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A Very Thankful Hillbilly in the New Year.5

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Sippin’ Shine with Hillbilly........................ 8

Big City’s Two-Wheel Testament.............. 7

Joker’s Wild..............................................11

EDITOR / OWNER / PUBLISHER BIG CITY BIGCITY@BIGCITYRHINO.com

K.I.S.S. in the Kitchen............................. 13 Miles with Smiles..................................... 15 Center Calendar....................................... 18

SALES & MARKETING Steve “Hillbilly” Craig Mike “Rhino” Ryan (681) 209-0832 (681) 209-0834 Hillbilly@bigcityrhino.com Rhino@bigcityrhino.com Jeff Davis Scott “Scooter” Broyles (304)-673-7321 (304)-549-5615 yesterdaysbest@hotmail.com Charleston Area Sales Southern State Sales ACCOUNTING Mike “Bighead” Abbott (681)209-0842 bighead@bigcityrhino.com

Featured Bike........................................... 20 Events....................................................... 24 Cigar Review............................................ 27 News Bytes.............................................. 28 Biker Friendly Directory.......................... 30 Luring New Riders................................... 34 Kickstands Bike Night............................ 35

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Model: Kellie Photographer: Bobby T. Rocks

PHOTOGRAPHY Michael J. Alves, www.uspatriotphotography.com Bob Tarowsky, www.BobbyTRocks.com NATIONAL FOUNDERS Toni McCoy Shearon & Brian Shearon 1528 Matlock Drive, Chapmansboro, TN. 37035 Office: (615) 792-0040 Fax: (615) 792-7580 thunderroadsfounders@yahoo.com 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.

JANUARY 2015

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elcome to 2015!! Thunder Roads Magazine WV wants to say Thank You for the warm reception that we received in bringing back your own Thunder Roads WV. It has been a great first year and we are hoping for an even better 2015. We are already gearing up for a very active year throughout the state. If you know of an event or rally that you would like to include in the magazine this year please send us the information. Also if you would like to see your business in Thunder Roads Magazine WV please let us know. Please support the businesses that support and help to bring the magazine to you each month. This month we have a lot of stuff packed into our pages. First Smiles will tell us about the trouble with keeping resolutions. Our Biker Chic steps out of her comfort zone and our man Flynn reviews an AKA cigar. Hillbilly sips some shine with the law and talks about being thankful. Did you see Superman and Lois Lane on the cover? There are more pics inside. We have some events gearing up and we hope to see all of you on the road this year. God bless you all in the New Year! Big City

THUNDER ROADS MAGAZINE WEST VIRGINIA

JANUARY 2015

THUNDER ROADS MAGAZINE WEST VIRGINIA

A Very Thankful Hillbilly in the NEW YEAR I am so thankful to be West Virginia born and bred. Being from WV is such a special thing that we get to say to other people. Most of you will get up today and go about your daily lives and not spend much time thinking about how lucky you are to be waking up in the Mountain state. I have been living in another state for a number of years. The older I get the more I miss the hills and its people on a daily basis. If it wouldn’t mean the end of my 30+ year marriage I would have moved home a long time ago. Let’s talk about some of the reasons I am so thankful to be a Mountaineer. Everything starts with your surroundings. Looking at the sun coming up over the mountains or riding down a winding country road, I sometime catch myself with a tear in my eye. Don’t start calling me a sissy, if you are being honest with yourself, I know you feel the same way when you look around at how beautiful this state truly is. It literally has taken my breath away at times. The best part of having the magazine is that I have gotten the chance to see parts of the state I had not seen before. I recommend all of you take some vacation time and ride to a part of the state that you haven’t been to before. You will be glad you did. Another reason is family. My family is so important to me. I used to think when I was a kid, why couldn’t I have been born to rich people or in a more expensive house. My sister has worked very hard to trace our family’s heritage and family tree. She has done a great job. I can trace my family back on both sides to Scotland. Both sides of my family fought in the American Revolution and we also fought in the Civil War. I will let you guess which side we fought on. My family has a long line of service to our country in all branches of the service and continues to this day. My grandparents on both sides had a lot of kids. I have so many cousins we could probably start our own state. I never realized how rich I was. I know most of you reading this will say this sounds like your family. That is how I knew how blessed I was. My story is like yours and we are all in this together. We are all cut from the same kind of stock. Big loving families THUNDER ROADS MAGAZINE WEST VIRGINIA

that are as patriotic as they come. We don’t just say we love this country we act on that love and patriotism. The people of this great place, it doesn’t matter where I travel around our state, I am treated with kindness and manners. To some of you it will like a strange statement because you are used to being treated that way all the time. Let’s take a simple act of burying a friend or relative, we still pullover on the side of the road for a funeral procession to show our respect for the dead and the family. Try doing this where I currently live. You would get run over. Somewhere in the big scheme of life, most of the world has forgotten the things that we practice daily. Cherish our state, love our family and take care of our neighbors. Be polite to everyone and above all else respect our elders and our country. If we do these things daily we have found that it’s been a pretty good life. West Virginia is such a special place. I guess there are places around this country that are as proud of their state as we are. I’m glad they feel that way. There is probably no place that is as proud of our state as we are. Sit down in the local town square or go to the grocery store and just watch the people walking around. You will be amazed at how many people are wearing something that says West Virginia. I can go weeks without seeing anyone wear something about the state I currently live in. I feel bad for the people here because they don’t get to feel what we have and the special relationship we have with our state. In closing, I just hope we never get too busy to stop and look at our mountains, or hug a family member, or help out our neighbor. It is what defines our individual character and collectively tells the world why it’s so special to be a mountaineer. This holiday season I want to thank God for the simple yet most important blessing he gave me. Being able to say I’m from West Virginia. You know how you get chills when you sing Country Roads at a WVU game, I hope, I love that feeling. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Hillbilly Montani Semper Liberi

