Thunder Roads Mid-Atlantic - April 2016 by Thunder Roads Mid-Atlantic

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Thunder Roads Magazine® Mid-Atlantic

4157 Mountain Road #233 Pasadena, Maryland 21122 www.bigcityrhino.com

Facebook – Thunder Roads Mid-Atlantic Twitter- TR_BigCity Instagram- ThunderRoadsMid-Atlantic EDITOR / OWNER / PUBLISHER BigCity@BigCityrhino.com

Big City’s Two-Wheel Testament.......................7 BACA..................................................................8 ABATE.............................................................. 11 Diary of a Biker Chic.........................................15 From Across The Pond....................................18 Road Captain’s Report.....................................24 Throttle Life.......................................................28 Center Calendar...............................................30 Featured Bike...................................................32

ADVERTISING Mike “Rhino” Ryan David “Mongo” Robinson 443-875-7482 240-855-4705 Rhino@BigCityRhino.com Mongo@BigCityRhino.com (Owner / Sales Director) (Big City Ride Card Manager) (Central Maryland Crew) Teresa “Blueiz” Christiansen Cathy “Cat” Curran 301-283-8008 443-859-6917 & Cat@BigCityRhino.com Michael “Tractor” Herbert (Eastern Shore Crew) 240-298-0472 TNT@BigCityRhino.com Scott “Scooter” Broyles (Southern Maryland Crew) 304-549-5615 Scooter@BigCityRhino.com Laurie “LuLu” Wright (Charleston, WV Crew) 410-533-3551 LuLu@BigCityRhino.com

Big City Rhino Challenge.................................34 History of Motorcycles......................................38 Rider’s Tips.......................................................43 Joker’s Wild......................................................45 KISS in The Kitchen.........................................47 News Bytes.......................................................51 Events...............................................................52 Biker Friendly Directory....................................56

OWNER/ACCOUNTANT Mike “Bighead” Abbott (443) 875-7597 BigHead@BigCityRhino.com

ON THE COVER:

LAYOUT & DESIGN Meredith Hancock / Hancock Graphics

Model: Raqvel Ross

CONTRIBUTORS Mike “Smiles” Johnson / Joyce “Biker Chic” Marc “Road Captain” Ritchie / Suzy “Carebear” Leighton David “Barney” Barnhouse

Photography: Bobby T Rocks

NATIONAL FOUNDERS Toni McCoy Shearon & Brian Shearon 1528 Matlock Drive, Chapmansboro, TN. 37035 Office: (615) 792-0040 Fax: (615) 792-7580 thunderroadsfounders@yahoo.com

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ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NO PART OF ITS CONTENT MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION. PUBLISHER ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY AND IS NOT TO BE HELD LIABLE FOR ERRORS BEYOND THE COST OF THE SPACE OCCUPIED BY THE ERROR, SLANDER OF ANY GROUP OR INDIVIDUAL, FAILURE TO PRODUCE ANY ISSUE AS SCHEDULED DUE TO REASONS BEYOND OUR CONTROL, ANY AND ALL SUITS FOR LIABLE, PLAGIARISM, COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND UNAUTHORIZED USE OF A PERSON’S NAME OR PHOTOGRAPH. OPINIONS AND CLAIMS MADE BY ADVERTISERS AND AUTHORS ARE THEIR OWN, AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE POLICY OF THUNDER ROADS MAGAZINE OR THUNDER PUBLISHING. PUBLISHER DOES NOT PROMOTE THE ABUSE OF ALCOHOL OR OTHER DRUGS.

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Where to start this month? We have got a packed edition for you this month as we once again expand our content to reach out to all of our readers. We had a great show at Timonium this year and spoke to several of you that had a few request from us. Since we feel that this is our reader’s magazine and we are just lucky enough to print it for you, we have added, as requested a few next sections to the ONLY Motorcycle Magazine that Matters. This month let me first introduce our new feature “From Across the Pond”, this feature will be brought to you by Classic-BritishMotorcycles.com. They will give us some history on the British Bike market and help us stay up to date with the latest and greatest yet to come from across the pond. Like everything we do here at Thunder Roads® Mid-Atlantic. We are going big this month and not only launching one new feature for our readers, but two. Please help us welcome the new “Throttle Life” section as well. Our man, Leon “LB” Brittain, will be bring us a new dynamic to the mix with sport bike features from all over the market area and beyond. We are very proud to have both of these great contributors added to the Thunder Roads® Mid-Atlantic crew. 2016 will be a year of bigger and better than the rest. Cruise thru this month’s edition and see for yourself. Don’t worry if you feel like you’re missing something we always have you covered. Follow us on Facebook and our new website for all the latest events. All that said let us remember to thank all of our advertising partners that make it possible to keep the Only Motorcycle Magazine that Matters going. Please show your appreciation by supporting their businesses as well. L&R, Big City

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APRIL 2016

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No Purchase necessary. Sweepstakes open to US residents who are 21 years of age or older. 1 Grand Prize: winner will receive a Twisted Tea Branded Motorcycle - ARV $7,000.00. Sweepstakes begins at 12:01 a.m. EST on 3/1/2016 and ends at 11:59 p.m. EST on 11/6/2016. Prize winner will be selected in a random drawing on or around 11/10/2016. To enter text “BAGGER” to shortcode 30364 or email officialrules@twistedtea.com and provide your name, address, phone, date of birth and code “BAGGER” to submit an entry. Standard carrier message and data rates may apply. Upon entry, you will receive one confirmation message. Text “HELP” for help. “STOP” to cancel. Void where prohibited. For Official Rules and Prize Breakdown email officialrules@twistedtea.com .

You will live because I live Here we are folks it’s March and riding season is once again upon us. With this month our days get longer. Daylight savings time starts on March 13th, there is the first day of spring not to mention the Highlight of every year Resurrection Sunday. This time of year is a constant reminder of those things that appeared dead all come to life again. It is great to take the dog out in the mornings and hear the birds singing early in the mornings. In a very short time the people in the world will not see me anymore. But you will see me. You will live because I live. (John 14:19

not immune from tribulations and the wrath of man. Thomas saw His nail scars and declared, “My Lord and my God,” and was forever changed. Peter, who had denied Him, saw the empty tomb and was never silent again. All of the apostles but John died a martyr›s death. They had been eyewitnesses of the resurrection and ascension and nothing that man could do could ever make then deny Him again. The Romans slaughtered Christians by the thousands. They were fed to the lions, burned at the stake and tortured for mere amusement, but most did not deny their Lord. They had met the risen Savior and had an unshakeable confidence that their death would be nothing more than a temporary unpleasantness. They knew that because Jesus lived, they would live also.

Because I live, you will live also. Calvary was just a few hours away. Jesus knew that he would soon be In his death Jesus demonstrated God’s love for us in the sentenced to death in Pilate’s judgment hall. He knew fullest possible way, achieved total victory over evil, and the agony that He would face and was well aware made our salvation possible. He was not merely a good that the burden of all of man’s sins would be laid man who died as an example of virtue on Him. He also knew that He would rise again in or meekness; he was the perfect God three days. Death was simply an unpleasant although who took our burdens of sin and guilt necessary interruption. Man could kill His flesh but they and made them his burden. His death couldn’t kill the God who dwelled within Him. He, the was not an example to inspire us but a living Word of God, has always lived as an integral sacrifice to save us! part of God’s person. He was in the beginning with God and was God. He came into the world as a man to Celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus accomplish our redemption and soon would be returning Happy Resurrection Sunday to the bosom of His Father from whence He came. Because He lives, we have the privilege of receiving His Holy Spirit, by which He lives in us. Jesus said that He would go with us, even unto the end of the world. As the song says, Because He lives, we can face tomorrow. We can walk through this world without fear, knowing that He has overcome the world (John 16:33). Because he lives within us, we can overcome the spirit of antichrist that is running rampant throughout this world (I John 4:3-4).

The Ridge Tavern and Grill Great Food Kitchen Always Open Cold Beer Bikers Welcome Good times

We don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but our risen Savior does. We, like the early Christians, are Thunder Roads® Mid-Atlantic

APRIL 2016

US19 at Marion County Line

304-278-8041

child to battle the terrible, long-term fear that child abuse always causes. That’s what Bikers Against Child Abuse® does. by Mack, Patapsco Valley Chapter, B.A.C.A. of Maryland (410) 925-1837 sp4mack@aim.com

il Doober was scared. Even though he knew that the bad man was in jail, Lil Doober was sure that he would come and hurt him again, the way he had for years. Lil Doober wouldn’t go out of his house alone, refused to go to school, and spent most of his time in the race-car bed in his room, hiding under the covers. Things were going downhill fast for Lil Doober. Then his parents heard about Bikers Against Child Abuse®, and his life soon took a sharp turn for the better. Bikers Against Child Abuse —B.A.C.A. —is an international family of earned-patch-wearing bikers dedicated to a single mission: to support and empower abused children to not be afraid of the world in which they live. Simple statement; big job. ®

Lil Doober’s Mom told him he would soon have visitors, and a few days later his new friends arrived. Their bikes were big and noisy and shiny, and Lil Doober thought it was the coolest parade he’d ever seen. The bikers got down to Lil Doober’s eye level (and, yes, some did need the assistance of their B.A.C.A.® brothers and sisters to get back up) and introduced themselves. They gave him a denim cut with a kid’s backpatch and a “Lil Doober” name tag on it (all B.A.C.A.® kids choose a road name), and welcomed him to the Bikers Against Child Abuse® family. They passed a B.A.C.A.® bear around and all the members loaded it up with hugs. They gave the bear to their new little brother and told him that any time he needed to fill it with hugs again, they’d come back. Lil Doober was soon laughing and joking with the bikers. His Mom was in the background, quietly crying. She said later it was the first time she’d seen him smile since he revealed the nightmare he had lived for years. There are good, effective agencies that deal with the epidemic of child abuse. Detectives investigate, social workers counsel, prosecutors bring charges. They all do the best they can, but they are all overwhelmed and stretched thin by the epidemic of child abuse, and they don’t have the time or means to befriend a child, to be available to a child at all times, to stay with the child as long as necessary and to do “whatever it takes” to empower a

Lil Doober was introduced to Rose Petal and Boar Hog, the two patched members who would be his personal contacts—his “primaries”—who would be available to him 24/7/365, and then it was time for a ride. Secure on the back of Boar Hog’s bike, Lil Doober rode through town, surrounded by the bikes of the other chapter members. The ride stopped at a pizza parlor/ video arcade, where everybody spent the next hour and a half having pizza & fun. Soon it was time to load up for the trip home, but not by the same route. Lil Doober didn’t know it, but his Mom had arranged with the chapter president and Lil Doober’s best friend’s Mom to ride by his little buddy’s house so that he could see Lil Doober with his biker family. Most of his friend’s neighbors were also waiting and they cheered the chapter as it went slowly by. When they returned to Lil Doober’s home, the bikers hung around, talking to their new member and generally acting like big kids themselves. Lil Doober would never know it, but every one of those bikers had passed an FBI criminal background check—no crimes involving children, no domestic violence convictions, nothing else that the chapter found unacceptable—and every one had spent between a year or two working to earn the right to wear the B.A.C.A.® backpatch. He would never know or care that he had become a member of a biker family that spanned the United States and reached into Canada, several European countries and as far away as Australia. It would not matter to him that B.A.C.A.® is one of the few earned-patch motorcycle organizations that admits women as full-patch, voting members—there is no “Ladies Auxiliary” in B.A.C.A.® All that mattered to Lil Doober was that he had big, noisy, nasty looking friends who cared about him and would stand with him against the evil that had for so long terrorized him. Then it was time to go. As he was saying goodbye to each of his new brothers and sisters, Lil Doober became increasingly dejected. Even when the bikers assured him that they would return, Lil Doober’s mood continued to go downhill. Finally, Lil Doober’s primaries realized that more was happening than just a parting sadness. They took their new little brother aside and quietly asked him what was wrong. Through tears, he explained that he had to go to court the following week to testify against the bad man and he was very scared. Court is a place of terror for a child. The kid’s friends and family probably won’t be allowed in while the child testifies, the

