison Whiskey Band”, Ladies Dukes and Boots Contest, and Stage Games SATURDAY Live Music “Barstool Prophets” & Roadhouse Atlanta, wet T-shirt contest, field events, tattoo contest, go carts allowed and much more. www. RenegadeRanchBikeRally.com May 19 - May 21 Grady, AL Shine in Lapine Spring Bike Rally. For Adults,
June 1 - June 4 Helen, GA 12th Annual Southeast Victory Rally. Once again, we meet in the little Bavarian town of Helen, Georgia and party in the mountains at one of the largest Victory-specific motorcycle events in the country! Enjoy some of the best riding in the country and party at night with other Victory Motorcycle enthusiasts. www.victoryrally. com June 22 - June 24 Dalton, GA GWRRA Georgia Wing Fling 2017 Dalton Convention Center. Games, Vendors, Food and Lots of
Fun GWRRA Member: $35.00 Non-GWRRA Member: $40.00 On-site Registration: Add $5 to each. A $15 day pass will be sold on-site and is good for the Vendor Area, Hospitality Area and Indoor Games and only on the day of purchase. www.gwrra-ga.com/Rally.html September 9 Athens, GA Ride to Remember 9/11. Starting 9am at Cycle World of Athens. One of ne Georgia’s biggest and most talked about Memorial M/C rides! Free ride, Free food, Free fun. Come join Cycle World of Athens as we ride in remembrance of all who lost their life on and after 9/11 ... and to honor our military and public safety members who are living on to serve and protect us and our great nation. 706-548-3300 September 22 - September 23 Pine Mountain, GA 7th Annual Rollin’ Rumble Rally Pine Mountain RV Resort. Charity event to benefit St. Jude Children’s Hospital and Bomber Girls LRC. There will be food and merchandise vendors, live music, poker run, raffles and fun for the whole family. There are RV sites, cabins, yurts, and tent sites available. 706-663-4329
GEORGIA MOTORCYCLE GROUP SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS By Matt Danielson, The Motorcycle Law Group
Does your group or organization want to know the latest on legislation regarding motorcycle laws, what to do and not do in the event of an accident or make sure you have enough insurance coverage? One of our attorneys would be glad to come out and speak to your group. From groups who like to stay off the main grid and bikers for good causes to H.O.G. Groups and anyone else who rides, the team at Motorcycle Law Group likes to stay active in engaging and educating the community. Our attorneys often join groups to talk about: • How to preserve the scene of an accident • Motorcycle insurance • Knowing your rights • Accident management Popular legislative topics we also speak to are: • What’s happening with legislation in Georgia • What laws have not been passed for bikers that need to be • How accurate motorcycle statistics and studies are These are just a few examples of topics we’ve spoken to groups about – but we’re always open to requests. This is not only an
opportunity for groups to learn, but also a way for our firm to get to know our community of riders. It’s something we’ve been doing for years, is a free service for any and all motorcycle groups. If you or someone you know might be interested in having one of our attorneys visit a meeting to speak to any topic of your interest, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Matt Danielson McGrath, Danielson, Sorrell & Fuller The Motorcycle Law Group 1-800-321-8968 Motorcyclelawgroup.com Matt Danielson is a partner at the Motorcycle Law Group, a personal injury law firm whose attorneys all ride motorcycles and practice in VA, NC, SC, GA and WV. Matt has successfully represented clients in cases from simple property damage to complex multi-million dollar personal injury claims. He is also a lobbyist, adjunct professor and works with motorcycle rights organizations. To learn more about the Motorcycle Law Group, visit MotorcycleLawGroup.com.
