Reasons To Ride Michigan October 2023

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Ever since the 1940’s and 50’s – tattoos have been associated with the biker and motorcycle communities. Many of the early motorcycle clubs were made up of veterans or young riders seeking to define themselves. Tattoos were an easy way for these folks to both express themselves and distinguish themselves from the mainstream folks that were “slaves to the system and routine”.

Over the years, though, both the bikes themselves and the tattoos on the riders have evolved into far more sophisticated expressions of their respective artforms.

The fuzzy bluing “prison style” tattoos are a thin of the past and modern skin art is as complex and often as realistic as anything you’d find in an art museum.

More then twelve years ago, when we first started producing motorcycle magazines – we committed ourselves to showcasing both rider’s tattoos and the regional artists producing the unique pieces as an integral part of the mags. In fact, part of the reason our early magazines had such heavy stock was to support the quality enamel needed to do the colors and details justice on some of the ink pics we were presenting.

Today, we are just as committed to recognizing the amazing work being produced by local artists that might not otherwise get the attention it deserves. We are also intrigued by the stories and statements the artwork represents.

In many ways, tattoos help define our community just as much – if not MORE – than the bikes we ride. We may change our bikes or have a number in the garage, but we endure pain and make a commitment in blood and flesh to the customization that we do to ourselves.

So, for this special Iron & Ink Edition – we have a few more pages allotted to our tattoo section and are sharing some of the amazing work featured in our latest Iron & Ink event held at Arsenal Harley-Davidson. We are also preparing to announce new Iron & Ink events for over the winter. These parties, sometimes designated as “Cabin Fever Parties” or “Winter Bike Nights” are an excuse to get the gang together – and maybe invite a few new folks – to celebrate the brotherhood we share.

Even though we might not be able to ride – we can still get together and appreciate the work and “customization” done as an expression of who we are and where we’ve been. Even if you don’t have ink yourself – you can still appreciate the message and artistry used to convey it.

As always – we appreciate everyone’s continued support and ask that you help us recognize those that have supported us this past year and commit to RtR for the upcoming seasons!

Live Strong and Ride Worthy!

Sincerely,

D.A. Smith Publisher Reasons To Ride

ON THE COVER:

This month’s cover features work done by celebrated tattoo artist Sarah Miller, from Wyld Chyld Tattoo in Pittsburgh. This amazing back design was showm at the Arsenal Harley-Davidson Iron & Ink Party - taking BEST OVERALL CANVAS, while another Sarah Miller piece won BEST IN SHOW. Look for more examples of shown work in the expanded Iron & Ink section this month - and more ink throughout the winter!

Returning to Rebel Road “Michigan’s Biggest Biker Bash”

Reasons to Ride Michigan™ (RtR) is proud to announce that they are returning to Rebel Road “Michigan’s Biggest Biker Bash” in 2024 – as both a promotional partner and sponsor, and as host of the 2024 Rebel Road Bike Show. Michigan’s premier motorcycle rally returns to the streets of Muskegon, Michigan July 17-21, 2024 – and RtR will be there!

Rebel Road is a community driven rally with all of the proceeds going towards the Child Abuse Council of Muskegon County. With an all volunteer staff – Rebel Road is all about the children and supporting the local community.

In 2023, RtR brought the Championship Bike Show Series® to Muskegon for the Rally and it was an unprecedented success. Bikes came from throughout the area and beyond, filling out a variety of classes with a wide range of makes, models, and years represented.

“We’ve done Bike Shows before, with varying success. It was never a concern this year, as we knew things were handled. Everything was professionally done and the show was a hit!”, commented Gary Ridley with Rebel Road. “We’re looking forward to seeing the Bike Show continue to grow!”

As part of RtR’s commitment to the rally and the region, the July 2024 issue of Reasons To Ride Michigan will be a special REBEL ROAD EDITION. In addition to regular content and features – there will be an extra focus on the rally, as well as ride stops and other events in the area.

“The Muskegon area is a great one for riders – not only because of the beautiful shoreline and roads to explore, but because of its rich motorcycling history as well!” RtR Publisher Derek Smith affirmed.

Over the last year, Reasons To Ride Michigan has also worked with the Musekgon Motorcycle Club (MMC) to help promote their events and riding within the area. The MMC was founded in 1920 and is one of the oldest, most well respected clubs in the country. They not only host road riding events – but off-road and even hillclimb racing events as well. In fact, the MMC first hosted what would become the country’s first professional hill climb races back in 1923.