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ikers Against Child Abuse of Maryland— B.A.C.A.—was honored for service to abused children at the 2015 governor’s Victim Assistance Awards Luncheon on May 8 in Annapolis. As stated in the ceremony’s program, “The award recognizes outstanding work done in the area of victim advocacy and services that exceeds expected work responsibilities, and exemplifies a high level of commitment and dedication to the field of victims’ rights and services and to the victims themselves”. B.A.C.A. has previously received service awards from Victim Advocate offices in Frederick, Carroll and Anne Arundel Counties. defense attorney will attempt to confuse the young victim, and the perp’s friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, ministers and others will likely pack the room to sit, glare at and attempt to intimidate one small, bewildered, innocent person. Then the child is asked to describe the painful, humiliating things that were done to him. B.A.C.A.® shifts the odds in favor of the child. Members will accompany the child, often from home. They block sight lines, shield the child and provide support and a reassuring presence. Prosecutors love B.A.C.A.®, because B.A.C.A.® kids testify clearly and confidently, secure that their B.A.C.A.® family has their back. Rose Petal and Boar Hog reassured Lil Doober that he would not be alone in court. They said they would be there, right where he could see them, and that if he got scared he could just look at them. They gave him a B.A.C.A.® coin to hold while he was testifying, to remind him that his whole B.A.C.A.® family was with him. All he had to do, they said, was tell the truth, no matter what that was. Lil Doober smiled again and said he was OK. For some of the B.A.C.A.® members on that ride, home was more than four hours away. Nobody was complaining. They had helped make a scared child smile, and that’s what they live for. Late that night, the president of the chapter that led the ride got a phone call from Lil Doober’s mom. Lil Doober, she said, had called his grandparents, all his cousins, his friends and his counselor to tell them about “his bikers.” He was working on a poster to put up to welcome the B.A.C.A.® members on their next visit. Finally, exhausted, he had agreed to go to bed. Just before she turned off his light, Lil Doober told his mom, “Mommy, I’m not scared anymore.” Think you can do it? Think you can stand up to the unspeakable evil of child abuse and make a child smile again? Find out. Go to www.bacaworld.org and find the chapter nearest you—even if it’s several states away. Somebody will be glad to talk to you and explain how you can become part of a close-knit international family that changes the lives of abused children. The call just might change your life. Thunder Roads® Mid-Atlantic

APRIL 2016

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The members of ABATE of Maryland have been working hard this legislative session to protect the rights of every motorcyclist in the state. From lobbying the legislature, to attending meetings and hearings,to just watching out for things that could be detrimental to motorcyclists.

working hard to keep you free on the road. John Robinson Executive Director ABATE of Maryland Inc

One such bill that we testified against and defeated was a bill in the house to put age restrictions on the enjoyment of motorcycling. This bill would have made it impossible for anyone under the age of ten years to be on a motorcycle at all. Not as a passenger or as a rider. So, your kids wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be able to ride with you on your own bike or even be able to ride their own dirt bikes, even on your own private property. The helmet law modification bill received an unfavorable vote in the house committee. This was the first year in quite a while that we had this bill heard in the house, so now we know where we need to concentrate our efforts for the next session. ABATE has also been working closely with the Maryland COC on the motorcycle profiling issue. As of right now the bill has passed in the senate and is waiting for a report in the house. So as you can see, The members of ABATE have been

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BY JOYCE ELAINE

DIARY OF A BIKER CHIC

ello spring! I’m so excited for the warmer weather. We had a nice tease last month with a couple of 80 degree days but it was short-lived. I can’t wait until the warmer temperatures get here to stay! I’m working on planning my trip to Tail of the Dragon at the moment and although I’m excited about that trip, I’m also feeling a little nervous. I’ve seen the picture – the tree of death…I mean the tree of shame. With over 300 curves in only 11 miles, there’s bound to be some accidents. I feel that I am ready to tackle this little stretch of awesomeness but I’m still a little intimidated but maybe that’s a good thing. If I wasn’t a little nervous, I may get a little too cocky and being cocky is what can get you hurt. I was looking at the very first biker blog I ever wrote. It was the day I bought my first bike: March 23, 2007. That was NINE YEARS AGO! Then I read my last blog for that year that I wrote on November 4, 2007, after only having the bike for almost 8 months. After reading these blogs, I realized that I have matured as a rider in the past nine years. These were the things that I listed in that last blog for 2007 that I realized during my very first season of riding: •

My motorcycle doesn’t like gravel. My parents have a terrible gravel driveway and it was very hard to turn my bike around on it or even drive up it coming in from the pavement. This resulted in my dropping my bike three times in the driveway! That means, yes, three little dents/ scratches on my bike. Oh well…with each comes a memory of my first time.

•

Being my first bike, I shouldn’t have bought a brand new one. I should have bought a used one so when I dropped it in the driveway, I wouldn’t have felt so bad.

•

I always knew that people drove like idiots but I realized it even more while riding my bike. No one cares that you are only on two wheels. They just want to get around you and pass you, even if it means cutting you off or pretending they don’t see you. Most people really don’t see you though.

•

It’s more fun riding with people rather than by yourself but riding by yourself is awesome when you just wanna be you and be left alone for a while.

•

Getting caught in the rain while you’re riding really sucks!

•

It’s easy to become addicted to riding a motorcycle.

As far as riding on gravel, I eventually got that down and it’s no longer a problem for me. I still think that I should have bought Thunder Roads®Mid-Atlantic

a used bike as my first bike, but hey, live and learn! People still drive like idiots but I’ve become more aware of them since they aren’t so aware of me. Now when someone cuts me off, I’m ready for it because I see them coming before they even know they are going to do it. What I can’t see coming is someone flicking their cigarette out the window at me. That happened to me the other day when I was riding home from work. It’s happened a few times before and I hate it! I don’t think it’s more fun riding with other people now unless you know the people and know how they ride. I’ve ridden with some people over the years who almost got themselves killed and me in the process. You really have to know the people you are riding with. Their style of riding is important to your survival! Getting caught in the rain still sucks but it doesn’t bother me anymore. It is what it is. Accept it and be careful! My addiction to riding has not gotten better – it’s gotten worse but in this case, this particular addiction is a good thing if you ask me. My point to all this is that the things that bothered me before, are no longer a concern. I take comfort in realizing this as it eases my nerves for the Tail of the Dragon trip. I’ve grown up as a biker in the way I think and the way I ride. Even what I ride has grown up! I’m excited to look back on this article in 9 or 10 years and realize that I’ve matured even more. My guess is at that time, I’ll have back pain and neck pain and maybe some arthritis but I bet I’ll still be riding and just grinning and barring the pain!

APRIL 2016

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APRIL 2016

FROM ACROSS THE POND

ALWAYS A GAMECHANGER

ames Lansdowne Norton began building motorcycles in 1902 using French and Swiss engines. By 1907, he was building his own, and winning races with them, including the first Isle of Man TT. This began a racing heritage that survived to the very end of the company. Today Norton’s are among the most popular, fastest, best handling and sexiest of all Classic British Motorcycles. The Norton Commando (1969-1977) was the world’s first production Superbike, and one of the most desirable machines of all time. It represented the best that the British motorcycle industry had to offer at the time. It was a genuine game-changer. But gamechangers were nothing new to Norton. Their 350 & 500 Manx singles dominated The 1953 Norton Manx was road racing for decades. light years ahead of its time.

NORTON MANX

Launched in 1947, the Manx was typical of Norton’s obsession with mechanical perfection. By the early 1950s, when most motorcycles still used rigid frames (no rear suspension), Norton introduced the revolutionary “Featherbed Frame” that set the pattern for nearly every motorcycle frame built for the next 30 years. The Featherbed (so named because of its smooth ride) used a conventional swing arm, novel in 1953, and all welded steel tubing, at a time when most frames were held together with brazed jugs. It was light, extremely rigid and handled better than anything else on the road or the track in its day.

This handling advantage proved pivotal in its racing career as the Norton Manx dominated Grand Prix racing and the Isle of Man TT well into the 1960s. But, it wasn’t just great handling that gave the Manx its edge. They were fast, very fast. While most British bikes The big single cylinder engines were powered by OHV were either SOHC or DOHC at a singles, the Manx had time when most bikes had pushrods, either a SOHC and some were still using side-valve or DOHC setup, driven by arrangements. But the days of a shaft with bevel gears. the single cylinder Brit bike were numbered.

BIG SINGLES RULED THE WORLD

The British motorcycle industry at the time was dominated by OHV air-cooled single cylinder designs, all very similar in layout. Over many years, they slowly expanded these engines in both displacement and output until by the late 1930s, they had very nearly reached their physical limits at about 500cc and 30 horsepower. Any increase in either number led to excessive vibration.

THE MODERN TWIN IS BORN

In 1938, Edward Turner, legendary designer of the Ariel Square Four, devised a radical new approach to the problem in the parallel twin, launched in the new Triumph 500 Speed Twin. Built with the same technology and tooling as Triumph’s singles, it used two smaller

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pistons rather than one large one to make up its 500cc of displacement, both rising and falling together. It was a stroke of genius and revolutionized the motorcycle industry overnight. Alas World War II started two years later, ending production until The Dominator grew from the 1946. 500cc Dominator 88 to the But when civilian motorcycle 600cc Dominator 99. This is a production ramped back up 1959 Dominator 99. after the war, every British manufacturer had to have their own 500cc parallel twin design, and Norton was no different. In 1949 Norton launched its first twin, the 500cc Model 7. Development continued unabated as they built successively larger and more powerful twin cylinder machines.

NORTON DOMINATOR

Norton mounted the Model 7’s 500 twin-cylinder into the Manx’s new Featherbed frame in 1953, and named the new bike the Dominator 88. It ran through 1963, during which time they punched it out to 600cc creating the Dominator 99. In 1962, they punched it out again, this time to 650cc, renaming it the Dominator 650SS, which ran through 1969.

NORTON ATLAS: HORSEPOWER WARS

The race was on for bigger engines and more power. Triumph had enlarged its own 500 twin to 650cc in 1950, and was continually hopping it up further, first with the TR6 in 1956, then with the legendary twin-carb Bonneville in 1959. Norton had to step up its game. So, in 1962, they bored out the engine again, this time to 750cc, juicing up the styling a bit, and the Norton Atlas was born. By this time, the vertical twin in general was also reaching its physical limits, and the Norton twin, now making 55 horsepower, was no exception. Vibration was always a factor in parallel twins, with both pistons rising and falling together, and it was only getting worse the One of the last Nortons to use the larger those pistons legendary Featherbed Frame, this got, the more power 1969 Dominator 650SS was the they made and the precursor to the Commando. faster the engines turned.

its tradition of innovation, approached the vibration problem from a totally new direction. They created yet another iconic motorcycle frame, this one with what they called “Isolastic Suspension”, a system of rubber mounting the engine in common with the swing arm to isolate the engine’s vibration and channel it out the rear wheel to the road. It was brilliant, and proved to be highly effective at quelling the big Norton’s otherwise wicked engine vibration.

THE NORTON COMMANDO IS BORN

The new frame bequeathed a new bike, the Norton Commando, arguably Norton’s most famous bike, certainly their biggest commercial success. The Commando was an instant hit. It was a handsome machine, fast, powerful, it handled well, and it was smooth...very smooth. At the time of its launch in 1968, more than a full year ahead of the Honda 750 Four and the Triumph Trident, the Commando was considered to be the world’s fastest production motorcycle.