Have you been injured in an Accident? Contact our Law Firm1-800-321-8968
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Craven Moorehead A NEW BEGINNING, PERHAPS
So the new year is upon us and the old one has slipped by like a ship in the night. Certainly the boat was rocked and the few shoals that were struck along the way are simply memories that have left permanent scars to remind us that the journey of life is rarely a pleasure cruise. A lot of people have stated that the destination is not reward but the trip should be savored and consumed as a fine wine. For some of us, myself included, that trip at times may taste more like a warm flat beer. Optimism often clouds the harsh realities of life akin to the effect of sunglasses shielding the eyes against UV rays but once removed, the effect of the light remains there to remind you that you were only trying to protect yourself from the truth. If life were perfect however, I suspect that we as humans would learn less and complain more. Far be it for me to try to explain the complications that come along with this existence we call life, and rest assured that in that one moment you think you have it bad, I highly recommend that you look around your world and you will definitely see someone else out here who has it worse. Cynicism aside for a moment, we must be diligent in mentally preparing ourselves for the impending blows that life will deal us. Otherwise we may fall victim to the overwhelming burden that is life as we know it. I am not a Psychologist, a Professor or a Messiah. I am simply a writer, a spinner of tales if you will, and amateur journalism be damned, I often touch upon subjects that in some cases cause certain people to become opinionated to a fault. Everyone will not always agree on another person’s ideals, ideas or innermost feelings. Outspoken people often allow their specific thoughts on a subject to turn their interaction with others into verbal or in some
cases, physical altercations. If you don’t believe this, you likely didn’t sit down with your family at Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. I am lucky enough to be shielded from this scenario however, as I have no living relatives to battle with. I remember once a long time ago a fairly heated brawl with my father over my posting of a ‘Perot for President’ sign in my own front yard. This was not an intentional jab at anyone’s selection for the presidency, it was simply a personal choice, which I felt rightfully entitled to. Entitlement to freedom of speech and expression as guaranteed by our Constitution is often a doubleedged sword however. It has been said that opinions are like A-holes, and everyone has one – and they all stink. I will not dispute this statement as I have observed that in some cases the population will not agree on one specific issue or the other. I have witnessed that when the selection for the leader of our great country becomes a topic of discussion, the arguments become even more heated and intolerable. I know that at some point last year I indicated that I would refrain from discussing politics in my article, and herewith apologize for my prevarication. Whether you like the outcome of the recent presidential election or not is none of my business or immediate concern. I believe that the important issue is simply that you voted for someone that you believed in and this is one of the great rights we have here in our country. The main thrust of this portion of the column is the disgust that I felt when I viewed our own citizens rioting and protesting in the streets because their selected candidate did not win. In any race, battle or chess-match there can be only one winner. Certainly, you have the constitutional right to express your feelings publicly, save the fact that you do not commit crimes or do property damage but really? Come on, suck it up buttercup, and realize that you may not be happy but there are others that are. It was the popular vote and electoral college that brought this decision, and bitching and complaining about it isn’t doing any good for anyone. The Democratic party with all their mud-slinging, slander and accusations is in my humble opinion even more disgusting than the aforementioned public outrage. Obviously, there is a Wiener joke in here somewhere but I opted to keep it in my pants. Anthony should have done the same, because apparently Hillary was watching and participating in this offensive and dangerous release of classified information that goes way beyond what we should expect from the leader of the free world. Personally, I am optimistic for the possibilities of the new year, but as I stated earlier, I perhaps am simply protecting myself from the evils of politics and the fact that there will always be corruption and deception. That is – until Trump actually drains the swamp. I hope that he does, and I hope and pray that we will all enjoy a prosperous and peaceful 2017. Until next month, speed safely and believe that things will eventually get better! CRAVEN
Let us know what you think of Craven Moorehead, info@borntoride.com
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C3PO READS BORN TO RIDE
Biker Movie Review
The story begins when two friends decide to embark on a journey on a somewhat ratty and leaking 1939 Norton 500 which they refer to as the “Mighty One.” Heavily loaded with bags and gear, the pair nearly hit a bus when departing their home town of Buenos Aires and end up departing the town via the crowed sidewalk. As the overloaded motorcycle swerves and leaves an obnoxious
trail of smoke. Somewhere on a dirt road in the country outside of town, their bags begin falling off the bike and Ernesto runs the bike into a ditch full of water. Much subtitled profanity ensues, but they finally arrive in Miramar where Alberto gets to see his girlfriend. Oh yeah - did I forget to mention that this film is in Spanish, with no option to change the audio to English? No Bueno!