Rebel Road was truly build by the community – with riders and enthusiasts from throughout the area coming together to support the cause (The Child Abuse Council), but the downtown businesses and region as well. Downtown Muskegon is a vibrant growing area with breweries, restaurants, bars, shops, and galleries – all contributing to

the Rebel Road experience. There’s even a performance art center / hockey rink that serves up some amazing tacos and beverages as part of the party.

And all of this comes together on the shore of Lake Michigan in the midst of one of the most beautiful riding areas anywhere in the Midwest. It’s truly an amazing rally.

“We are proud to be a part of such an incredible event. It’s really amazing what a group of hard-working dedicated volunteers can do – creating one of the coolest motorcycle rallies we’ve ever attended, and to have all of the proceeds going to kids in need.. it’s simply amazing!,” affirmed Smith.

“As cool as it is now, though – we are eager to offer whatever assistance we can and are excited about some of the new ideas being discussed. We are confident we can help make the rally bigger and better – and even more of a success! With such a passionate group of people committed to the rally and its success in helping kids in need – potential is limitless with such partners!”

Stay tuned for more announcements as the Rally approaches. For information on vendor and sponsor opportunities at Rebel Road or to discuss how you can become involved in other areas, please email Info@ReasonsToRide.com

REBEL ROAD July 17-21, 2024 RebelRoad.org

This is one Rally – that you don’t want to miss!

RTR CHAMPIONSHIP BIKE SHOW SERIES OCT 2023 UPDATE!

What an amazing year 2023 was for the RtR Bike Show Series. We expanded into Michigan and hosted shows at a number of new venues in new regions - introducing our unique format to thousands of new riders and enthusiasts.

The Rebel Road show in Muskegon, Michigan was an amazing success and has already been announced as an anchor event for 2024. It joins Ohio Bike Week and the Thunder Zone Show in Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio as Regional Championship Shows with special awards and expanded categories. Both the Ohio Bike Week and the Thunder Zone Shows had record numbers of participants and exhibitors in 2023. Despite the success of these key shows and unprecedented expansion of 2023, we have even more in works for 2024. We plan to expand into even more areas and introduce at least one or two new Regional Shows to the series this year. In addition, we plan on tweaking the program some in order to encourage even more folks to participate!

Bike of the Nights

For the 2024 season, RtR will focus on offering regular BIKE OF THE NIGHT awards at a number of designated established Bike Nights in various areas across our coverage area. With the support of our sponsors and partners within the local riding community, we will work on recognizing unique custom and vintage motorcycle at these weekly events. Bike of the Night winners will receive free entry into upcoming Regional Bike Shows. If you have a venue that would be interested in hosting a regular RtR Bike of the Night Award, please get in touch as soon as possible. We would only have one such program in each area.

Bike show photos by Dave Kimery, David Eggert, Brendan Farren, Dan Hare, and Tyler Roberts – RTR Team Members and Contributors

Legacy Bikes

In 2024, RtR will introduce a new Legacy designation for motorcycles having previously won BEST OF SHOW at a particular series show. These bikes will not be eligible to win Best of Show recognition again at the same show. Instead, these bikes will be featured prominently at the front of the show as a past winner of that event. There will be no charge to the exhibitor for participating in such a manner, and in most cases, we will arrange a special photo shoot with the bike and possibly include it in promotion for other upcoming shows.

It is our intention to both provide extra recognition for these awardwinning bikes and to encourage other exhibitors to participate – without the stigma of “oh, so-and-so always wins this show”. We’ve also always wanted to include the winners in the posters and other advance promotions for the shows but didn’t want to possibly prejudice the crowd for or against the bike in the voting – if there were to participate in the new show. The Legacy designation would allow the exhibitor to still showcase their bike, in a fairer manner in such instances. We do believe that there may be situations where the Legacy designation might not be applied – especially at the larger Regional shows or where significant changes have been made to the bike from when previously shown. In such cases, the bike might be judged with a different classification. It’s also worth noting that exhibitors with a Best of Show winning bike might bring that bike back to the same show as a Legacy Bike but then enter another motorcycle in the show as an entrant.