JANUARY 2015

THUNDER ROADS MAGAZINE WEST VIRGINIA

A New Year A New You

rothers and sisters, I hope your 2014 was a great year, hope your riding season was a blessing for you as ours was fantastic, God blessed every ride that we did in 2014, allowing us to tell other Brothers and sisters the greatest story ever told, The Gospel of Jesus Christ! As we move into 2015 are you satisfied with your life, or are you feeling like there’s something missing, or something more that you need in your life. Well that something more could be a relationship with Jesus Christ! God loves us and wants us to have a personal relationship with him! God loves us even if we haven’t loved him. “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us.” (1John 4:10) God wants us to know him. The Bible says God is at work in everyone’s life. “So that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for him and find Him, though He is not far from

THUNDER ROADS MAGAZINE WEST VIRGINIA

each one of us.” (Acts 17:27) God has provided a solution for our lost relationship with Him! Jesus Christ came to do what we could not do for ourselves. “For God so loved the world the He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) He came into the world to bring us to his Father (John 14:6), He died in our place to pay the penalty for our sin (1Peter 3:18), He rose from the dead to show that His claims were true (1Corinthians 15:3-6). WE MUST RECEIVE CHRIST AND HIS OFFER OF SALVATION AS A GIFT!! Thanks and God Bless: Jim Glaspell Chapter Elder BFC North Central Rushing Wind Biker Church Spelter WV 304-624-4777

JANUARY 2015

Sippin Shine with Hillbilly and my Guest Motor Officer Schmidt Laurel City Police Department Since I was a little hillbilly I wondered what it would be like to be a motorcycle police officer and get to ride around on a bike all day. I know that I won’t get the chance to be one in this lifetime so I figured I would do the next best thing. I will interview one. I chose Ofc. Schmidt because he has helped us on many occasions and has always been there for the biker community. The Laurel Police Dept. may not be one of the largest in the state but their motor unit is one that is busy most of the year. Whether it’s a funeral or a toy run or an event to honor WWII veterans they are always there to help us. Thunder Roads Magazine MD-DE-DC would like to thank them for all the times that they have helped the community in the past. I figured that starting off the New Year by thanking the police may help an old hillbilly when he forgets to let go of the throttle. Just kidding. I sat down with Ofc. Schmidt on the porch and he had some coffee and I had some…. Ok we’ll go with coffee. I don’t want to get anyone in trouble but my coffee tasted like Grandma’s home cooked apple pie. Most of you know what I’m talking about. HB-When did you start riding motorcycles? OS- I have been riding motorcycles since I was around 18 years old. I got my license in Ohio for the street but I rode dirt bikes before I got my license. HB- What kind of bike do you own and ride when you’re off duty? OS- I have a HD Sportster and a HD Electra Glide. Actually that bike belongs to my wife. I ride as much as I can when I’m off. The problem is finding the time to ride. I work a lot. HB- After you became an officer did you always know in the back of your mind that you wanted to be a motor cop? OS- Not really but the opportunity came up and I had always rode motorcycles so it seemed like a perfect fit for me. I figured I would try it. A lot of people try the course and fail but I thought I should give it a try. I was a little apprehensive about trying it but I went ahead. I did it and I 8

felt pretty good about passing the tests. Also I figured what better way to be paid to be a cop. HB- I’ve talked to you before about the course you had to take but tell me some of the stuff you had to do to qualify to ride the bike on the job. OS-The best part of taking the course is that I didn’t have to pay for the damages to the bike during the course. I’m not a better rider than most bikers I just get more practice and don’t have to pay for scratches and dings. If you’re worried about dropping the bike during the course you will get over that in a hurry. The instructor walks up and throws your bike down and you get to pick it back up in what would be the first of many times that you get to pick up your bike. It’s a two week course and a high rate of fail. Some guys will think they are ready for it and they get there and it is totally different from what they expected. You have three tests that you have to pass to go on. If you don’t pass the first Friday you don’t get to come to the next week. Test days you have 14 obstacles that you have to drive through with your bike in a certain amount of time. You have night driving and day driving parts as well as stress parts where they will post signs and some tear gas and things that you have to drive through. It’s a very intense situation where you have to take a bike that weighs 800+ lbs. and you have to drive it in a 17 and ½ foot circle with cones and you can’t touch any cones and you have to get out. The bike is ready to fall at all times and if you hit the brake, clutch, or throttle wrong at any time you are going down and you can’t hold it up. Of course if you go down you fail. Then in the second week you work on left, and right, and start and stop maneuvers without putting the bike down and it just gets harder and harder as the second week goes on. We started with 16 people and ended with twelve of us passing the course. HB-I guess one of the benefits of everybody taking the same course is that when you are doing an escort it looks like you guys do this all the time. Even when it’s another

