The Event That Launched A 20 Year Movement

Article By: Chris Callen Photos By: Michael Lichter

o, things are heating up for the SmokeOut Rally, and after announcing its return along with its return to s

Salisbury, I was amazed the hear a conversation where one young chopper jockey said magazine world.

After some of the readers clamored for a meet-up where they could see who was behind this deviant print publication, a plan was made. Ralph “Hammer” Janus told the rest of the staff that they should

to another, “So what is this SmokeOut?” It then occurred to me that nowhere online or on social media is there an accurate and complete history of this iconic event. I mean, people of my generation or older surely remember a lot of it, but even some of the younger generation that had attended might not realize why this particular event was so instrumental over the past two decades. So, like a good journalist, I went to task with great anticipation of bringing it all to light. Now, I should say that this will be an abbreviated text of the entire history, which will be displayed at The SmokeOut Hall of Fame and on www. smokeoutrally.com. No matter how you slice it, 4,000 words are just too many for today’s print media.

In the early days of the Horse Backstreet Choppers Magazine, they were a rough and ready bunch. The magazine was so raw, so much more than anything else on the newsstands in those days. That’s code for “They had a lot of followers” for you millennials. But these were still times when we had to meet face-to-face to get to know each other. The Horse had a Message Board called “BackTalk,” kinda like

Facebook but with only words. So, the beginning of citizen participation was starting to amp up. People could have their voices heard in a way that would eventually change the world. Not everyone back then could “Go Live” at the drop of a hat, but this was undoubtedly a sign of where social media came into the motorcycle just pick a place and ride. It turned out that it would be a hotel in Pigeon Forge, TN, and as many of the staff that could make it should show up. They told the readers when and where. Got on the bikes and headed out. Edge remembered it being archaic compared to today since they actually had to stop from time to time to read real maps, on the side of the road, with a flashlight since the invention of Google maps was still a decade away. Once at the hotel, some 50 people showed up, and everyone was on a chopper. A few standouts were Matt Daigle (who eventually became a writer for The Horse) and the New Jersey Boys, that traveled with only a gas card between them, no actual money for food or anything, so if they wanted to eat, it all had to come from the gas stations.

The following year Hammer would turn to the organizational powers of Edge to keep this gathering going and through the rigors of coming up with a tag that would go along

with the words Smoky Mountain….. The Smoke Mountain SmokeOut was born. For nearly a decade, things were solid in Salisbury. The fairgrounds, the people, and the local police all pulled together to help make the event work. As it slowly inched forward from year to year, SmokeOut would come into the international motorcycle scene through a series of events that, to this day, are as amazing as they are true. The Discovery Channel had just done a seasons of the Biker Build-Offs. This may have been because they had so many ties to the builders of that day. It may also have had a little to do with the crew from BBO being a wild-ass bunch of partying fools… It was just a good fit either way. The SmokeOut become to say the least. On an average night, there would be flaming burnouts that ran so long they would dig a hole into the blacktop and usually end when the bike’s tire blew off and the wheel ground to a halt. Office chair races saw lines of ten or more hotel office chairs

new type of program with a man named Jesse James, with more viewers than all ten of their top shows combined. They still didn’t know much about this motorcycle thing, but they knew they had to have more of it and approached another young builder from the East Coast named Billy Lane. Their idea was to pit Lane against another builder, Roger Bourgette, in a one-off show they would call Biker Build-off. Billy agreed to the terms of the show with one stipulation, it would have to be at an event called The SmokeOut Rally in Salisbury, NC.