Exhibitors having won Best of Show in a particular show would be encouraged to contact us as soon as possible if they are interested in participating with the Legacy Bike designation. This would also allow us to possibly include the bike in posters and other promotions for that particular show or the series. For more information or to designate your bike as a Legacy Exhibitor – please email us. Info@ReasonsToRide.com

Midwest Motorcycle Shows – Facebook Group

As we head into the off-season and then 2024, we would encourage all exhibitors or anyone considering showing their bikes in upcoming bike shows to join the Midwest Motorcycle Shows group on Facebook. We plan on working with this group more as a means of getting information out to those participating in the tour and helping those interested in possibly showing for the first time.

We are also looking for a few enthusiasts to help lead this group and facilitate the discussion. If you’d be interested in serving as a Moderator of the group – please let us know as soon as possible. We will be offering some extra perks and recognition in appreciation of this. Email us at Info@ReasonsToRide.com for more information.

We will be offering expanded coverage of this past years shows in upcoming editions of Reasons To Ride, allowing us some “extra iron” in our winter reading. Please be sure that you like our Reasons To Ride Facebook pages as well, for extra coverage as well – including THOUSANDS of pictures from the shows. We will be adding even more pictures and expanded coverage over the next few months leading up to the new year!

MOTORCYCLE MINISTRIES

MARY GILBERT, CMA STATE COORDINATOR

Let Brotherly Love Continue….

How long will it take? For what? To see brotherly and sisterly love. In the sixties we had an introduction to ‘free love’, however it was taken way out of context and became a free for all to have relations with anyone and everyone. It opened the door to divorce, open marriages, adultery, you name it, we had it. But the love that was meant to be wasn’t. “Make love, not war” was the cliché on our generation’s lips, but it was blown way out of control, and we had riots, protests, shootings and made more war on the streets than we did love. Why is that? Because the very thing we wanted to stop became a symbol of hate towards our own fellow man. Those that volunteered to serve and those chosen to serve were mocked, spit at, treated so unfairly at the cost of our freedom to “make love, not war”. The sad thing is, we didn’t learn a thing. We still see rioting, looting, and hate against our fellow man because of what? Freedom, rights, and just plain rebellion.

When Jesus walked the earth, it was His plan to show just what love is….and isn’t. He lived for others, prayed for others, taught others how to live and love and then He died for all. It didn’t matter who they were or what they had done. He chose to sit with the least of the least, He spoke truth to all and demonstrated this truth to the highest of the higher religious and political sect. And yet, still loved. Even when He called the religious men ‘vipers and snakes’, He still loved them. Even when He was put in front of all the people in the area, Jews, and Romans alike and they screamed ‘Crucify Him!’ He still loved them enough to lay down His life for them.

And here we are, we can’t even seem to get along while driving down the highway in separate cars! I heard of several road rage incidents lately where someone ended up being shot and killed. Why? Because they didn’t act the way you expected? I’m sorry, they didn’t get your script for the day. And to those in relationships…your spouse or mate didn’t quite fit the mold you had for them today, so you screamed at them, or worse? That’s called control and it’s a very bad spirit to operate under. Love is a choice. We have to make that choice everyday…it’s a matter of survival. Love was lifted on a cross one day and made it possible for us to live a standard of love for one another. He was just dying to give you real freedom in living and loving. He lives today and is just as eager to show you the true love He has for you so you can share that love with others.

Oh, I know it isn’t easy at times. Some act so ignorant that you just want to… “Pow! To the moon, Alice!” but in all reality, that

just creates more hate. We start with one incident, creating a reaction, which creates an action, and the end result is never pretty. Let me give you an incident that will result in good… it’s called prayer and it’s so simple, even a toddler can do it. My own motto is “Pray before you say” and it works well in most circumstances. I only say ‘most’ because there are those times when a reaction overshadows the initial action I should take before I react…it’s a learning curve. We are allowed to err until we get it right, just ask forgiveness when you know it.

Bottom line: “Let Brotherly/Sisterly love continue” in you so that you can be found blameless in every situation that comes your way and others will appreciate your efforts.

Peace to you and lots of love…

See you in the wind!

Mary G.

COME RIDE WITH US!

CMA is a servant minded interdenominational motorcycle ministry with a non-denominational message of hope and love through Jesus Christ. Enjoy the family atmosphere, make life-long friends, and join an army of people dedicated to changing the world, one heart at a time in the highways and byways.