JANUARY 2015

THUNDER ROADS MAGAZINE WEST VIRGINIA

department riding with you. OS- That’s right. We all took the course and know what to expect when we are out riding together. I am a little jealous of some of the larger departments because they can afford to have their motor units ride every day. I’m always impressed when I see some of the other departments ride together. One thing that is great about Laurel is I don’t always have to be on the bike. It is nice in a smaller department that during the real hot summers or ice cold winters I have a car that I can use. HB- How many bikes does your department have and how many qualified motor cops? OS- We have 3 motorcycles and we have three qualified motor cops. We have one Sgt. and two PFC’s. HB- What does the motor unit do? OS- The city has different events throughout the year whether it’s the Main Street Festival, or 4th of July, or anytime we are expecting a big crowd it’s always good to be out on the bikes. We can go places other forms of transportation can’t and do it a lot faster. We don’t get to ride around on a bike as a patrol unit because the department is not that big yet. That would be a dream come true to have a patrol unit all the time. HB- I know you use them for funerals how does that work? OS- It’s always a bad event for the family involved in the funeral and we try and make it a little easier time for them by escorting them and keeping the funeral together. It is bad enough when someone passes away the least we can do is help them in their time of grief to say good-bye. It’s something I’m proud of that our city and community does. We get calls from the family thanking us for helping. It’s a great way to give back to the people in the city. HB-It’s a great way to be active in the community with the bikes. Do you think it helps with the city getting a chance to know you? OS- I love to take the bikes to the schools. The kids like to come and see them and it gives us a chance to talk with them. No matter what event we are at with the bikes it is always a great chance to speak with the people in the city. HB-I have had the opportunity to ride with you during a couple of rides and I was wondering how you felt about all these bikers that you are escorting. I figured that the media has always portrayed it as an us against them thing. How do you feel about bikers in general? Do cops just tolerate us? OS-It’s funny but bikers don’t express that side of things real well. Some of the best times that I have had have been with groups of us riding. It’s so neat that when we are escorting a group we always get Thanks from people and all I’m thinking is Thank you guys for showing up and doing what so many of you do that makes the biker brotherhood so special and that most of the community doesn’t get to see. All we are trying to do is get this group safely from point A to B and it’s really nice that they recognize us. It happens all the time and I’m glad to be a part of the biker community. There is good and bad in everything and I believe that the good far outweighs the bad. The bad always gets the publicity. You can’t judge a book by its cover. You get a grown man covered in tattoos and leather and they are just the friendliest people and most of the time THUNDER ROADS MAGAZINE WEST VIRGINIA

if you needed his jacket he would give it to you. You can’t judge people and I have never had any trouble with bikers on any ride I’ve on. HB-Is this a job you would recommend if a young person came up and asked your opinion? OS- Yes I already have. I have a son that is an officer in New Orleans and a nephew that is a MD State Trooper. They both ride and I hope they will become a motor cop if they are given the opportunity. HB- Anything else you would like to say to the bikers that may ride this way? OS- I guess the most important thing that all bikers already have. Respect. It works from both sides and I hope it continues and I hope to meet some of you on a future ride. Ride Safe! I want to Thank the City of Laurel for their cooperation in being able to interview Ofc. Schmidt. I hope you enjoyed the article this month. I believe it’s always good to see life from the other side of the road. I know most of you do this already but it might be nice to say thanks this upcoming year to our law enforcement officers. They have had a rough time lately in what was already a tough job. Remember when you are sippin the shine always share with your friends and stand in a circle and throw the lid away. I always save a little for the Big Dog. Time for a smooth Jaxsin cigar and some cherry shine. God bless you all and make this a great year! Hillbilly

JANUARY 2015

THUNDER ROADS MAGAZINE WEST VIRGINIA

A hillbilly went hunting one day in West Virginia and bagged three ducks. He put them in the bed of his pickup truck and was about to drive home where he was confronted by an ornery game warden who didn’t like hillbillies. The Game Warden ordered to the hillbilly to show his hunting license, and the hillbilly pulled out a valid West Virginia hunting license. The game warden looked at the license, then reached over and picked up one of the ducks, sniffed its butt, and said, “This duck ain’t from West Virginia . This is a Kentucky duck. You got a Kentucky huntin’ license, boy?” The hillbilly reached into his wallet and produced a Kentucky hunting license. The Game Warden looked at it, then reached over and grabbed the second duck, sniffed its butt, and said, “This ain’t no Kentucky duck. This duck’s from Tennessee. You got a Tennessee license?” The hillbilly reached into his wallet and produced an Tennessee license. The warden then reached over and picked up the third duck, sniffed its butt, and said This ain’t no Tennessee duck. This here duck’s from Virginia. You got a Virginia huntin’ license?” Again the hillbilly reached into his wallet and brought out a Virginia. hunting license. The game warden was extremely frustrated at this point, and he yelled at the hillbilly “Just where the hell are you from? “The hillbilly turned around, bent over, dropped his pants & undies for the full on moon effect and said, “Why don’t you tell me? You appear to be the damn expert here!”. _______________________________________________ A man in a Florida supermarket tried to buy half a head of lettuce. The very young produce assistant told him that they sell only whole heads of lettuce. The man persisted and asked to see the Manager. The boy said he’d ask his manager about it. Walking into the back room, the boy said to his manager: ‘Some butt-wipe wants to buy half a head of lettuce.’ As he finished his sentence, he turned to find the man standing right behind him, so he added, ‘And this gentleman has kindly offered to buy the other half.’ The Manager approved the deal, and the man went on his way. Later the Manager said to the boy, ‘I was impressed with the way you got yourself out of that situation earlier. We like people who think on their feet here. Where are you from, son?’ ‘Canada, sir,’ the boy replied. ‘Well, why did you leave Canada?’ the manager asked. The boy said, ‘Ah, as far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing but whores and hockey players up there.’ ‘Really?’ said the manager. ‘My wife is from Canada.’ ‘No chit?’ replied the boy, not missing a beat; THUNDER ROADS MAGAZINE WEST VIRGINIA