ONE STEP FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACK

Norton seemed adept at spinning off “Special Models” like the Production Racer and the John Player Norton (part of a crosspromotion with the famous British cigarette maker), by hanging trick bodywork on an otherwise stock Commando. They overreached however, with the “High Rider”, their hideous attempt at a factory chopper. Over the next few One more example of a Norton years, evolutionary changes Special, this is a 1972 750 were made, including a front Production Racer. As racy as it disk brake in 1973, electric looks, underneath it too is all continued... stock Commando.

VIBRATION IS THE ENEMY

Triumph, BSA and all the other British motorcycle manufacturers were experiencing the same vibration problems. But what to do about it? The long-term answer would have been to design completely new, totally modern engines more like the Japanese model. But the much-lower-volume Brits were perpetually strapped for cash and simply couldn’t afford it. Finances forced Norton mounted the same old Norton, Triumph, BSA and engine in the new frame at the rest of the Brits to make angle, creating a whole new, do with the engines they and more modern look. had. So Norton, true to Thunder Roads® Mid-Atlantic

APRIL 2016

start in 1975, and in 1973 it was punched out yet again, this time to a whopping 850cc. This the same engine that started out life as a 500cc twin! But the extra displacement allowed the power to come on at a lower rpm, making the bike smoother and a better overall road machine. Ultimate performance was becoming irrelevant in old British bikes like the Norton and the Triumph, in the face of the onslaught of modern superbikes from Japan.

THE DEATH OF THE BRITISH MOTORCYCLE INDUSTRY

Alas the handwriting was on the wall. The entire British motorcycle industry, once the envy of the world, was a hollowed out shell of its former self by the end of the 1960s. The few left standing struggled at the edge of insolvency. A British government hostile to industry was part of the problem. Unbelievably bad management on the part of the Brits making the business decisions was another part of it, a very big part. But they were also victims of changing times. The world was turning a corner, away from cottage industries manned by artisans hand-making antiquated products in low volumes, and toward the modern model typified by the Japanese. The Brits wanted to keep building the same bikes they always had, in pretty much the same way, just making them better each year. The Japanese held no such loyalty to their past, embracing anything that would help them makemore bikes, better, cheaper, faster. They literally swamped the British bike industry on a scale that they could never have competed with.

THE LAST GASP

BSA, who in 1960 was the world’s largest producer of motorcycles and one of the largest multi-national corporations overall, by 1972 was broke and out of business. They owned Triumph, who themselves

were struggling with a workers’ rebellion (that’s another story). Norton-Villiers, the only other British company still standing, bought Triumph in 1973 and formed a new entity, Norton-Villiers-Triumph. It was a noble thought, but it was too little too late. The last Norton Commando This 2009 Norton 961 rolled off the assembly line Commando is the future of Norton. A thoroughly modern in 1975 (although some of the unsold bikes were retitled bike, it is still instantly as ‘76s and ‘77s). Triumph, recognizable as a Norton. now owned by its workers, struggled along until 1983.

THE MODERN NORTON

Several attempts have been made to revive the hallowed Norton name, including the stillborn 1987 Norton twin-rotor Wankel motorcycle. More recently, UK businessman Stuart Garner, owner of Norton Racing Ltd., acquired the rights to the Norton Commando brand. He had a totally new bike designed from a clean sheet of paper, using modern technology but meant to be instantly recognizable as a Commando. The Norton 961 Commando launched in 2010 and is still in limited production today. For more info and more eye-popping pictures of all your favorite classic Brit bikes, visit Classic-British-Motorcycles.com.

This 1975 850 Commando was one of the last Nortons to roll off the assembly line.

20 APRIL 2016

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Sponsored By;

Mechanicsville Moose Lodge #495

4 Wheels Are Welcome!

Saturday, May 7th Registration Starts at 10:30am Ride Begins at 11:00am Ride Starts at the Center for Children, 6100 Radio Station Road (Across from La Plata High School)

Poker Run Format

Guaranteed Payout $400 for 1st $200 for 2nd $100 for 3rd $50 a bike with 2 riders—$30 a bike with 1 rider Includes a T-shirt courtesy of Waldorf Ford and a post-ride party at the Moose Lodge #495,

Stops Include: All American Harley Davidson, Vera’s Beach Club, Sea Breeze, Sandgates, Hill’s Store & Moose Lodge #495 Police Escort from Center for Children to All American Harley Davidson Provided by the Charles County Sheriff’s Office.

Check us out at www.biikr.org No rain date. In case of inclement weather, bring your car.

Proceeds Support the Center for Children’s Child Trauma Services

�Ace Upholstery �All Pawn � Arrow American Pest Control �Burger King of Southern Maryland �Chesapeake Custom Embroidery �Creighton Nationwide Insurance � Exiled MC �Hills Store � InStyle Salon � Roofing by George � Spring Haven Homes, Inc. � Steve’s Catering � Southern Maryland Soda Blasting � Terry’s Desserts � Usual Suspects MC � Waldorf Service Center � Winters Chiropractic & Physical Therapy For More Information: www.biikr.org or Center for Children 301.609.9887 03/11/16

APRIL 2016

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Ripleys at Panama City

Strom Thurmond Dam on the Way to the Gap

FL, FLHTK, H2O,AND A1A

acation approved, a new Harley Davidson Ultra Limited loaded to the gills, and Peanut aboard, it was KSU for Florida. We had 12 days to do whatever we felt like doing, so avoiding highways was first on our list.

ROAD CAPTAIN’S REPORT

Shenny, our new machine, short for Shenandoah, was running like a champ. Standing her up for the first time with all of that gear loaded caused a bit of concern along with the grunt. But after arriving in Monterey, crossing three mountains in the Allegheny’s on 250, all but eliminated any worries about her handling. Maybe I should have named her Allie? We made it to Lenoir City, TN on our first leg. The inn keeper at the motel really enjoyed his job, telling us all about the great motorcycle riding in the area, along with how to connect to the Wi-Fi in our room. It’s not too often I run into people that cheerful in the service industry. Gary Busey must have hired him. Even though the bike came with a GPS, I was still using my smartphone to navigate. We only had 20 more miles to go, but it was saying it would take us an hour to get there. That’s because our destination was Panama City, and it was rush hour. It was here that I was glad I had the LED filler brake lights installed on our new ride. It was getting dark and boy do they like to tailgate down there when it’s quittin time! I guess that’s pretty much true most anywhere though. I had booked a service at the Harley shop the next day. The odometer was reading just shy of 950 miles. We got there at 10, and were out by 1, with all of the bugs washed off to boot. We had the room for two nights, so we had some time to enjoy the city. Little did I know at the time, but the Daze Inn, where we were staying, was within walking distance to a couple of surf shops, a convenience store, Harpoon Harry’s, Hooters, and a couple of bars, including one with Karaoke. After getting more than our fair share of seafood, we explored one

of the nearby piers and commenced to sing the entire available Tom Petty library at the bar later that evening. Details are sketchy, but Rose said she got much of it on video.

Heading out the next morning, one thing was for certain, we weren’t going to hit any more chains for breakfast. I mean, how do you screw up scrambled eggs? They ought to call it Phoneys. We arrived in Mexico Beach and found a little cafe that was buzzing with locals. The ride there was beautiful along the coast and the F-22s flying from nearby Tyndall AFB was the icing on the cake. Breakfast hit the spot, but I couldn’t get this song out of my head about running down a dream for some reason. We said goodbye to the coast and were greeted by some of the most intensely boring roads I’ve ever ridden. Miles and miles, as far as the eye could see, of straight, flat asphalt, in the middle of a forest, was almost coma inducing. At least traffic was light. We had lunch at Max and Ruby’s enjoying more seafood in Cross City. Our eyes beckoning to stay shut, we reached Weeki Wachee, our oasis and room for the night, where we did some laundry and weeki wacheed TV. We wanted to check out the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, since it would be close to our root. We reluctantly selected “highways” to get there without all of the traffic lights in the big city. We stopped at the pier on the north side and set up the tripod for some pics. It was getting hot. We didn’t have the room to stow any more gear, so we dosed up on water and opened all the vents on the bike and our jackets. Crossing the bridge, Rose motioned with the camera, indicating the battery had died. Shaking my head, we stopped on the other side, loaded a new battery and headed back over the bridge again. By the third crossing, I think we had all the damn pictures we needed.

Cheoah Dam Near the Dragon

24 APRIL 2016

Near Naples, we stopped at Everglades Motorcycle Service. Some idiot thought they might have Thunder Roads® Mid-Atlantic

Sunshine Skyway Bridge North Pier

Panama City

jackets at 26 degrees’ latitude. The kind lady who worked there spent some time with us and suggested places for us to go on our way to Homestead. One of them was Everglades City, where we had a late lunch at Camellia Street Grill watching air boats from their outdoor patio. The atmosphere was very authentic, and the menu very pricey, but given the remote location, understandable. The warm, friendly staff made it an enjoyable experience. Rose tried to get a pic of me at the table, but I photo bombed her every Gary Alberto Some time:) Dude and Magel We were headed for Homestead over a swamp. As a mountain canoer on two wheels, I was not at all familiar with this landscape. Riding just a few feet above sea level, the road and the water seemed to be competing for the same sliver of land beneath us. There was a levee to our left and gates every few miles to manage the water level. Peanut was like, “Whatever.”

Souther nmost Point Thunder Roads® Mid-Atlantic

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Gary Alberto Rose and I Arriving at Krome Avenue, we were greeted by our first traffic jam that took about a half hour to disperse. The “parade mode” kicked in with a thump, thump, thump, so we shut her down since we weren’t going Heading to anywhere. Arriving Key West at our hotel, we were pretty whipped from the long ride. We ordered pizza and decided to use this location as basecamp and set out for Key West in the am. We enjoyed breakfast with outdoor seating at Evelyn’s in Key Largo. It was early March and we were quite comfortable, and it provided the much needed fuel to get us the next 100 miles. Traffic was moderate. Once we arrived, the island was hopping. We had the good fortune of someone suggesting where to park near Duval Street where they rented scooters. We got some T Shirts at Peterson’s and sat outside at Fogarty’s for a delicious lunch. The sidewalks, shops, restaurants and bars were jammin, and it was only 1:00. We would have loved to have participated, but the ride back would require all of my wits. We got the obligatory pic at Southernmost Point

continued... 25

us on some roads with something we’d seldom seen the last few days: curves! It was almost euphoric being able to lean into a corner and ride it like a boss again.

and headed back to basecamp Homestead. The ride wasn’t what I expected. I thought there would be more bridges and less land, but it was similar in some respects to riding in OBX. The bridges we were on, displayed an emerald green surface on the water, something I’d never seen in person. I had prepared myself to exercise patience, but by the time we reached Key Largo, it had run out following a pickup truck several vehicles ahead, doing 5-10 under the speed limit for the last 50 miles, and nowhere to pass. We stopped for gas after a bus pulled out ahead of him and passed him on our way back to Basecamp. He must have been hourly. There was no sign of the bus. Next time we’ll take the ferry.