Visit us at www.cmausa.org for more information.

Have a message you’d like to share?

If you have a message that you’d like to share with riders across Ohio and the Midwest, let us know.• Reasons To Ride welcomes the opportunity to work with established motorcycle ministries. Feel free to share upcoming events with us as well, by emailing information to Events@ReasonsToRide.com

Sport Touring Corner

By Norm Kern, MSTA Editor / ReasonsToRide.com Contributor

MSTA FlyBy Week 2023- August 21-27, Marietta, Ohio

MSTA FlyBy Week was fun and exciting this year160 attendees had a great time riding the twisty roads of Southeast Ohio and Northern West Virginia. I rode my Suzuki V Strom to Marietta on Sunday to get set up at the Comfort Suites event hotel, and was ready to open registration on Monday morning.

making it difficult to get back on the original route. Fortunately I found a path that saved the route but wound up riding over seventy miles out of my way, getting back to the hotel just in time to open registration.

Seeing the construction activity in West Virginia, I rode the Country Lanes route on Tuesday, finding and routing around a couple more construction detours. On Wednesday, I rode the Ron Vess Spec-Tech route in Ohio, fixing one more detour problem. Fortunately the other routes were all in pretty good shape, and the GPS files worked well for all of them.

Checking Routes

The new Staunton Turnpike route was created by combining the 60 mile West Virginia route 47, which I had previously ridden on the way to the Canaan Valley rally, with part of a new route that local guru Ron Vess had shown me in May. I connected them using roads that looked good on the map, knowing that corrections would probably be needed.

For the first half of the route, everything was perfect. It looked like I would be back at the hotel by 1:30 PM, but then encountered a huge construction project where a section of US 33 was being straightened. This closed all crossroads going north from my route for over ten miles. Getting around the construction put me in unfamiliar territory

Free Bike Wash

Jeremy Riffle had the bike wash set up on Monday and it was very popular all week. This year we added a new 10x20 popup canopy to the existing 10x10, forming three nice shaded bike wash stalls. The Muc-Off power washer sprayed soap foam and provided the right pressure for rinsing. The electric blower was useful for removing excess water and made drying easier. Jeremy even gave out microfiber towels in a nice zippered pouch as gifts for everyone.

Transportation downtown for Thursday's dinner tour was always a challenge, and this year the trolley bus we normally use was out of service. Chris Shoop rented two large passenger vans and we were able to accommodate everyone.

Friday and Saturday, we had the food truck back so people could eat when they wanted and hang out at the hotel. Wings Etc, a sports bar and restaurant was located right across the street from the hotel for those who wanted a bit more.

Routes and GPS stuff

Dining

Those who trailered to the rally carpooled attendees for the dinner tours on Monday and Tuesday, which worked well. On Wednesday, the Outdoor Lounge opened and the Aunt K's Kitchen food truck was in the hotel parking lot, making it fun and convenient to dine and hang out at the hotel, which had a nice patio in the rear with comfortable chairs and sofas.

Thursday was the biggest arrival day for attendees and we were ready for them. Registration was quick and easy, thanks to about ten volunteers who each gave some of their time during the week. The GPS table was very busy. Unfortunately, my GPS support guru and helper Scott Lane had a deer strike on the way to Marietta, which kept him out for the whole week, so I was struggling to handle the GPS stuff by myself. Tom Brown and Anthony Crawford from Chicago saw my predicament, came back with their computers, and pitched in to help people choose and load their routes. Here's a big Tip of the Helmet to Tom and Anthony!

Massage

On Thursday and Friday, we had our favorite massage therapist, Anne-Marie LaFrance, from Morganton, North Carolina, providing free mini and full body massages.

To Sum Up

This was the best FlyBy Week we have had yet. The weather was mostly cooperative throughout the week; there was some rain early on Friday and Saturday, but it cleared up quickly and the roads dried out, allowing everyone to ride. Everyone enjoyed the hotel, the routes, and all the activities.

I believe we achieved a good balance between dining downtown and spending time at the hotel. We were able to do a lot for attendees without overworking our volunteers, so everyone had a great time.

Next year's FlyBy Week will be held from August 19-25, 2024, once again at the Comfort Suites Marietta, Ohio hotel. The 2024 flybyweek. com website will go live and registration will open on January 1. We would like to thank all who attended and we look forward to seeing you again next year!