Now, I probably don’t have to tell you about the success of this program and the next ten years of what became a runaway hit series for Discovery went, but I will remind you that it all started with the SmokeOut and that this was a credit to Mr. Lane. Of course, Billy had home-field advantage and took that first win hands down. It was almost

unfair to Roger since Billy was already at superhero status with this crowd. From then on, The Horse Magazine staff and the SmokeOut hugely influenced the Biker Build-Off series. known as a king-maker, and builders who make an impression at the event make an impression EVERYWHERE

Let’s not forget to talk about the Holiday Inn. Of course, when you get that many creative people together, there is bound to be a certain level of depravity to go along with it. Suppose

you tell someone you were at a SmokeOut in Salisbury and don’t know anything about the Holiday Inn. In that case, you’re a lying bastard, and you were never there. Sure, the daytime had the events at the Rowan County Fairgrounds, but at night, the entire focus shifted to the parking lot of the Holiday Inn just down the street. How these people put up with us is amazing, being towed by a chopper and a ratchet strap. Bikes rode through doors of the hotel, there was fire, there was chaos, it was out of control, and yet I can’t remember anyone getting seriously injured or arrested. I mean, I’m sure that these things happened, but the fact that the National Guard was never brought in is a credit to the people of Salisbury. After a couple of the Board Members got riled up about SmokeOut in Salisbury, they lost that spot. In the next election, those members also lost their seats, but nonetheless, it was on to Farmington. In one year at Farmington, they knew it wasn’t gonna make it there either and made a deal with the Rockingham Dragway, where it ran until 2020. Around the time they moved to The Rock, Hammer started a little off-the-record competition called “The Stampede.” This would be a crosscountry race to the SmokeOut that was totally illegal, completely unsafe, and totally badass. Stampede racers had auxiliary fuel tanks and crazy contraptions for everything from taking a pee to eating that could help them stay on the road and get to the SmokeOut faster.

XS Speed had brought some mini bikes to play with, which turned into a full-on event. Edge knew some roller derby teams and had them come out

to SmokeOut. The Shade Tree Boyz and Their Guinness Book Record “World’s Longest Chopper” was set at SmokeOut. One year they made SmokeOut Poker Chips, and now you see branded poker chips in every Harley dealer you visit. The legendary flaming burnouts, the flaming mini bike jumps, the far-out flame and flake paint jobs, chopper drags in the dirt, so much of what became ingrained in our culture today started with this simple gathering of the chopper faithful. It is amazing. After two decades of the World’s Greatest Chopper Party, the magazine had suffered from the American Newsstand turmoil, and Edge was ready to retire from promoting. He announced that the 2020 SmokeOut would be the last he would run and thanked everyone for 20 years of support. A deal was made with the owner of Rockingham since the event had been so good there, and they wanted it to continue. Unfortunately, before the ink dried on their deal, the owner decided it was not for him and instead started another event without the SmokeOut name, Thunder At The Rock. We wish him all the luck with this endeavor, but in case you were unaware, this is NOT SmokeOut!

This is where Chris and Heather Callen, along with their Cycle Source Magazine, come into play. Chris had been going to SmokeOut since the second year on the reservation and had supported the event and bikes that were part of it over all those years. Callen feels like if there hadn’t been a SmokeOut, we would be well short of so many things in the custom motorcycle world today. While Edge had conceded himself to retirement, losing this event would be unconscionable. Callen had been publishing a custom bike magazine for 25 years at this time, and his wife Heather was long-time operations manager of all the Broken Spoke Saloons across the country, including the Sturgis facility that was a 600-acre campground, so between them, they felt like they had what it would take to organize an event like this. After running their own Big Mountain Run for nearly ten years, a much smaller event in the same spirit as the SmokeOut, Callen decided to challenge Edge to let them try and resurrect SmokeOut. So that they did not miss a year, a simple toast was planned during Willie’s Chopper Time during Bike Week in 2021. It was a tip of the hat to how SmokeOut started; a small group of the chopper faithful gave the nod to the history and tradition of the event, some shirts were printed, and the plan was announced. They would take it all a few steps back. Back to the basics, back to the beginning, back to Salisbury! The Rowan County Fairgrounds had come so far over the years with way more camping and a much nicer venue than ever before, and they were immediately in love with the idea of having SmokeOut back. So were the local hotels and businesses, along with the local government. They have been so helpful in getting SmokeOut back on its feet. It almost seems like they are truly partners in it.

So, at this point, the stage is set, the events are planned, the bands are booked, and the next chapter in SmokeOut history is waiting to be written. What will the story be? Who will the names in the next pages be? Only time will tell, but you can be there when it happens. A third generation of chopper loving fools are about to take this thing back to Salisbury, back home, back where it all began!