With Larry CM and Dewayne

Day seven was shaping up to be a gem. We were going to meet my YouTube buddy Alberto Riding the Gulf Coast of Florida Outdoor Adventures for breakfast. Since we were so close to the Nascar track, we stopped for a photo, along the way, of the speedway by the palms. Breakfast was at 9. Our GPS had other plans and routed us to a gated community. Still scratching my head on that one, we arrived 15 minutes late to a cheerful greeting. We enjoyed breakfast at Soriano Brothers with Alberto’s friends Gary and Magel with the camera rolling for a video he would later post on his channel. We were later escorted to a local fruit/ veggie stand where Gary was accused of stealing an avocado because the poor girl at the register didn’t know Apex on the Gap! the difference between a biker and a cyclist when her boss asked her if he had paid for Deals the fruit. We all laughed at the misunderstanding and headed north to Cafe 27. We arrived just after 11. The place was busy and there were lots of bikes in the parking lot. Alberto ordered us some refreshments, as we watched a groom and his new bride, in wedding dress, arrive on his bike dragging beer cans attached with fishing line. Alberto then showed Rose the proper way to mix a lime in a Corona. This was demonstrated in the video. We said our goodbyes and thank you’s to our excellent host and new friends. It was very cool to meet everyone after seeing them in the videos the last couple of years. They’ve really got a cool thing going on, and know how to have fun! Daytona was still over 5 hours away. We stuck to the back roads hugging Lake Okeechobee. We didn’t see any of it until we got to the lock and dam. We would have stopped but had too many miles to go. Closing in on the beach, the GPS was directing

We arrived in Daytona around 6:30. Marillion’s “You’re Gone” was playing through the speakers. The song has a tropical vibe and enhanced our triumphant excitement amidst all the bikes on the strip. We checked in, unpacked our gear and headed downtown to the Oyster Shack. Bikes were everywhere! It was like a different world and we felt great to be a part of it.

Another incredible experience happened the next day after breakfast. On a bike, this has become all too common. We were riding north on A1A when a bike pulled out ahead of us. I thought to myself, “I recognize that bike. Is it the one we sold to Dewayne?” I pulled next to him and it sure was! I waved and honked the horn. He said he was headed back to the hotel where we followed him. He was down for bike week with a group of “regulars” from the dealership, including Larry, Rick, CM, and Bobby. We followed them to the speedway and hung out checking out all the manufacturer and vendor spots. We knew they were down there, but didn’t expect to bump into them out of the blue like that. Thank you Universe! We said our goodbye’s and had a late lunch at DJ’s by the water watching pelicans vii for fish. At the hotel, we parked the bike and walked across the street to a Karaoke bar with pool tables and $2.00 Skyway Bridge beers. There was a guitar player singing perfectly to well-known songs, which was probably a good thing for the patrons, instead of me at the mike with Tom Petty tunes, or worse, Journey. Instead, we played pool and listened to the bartender tell jokes between songs. In the morning we headed for home. The food was awesome! The ride had been a dream come true to this point. We were Jonesing for an apex. We took two more days to slay a Dragon along the way. In typical fashion, “Fantastic Place” had shuffled over the speakers, confirming that the universe had indeed, unfolded before us the entire way. It sprinkled on us for a minute getting to Daytona. For the rest of the 12 days, the rain gear was just another passenger. Peanut, Shenny, Rose and I, got to step off the train of life for nearly two weeks and experience a part of the country, neither of us had been before, with the exception of perhaps, Peanut. Who knows where that suit case has been? It was so long, we almost missed the opportunity of hopping back on. “Happiness is the Road”, another Marillion favorite, comes to mind. We wish we could do it all over again and we look forward to the next one! Cheers and thanks for reading! Marc Ritchie aka the Road Captain Photos By Rose Grant

26 APRIL 2016

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hunder Roads® Mid-Atlantic community; allow me to humbly introduce myself. My name is Leon “LB” Brittain, publisher of Throttle Life. I’m not only excited, but damn honored to be a new contributor for Thunder Roads Mid-Atlantic under the new column Throttle Life. I bring with me 15 or so years of journalist and photography experience working with publications as Cycle Dreams, 2 Wheel Tuner, Sportbikes Inc. and of course Throttle Life. I’ve been fortunate to attend press/ media trips with Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha, Star Motorcycles, and Harley-Davidson as well as meeting and working with a few celebs and personalities along the way. Although I’ve done quite a bit throughout my 2 Wheel career, I know there’s always room to grow and more to accomplish, hence my excitement when the fellas of Thunder Roads Mid-Atlantic expressed an interest and were crazy enough in bringing me on-board as a contributor. Via Throttle Life, I’ve covered a number

of events throughout the years and I’ve witnessed firsthand the hustle, dedication, and grind this team puts in to bringing you quality content and energetically charged events from Timonium to Ocean City. Now we’re taking that content and reach even further. I look forward to bringing a new dynamic to the mix with sport bike features from owners and custom builders as locally based Darryl Kinsey with Myrtle West Customs, painters as Raphael Proctor of Artistic Custom Kreations whose work has been seen in nationally distributed publications. Then I’ll introduce you to featured riders as Everett “Bay” Morton with four of the baddest supercharged Harleys on the streets by famed Kendall Johnson Customs. Then we’ll take a trip to the drag strip with the likes Mike Mace Motorsports and Robbie “Superman” Hunnicutt and so much more. Hold on Thunder Roads® Mid-Atlantic, it’s going to be a fun ride!

Americade 2009 FONZ3655

Harley CVO 28 APRIL 2016

Harley-Davidson Mullholand Thunder Roads® Mid-Atlantic

Kawasaki-Infineon

Kawasaki-Americade 2015 Road Glide

08 Suzuki Hayabusa

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Model: Raqvel Ross Photography Credit to: Bobby T Rocks 32 APRIL 2016

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Bike Specs Owner: Don Higgins Painted: Steve Wisniewski of PairaDice Paints Frame: Stretched Pro Street Drop Seat 330 RSD Swingarm Engine: Polished Ultima 113 Driveline: Polished Ultima 6-speed Ultima Drag style 3 ½ inch belt drive Exhaust: Paul Yaffe Phantom 2-1 exhaust Extras: Custom Seat by Rick Seitzinger @ Specialized Auto Interiors Saber XT Digital Speedometer LED Mirrors Wheels: 21 inch / 330-18

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(More Locations will be added every month)

CHECK-IN LOCATIONS

BIG CITY RHINO CHALLENGE PRESENTED BY THUNDER ROADS MAGAZINE® MID-ATLANTIC

REGISTRATION & CHECK-IN LOCATIONS

Harley Davidson of Baltimore

8845 Pulaski Hwy. Baltimore, MD 21237 410-238-2003

www.hdstore.com

Old Glory Harley Davidson

11800 Laurel Bowie Road, Laurel, MD 20708

Pete’s Cycle (Baltimore)

7511 Belair Rd. Baltimore, MD. 21236 443-957-4189

Pete’s Cycle (Bel Air)

344 Bel Air Rd. Bel Air, MD 21014 410-879-3586

Pete’s Cycle (Severna Park)

800 Ritchie Hwy. Severna Park, MD. 21146 443-977-6484

Rider Insunance

Look for the Rider Booth at all the Rolling Bike Show Events

A to Z Cycles

1472 E. Lebanon Rd. Dover, DE 19901

Bryan & Brent’s Place

229 North River Street Weston, WV 26452

304-997-8722

Kickstands Bar & Grill

3200 Junkins Ave. Clarksburg, WV 26301

304-624-0600

Lenny’s Leather

127 North Centre St. Cumberland, MD. 21502 240-362-8211

301-575-0575 www.oldgloryhd.com www.petescycle.com

www.petescycle.com www.petescycle.com

302-632-2272 www.atozcycles.com

Free Patch Sew with Purchase / Check-in In-Step Leather

7540 Washington Blvd. US1 Shopping Center Elkridge, MD.

New Castle Rommel H-D

2160 New Castle Ave. New Castle, DE 19720 302-658-8800 1st (5) Five Check-ins get a FREE T-Shirt

Big City Body Art

154 C Lafayette Ave. Laurel, MD. 20707 240-482-6162 1st (10) Ten get check-ins get $25 Gift Card

CHECK-IN LOCATIONS

410-799-1568

www.wickedkillaink.com

Apehangers

9100 Crain Hwy. Bel Alton, Maryland 301-753-1650

Battley Cycles

7830 Airpark Road Gaithersburg, MD 301-948-4581 www.battley.com

C & C Cycle

8182 Telegraph Rd, Severn, MD 21144 410-305-0924

Chesapeake Cycles (Victory & Indian)

104 Defense Hwy. Annapolis, MD 21401 410-266-0015 www.chesapeakecycles.com 1st (10) Ten Get 25% off in stock Jackets

Hickory House

1137 US Hwy 19 North Jane Lew, WV 26378

Mary’s Bargan Cycles

New Castle Farmers Market 110 N. DuPont Hwy. New Castle, DE 19720

Outback Leather

309 Main Street, Laurel, MD. 20707 301-604-2211 www.mdoutbackleather.com Random Check-in from May will win Free Custom Made Belt

Pickle’s Pub

Midway Shopping Center, 706 Philadelphia Ave, Ocean City, MD 21842 (410) 289-4891

Pit & Pub

2706 Philadelphia Ave. Ocean City, MD. 21842 410-289-2020 www.pitandpub.com

RG Honda-Yamaha

1619 Buckhannon Pike Nutter Fort, WV 26301

Rider Insunance

Look for the Rider Booth at all the Rolling Bike Show Events

Rips

3809 N. Crain Hwy. Bowie, MD

Road Hogs Saloon

415 Clayton Street, Rivesville, WV

SeaBreeze

27130 S. Sandgates Rd, Mechanicsville, MD. 20659 301-373-5217

Second Chance Saloon

5888 Oliver Place Columbia, MD 21045 443-545-5844 Black List Approved

The Tavern

4975 St Leonard Rd, Saint Leonard, Maryland (410) 586-2225

Thinkin Ink (Fairmont)

508 Race Street Fairmont, WV 26354

Thinkin Ink (Clarksburg)

196 Buckhannon Pike Clarksburg, WV

Whirled of Color

116 Roesler Road Glen Burnie, MD 21060 410-553-0953 First (5) Check-ins get $100 off Custom Paint work done by Whirled of Color.

Woodstock Inn

1514 Woodstock RD. Woodstock, MD 21163 410-750-3673 www.woodstockinn.net

34 APRIL 2016

www.apehangersbar.com www.candccycle.com

304-269-7373 302-322-9323

304-624-5420 www.rghonda.com

304-366-1279 304-622-7272

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I was taught that a manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s word was his word, and trust had to be earned. Rider gets it.

Ride with Rider. Get your quote today. Visit rider.com or call (844) 276-0161. Available in Delaware, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.

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Part 8

ollowing the Second Great War, things in the motorcycle world were changing faster than Katy Perry’s hair color. Across the pond, the BSA group purchased Triumph in 1951 and quickly became the world’s largest motorcycle producer. The German NSU was the largest manufacturer from 1955 to 1959, only to be beat out of first place by Honda in 1960. Norton had its own developments, with the manufacturing of the twin cylinder Dominator with a featherbed frame – lightweight and strong this café racer was the ride of choice by numerous world champion racers. Back home in the states, Indian ceased all operations and production in 1950. Five years later, Brockhouse Engineering purchased the rights to the Indian Motorcycle name and sold imported Royal Enfield models branded as Indian models until 1960. While others struggled, HarleyDavidson kept on keepin’ on and in 1952 released the side valve K model. This model featured an integrated engine and transmission to compete with sportier motorcycles coming out of Great Britain. In 1957 Harley delegated the K model the “Sportster”…it boasted a 55 cubic inch overhead valve engine, and within 1 year of its debut had become known as the first of the “superbikes”. The following year Harley introduced the first hydraulic rear brake and new rear suspension on Big Twin models, and the all new Duo-Glide.

institution had been forever introduced into American society…and we thank you for that.