Connect with local Ohio Motorcycle Sport Touring Association riders at these monthly breakfasts:

Southwest Ohio Breakfast, 9AM, October 21

Village Family Restaurant

144 S. Main St.

Waynesville, OH 45068

Central Ohio Breakfast Meet - November 5

Portside Cafe

6515 S High St

Lockbourne, OH 43137

Matt’s Cholo Build: Part 2

Jim Shibley, RTR Road Rep & Contributor

All the parts are ordered and delivered, finally. Looking at the bike it needed to be lowered, Matt bought the LA Choppers lowering bolts for the softail shocks. The shocks on the 2006 Heritage Softail were taken off and Matt used a large drill press to compress the shock and unscrew the top to release the bolt to replace it with the new lowering bolt. The shocks were reassembled and installed back on the bike. It was trial and error to find the right height but easy, just count the number of turns out or in on each nut (You want the number of turns in or out on the nuts of the lowering bolts to be the exact same so that the weight of the bike is evenly distributed). After the install and final tightening the bike took on a whole new look, it changed the appearance so much that I ordered the same lowering bolts for my softail springer.

The Samson Exhaust was the key to the cholo look. As soon as the box was opened we knew that having a ridable Cholo Harley could be just hours away. The old exhaust was already off and the old exhaust gaskets were removed from the engine. Take your time when installing the new gaskets and mating the exhaust pipes to the engine. Taking the extra couple minutes could prevent an exhaust leak. The true dual fishtail exhaust went on the bike like Cinderella’s glass slipper, the fit and finish was perfect. Samson provided a new shift linkage that looked like a hockey stick so that the rear exhaust has enough clearance when crossing over to the left side of the bike.

The new turn signal were wired and working but not for long. The turn signal would work but then the running lights wouldn’t or the running lights would work but the brake lights wouldn’t work. If anyone has ever done wiring on a bike it can be a major pain in the ass! Some advice, buy American stay away from internet specials. You really do get what you pay for!

It’s now half way through riding season in Michigan and thats if you ride until the salt hits the ground. The cholo bike started and sounded great, a deep rumble you could feel in your chest. Rolling on the throttle the sound was smooth and very loud, exactly what every Harley owner wants to hear. The maiden voyage told us that the bike wasn’t exactly ready for the road quite yet, the clutch needed adjustment.

To adjust the clutch you have to loosen the clutch cable and take off the derby cover. The next step is to loosen the nut in the middle of the clutch basket and back off the Allen bolt which was held tight by the nut you just loosened. Once you backed off the Allen bolt, you turn the bolt inward until you feel resistance then stop. When you feel the resistance, stop and turn the Allen bolt outward 3/4 of a turn then tight the nut, don't over tighten. Make sure the Allen bolt stays in place. Next step is to tighten the cutch cable to its recommenced setting and pull the clutch lever in making sure your clutch basket is moving properly. Last step put the derby cover back on but don’t forget to replace the gasket (If you want better instruction on how to wrench on your bike buy a service manual and/or go on the internet). After the clutch adjustment, summer fun was finally here for the proud owner. A good wash and wax made the almost 20 year old bike look brand new. Matt said he has more he needs to do to his bike but not until after riding season is over.

With the long true dual exhaust a swooping rear fender would be awesome, also some new paint all around. Matt’s in the process of looking for a talented painter that has fair prices. We talked about paint idea’s for the bike, he likes the blue spectrum of colors or he might go louder and have it painted orange and yellow with tons of metal flake. One thing for sure is that he named the bike OCHO which is Spanish for the number 8. Why you ask, sports are a big part of Matts life and ever since he was little 8 has always been his number. The number 8 will be incorporated into the paint design in some way, shape or form. Hopefully this winter the new rear fender will be in and he can drop the tins off to a local Michigan painter to get it done.

In the mean time riding along side Matt and his new cholo bike to bike-night was a blast, hearing the bike rumble down the road and knowing what that bike looked and sounded like before we did the work to it felt great. The bike turned heads at bike-night which made Matt and I even more anxious to see what the bikes going to become in the future.