‘Who’d she play for, sir? The Pastor asked if anyone in the congregation would like to express praise for answered prayers. Suzie Smith stood and walked to the podium. She said, “I have a praise; two months ago, my husband, Phil, had a terrible bicycle wreck and his scrotum was completely crushed. The pain was excruciating and the doctors didn’t know if they could help him.” You could hear a muffled gasp from the men in the congregation as they imagine the pain that poor Phil must have experienced. “Phil was unable to hold me or the children,” she went on, “and every move caused him terrible pain. We prayed as the doctors performed a delicate operation, and it turned out they were able to piece together the crushed remnants of Phil’s scrotum, and wrap wire around it to hold it in place.” Again, the men in the congregation cringed and squirmed uncomfortably as they imagined the horrible surgery performed on Phil. “Now,” she announced in a quivering voice, “thank the Lord, Phil is out of the hospital and the doctors say that with time, his scrotum should recover completely.” All the men sighed with unified relief. The pastor rose and tentatively asked if anyone else had something to say. _______________________________________________ You’re Probably An EXTREME Redneck If ....... You think Dom Perignon is a Mafia leader. Your wife’s hairdo was once ruined by a ceiling fan. The Halloween pumpkin on your porch has more teeth than your spouse. You have to go outside to get something from the fridge. Your Junior Prom offered day care. One or more of your kids was born on a pool table. _______________________________________________ Laws Are Now In Conformance With The Bible: Washington State just passed two laws; 1. legalized gay marriage 2. legalized marijuana The fact that gay marriage and marijuana were legalized on the same day makes perfect biblical sense, because Leviticus 20:13 says: “If a man lies with another man they should be stoned.” It appears that we just hadn’t interpreted it correctly before now. _______________________________________________ THUNDER ROADS WISHES ALL BIKERS A PROSPEROUS & HEALTHY 2015 FILLED WITH MUCH LAUGHTER. WE LOVES YA’ BIKERS! DO GOOD OUT THERE.

JANUARY 2015

THUNDER ROADS MAGAZINE WEST VIRGINIA

K.I.S.S. page composed & edited by: Toni McCoy Shearon aka “MaMa Thunder” of Thunder Roads National Founders’ Office. NEW YEAR’S 2015 SLOW ROASTED PORK 1 5 lb. Pork Butt *Make sure there’s a layer of fat on top or else it will be dry and tasteless) Make a dry rub and rub all over with your hands: Salt & Pepper to Taste, Small Palmful of Garlic Powder, Small Palmful of Sage, Parsley, Rosemary, Thyme & Smoked Paprika. Mix all dry ingredients in a small bowl. Take a full cup of quality Balsamic Vinegar and over medium low heat cook it down until it’s nice and syrupy. Pour into dry ingredients and combine well to make a rub. Rub it all over pork butt thoroughly. Let sit 30 minutes so all those delicious flavors can seep in. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a roasting pan with high sides that has been oiled down well, place pork butt in center with fat side up. Add 1-1/2 cup of Mulled Apple Cider as your roasting liquid. Make sure throughout the cooking process that you always have a full inch of liquid in the bottom of roasting pan. Roast the pork for 30 minutes at the 400 degrees, turn the heat down to 250 degrees cook for a full 6-1/2 hours. The pork should have a deep golden brown caramelized color. Remove to serving platter and cover with aluminum foil, sealed up well all around and let the pork rest for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, place the roasting pan on the stove on medium high, sprinkle a half cup of flour all over and mix in with all the drippings and liquid from cooking the pork. Be sure and get out all the lumps. Slowly add in up to a 1-1/2 cups of hot water....slowly, until it starts bubbling up and then turn down to low until it reaches a good gravy consistency. Salt & pepper to taste. OMG! If you have never had pork gravy it is literally one of the best tastes ever! Cut 1/2 inch slices of your pork and fan them out on a serving platter and pour just a small line of gravy over the entire fan but make sure you have plenty of gravy for the rest. This is fancy pork. My Mom used to make it almost every Sunday and my favorite part was the gravy. Fabulous!