Post war background aside…what were our Veterans doing now that the war was over and they were back on American soil? Well they did what any one would do when out of sorts…they found a replacement for the comradery they had found during the war. That replacement came in the form of motorcycle riders grouped loosely into organized clubs…unbeknownst to them; these veterans had just changed history in the United States. The “biker” came into being, a new social

You may be asking, what exactly is a bobber? Is it the same as a chopper? Well, the answer is No…While a chopper could indeed also be a bobber; they are not one in the same. Webster’s time is upon us…A bobber is defined as a stripped, stock motorcycle with a “bobbed” or shortened fender and only essential motorcycle parts remaining. It is minimalistic and has had as much weight shed as possible to increase speed and performance. On the other end of the spectrum lies the chopper…

Last month I mentioned the overwhelming amount of surplus bikes that remained after the war…cheap and plentiful, people started snatching them up. Now, these groups that were gathering together (bikers if you will) must have had some time on their hands, because they weren’t content with just changing social history once… Oh no my friends...these guys wanted far more. Now, having ridden European bikes during the war, they realized that Harley-Davison made some dependable machines, but they just couldn’t compete speed wise with what they had ridden during the war. So, naturally, they took these surplus bikes home and decided to modify them. These bikes were stripped down…ammunition racks, windshields, and scabbards discarded. Fenders were shortened or in some cases removed. Some left the paint alone, some chose to alter the standard olive green. What resulted in the end was the start of a new era, one that would change the world of motorcycles for generations to come. And so history was made again… probably in some dude’s garage…the bobber is born. While the bobber will reign for most of the decade, there is yet another change on the horizon…the bobber’s flashy cousin…the chopper comes to visit near the end of the fifties.

1942 Harley Flathead WLA Bobber

1956 HARLEY KH STREET TRACKER

40S BOBJOBS_

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INDIAN FOUR

The chopper has also had non-essential items removed, but it has a major difference…the frame is not stock, it has been “chopped” and modified from its original factory state and the rake of the front fork has also been modified in order to move the front tire further from the bike.

and produced some pretty amazing names in the biker world. So, although I have been told that I shouldn’t encourage egocentrism…I am going to give in, just this once and spend next month looking at all that is chopper, and the extremes the chopper culture went to in the 1960’s.

Now while the bobber maintained its minimalistic approach and focus on function and speed, the chopper presents riders with the option of being fast, as well as eye catching. When building choppers first became a “thing” most people didn’t really know exactly what they were doing. Bikers would gather in garages and/or shops, enlisting the help of friends in order to modify their frames and lighten their bikes. Gas tanks, headlights, and blinkers were made smaller. Some bikers removed their batteries and replaced them with magnetos to further reduce weight. Standard front tires were replaced with narrower tires, and handlebars were modified to be taller to compensate for the rake of the front fork (ape hangers). Bikers noticed immediately how much different it was to ride a motorcycle with these modifications, but did that stop anyone from pushing the envelope and creating bigger and better choppers in the future? Of course not…I’ve never met a biker who would back down from a challenge, and this was no different.

Melanie Schwarte Melanie@thunderroadsiowa.com Thunder Roads Magazine® Iowa

I affectionately referred to the chopper as the “flashy cousin” of the bobber….but let’s be honest here. The Chopper is more like an attention whore, and being in the limelight seems only fitting for such a diva. Choppers are unique, they are individualistic, and they deserve their own article. The chopper era took the Unites States by storm, 1941 Bobber

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Rider

ith riding season upon us, we just want to fire up our motorcycle and take a ride down the street, a short trip to the eastern shore or visit a friend on the other side of town. But we need to be reasonable and ask ourselves, when was the last time I checked the bike? Do I know where my gear is? Is the bike ready for me? T-CLOCS will help answer any questions you may have on the bikes ability to get you where you want to go. This checklist comes from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF), which dubs it T-CLOCS, for Tires/wheels/brakes, Controls, Lights/electrics, Oil/fluids, Chassis, and Stands. Your owner’s manual can tell you specific items to check on your motorcycle. Let’s get started.

bearing failure. Check the brakes to make sure they stop the wheel from spinning.

Next up are your controls. Levers and pedals should be undamaged, properly adjusted, and work freely. Cables should move smoothly, with no visible signs of fraying. Hydraulic hoses should be free of scratches, bulges, leaks, or signs of deterioration. Check the throttle to make sure it, too, works freely, and snaps back when closed.

TIPS

That means starting at the bottom with your tires. Make sure they’re properly inflated, especially important if you’re carrying luggage and/or a passenger. Check the tread surface for proper depth, and check the sidewalls for cracks or bulges. Move on to the wheels. If you’ve got spoked rims, grab handfuls of spokes to check tension—none should be loose enough to move. For cast wheels, inspect for cracks or dents. Cast or spoked, spin the wheel to ensure it’s true: There should be less than 5mm of run-out, vertically or horizontally. Grab the wheel at the perimeter and try to push/pull it side-to-side. Any movement indicates wheel

Lights and electrics are pretty simple—everything should work. Check to make sure your headlight functions on both low and high beams, your tail and brake lights work, as well as your turn signals. At a glance, check for any frayed wiring. As well, your battery levels should be up to snuff (if your bike has a conventional wet-cell), and fully charged. Oil and fluids are likewise easy to check, usually only requiring a visual inspection. Hydraulic reservoirs for brake and/or clutch normally have sight glasses, or the reservoirs are translucent plastic, making it simplicity itself to check for the proper level. But also look and see if the fluid is light-colored and clear. Dark, muddy-colored fluid will need replacing as soon as possible. On liquid-cooled bikes, the catch tank is also normally translucent, so you can ensure the proper level of coolant. Sight glasses are also common for checking oil level, although some bikes still use the traditional dipstick. Add oil if necessary. No leaks of any fluids should be evident. Now take a few moments to inspect the chassis. Rotate the handlebar(s) through their movement fully. They should move freely, with no sticking, and no feel of flat spots in the steering head bearings. With the bike on its centerstand or work stand, grasp the fork legs near the axle and try to move them front-to back. Any play indicates a problem. At the rear, grab the wheel and try to move it side-to-side. Again, any movement indicates a problem, in this case with the swingarm bearings. Check chain tension, lubrication, and alignment, then inspect the rear sprocket teeth for unusual wear. Take the bike off its stand, sit in the saddle and make sure both front and rear suspensions move freely and smoothly. Lastly, do a check of your sidestand and centerstand (if applicable). Both should be free of cracks or bends, should have their springs in place, and be able to securely support the motorcycle as intended. If you bike is ready then ask yourself if you are ready. Are you dressed appropriately, does you gear fit you correctly? How old is your helmet? Have you been drinking or are you taking any medication that can affect your reaction time? If your bike is ready and you are ready then go for it and enjoy your ride with confidence and peace of mind.

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Dear people who type in all lowercase….. We are the difference between helping your Uncle Jack off a horse and helping your uncle jack off a horse. Sincerely, Capital Letters. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------Things That Make You Go WTF? WHY do drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the back of the store to get their prescriptions while so-called healthy people can buy cigarettes at the register right by front door? WHY do people order double, bacon cheeseburgers, large fries, and a Diet Coke?

together? WHY if flying is supposedly so safe, do they call the airport the terminal? WHY in a 3,000 sq. ft. home, if there’s one fly in the entire house, it’s buzzing around you throughout the entire day? WHY is it if you go grocery shopping when hungry you end up spending twice the amount of money on food you can’t eat till you get home? Good reasoning to stop and grab a burger before going to the grocery store.

WHY do banks leave mammoth vault doors wide open and then chain the pens to the counters?

Why is it some people will go sky-diving and love it but refuse to get on a commercial plane as a passenger and fly?

WHY do we always take a dump, then stand up and turn around and scope it out?

Why is the word conundrum so fun to say?

WHY do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and put our useless junk in the

Fact: Life is Short, but laughter goes a Long way.

garage? WHY do we buy hot dogs in packages of ten and buns in packages of eight? WHY can’t most women put on mascara with their mouth clo sed? WHY don’t you ever see the headline; ‘Psychic Wins Lottery’? WHY is ‘abbreviated’ such a long word? WHY is it that doctors call what they do ‘practice’? WHY do Politicians always talk about equality when our entire political system is structured to pit us against each other with two major sides? WHY is the man who invests all your money called a broker? WHY is the time of day with the slowest traffic called rush hour? WHY isn’t there mouse-flavored cat food? WHY didn’t Noah swat those damn, last two mosquitoes? WHY do they sterilize the needle and the arm when prisons do lethal injections? You know that indestructible black box that is used on airplanes? WHY don’t they make the whole plane out of that stuff? WHY don’t sheep shrink when it rains? WHY are they called apartments when they are all stuck Thunder Roads®Mid-Atlantic

APRIL 2016

So. MD Vacations FOR Vets

Poker Run June 5, 2016 - Registration starts at 10:00 at the Hollywood VFD - Ride leaves at 11:00 with a police escort through Lexington Park - $25 per person – includes your event T-Shirt and a post-ride party at the Mechanicsville Moose Lodge - Chicken dinner provided by Steve’s Catering - This event is open to everyone – motorcycles and vehicles. Bring what you got!! - For more information, please visit our webpage at vac4vets.org or contact Susan Kilroy at 301-399-0013

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Music APRIL 2016

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CRISPY CROCKPOT CHICKEN 1 Whole Chicken 1/2 Stick of Butter or Quality Margarine 1/4 Cup of Dark Brown Sugar Salt & Pepper to Taste 1 tsp. Garlic Powder 1 tsp. Onion Powder 1 tsp. Smoked Paprika 1/2 tsp. Chili Powder 1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper (optional) 1/2 tsp. Cumin 1/2 Cup Chicken Stock Rinse chicken thoroughly and rub down with butter or margarine with both hands. Mix ALL above listed seasonings and rub into chicken inside and out. Place gently in crockpot on top of the 1/2 cup of chicken stock. Cook on High for 4 hours. Do Not rub liquid or splash over chicken or your spices will float off. If you need more liquid after a couple hours; add sparingly. Liquid is Not to go into chicken cavity; it’s just used to create from burning. Very carefully remove and put on small baking pan lined in aluminum foil. Place in oven under Broil setting for just long enough to see it getting crispy and brown; apprx. 5 minutes. If you’re doing this before you leave for work, just put setting on LOW and then crisp it up just before serving. This chicken is amazing in flavor. Use this same recipe when you’re home and can cook it in the oven on 350 degrees for just an hour & half. Great easy supper on table in 15 minutes when you get home and the taste will truly amaze you. It is cluckin’ good!

Thunder Roads® Mid-Atlantic

PEANUT SAUCE PASTA 1 Cup of Quality Peanut Butter 1/4 Cup of Water or Coconut Milk 2 Tbls. of Sriracha 1/4 Cup of Rice Vinegar 1 Tbl. Sesame Oil 2 Tbls. of Brown Sugar 1 Tbl. Ginger (dried spices ok; just rub between fingers to get burst of flavor Julienne 1 Carrot & 1 Yellow & 1 Red pepper Add Chopped Scallions 1 Cup of Frozen Broccoli Florets Add everything to non-stick skillet or Wok and work around until everything well coated. Serve over pasta such as Linguini, add a pat of butter for flavor and if want meat, add some chicken from a rotisserie pre-cooked one from store. This is one of my fave sauces and you can use in so many dishes. Serve hot or cold.

E-Z CINNAMON ROLL FRENCH TOAST BAKE

2 Tubes of Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls (not Grands) Cut in half, turn sideways and make 3 cuts so that you get 8 pieces out of each round. In a glass bowl mix; 6 Eggs 1/2 Cup Half & Half 1 Heaping Tbl. of Cinnamon (dry spice ok) 2 tsps. of Quality Vanilla Softened butter (don’t use spray) smeared all over glass baking dish Place all cut up roll pieces in the bottom of baking dish Pour mixture all over, covering every piece completely Cook in a 375 degree oven for 12 minutes, remove and pour 1 Cup of Maple Syrup all over, again covering completely. Cook for another 12 minutes. Nuke the frosting that comes with rolls for 10 seconds so that it’s thin and easy to pour. If needed, pour more warm syrup over when pull from oven and then pour the frosting all over and spoon out big portions. This goes great with bacon & eggs. Breakfast is Served! Y’all Come On.