Backroads of Appalachia! - Reasons to Ride Partner

As Fall starts to take over here in Central Appalachia we are getting ready for one of our most popular times to ride here in our region. As the last month of our season draws closer we bring you some of our most attended rides and events designed specifically to showcase one of the most spectacular displays of Nature on the planet. There is simply nothing like the season changes that occur here in the oldest mountains on earth as cooler temperatures move in and Mother Nature begins to display her full palette of colors. Regardless of if you are using our Free GPS-Enabled Mobile Application to experience this incredible display or if you are planning to attend one of our events here on the motorcycle side of Backroads of Appalachia, riding here at this time of year is simply unmatched. There is absolutely nothing like it as people from all over the world come to our mountains to see and experience this amazing landscape transformation. We have 3 great events on our schedule this year designed to showcase these colors which include our WCMG Lady Riders “Ride for the Cure Event” for Breast Cancer with Wildcat Harley Davidson in London, KY, Our First Annual “Mountain Mainstreet Invasion” here at home in Kentucky and of course our last ride of the season each year with our 3rd Annual WCMG Fall Leaves Ride for St Judes in the Smoky Mountains the last weekend in October. From the overlooks on Kentucky’s Highest Mountain on the Dragonslayer 160, to the 180 degree view of 3 states from the Pinnacle at Cumberland Gap, to the 360 degree views of our mountains on• “The Knob”, our Backroads of Appalachia Mobile Application is your Fall ride guide with over 5000 miles of “Appalachian Awesomeness” covering 4 states. With so much to see and do here in Appalachia at one of the most beautiful times of the year, you cannot go wrong regardless of which direction you decide to take as you are surrounded by a wall of colors throughout your journey. Pictures and video cannot even come close to what you will experience here in person before the leaves go to ground and winter moves in.

Perfect Temperatures, Spectacular Views, Incredible Riding, and 3 Fall riding events are waiting for you right here and so is the Whitley County Motorcycle Group. For more information on these events check out the calendar in the Backroads of Appalachia Mobile Application, Or our website at www.backroadsofappalachia.org, or find us on Facebook! So what are you waiting for? Come and ride with us here in October and see one of the most incredible season changes on planet earth!

Let’s Ride Appalachia!

Jay Fryman Founder, Whitley County Motorcycle Group Backroads of Appalachia Journalism Team

How to Choose an Artist for your Custom Tattoo

So you’ve decided that you want to get a tattoo, and furthermore you’ve decided you want something custom. Maybe you decided that you didn’t want to pick a design out of a book or off the wall of a shop for something that you are going to be wearing for the rest of your life. A custom tattoo is often a much more meaningful way of expressing yourself through body art – but the key is finding an artist that can create the masterpiece you’ve envisioned. Custom tattoos can be anything you want them to be and in any style, but you have to find a professional that can deliver what you have in mind for your custom tattoo. Finding the right tattoo artist is crucial to getting exactly what you want, and it can be a challenge if you’re not careful. Here are some tips for finding the right tattoo artist for you.

Research Tattoo Parlors in Your Area

When you first start looking for a custom tattoo artist, talk to people you know about their tattoos. Ask them where they went, who did the tattoo, and what their impressions of the shop were like. Don't be afraid to approach a stranger with a great tattoo to ask questions. Most people with custom tattoos are extremely proud of the work they've had done and will be happy to tell you all about it, especially if you tell them why you're asking. People with tattoos often feel connected to each other in some sort of strange, shared experience kind of way.

Just talking to people around town will give you an idea of what tattoo shops have a reputation for cleanliness and high quality of work. You may also find yourself told where not to go, so take these warnings seriously. On a personal note, I know an unfortunate young man who decided to try a brand new tattoo shop that was advertising a special. He ended up with a custom tattoo of his guitar with the name of the guitar spelled wrong. In the custom tattoo world, reputation is everything.

Tattoo parlors and custom tattoo artists get most of their business through word of mouth. A great custom tattoo walking around town is a much better advertisement than a coupon in the phone book as far as tattoos are concerned. However, professional artists will invest in their work and promote their business. Reasons To Ride works with a variety of artists that have proven themselves to be both skilled and professional in terms of maintaining themselves to established standards. We showcase custom work every month in our magazine so that you can see some of the masterpieces created by artists within our own area and nationally.

Find a Tattoo Artist Who Meets Your Needs

Once you have an idea of where you want to go, the next step is to make contact and meet the artist. Go to their studio and spend some time looking at the tattoo artists' portfolios. A portfolio is different than the pictures (called flash) hanging on the walls. A portfolio is an actual book of photographs that a tattoo artist takes of tattoos she has done. A tattoo artist's portfolio is a reflection of what she feels is her best work and reflects the range of her talents, or showcases her particular expertise.