SPECIAL CHEESY MASHED POTATO BAKE 2 Containers of Bob Evans Regular Mashed Potatoes (or any predone taters in a tub) 2 Containers of Bob Evans Sour Cream n’ Chive Potatoes 1 Medium Size Container of Sour Cream 1 Lb. of Your Favorite Cheese; Shredded 1 Small Palmful of Nutmeg & Parsley Salt & Pepper to Taste 1 Stick of Real Butter; melted Place all in a large bowl and mix thuroughly. Make sure really well mixed. Place in a pre-sprayed ceramic casserole dish; put in half and then put a layer of cheese all over top of first layer. Finish up with the remainder put cheese all over final layer. Cover with alum. foil at 350 so cheese melts but doesn’t burn. Cook for 20 minutes until hot throughout and in the center. Remove foil for last 10 minutes to get golden brown. So creamy, flavorful and super simple! MANDARIN GINGER UPSIDE DOWN CAKE 1 Box of plain Spice Cake or Vanilla Cake, your choice. Follow directions to prepare, but to it, add: *if choose Vanilla add 2 tsps. Allspice. 2 tsps. Cinnamon, 2 tsps. Ginger, 2 tsps. Nutmeg 1/2 tsp. Ground Cloves & 1/3 cup of Sour Cream 1 Cans or Bottle of Mandarin Oranges; drain well in colander and reserve 1/4 cup juice. Place Mandarin slices on doubled up paper towels to drain well. Now, in small saucepan, melt down 3 large Tbls. of real butter, 2/3 cup of brown sugar and 2 heaping Tbls. of the syrup from Mandarin oranges. Take a large round cake pan and pour melted mix into bottom and spread with a rubber spatula to cover completely. Now lay your mandarin pieces all spooning each other all the way around pan and into a second and third layer until entire bottom is filled totally up. Gently pour cake mix on top and bake as pkg. reads Remove from oven and let cool. Go all the way around outer wide with butter knife and gently loosen. When totally cooled, place cake platter over pan and invert in one smooth move. Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar all over and serve with quality vanilla ice cream. Simply Superb & Super Easy to Make!

THUNDER ROADS WISHES YOU NOTHING SHORT OF A PHENOMENAL 2015 WITH MANY BLESSINGS! WE LOVE YA’ BIKERS! THUNDER ROADS MAGAZINE WEST VIRGINIA

JANUARY 2015

THUNDER ROADS MAGAZINE WEST VIRGINIA

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS

ow that the Holiday craziness is behind us, all the unwanted gifts have been either rewrapped or returned, it’s time we think about making resolutions for the upcoming year. These are usually based on what bad habits people are trying to break, or good habits people are trying to continue or start. Sadly, the majority of these resolutions are usually broken within the first week. Although this is disheartening, I believe the reason behind the phenomenon is that the resolutions are just too hard to keep. So, if you are one of these people who meet this description, I have come up with a method of making resolutions a little easier to achieve. First, let me share with you some of the funnier resolutions I have heard in the past: I will stop making my New Year’s resolutions on a napkin at a bar on New Year’s Eve and then either losing it immediately or spilling my $8 cocktail all over it. I will stop picking my nose in my car. I will stop drunk-dialing, drunk-texting, or drunk-Facebooking. I will not be convinced by that 2am infomercial. I will not make love to a Victoria Secret model. (This one’s pretty easy to keep.) I will regularly wash my underwear. I will stop licking frozen flag poles. I will only get divorced and remarried once this year. I pretty much have the same resolutions every year: Lose weight, save money, and smoke less. These are all big commitments, so I’m going to try to take a more practical approach. Let’s start with losing weight. What causes me to gain weight? Beer. Ok, so I’ll just stop drinking beer. Nah, screw that. What else? Food. Ok, I can stop eating. I like this better than quitting drinking, but it’s still not very THUNDER ROADS MAGAZINE WEST VIRGINIA

realistic. Maybe if I just try to keep sugar and carbs out of my diet. I do love my candy and French fries, but I can do without them, and I have always loved fruits and vegetables. That might work. Exercise is part of losing weight. But, UGH! Just getting out of bed for work seems like exercise to me. But, I am pretty active at work, so let’s just call that my daily exercise. Saving money. I never seem to have enough to survive on, so this one is hard. I could pay off my credit card debts with my other credit cards, but that wouldn’t make much sense. I could only make right turns to save money on gas. I never could figure this one out. What if I’m headed left? I guess the best way to save money is to quit spending it on needless things like, going out to eat instead of eating at home. I can wear these boots for at least another year, and no one can see the holes in my socks, so I can wait on getting new socks and underwear. Cutting back on smoking. I have been a big smoker since high school, so this is going to be a tough one. However, I think I have come up with a plan that will not only help me smoke less, but save me some money as well. If I can force myself to only smoke one cigarette an hour I will be cutting my habit in half. To make this easier to do, I have decided to only smoke at the top of the hour. If I can just make myself wait until then, I will not only be smoking half as much, but I can still get my hourly nicotine fix. These are just a few ways I have chosen to help me with my resolutions. You may have some of the same goals as mine or some of your own. Try not to make your resolutions too difficult to keep, and maybe this year, we will all be successful, at least until the second week of January. Ride Safely and Enjoy, Mike “Smiles” Johnson