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The ‘mighty one’ finally breaks down and after pushing it through the mud, snow and sand the pair find a mechanic in a small town just outside Astral. After convincing him they are doctors, he agrees to fix the dilapidated machine for free. Only one problem. He forgot to fix the brakes and the pair hit a cow, causing yet more damage to the bike. After pushing it to Los Angeles, Chile, the lucky duo run into two girls whom share a bottle of wine and food with them. The girl’s father is the local fire chief, and his mechanic gives the old Norton it’s final rights. After they sell the bike for scrap, the pair continue their journey on foot, by truck, train and any other means available still determined to make the destination as planned. In Valparaiso, they both receive letters from home and one of them is lucky enough to get a few dollars in cash. In Cuzco Peru, and still on foot our downtrodden heroes stop to write and take photographs in an Inca temple. In a nearby town the duo run into a real doctor that helps them by putting them up for a few days, giving them clothes and tickets on a boat to take them to their destination. While gambling on the boat Alberto wins a substantial amount of money. When they arrive in San Pablo, they are greeted by yet another real doctor that once again puts them up and in exchange they volunteer in a leprosy clinic. The kind doctor also gave them a raft so they could continue on their journey to Colombia. By this point in the film, the idea that it is a ‘motorcycle movie’ is pretty much lost. In the end, the two separate with Ernesto hopping on a cargo plane to return home. You will have to see the end to see the final outcome! Again, this piece has less to do with motorcycles than advertised, but as bikers enjoy traveling and adventure I suppose it is pertinent to the lifestyle. Produced by Robert Redford and directed by Walter Salles, the movie runs 2 hours and 7 minutes and is rated “R” mostly for the foul sub-titled language. I honestly would like to recommend this film as a drama. I wasn’t a bit disappointed. (that’s unusual for me)
The Phantom BORNTORIDE.COM | BTR 55
Christian Motorcyclists Association that fixed and discovered fuel challenges. It began to feel like we were in Whack a Mole game! We got very frustrated, and were beginning to feel like no matter how hard we tried, we just couldn’t catch a break. You know, sometimes life can get a little tough, and we need to know that someone has our back. In James 1:2-3, the Bible says, “My brother, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith develops patience.” Time after time, trial after trial, I was again reminded that having trusted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, He very definitely has my back. When each new problem popped up, His Word, and His promises, came back to me and reminded me that He has me! I have discovered that as I go through life, men will often fail me in my time of need or trouble, but there is One, Jesus Christ, that no matter what happens in life, will never fail me. The truth is this, life happens, and things don’t always work out the way we want. The challenge in life is to remember that as we travel through life’s journey, it’s not what happens to us that matters, it’s what happens in us. That is where Jesus comes into the picture, turning trials and tests into victories over the stuff that all of us face in life! If you want to see real support in the challenges, turn to Jesus, and watch how He can move in your life, and turn trials into lessons of overcoming frustration. That is when the challenges just melt away, and Jesus shows us not only His overwhelming power but His joy and peace as well. In The Wind, Denny Dingler Check out BornToRide.com for more articles from Christian Motorcyclists Association
We Need to Know that Someone has Our Back It’s always been a blast to map a long-distance ride: to plan where you want to go, who you want to see, and what you want to do. On my most recent trip, the wife and I visited a nationally known BBQ restaurant in the middle of nowhere. It certainly didn’t look like anything special, but when I sank my teeth into the brisket and sausage, it was unbelievable! On the flip side, even well planned trips develop some challenges. On our first day, we encountered two long bridges that had strong wind warnings, and believe me, we got blown around while crossing the spans. That added a bit of excitement to the day that had not been in our plans. That night we arrived at the campground very late, due to a lot of road construction. We were worn out and discovered a surprise cold snap blew in; it was a long night in the 37-degree temperature. We shivered the next morning while wiping away the frost and trying to be positive; we laughed about developing a new exercise program to start the day. Day two started out better, but we ran into battery problems. We got BTR 56 | BORNTORIDE.COM