It’s worth noting that a professional artist should have a professional looking portfolio showcasing their work. Like any craftsman, they should take pride in their work and their portfolio may be their only evidence of the masterpieces that they have created. If the artist doesn’t have a portfolio or simply as a collection of cell phone shots –that may be cause for concern.

If you're especially drawn to a particular portfolio, the next question to ask yourself is whether or not the tattoo artist is skilled in the style of tattoo you want. There are many different styles of tattoos, from tribal, black and gray fineline, to graffiti style, and every tattoo artist has a specialty.

Once you've found a custom tattoo artist whose work appeals to you and looks like what you want, the next step is to have a consultation. If the tattoo artist is busy, you may need to make an appointment to come in and talk. If not, you can usually talk about the kind of tattoo you want right then. Once you are sure of your tattoo artist's abilities, you need to assess whether or not he is enthusiastic about doing your tattoo and willing to work with you to make the drawing for it. You can find a great tattoo artist, but finding one willing to satisfy your needs and is receptive to your ideas is just as important as having talent.

Trenton Shultz Backwoods Tattoo

Meet Your Custom Tattoo Artist Halfway

Finding a custom tattoo artist that you love is great, but getting the tattoo you want requires more than just tracking down the right person for the job. Meet your new tattoo artist halfway during the creative process so that he or she can more quickly assess what you are in the market for.

When you talk to your tattoo artist about making your custom tattoo, it helps to tell her more than just what you want your tattoo to look like. While your custom tattoo artist will make a drawing of the tattoo you'll receive, you need to help her figure out what that drawing should look like. Take in drawings or pictures of things or other tattoos that match the style or subject of your tattoo. Explain the symbolism behind the tattoo. Make a rough sketch of what you want, even if your drawing abilities are usually limited to stick figures. The more you give your tattoo artist to go on, the more likely you are to end up with a drawing that matches what you’re thinking.

When you go back to look at the drawing your tattoo artist has made of your custom tattoo, feel free to suggest changes or modifications. If the drawing looks nothing like what you had in mind, don't be afraid to say so or look for another tattoo artist. You have the final say about what goes on your skin, so don't worry about offending his artistic sensibilities.

It’s important that you feel comfortable with the artist. You are entrusting your body – both visually in terms of the work that’s done and physically in terms of your health and the artist’s adherence to proper sanitary standards. If the shops a mess and it appears as though the artist hasn’t bathed in months – how comfortable are you that he’s following the proper hygiene standard in regards to his needles and equipment.

The artist should also treat you with respect and be appreciative of the fact that you are entrusting yourself to their care and artistic ability. If the artist is rude or condescending towards you or acts as though you are privileged to warrant their time – chances are you’re not going to end up getting exactly what you want.

As you’re developing the design never forget that it’s YOUR tattoo. Never let the artist talk you into something you’re not comfortable with. Regardless of what they want to create or what they think looks cool – it’s YOUR tattoo.

Price is NOT the most important factor.

You should get an estimate of how much your custom tattoo will cost before your tattoo artist starts inking you. Some tattoo artists charge an hourly rate for custom work, while others charge based on the size and complexity of the design. Either way, be prepared to pay more for a custom tattoo than for something you pick off a wall.

Remember that tattoo artists work in the service industry, and they should be tipped accordingly. For a tattoo artist who is willing to take the time to talk to you about your tattoo and draw it for you, be especially generous. While the talking is free, that time they spent just talking was time they could have spent actually tattooing someone else for money.

When it comes to custom tattoo work, be willing to shell out some cash. This is one aspect of your life where being frugal won't get you anywhere good. The best custom tattoo artists charge more than others because the quality of their work is higher and people are willing to pay for it. In five years, you won't remember how much you paid for your tattoo, but you will still have to look at it every day.

Contributed by Reasons To Ride, Iron Cowboy IRON COWBOY PRODUCTIONS, LLC 2014 ©

10/05/23 03:00 PM

ABATE Region 11 - FUNDRAISER NIGHT

Foxfire Fixins

7200 River Road, Marine City, MI 48309

10/06/23 05:00 PM

ABATE of MICHIGAN Region 7

CARVED IN STONE CAMP OUT

Evergreen Park 4731 Van Dyke, Cass City, MI 48726

10/07/23 11:00 AM

Annual WURST Party Ever!