JANUARY 2015

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DIARY OF A BIKER CHIC Stepping Out of My Comfort Zone

appy New Year!! Where in the world did 2014 go? It went by in such a flash but I guess that’s what happens when you are having fun! As the end of 2014 came to a close, it occurred to me that I had started stepping out of my comfort zone with many things. Riding in the colder weather is the biggest thing. I hate being out in the cold and I usually go into a hibernation mode during the winter months, but my heated gear has kept me out on the bike, which in turn has helped me hate winter a little less (only a little)! On the last day of November, I did over 100 miles as I rode to Wye Island just over the Bay Bridge. I’ve never been there and I was just following the leader but it was an enjoyable trip as I was warm and cozy. I quickly realized, though, that my heated insoles for my boots get way too hot. My feet were burning! I need to purchase a separate controller for them! The area was very nice and I plan on going back and visiting there again so I can spend a little more time exploring. Riding in the colder temperatures isn’t the only noncomfort zone I stepped into. I’ve never been one to go to parties and surround myself with a bunch of people that I don’t know, even if it’s a bunch of bikers. It’s not that there is something wrong with them…there is something wrong with me! I’m not a “social butterfly.” I’m pretty quiet and keep to myself, especially in bigger crowds. I do much better with one-on-one then I do with a group of people. Being this way has kept me from meeting people; especially people that I could connect with and ride with. Most of the time, I ride solo (and I love it) but it’s always nice to go out riding with at least a few other people from time to time. I’m not really shy but when there is a crowd, I find it harder to have conversations so I usually don’t bother. I know some people who jump from person to person and have conversation after conversation and that looks too exhausting to me! I also have a love/hate relationship with people and the way I usually look at it, if they are cool people I will get to know them over time. Most bikers are cool but I still tend to step back and observe for a while before I speak. You learn a lot more when you shut your mouth and pay attention! I went to a biker Christmas party at Parker’s in Baltimore, which is not something I would ever normally do. But I went, and I had a blast. My friend pretty much knew everyone there and I was introduced to a lot of people that night. I can’t remember most of their names but every single one of them was cool. They were nice and inviting and hugged me good-bye as if we had been friends for a long time – but isn’t that the biker way? I met one chic who rides her own and she was telling me that she does trips all

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the time by herself. She sounded a lot like me in that she doesn’t like doing the bar hopping thing that so many bikers do. That’s a thing I’ll never understand. Why do some bikers say, “hey, lets go riding” only to get on their bike and go from bar to bar. That is not riding to me and it’s not fun because I’m not going to drink if I’m riding! If I am to go riding, then I’m going to ride…not stop and go constantly. I want to rack up the miles and the adventure! I was also dressed a little “girly” that night and anyone who knows me, knows that I don’t do “girly!” Not at all! I don’t do dresses, skirts, or make-up. If you don’t like how my face looks natural then just don’t look at me! Stepping out of my comfort zone and getting a little dressy and putting on heels, really gave me attention I had never had before. One girl told me she wished she had my body…which NO ONE has ever said to me before. I guess all the time I’ve been putting in at the gym is starting to pay off! Maybe being a little girly will be part of my normal routine when spring time comes. There’s nothing wrong with being a bad-ass biker chic and looking girly at the same time! But I still will not be wearing make-up! So as 2015 gets started, I challenge all of you to step out of your comfort zone no matter what it may be. If you are a back seat rider and have always wanted to ride your own, it’s never too late to start! Get out of your comfort zone and try new things…you just never know the joys that will come from it…especially if you are a biker!

JANUARY 2015

Kellie

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MODEL: KELLIE

PHOTOGRAPHER: BOBBY T. ROCKS

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JANUARY 2015

TRWV 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

UPCOMING EVENTS

Progressive International Motorcycle Show Washington, DC Friday, January 9, 2015 - Sunday, January 11, 2015 Progressive International Motorcycle Show coming to Washington, DC See All The Latest Bikes From All The Major Motorcycle Manufacturers Ultimate Builder Bike Show, Demos, Entertainment, Celebrity Appearances 100s of Vendors And A Whole Lot More!!! Visit the website below for additional information and updates www.motorcycleshows. com/washington-dc

DELAWARE Frosty Ball Run Sunday, February 8, 2015 10:00 AM Four Seasons Motorcycle Club For this run, you might have to take the chains off your jacket and put them on your

tires, but when you get a warm cup of joe in ya, it’ll all feel worthwhile. Registration 10AM till 12 noon - $5 Per Person All Bikes Welcome Run Closes at 5 PM www.fourseasonsmc.com

MARYLAND

11th Annual Who’s Got the Guts Ride Thursday, January 1, 2015 from 10:30 AM to 2:00 January 1st, Bayside Believers will host its first scheduled calendar ride of the New Year, its “11th Annual Who’s Got the Guts Ride”. We’ll depart from Starbucks on Mountain Rd at 10:30 AM, please be gassed up and ready to roll. After a cool nippy ride, we’ll warm up to a nice hot lunch at Pirates Cove Restaurant in Galesville, MD. Cost of ride will be based on what you order for lunch. Dress warm as this ride will go as long as there is no snow, ice or freezing rain on the roads. If you’re not comfortable riding in inclement weather, please feel free to ride along in your cage (car). You may want to go straight to Pirates Cove and meet us there; we

JANUARY 2015

should be at the restaurant NLT 11:30 AM. Please let us know if you intend to go, so we can give the restaurant an estimated head count. Feel free to invite a friend. Depart Location: Starbucks, 4 Mountain Road, Glen Burnie Departure Time: 10:30 AM Lead Road Captain: Ed Maynard Destination: 4817 Riverside Dr, Galesville, MD Howard County Motorcycle Swap Meet & Bike Show Sunday, January 25, 2015 10:00 AM The Howard County Motorcycle Swap Meet has always been 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 Swap Meet, “Where Friends Meet”. West Friendship, Maryland Apple Mountain Productions: By Bikers, For Bikers! Doin’ it Ol’ Skool!