APRIL 2016

Thunder Roads速 Mid-Atlantic

Thunder Roads速Mid-Atlantic

APRIL 2016

Thunder Roads速 Mid-Atlantic

ENDORSED BY THE NATIONAL COALITION OF MOTORCYCLISTS $2

HIRE ATTORNEYS WHO RIDE

Law Offices of RICHARD M. LESTER

Not Just ONE Attorney The AIM Team to Help YOU

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Founder, Aid to Injured Motorcyclists

Local Tennessee Offices to Serve You Free Legal Consultation No Recovery = No Fee We Make House Calls Attorneys in Every State and Province Who Ride No Fee on Motorcycle Damage Recovery Also Auto Accidents

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THE AIM/NCOM MOTORCYCLE SERVICE is brought to you by Aid to AIM-2622-F-Ad for Tennessee.inddE-NEWS 1 Injured Motorcyclists (A.I.M.) and the National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM), and is sponsored by the Law Offices of Richard M. Lester. If you’ve been involved in any kind of accident, call us at 1-(800) ON-A-BIKE or visit www.ON-A-BIKE.com. NCOM BIKER NEWSBYTES Compiled & Edited by Bill Bish, National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM) NCOM CONVENTION HONORS FALLEN RIDERS; INVITES NAMES FOR TRIBUTE With the 31st Annual NCOM Convention in Atlantic City just weeks away, the National Coalition of Motorcyclists is requesting that MROs, motorcycle clubs, and riding associations submit the names of those members and supporters who have died since May 2015, so that we may honor their memories during the traditional “Ringing of the Bell” tribute to fallen riders during the opening ceremonies. Dedications can be hand-delivered at the Convention to “Doc” Reichenbach, NCOM Chairman of the Board, or e-mailed in advance to Bill Bish at NCOMBish@aol.com. Attendees are also encouraged to bring an item on behalf of their organization for the Freedom Fund Auction, with proceeds benefiting the motorcyclists’ rights movement nationwide through Getting Our People Elected donations, NCOM Speaker Program, lobbying activities and other pro-motorcycling projects as determined by the NCOM Board of Directors. The 31st annual NCOM Convention will be held Mother’s Day weekend, May 5-8, 2016 at Harrah’s Resort, located at 777 Harrah’s Blvd in Atlantic City, New Jersey. This annual gathering will draw bikers’ rights activists from across the country to discuss topics of concern to all riders, so reserve your room now for the special NCOM rate of $109 by calling (888) 516-2215. Registration fees for the NCOM Convention are $80 including the Silver Spoke Awards Banquet on Saturday night, or $45 for the Convention only. All motorcyclists are welcome and encouraged to attend. Meetings, seminars and group discussions will focus on legislative efforts and litigation techniques to benefit our right to ride and Freedom of the Road. To pre-register, call the National Coalition of Motorcyclists at (800) 525-5355 or visit www.ON-A-BIKE.com. ANTI-PROFILING BILL HEARD IN MINNESOTA A minority group claims its members are being unfairly profiled and stopped by police, and it’s demanding a bill to prevent it. That group is motorcyclists, and the legislation, put before Minnesota’s Senate Judiciary Committee by State Senator David Osmek (R-Mound), would require Minnesota’s Board of Peace Officer Standards & Training to develop a statewide policy to eliminate motorcyclist profiling, including methods to identify and avoid it. SF1509 in the Senate, and companion bill HF59 in the House, would also require every law enforcement agency in the state to

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have “a written anti-motorcycle profiling policy.” 11/1/11 5:06 PM In testimony, several members of Minnesota motorcycle clubs laid out a litany of their own experiences: Officers they believed had pulled them over on trumped-up pretenses questioned them about who they were and why they were in their community and, in some cases, photographed their tattoos & patches. “It’s my constitutional right to be in a Motorcycle Club,” said Jim Jahnke of Rochester, the National V.P. of the Sons of Silence MC. Frank Ernst of Chanhassen, MN representing ABATE of Minnesota, and also chairman of the National Coalition of Motorcyclists - Legislative Task Force (NCOM-LTF), described an instance in which he said he was pulled over by an officer who claimed he hadn’t seen Ernst’s protective eye wear, which he was wearing, but Ernst didn’t file an official complaint. Sen. Osmek admitted the bill is based largely on anecdotal evidence, but told the state’s Daily Globe newspaper that “I’m focusing on something that constituents brought to me that they had issue with,” and he urges motorcyclists to file complaints and collect data on their own in order to make a stronger case. Meanwhile, a motorcycle profiling bill is gaining momentum in Maryland, having passed the state Senate unanimously 47-0 on March 3 and now moves to the House, positioning Maryland to become the second state in the country behind Washington to pass such anti-discrimination legislation. FEWER AMERICANS GETTING A DRIVER’S LICENSE It used to be a rite of passage into adulthood, but today fewer and fewer U.S. residents are lining up at their local DMV to get a driver’s license, and new data indicates that all age groups are affected. Analyzing decades of data from the Federal Highway Administration, a team from the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute found that since 2011, the number of U.S. citizens with drivers licenses across all age groups, from 16 to 70, has decreased. A recent University of Michigan report analyzed decades’ worth of Federal Highway Administration records to show how licensure across all age groups has declined in the period stretching from 1983 to 2014. Last year, nearly 77% of 20- to 24-year-old drivers held a license; in 1983, nearly 92% in that age bracket had one. Four years ago, the number was about 80%. For 16- through 44-year-olds, there has been a continuous decline in the percentage of people with a driver’s license. The news may not be surprising for younger generations, who are more likely to use public transit or a ride-sharing company, or telecommute, but researchers also found a decline in the number of older adults with a driver’s license. Other reports have detected related trends, such as a decrease in the distance driven per person and less travel time overall, but even as the age of driverless cars approaches, a driver’s license will continue to be mandatory for years to come.

APRIL 2016

upcoming events

Thunder Roads® MID-ATLANTIC is not responsible for inaccuracies or the specifics of the information provided. If you would like your event listed, please email details and your contact information to: Events@BigCityRhino.com

DELAWARE Local 313 Car and Motorcycle Show Sunday, April 24, 2016 from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM IBEW Local 313 814 W Basin Rd, New Castle, Delaware Come and have a great time with music, food, cars, bikes and fun. This is our 7th annual event, and we hope it to be better than the last. The music is provided by the kids from the School of Rock, an awesome way to get your groove on while perusing the various sites. DJ Bug will be spinning tunes for parking lot enjoyment. Bike show inside, cars outside. Trophies in both car and motorcycles. For more info, email creepypeoplemagnet@yahoo.com Viet Nam Vets Legacy Vets MC 30th Annual Poker Run Sunday, April 24, 2016 Starts 10:00 AM Sign-ups from 10-12pm North - Hooters (New Castle) South - Green Stinger (Woodside in Dover) $10 a Hand / Active Duty $5 a Hand Run ends at Fire Base Loyd - 474 Flemings Landing Road, Townsend, DE Cash winners for 1st and 2nd best hand and Worst Hand National Recording Artist - Johnny Neel of Allman Brothers and Gov’t Mule Fame Entry for Concert $10 per Person / $5 Active Duty Military Entry includes hot dog or hamburger, chips and a drink Hooters Girls - Raffle - T-Shirts - Pins Proceeds benefit Delaware Veterans Delaware / Maryland State HOG Rally 2016 Thursday, May 19, 2016 - Saturday, May 21, 2016 The 2016 Delaware / Maryland State HOG Rally is being held in Harrington, DE There will be Music, Vendors, Activities, Multiple choices in Lodging, Restaurants and more! For more details on a list of Scheduled Activities, Registration details, Directions, Lodging Information, Common FAQ’s and more, please visit the website below. www.demdstatehogrally.com/

MARYLAND 3rd Annual Fight Against Autism -

Car, Truck & Bike Show Saturday April 2nd, 2016 10 am Walmart Supercenter, 9401 Liberia Ave, Manassas, VA Devious Kustomz - Car, Truck & Bike Show Proceeds to Benefit Autism Speaks $25 Registration Fee - Spectators Free Music and More. For more info deviouskustomzctc@gmail.com Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club- Spring Dance Saturday April 2nd, 2016 8:00 PM Denton Volunteer Fire Company, 400 S 5th Ave, Denton, MD 21629 Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club- Spring Dance Benefits Scholarship Fund Entertainment by DJ Slick Styles Donations $15 Hotel Accommodations - Best Western Inn (Denton) $75 Renew the Ride with Battley Harley-Davidson Saturday April 2nd, 2016 • 10am Join Battley’s for a scenic ride to the Meadowside Nature Center where we will tour the facility. You can watch their raptors being fed (they currently have owls, hawks, and a bald eagle) and go on a hike if you like. Everyone attending this event who makes at least a $5 donation to either Renew the Ride or to the nature center will receive a Renew the Ride metal pin from Harley-Davidson. There is no fee or pre-registration for this event, just show up ready to ride, learn, and appreciate our planet! Gather at Battley at 10am and be prepared for kickstands up at 10:30am. Renegade Classics Annapolis Spring Open House Sunday April 3rd, 2016 10 am 3180 Solomons Island Rd # 101, Edgewater, MD Spring Open House Live Band - Jacked Up Food - Tattoos - 50/50 – Vendors Battley’s Blessing of the Bikes Saturday April 9th, 2016 Our friends the Black Jacket Cruizers are hosting a Blessing of the Bikes here at Battley Harley-Davidson / Battley Cycles. The event begins at 11:30am with free food. The blessing takes place at 1pm. Join the Black Jacket Cruizers on a ride afterwards at 2pm. Everyone is welcome!

52 APRIL 2016

MD Patriot Guard Annual Fundraiser Saturday April 9th, 2016 2 pm Vanessa’s Corner Pub, 2600 W Liberty Rd, Westminster, MD 50/50 - Eagle Head Cane Raffle & Lots More, Live Music by The Twine Time Band & Mojo Ryzan The Patriot Guard Riders is a national non-profit organization which has as unwavering respect for those who risk their lives for America’s freedom and security. Our main mission is to attend the funeral services of fallen American heroes and veterans as invited guests of the family. More Info: www.mdpatriotguard.org Kundratic Motorcycle & Hot Rod Swap Meet Sunday, April 10, 2016 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM Buy, Sell or Swap! Free Admission & Free Parking. The areas only traditional old school swap meet with just motorcycle & hot rod parts. No jewelry & leather vendors, insurance agencies, crafts, peek-a-boo dolls…..none of the junk you usually just walk by! Tons of vendors will be buying, selling and swapping used parts, vintage parts, new parts, hard to find parts, fenders, tanks, frames, accessories, chrome, steel and everything in between! Pickup parts for your hot rod, rat rod, bagger, bobber, café racer, chopper or drag bike. This isn’t just for Harley’s folks! Early Bird Registration $15 per 10x10 space. Waiting until the day of the swap it’s $20 per 10x10 space. This is a drizzle or shine event, remember to bring your pop-up tent. As always, it’s free to come and shop plus lots of Free parking. For More Info - 410.633.3113 11th Annual “Ride for Life” Cycle & Music Festival Saturday, April 16, 2016 10:00 AM WE RIDE TO STOP CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE Motorcycle registration begins at 10am, ride departs at 11:30am $20.00 for rider and $15.00 for passenger, fees include new RFL patch, 16 rocker, RFL Pin and door prize ticket NEW RIDER SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, the more you raise the BIGGER and better the gifts you will receive!!! www. thehopeandpeacefoundation.com