Article By: Xavier Muriel

greetings, my Brothers and Sisters. I hope this month’s article finds you all well and safe. There is lots happening at the ole Providence shop these days.

Since I’ve been back from Daytona and

Arizona Bike Week,

I’ve constantly been trying to acquire parts for customer builds.

Parts I ordered at the beginning of the year are just now starting to show up. What a crazy time we live in, but you can hear all about that on the tube...

I’ve started to build my first long bike for a customer, and when

I say long, I mean looooong! It has none other than a Sugar

Bear front end. The bike is now at the mock-up stage and is over 10 feet long. Before you go shouting,

“wait, now you’re a chopper guy?”

This build is for my good buddy, Fast

Freddie. Some of you might know him as the owner of God Speed Racing. In 2017, when Sons Of Speed made its debut during Daytona Bike Week, he was one of the first riders and a

huge supporter of Billy. I was honored enough to race with him that year and

a few other times after that.

At some point, Freddie spoke to Sugar Bear about purchasing one of his infamous springer front ends, and when Freddie got it, he asked me if I would be interested in seeing it through for him. Of course, I jumped at the opportunity to see his dream come to life. I met Sugar Bear in Sturgis a few years back at his Chopper Ranch. Billy, Freddie, and I helped Sugar Bear and his crew set up tents for the next day’s activities. Sugar Bear was an absolute gem of a human to speak with. He told us stories from the good old days that most folks would have paid good money to hear. What an honor it was to be able to ask questions of one of the most iconic builders ever to grace the chopper roads. It took a while, but I finally got all the parts I needed to start building Freddie’s Bike. I was even given Sugar Bears’ number if I had any questions. I was like, “Right, like he’s gonna remember me from years back.” Well, wasn’t I surprised when I called him, and as I started to go into my speech telling him who I was and why I was calling, he spoke very quickly and softly, “I know who you are, Xavier, you helped

with my tents, and you’re the fella who built that pretty pan/shovel in Lichter’s exhibit.” I about damn near fell on the floor.

After I composed myself and got my shit together, he instructed me on what to do to make that bike ride like nothing I’ve ever had. He said, “it will change your outlook on long bikes, trust me.” So when a guy like that tells you how to do it, you do it. I’m still amazed at the kindness and humility that man had during our conversation. I learned not only about the Art of The Chopper but also how important it is to pass along the knowledge from those who came before us. A part of me wants to make him proud of what he’s shared with me. This just isn’t another build to me; it’s a representation of me carrying on the love and respect of the motorcycle that I feel sometimes has been put on the back burner, being replaced by the newest trend or those who seek something other than what this culture truly is about. I hope to do my best to be the giver, not the taker...

Ok, enough of that heavy shit. Freddie’s build will house a 65 Panhead with a matching 65 4-speed Tranny. The frame has a 40-degree rake, running an 18” 200 in the rear and a 21” up front.

Simple pure chopper if ya ask me. Stay tuned. You will see more of this build in future issues. At the same time, I’m doing the Sugar Bear project; I have another customer build going on. This one is the total opposite. It’s on an RKB frame that is two out and 4 up, housing a monster 124 by S&S, Baker 6 speed, 200 rear, and 21 up front. This one will get the kitchen sink thrown at it. The owner has given me cart blanche to do as I feel, which is kinda scary since I’m constantly changing my mind on stuff at the last minute. I’m going to push myself on the fabrication to create stuff I’ve had in my head for a while. And last but not least is my personal build. I’ve been asked to participate in next year’s “Chopper Friends Throwdown.” I finally have what I consider the Holy Grail of motors, a 1968 Genny Shovel, which also happens to be my birth year. The engine will get all the good stuff from Rich Pitoniak, a master at the old stuff... Linked with a 5 into 4 tranny and set in an RKB frame.

I’ve gotta run, I’m heading to Born Free with my FXR, which is pretty cool. I’m really excited to do some riding in So. Cal. with Rick and a few good friends... I’ll report on that next month... God Bless. X.