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EVERY DAY : FREE RV’S, CAMPERS, BUSES ETC.. Apple mountain main event grounds for the east coast motorcycle rally has no full hook up sites, rv’s, campers etc are welcome on the main event grounds, self-contained. www. eastcoastmotorcyclerally. com/ Timonium Motorcycle Show Friday, February 6, 2015 - Sunday, February 8, 2015 Every foreign and domestic motorcycle manufacturer available in USA on display 100’s of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling... Huge Custom and Antique Bike Show... Entertainment and Celebrities... New Swap Meet Building dedicated to Garage Built Cafe Racers, Choppers, Drag Bikes & Motorcycle Art After Party and a Whole Lot More... www.cycleshow.net

Progressive International Motorcycle Show Jan. 9th – 11th

Timonium Motorcycle Show Feb. 6th-8th

Ocean City Bikes to the Beach Apr. 30th – May 3rd

Capitol City Biker Bash June 11th – 13th

Mountainfest July 22nd – 26th

LIST YOUR EVENT HERE!

Apple Mountain Motorcycle Rally Aug. 5th – 9th

OC Jams / Delmarva Bike Week Sept. 17th – 20th

Events@bigcityrhino.com THUNDER ROADS MAGAZINE WEST VIRGINIA

SAVE THE DATE

UPCOMING EVENTS

Apple’s 12th Annual East Coast Motorcycle Rally Wednesday, August 5, 2015 - Saturday, August 8, 2015 Formerly known as the “East Coast Sturgis Motorcycle Rally” Two Stages, GREAT BANDS five days of Colossal Entertainment You won’t Forget! Come Early, Stay Late ! There will also be a Poker Run, Bike Show, Field Events, Contests and All Kinds of Wild Fun! This is the event that’s taking the country by storm! All the reasons are right. Mountains, Open Country, Good People, Clean Air and the Freedom of the road! The East Coast Motorcycle Rally is the hot spot for motorcyclist to get together for good times, good food, and great entertainment. Come, Camp, Party! NO ONE DAY RATE Rally Ticket price includes: Camping / Concerts / Tours / motorcycle Demolition Derby and All other Activities HOT SHOWERS AVAILABLE

JANUARY 2015

THUNDER ROADS MAGAZINE WEST VIRGINIA

CIGAR REVIEW A

BY MY MAN FLYNN

As we begin a new year I’d like to shine a light on another new-comer AKA (American kick ass) cigars. The line I’ll be tasting today is their respect line, a cigar comprised of all vintage tobaccos. When AKA cigars hit the streets the respect was among the first lines from this Texas bred company. It has been retooled since then with the current variant wearing a band stating “2013”. Another fun fact about this particular cigar is that a portion of the profit is donated to the wounded warrior’s project thanks to an ideal of patriotism from Jay Lundy and Tom Poehler the company’s owners. The wrapper is a 5 year aged Criollo Ligero with a 4 year aged ’59 seed Corojo binder. This is all wrapped around some 4 and 5 year aged Dominican and Honduran long filler. Looking at this beauty it is dark and oily the aroma is strong and the draw is firm. Once lighted the first thing you notice is pepper but shortly thereafter a good coffee note begins moving the pepper to the background. Also in this first third I detected an oak flavor buried deep in the smoke that was quite pleasing. Into the second third coffee remained prominent with the pepper trailing in the aftertaste however a cherry sweet flavor added to the seemingly distant oak from the first third. As we draw into the last third the oak flavors move to the forefront and are joined by an earthy tone with coffee and the cherry sweet flavor receding into the background. As you reach the end of the cigar the pepper note will return and balance well with the other

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flavors proving a very well blended cigar. All in all this cigar is a great start to a company legacy especially with the donations to the wounded warrior’s project. As for where to get one well this company has been making its way up here and I happened to get mine in Mckeesport a small town outside of Pittsburg, but there is a plan to attack the Maryland market in short order. Once it arrives it will do well with its 8.50 price point and just plain delicious medium to full body. I have a bunch of these in my humidor so do yourself a favor and get some for yours.