Arsenal H-D Arsenal Harley-Davidson 4405 Highland Rd, Waterford Township, MI Kari - ARSENAL

10/07/23 09:00 AM

TOMMY MOOSE - Ride 4 Kids

St. Louis Moose Lodge #1566 811 Michigan Ave, St. Louis MI 48880

10/07/23 09:00 AM

Fall Color Bike Run (Montrose, MI) Montrose Orchads 12473 Seymour Rd, Montrose, MI 48457

10/08/23 09:00 AM

46th Annual Grand Rapids Applebutter Fest Downtown Grand Rapids Grand Rapids, MI 43522

10/14/23 08:30 AM

Cycle Works/Tunnel of Trees Bike Ride

Cycle Works LLC 300 E Ludington Drive Farwell 989-424-6425

service@cycleworks.biz

10/14/23 10:00 AM

Wertz Warriors Side X Side Scavenger Hunt for Special Olympics Michigan

American Legion Post 114 3050 County Rd. 496 Ishpeming, MI Bill Mankee 906-869-8108

10/14/23 09:00 AM

Arsenal HarleyDavidson Junk in the Trunk Swap Meet

Arsenal Harley-Davidson 4405 Highland Rd, Waterford Township, MI Kari - ARSENAL

10/14/23 09:00 AM

Fall Coloring Memorial Ride for Jerry Camp Morr

10/28/23 07:00 PM

ABATE of MICHIGAN Region 15 Halloween Party

American Legion Post 200 11800 Michael St., Taylor MI 48190

11/05/23 03:00 PM

ABATE Region 10 Gratiot / Saginaw

Monthly Meeting

Ghost Town Saloon 6422 Pingree Rd, Elwell MI 48832

1/12/24 05:00 PM

ABATE of MICHIGAN Seminar 2024 Wyndham Lansing 7501 W Saginaw HWY, Lansing, MI 48917

abatemichsecretary@frontier.com

RECIPES

Old School Stove Top Lasagna

Serve 4 (or 2 hungry bikers)

1 pound ground beef

2 ¼ cups hot water

½ cup milk

1 ½ cups pasta (egg noodles, broken lasagna noodle, spiral pasta, etc)

1 cup diced tomatoes (I like the flavored ones by hunts)

1 tbsp corn starch

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 cup mozzarella cheese, shred

1 cup cottage cheese (or ricotta)

½ cup parmesan cheese

1 tbsp fresh chopped herbs (optional)

Brown hamburger and drain off grease

Add hot water, milk, noodle, corn starch, tomatoes, oregano, basil, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and sugar, stir well

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 12-20 minutes until pasta is tender

Turn off heat, uncover, stir in cottage cheese, ½ cup mozzarella and let stand to thicken at least 5 minutes

Serve with remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese on top (and fresh herbs-optional)

Kickin it old school with a recipe my Granny used to make and my hubby LOVES!!!

Skillet Beef w/Onion and Mushroom Gravy

Serve 4 (or 2 hungry bikers)

1-2lbs of beef, cubed (nothing too tough)

2 tbsp garlic, minced

1/4 cup red wine (something you would drink, NOT cooking wine)

1 tbsp oil

1 lg onions, diced

1 pint mushrooms, sliced

1 1/2 cups beef gravy (home made, store bought, whatever)

In a bowl add the beef cubes, garlic and wine together, stir well and allow to marinate about 10 minutes

Meanwhile heat the oil in a large skillet over med-high heat

Add in the onions and cook for about 2-3 minutes, Add in the meat, marinade and all, and allow to cook for 5 minute, string often

Add in the mushrooms and cook another3 minutes or so then pour in the gravy, stir well and bring to a gentle bubble

Reduce the heat and allow to cook for 10-15 minutes over low heat until the beef is tender.

Serve over rice, couscous, or potatoes

Have a recipe that you’d like to share?• Write it all down and send with a picture – to ReasonsToRide@gmail.com• Put RECIPE in the subject line.• If we use it, we’ll send you copies of the magazines and a RTR T-Shirt – so include your address and t-shirt size as well!• Thanks!•

Recipes Courtesy : "The Biker Chick's Kitchen 2"• on Facebook

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