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ABATE of Calvert County Maryland Spring Scrabble Run Saturday, April 16, 2016 from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM Maryland Motorcycle Outfitters (formally Renegades Southern Maryland) Saturday, April 16, 2016. Registration is $10 per person and starts at 10 a.m. at Maryland Motorcycle Outfitters (formally Renegades). Last bike out at 11 a.m. Last bike in at 5 p.m. Play Scrabble on this Run—each stop gets you tiles, highest scoring word wins $$$$$. For more information contact Michelle at 443-975-3564 email mdrury65@yahoo. com or Jeanine at 410-286-3147 or email icedrakered@aol.com. Rain or shine - cars welcome. Son’s of Solomon (Southern Maryland Chapter) All You Can Eat Annual Fish Fry Saturday, April 16, 2016 from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM The Sons of Solomon, Southern Maryland Chapter, 5th Annual Fish Fry will occur on April 16th from 2pm - 6pm. This is an event that you don’t want miss… good people, good food, live music and a good ride on 2’s. Get your tickets now via the eventbrite link below or from a member. Looking forward to seeing you there. Lamont’s Entertainment Complex, 4400 Livingston Rd, Indian Head, MD. 20640 Thunder Roads® Mid-Atlantic

Howard County Swap Meet Saturday, April 17th, 2016 10 AM Howard County Fairgrounds - THIS SWAPMEET IS HUGE! A Motorcycle Swap Meet that caters to bikers looking for Parts and Accessories, Bikes and all things Motorcycle Related! Not just Harleys, find parts for vintage or late model motorcycles, American or foreign, a leather jacket or other accessories. People come here to buy, sell, trade, AND SAVE. The Howard County Swapmeet, “Where Friends Meet” Apple Mountain Productions: By Bikers, For Bikers! Doin’ it Ol’ Skool! 4-20 Buddsfest Friday, April 22nd-24th , 2016 Budds Creek Motocross Park, 27963 Budds Creek Rd, Mechanicsville, MD 20659 A Woodstock Style Weekend Music Festival at Budds Creek Maryland Featuring Maryland top Bands Gates Open Friday @ Noon - 24/7 Free Unlimited Camping Showers and Indoor Bathrooms Weekend: $40 - Sunday only: $20 www.buddscreek.com Michael J’s Ride for St. Jude Kids Saturday, April 23rd, 2016 9:30 AM American Legion, 125 York Rd, Baltimore, MD Follow Michael J on his Harley Fat Boy for a scenic ride from the American Legion in Towson to Battley Harley Davidson in Gaithersburg. Be Treated to Live Music by Country Star Sam Grow Groovin for the MD Patriot Guard Saturday April 23rd, 2016 4 pm Blue Sky Bar & Grill, 10519 Old National Pike, New Market, MD Music Festival. Hounds of the Bordello Rooster and the Renegades - Baby Jayne Tobias Hurwitz - Andy Cary - No Tell Motel - The Love Trio. $5 donation Appreciated Raffles - 50/50 and More. 100% Proceeds benefit the MD Patriot Guard Juke Joint Jam - Buffalo Soldiers Saturday April 23rd, 2016 8:00 PM Vietnam Veterans Association Bldg, 6401 Beckley Street, Baltimore, MD. 21224 Buffalo Soldiers MC Central MD Chapter Presents: Juke Joint Jam - Mardi Gras Style. $35 At the Door - Buffet & Cash Bar only. DJ and the Sultry Sounds of Audrea Symmone APRIL 2016

SAVE THE DATE

Ocean City Bikes to the Beach Apr. 28th – May 1st

Capitol City Biker Bash June 9th – 11th

upcoming events

2016 Rolling Bike Shows Presented by Thunder Roads® Mid-Atlantic & Rider Insurance Saturday, April 16, 2016 from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM Second Chance Saloon Back for the third year running, Thunder Roads® Mid-Atlantic, the ONLY Motorcycle Magazine that Matters! is once again bringing the Rolling Bike Show back to your area. Come on out and join us for a great day of Hot Bikes, entertainment, food, and good times. We will be holding (5) Five Rolling Bike Shows this year that will consist of (5) five classes: TOURING, CRUISER, CUSTOM, SPORT, and VINTAGE. Registration fees remain the same at minimum $10.00 per entry, with this year’s contributions going to the Maryland Motorcycle Riders PAC in support of their efforts to assist Abate in the fight for motorcycle rights. As always each class winner will receive a prize and of course we will have a Best in Show Winner that will receive a Readers Ride Article in the follow up magazine. Please check us out on Facebook for other great events and more information on each individual venue. www.facebook.com/trmdel or thru the contact us page on the website www. bigcityrhino.com.

Mountainfest July 27th – 31st

Apple Mountain Motorcycle Rally Aug. 10th – 14th

Thunderfest Sept. 3rd

OC Jams / Delmarva Bike Week Sept. 15th- 18th

Colonial Bikefest Oct. 6th – 9th 53

upcoming events

Bikes to the Beach Spring Rally Thursday, April 28, 2016 Sunday, May 1, 2016 Live Music · Outdoor Venues · Custom Bike Show · Poker Run The East Coast’s fastest growing bike rally! Fall is nearing and everyone is itching to fire up their bikes and head to the beautiful resort town of Ocean City, Maryland! Don’t fall behind! Keep checking for updates and register now! www.oceancitybikestothebeach.com Sykesville Post 223 4th Annual Bike Show Saturday, April 30, 2016 Noon - 4 PM Vanessa’s Corner Pub, West Liberty Road, Westminster, MD Benefit the Homes for our Troops Trophies in Each Class - People Choice and Veteran’s Choice Awards $15 Registration from Noon to 2 - Awards at 3:30. Drawing for Big Screen TV - $10 Raffle Ticket. Hot Food - Cold Beer - Disc Jockey. Cornhole Tournament - 50/50 Raffle - Chinese Auction Family Event - Live Music at 9pm - Flag Ceremony. More information ALR223MD@Gmail.com Get Ready To Ride ABATE Baltimore-Harford Saturday, April 30, 2016 Noon - 4 PM Kingsville Station White Marsh, 5429 Ebenezer Rd, White Marsh, MD Music all Day - Blessing of the Bikers by Pastor James Lane and Rabbi Jay Irwin Block What to do if your buddy goes down Basic First-Aid by EMT What to do if you have an accident or get stopped by Law Enforcement - Attorney Jay Block Pre-Season Bike Checks by Certified Mechanics Bikini Bike Wash - Basket of Cheer For More Info - 443-854-9965 Heroes to Hometowns - Operation Comfort Warrior Saturday, April 30, 2016 Noon - 4 PM American Legion Post 82, 6330 N. Crain Hwy, La Plata, MD An American Legion Program dedicated to meeting the needs of the wounded, Injured, Ill military personnel by providing them with items not usually supplied by the federal government and assist with their rehabilitation. $15 Advance - $20 at Door. Live Music - Jim Seymour Band & Wicked Jezabel Band. 50/50 - Door Prizes - Auction. More Info - www.legion.org/ troops/operationcomfort

Spring Fling Ride – MCV Saturday, May 7th, 2016 9:00 AM Mondo Pizza & Bar, 31 Main St, Reisterstown, MD 21136 Join us for Breakfast and a scenic 1.5 hour Back Road Group Ride followed by BBQ Lunch at Lake Redman $25 for one-up and $35 for two-up (Breakfast and Lunch Included) Breakfast and KSU at Mondo Pizza & Bar (31 Main St, Reisterstown, MD 21136) Breakfast Served at 9:00 Pre-ride safety meeting at 10:20 Ride Departs Promptly at 10:30 http://www.mcvcares.org/ 2016 Bikers Weekend Extravaganza Saturday, May 7th, 2016 9:00 AM Lamont’s Entertainment Complex 4400 Livingston Road, Pomonkey, MD. Live Bands Friday & Saturday Rain or Shine - No Pets - Dry Camping Only Bike Blessing Sat at Noon Vendors Welcome - 50/50 Raffles Trophies for Most Represented Clubs - In and Out of Town More Info: 301-283-0225 2016 Rolling Bike Shows Presented by Thunder Roads® Mid-Atlantic & Rider Insurance Saturday, May 14th, 2016 10:00 AM-2:00 PM Toots Bar, 23971 Mervell Dean Rd, Hollywood, MD 20636 Music, Food, Beer and Good Times to be had at all. Back for the third year running, Thunder Roads® Mid-Atlantic, the ONLY Motorcycle Magazine that Matters! is once again bringing the Rolling Bike Show back to your area. Come on out and join us for a great day of Hot Bikes, entertainment, food, and good times. We will be holding (5) Five Rolling Bike Shows this year that will consist of (5) five classes: TOURING, CRUISER, CUSTOM, SPORT, and VINTAGE. Registration fees remain the same at minimum $10.00 per entry, with this year’s contributions going to the Maryland Motorcycle Riders PAC in support of their efforts to assist Abate in the fight for motorcycle rights. As always each class winner will receive a prize and of course we will have a Best in Show Winner that will receive a Readers Ride Article in the follow up magazine. Please check us out on Facebook for other great events and more information on each individual venue. www.facebook.com/ trmdel or thru the contact us page on the website www.bigcityrhino.com.

54 APRIL 2016

Battley Harley-Davidson’s Spring Poker Run & Fish Fry Saturday, May 14th, 2016 Your $20 donation gets you a great ride, a chance at some great prizes, coffee and doughnuts to start the ride, a fish fry lunch, and a limited edition metal ride pin. Registration opens at 8:30am with the first bikes leaving Battley at 9:30am. Last bikes are out at 10:30am. Prizes for top and worst poker hands, as well as a raffle with over $500 in prizes. Guided rides will leave the dealership every 45 minutes! Crusin’ for Critters Motorcycle Show Saturday, May 14th, 2016 10:00 AM-2:00 PM At AA County Animal Control – Millersville, MD The purpose of this event is to bring attention to animal adoption, hopefully to adopt animals at the event (last year 32 were adopted at the first show held!!) and to also bring attention to pet adoption to folks who maybe hadn’t considered adoption before whilst enjoying what we all love – riding! B.A.C.A. Child Abuse Awareness Ride Saturday, May 21st, 2016 9:00 AM-5:00 PM Darlington Fire Hall 2600 Castleton Rd. Darlington, MD. 21034 This is B.A.C.A. ‘s one and only fundraiser. Ride starts and ends at Darlington Fire Hall - Escorted by the Darlington VFD Registration begins at 9:00AM with kickstands up at 11:00AM Riders: $20.00 Passengers: $10.00 Food will be available for Purchase before and after ride All ride proceeds benefit the B.A.C.A. Patapsco Valley Chapter and their fight against child abuse. 15th Annual British & European Classic Motorcycle Day Sunday, May 22, 2016 from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM Concours, Swap Meet, Door Prizes, Tech Talks, Vintage Trials Demo. For All British & European Classic Motorcycles built through 1983 Admission $10 • Vendors from $25 (children under 12 free) classicmotorcycleday.org

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Battley’s Ride to the Wall Weekend: May 27 –Night Ride to Monuments. Gather at Battley H-D at 6pm with a full tank. As the sun sets the monuments light up. We’ll be next to the Korean, Lincoln, FDR, MLK, and Vietnam memorial (all memorials are open 24hrs.). So many bikes are in town to ride by day, join us and see the memorials in a whole new light - at night! This ride is free and open to all makes and models. May 28 - Party. Live music! A free Ride to the Wall Party featuring free food, live music, and hundreds of motorcycles. Big Al the patch guy will be here sewing patches and leather - he can repair zippers, leather and shoes while you wait. See the Luke’s Wings charity armed forces tribute trike, and much more! From 9am to 5pm at Battley Harley-Davidson. May 29 - Police Escorted Ride to the Pentagon to Stage for Rolling Thunder. Start gathering at Battley Harley-Davidson at 6am as 4,000 of your fellow bikers prepare to ride to the Pentagon and stage for Rolling Thunder. We will have free doughnuts and coffee around 7am. There will be a pre-ride briefing and Pledge of Allegiance before we depart at 8am. The Boy Scouts will present the colors and we will have some

Thunder Roads® Mid-Atlantic

live music performances, too. This is a police escorted ride LIKE NO OTHER around the beltway to the Pentagon. 16th Annual Rolling Thunder Party LAMA Baltimore Chapter Saturday, May 28th, 2016 1:00 PM-9:00 PM Comfort Inn & Suites BWI Airport, 6921 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd, Baltimore, MD 21225 Come Celebrate the Baltimore Chapter’s 16th Anniversary While remembering those who have served, with good food, friends, music, vendors, raffles, and much more. Tickets $15 per person at Gate - Includes meal and soda More Info: Eddie Martinez - 443-854-8254 Rolling Thunder Demonstration Sunday May 29th Noon Assemble at the North Pentagon Parking Lot at 8:00 AM At Noon, the Demonstration will begin with a ride through Washington D. C. to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to pay respect to our brothers and sisters who gave their lives for the freedom we enjoy every day and for the full accounting of all POW’s-MIA’s and Veterans Rights. For more Info www.rollingthunder1.com

WEST VIRGINIA Sorry Souls April Fools Poker Run Saturday, April 2 – 9:30 AM 9505 Williamsport Pike, Falling Waters, WV 25419, USA Start and End at Sorry Souls MC Clubhouse Registration 9:30am - KSU up at 11:00am Food & DJ Provided after the ride $10 for Rider $5 for Passenger $10 Per Poker Hand

APRIL 2016

Motorcycle Swap Meet Saturday, April Noon – 5:00 PM American Legion Riders Post 137, 404 Cold Stream Road, Capon Bridge, WV. 26711 Motorcycle Swap Meet Street Bikes, Dirt Bikes, Quads, Gear, Parts & Bikes Food, Beverage, 50/50 Drawings, Raffles Kick off your riding season with some new “Stuff”, sell some old “Stuff”, meet your friends Tables: $15 Donation - Vendor Setup : 9AM - 12Noon More Information: Bob - 304-856-8322 or 443-250-5152 Breastest Ride Forever Saturday, May 21, 2016 11:30 AM Triple S H-D - Come ride with us as we continue the fight against breast cancer and celebrate those who courageously fought the disease. $20 Donation with all money going to the American Cancer Society Chapter in Morgantown. Lunch and Live music to follow ride. Registration is from 11:30 - 12:30 and the ride leaves for Cool Springs at 12:30. All ride participants will receive 100 customer loyalty points.

upcoming events

Battley’s Martian Ride – Night Ride! Saturday, May 24th 2016 Mars will be at perigee this week, the closest to the Earth it gets all year, and will be very bright in the night sky. The full moon also takes place two days earlier on the 22nd, so we should have a great ride under the moon. The group will make a stop far from the city lights so we can appreciate the very bright planet Mars in the night sky. Please gather at Battley Harley-Davidson at 7pm. Our ride will take us North were we can grab a bite to eat and get a good view of Mars.

LIST YOUR EVENT HERE If you would like your event listed, please email details and your contact information to: Events@BigCityRhino.com

biker friendly directory

DEALERS & SHOPS A to Z Cycles 1472 E. Lebanon Rd. Dover, DE 19901 302-632-2272 www.atozcycles.com

Old Glory Harley Davidson 11800 Laurel Bowie Road Laurel, MD 20708 www.oldgloryhd.com 301-575-0575

Baltimore Harley Davidson 8845 Pulaski Hwy. Baltimore, MD 21237 410-238-2003 www.hdstore.com

Pete’s Cycles 344 Bel Air Rd. Bel Air, MD 21014 410-879-3586 For other locations go to www.petescycle.com

Battley Harley Davidson / Battley Cycles 7830 Airpark Road Gaithersburg, MD 301-948-4581 www.battley.com

RG Honda-Yamaha 1619 Buckhannon Pike Nutter Fort, WV 26301 304-624-5420 www.rghonda.com

Brandywine Auto Parts/ Brandywine Automotive Centers 14000 Crain Hwy Brandywine, MD 20613 301-372-1000 www.brandywineparts.com Broken Wing Cycles 155 Prospect Dr #103 Huntington, MD 20639 866-518-9101 www.brokenwingcycles.com Café’s Custom Cycles 2630 Hunterstown Hampton Rd. New Oxford, PA 17350 717-624-7820 Chesapeake Motor and Powersports 436 C Chinquiapin Round Rd. Annapolis, MD 21401 443-714-8004 www.cmandps.com Defender Cycle Works Fowler Industrial Park Unit 4 Mechanicsville, MD 20659 301-247-9901 301-247-5733 East Coast Sound 101 Skip Jack Rd, Suite 5 Prince Frederick, MD 20678 443-968-9635 Jim’s Battery Warehouse Laurel Commerce Center 14721-K Baltimore Ave Laurel, MD 20707 301-604-7333

S.M. City Motorsports 20260 Poplar Ridge Rd. Lexington Park, MD 20653 301-863-6499 Sunset Cycles 9748 Stephen Decatur Hwy Decatur Business Center Units 208-209 Ocean City, MD 21044 443-520-6005 TG Automotive 8176 Telegraph Road, Suite E Severn, MD 21144 443-795-4733 www.tgautomotivemd.com Triple S Harley Davidson Exit 155 off I-79 Morgantown, WV 304-284-8244 www.tripleshd.com The Twisted Spoke 97 Milford Street Clarksburg, WV 26301 304-326-4644 www.twistedspokeinc.com Whirled of Colors Custom Paint & Air Brush Studios 116 Roesler Road Glen Burnie, MD 21060 410-553-0953

Bars & Restaurants Apehanger’s Bar & Grill 9100 Crain Hwy. Bel Alton, Maryland 301-753-1650 Biker Bums 6702 MacCorkle Ave St. Albans, WV 25177 681-265-9005 Bryans & Brent’s Place 229 N. River Street Weston, WV 26452 304-997-8722 Gilligan’s Pier 11535 Popes Creek Rd. Newburg, MD 20644 301-259-4514 www.gilliganspier.com Hickory House 1137 US Hwy 19 North Jane Lew, WV 26378 304-269-7373 Kickstands Bar & Grill 3200 Junkins Ave Clarksburg, WV 26301 Off South 28th Street

Seabreeze / Swampy’s 27130 S. Sandgates Rd Mechanicsville, MD 301-373-5217 Second Chance Saloon 5888 Robert Oliver Place Columbia, MD 21045 443-545-5844 2ndchancesaloon.com Swamp Fox Tavern 4404 Sissonville Drive Charleston, WV 25312 304-340-8094 The Ridge Tavern & Grill Route 19 / Marion Co. Line Rivesville, WV 26588 304-278-8041 The Scuttlebutt 12320 Neale Sound Dr Cobb Island, MD 20625 (240) 233-3113 The Tavern 4975 St. Leonard Rd. St Leonard, MD 20685 410-586-2225 www.thetavernofstleonard.com

Lamont’s Entertainment Complex 4400 Livingston Road Pomonkey, MD 20640 301-283-0225

The Woodstock Inn 1514 Woodstock RD Woodstock, MD 21163 410-750-3673 www.woodstockinn.net

Millstream Inn 5310 Dogwood Rd. Baltimore, MD 21207 410-265-8224 www.millstreamgirls.com

Timeless Tavern 1745 Snow Hill Road Stockton, MD 21864 410-632-1555

Phil’s Place 5826 Gallent Green Road Hughesville,Md 301-274-3515 Pit & Pub 2706 Philadelphia Avenue Ocean City, MD. 21842 www.pitandpub.com 410-289-2020 Rips Casual Dining 3809 N. Crain Hwy. Bowie, MD Restaurant: 301-805-5901 Deli: 301-805-5903 Wine & Spirit Shoppe: 301-805-5902 www.ripscountryvillage.com

56 APRIL 2016

Toot’s Bar 23971 Mervell Dean Road Hollywood, MD 20636 301-373-2955 Vino’s Bar and Grill / Copper Pint 812 Kanawha Blvd E Charleston, WV 681-205-2435 Warreners Tavern 21603 Middletown Rd. Freeland, MD 21053 410-357-9494

Thunder Roads® Mid-Atlantic

Apparel / Retail In-Step Leather 7540 Washington Blvd. US1 Shopping Center Elkridge, MD 410-799-1568 Maryland Small Arms Range 9801 Fallard Court Upper Marlboro, MD 20772 301-599-0800 www.msar.com Mary’s Bargain Cycle New Castle Farmers Market 110 N. DuPont Hwy. New Castle, DE 19720 302-322-9323 Outback Leather 309 Main Street Laurel, MD. 20707 www.mdoutbackleather.com 301-604-2211 Southern Maryland Pawn 2224 Crain Hwy Waldorf, MD 20601 240-222-3547 www.smdpawn.com Thunder Roads® Mid-Atlantic

346 Ritchie Hwy Severna Park, MD 21146 410-544-6500 www.vapefrog.com

Photography Bobby Tarowsky 304-797-1470 • 304-723-8955 www.BobbyTRocks.com Michael J. Alves US Patriot Photography www.uspatriotphotography.com

Tattoo Derma Doodle Tattoo Studio 355 Meadowdale Rd. Fairmont, WV 26544 304-816-3016 Thinkin Ink (Fairmont) 508 Race Street Fairmont, WV 26354 304-366-1279 Thinkin Ink (Clarksburg) 196 Buckhannon Pike #A Clarksburg, WV 26301 301-622-7272 Big City Body Art 154 C Lafayette Ave Laurel, MD 20707 240-482-6162

Lodging Alamo Motel 12614 Ocean Gateway Ocean City, MD 21842 410-213-1884

Clubs, Organizations & Riding Groups

home improvement

C.E.’s Helping Hands (Old Fields, WV) A non-profit organization enlisting the help of other good hearted people wanting to contribute to the cause of helping others in need. The organization holds monthly meetings and several fundraising rides every year. Donations are always appreciated.

D&B Pool Services 30135 Three Notch Rd. Charlotte Hall, MD 20622 301-934-1274 www.dandbpools.com

Women on Two and Three Meetup.com/WomenOn2-3 www.WomenOnTwoAndThree.com ___________________________

Mineral Springs Motel 1 Springs Street Webster Springs, WV 26288 304-847-5305 www.Mineralspringsmotel.net

Thunder Roads® Mid-Atlantic. If you would like to be listed in the Biker Friendly Directory, please contact Sales and Marketing or email BFD@ BIGCITYRHINO.com for more information. If you’re Club, Foundation, or Association would like to be listed in our Directory, please email BFD@BIGCITYRHINO.COM with your name and contact information and someone will be in touch with you.

APRIL 2016

biker friendly directory

Francis Scott Key Family Resort 12806 Ocean Gateway Ocean City, MD 21842 800-213-0088 www.fskfamily.com

Rider Insurance www.Rider.com

443.875.7482

Law offices of Jay Irwin Block 90 Painters Mill Rd. Suite 131 Owings Mills, MD 21117 410-356-6555 800-875-6554

Vape Frog

Insurance Agents

Weatherholtz Bonding 306 W. Stephens Street Martinsburg, WV 25401 304-267-5888 www.weatherholtzbonding.com

Atlantic Hotel Oceanfront Boardwalk & Wicomico Street Ocean City, MD 800-3-ATLANTIC

CONTACT RHINO: RHINO@BIGCITYRHINO.COM

Walton’s Bail Bonding 49 W. Main Street Buchannon, WV 26201 304-473-8955

Unique Lingerie & More 3065 Leonardtown Rd. Waldorf, MD 20601 301-645-2228

LIST YOUR BUSINESS HERE!!

Legal Services

APRIL 2016

Thunder Roads速 Mid-Atlantic

Thunder Roads速Mid-Atlantic

APRIL 2016

Thunder Roads速 Mid-Atlantic

Thunder Roads速Mid-Atlantic

APRIL 2016