JANUARY 2015

NCOM BIKER NEWSBYTES Compiled & Edited by Bill Bish, National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM) WASHINGTON TARGETS DISTRACTED DRIVING IN MOTORCYCLE AWARENESS VIDEO The Washington State Motorcycle Safety Program recently released a new motorcycle awareness video targeting inattentive drivers. Created with teen driver education students in mind, the eight-minute-long film starts by showing a teen driver cruising the streets in a car while eating and listening to loud music. When he turns left into the path of an oncoming motorcyclist, time stops, giving both the driver and rider a chance to exit their vehicles and talk to each another. After some initial frustration, Randy the motorcyclist gets in the car with Ian, the teen driver, and teaches him the dos and don’ts of how to drive when sharing the road with motorcyclists. Randy’s lessons include looking twice before turning and giving motorcycles more space. The two eventually return to their vehicles and the inevitable crash takes place. “The video is meant to be a relevant and easily accessible tool for Driver Training providers to use as they fulfill the motorcycle awareness requirement of their curriculum,” states the Washington State Department of Licensing, adding that the WMSP is supported by motorcycle endorsement fees and is tasked with providing Public Awareness of motorcycle safety, Motorcycle Safety education programs including classroom and on-cycle training, and Improved operator testing. The YouTube video “Motorcycle Awareness - A Second Look” has already been viewed over 100,000 times in the first three weeks (www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b3T7u4ZJ1Y#t=19). TENNESSEE BANS BIG RIGS FROM DRAGON A mountainous stretch of U.S. Route 129 (SR 115) from Tennessee to North Carolina famously known as “The Dragon” boasts 318 curves in 11.19 miles and is a beacon for drivers and riders alike, but semis are no longer welcome! Due to a “critical number of traffic accidents involving large trucks,” the state of Tennessee is following the lead of neighboring North Carolina in banning big rigs from US 129, on sections of highway known as Deals Gap or The Tail of the Dragon. For years, navigation systems have pointed truckers to the Dragon as a shortcut across Blount County. That ends with the new year, and signs will be posted mid-January prohibiting commercial vehicles (longer than 30 feet). After conducting a safety review, according to the Tennessee DOT there were a total of 204 crashes from 2010 to 2012 in Blount County -- six of those resulted in fatalities. Only one of those fatal accidents involved a tractor trailer, but many of the other incidents with semis have blocked the narrow highway for hours and prevented travel for all motorists. 28

NEW MEXICO HELMET STICKER PROPOSAL OPPOSED In response to a Senate bill draft creating a sticker riders would have to pay for in order to exercise their freedom of choice in helmet use, the New Mexico Motorcycle Rights Organization (NMMRO) has authored a letter of opposition supported by the National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM) and the NCOM Legislative Task Force (NCOM-LTF), among others, it states: Dr. Kurt B. Nolte, M.D., Office of the Medical Investigator; “It has recently come to the attention of the New Mexico Motorcyclists Rights Organization (NMMRO) that a bill was drafted on your behalf by Clifford Rees at the New Mexico Legislature. If passed this bill would impose a $692 fee on motorcyclists who chose to ride without a helmet. As an organization we are interested in hearing your justification for placing this burden on the public and if you think that placing helmets on motorcyclists would decrease the number of motorcycle crashes. Our organization would be pleased to share government statistics with you which show that 58% of all motorcyclist deaths are experienced by riders wearing helmets. We would also like to point out that it has been proven that accident prevention has a much bigger impact on preventing motorcycle injuries and fatalities. Helmets have not been shown to prevent motorcycle accidents and in some cases can increase the chances of an accident occurring. We have also worked with the New Mexico Department of Transportation to try to improve the awareness of drivers on New Mexico’s roads in respect to motorcycles as another method of accident prevention. If in fact you do intend to proceed with your present actions we would like to spend some time with you looking into what affect this would have on the motorcycle riders of New Mexico and not just assume that it would be beneficial to their safety. The NMMRO and NM State Representative Rick Miera (a long-serving member of the NCOM-LTF) are available to meet with you to discuss this issue further.” Thank you for listening to our concerns on this subject, Annette Torrez, Chairperson NMMRO (and member of the NCOM Board of Directors) LANE-SPLITTING LEGISLATION PROPOSED IN CALIFORNIA From across Europe to throughout Asia, motorcyclists around the world routinely “filter” their way between lanes of slowmoving cars, but here in the U.S. only riders in California are allowed to “lane-split” through congested traffic -- not-somuch because it’s legal, but because there are no specific laws addressing the issue. That may soon change, as Assemblyman Bill Quirk (D-Hayward) has introduced Assembly Bill No.51 to specifically regulate the practice. According to ABATE of California, their lobbyist Jim Lombardo has contacted the author’s legislative staff who said the measure was introduced by their office because of the widespread newspaper and television coverage

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regarding lane splitting and the general public’s ignorance of the legality of the issue. The staff members are willing to accept amendments to improve the bill language but are seeking to “codify”, or write into California law, lane splitting legislation to ensure it is not completely outlawed after the CHP (California Highway Patrol) was forced to remove their “lane splitting guidelines” last summer. AB 51 seeks to amend Section 21658 of the California Vehicle Code to “authorize a motorcycle to be driven between rows of stopped or moving vehicles in the same lane if the speed of traffic is 35 miles per hour or less and the motorcycle is driven no more than 10 miles per hour faster than the speed of traffic.” A violation of the Vehicle Code is a crime, so the bill would create a new criminal penalty. In addition to general opposition to over-regulating an accepted practice, “Obviously this bill is not something ABATE can endorse, especially when it limits lane splitting to traffic speeds of 35 MPH or less,” said Dave Hastings, ABATE Executive Director. “We will implement a plan of action to kill this bill or at least amend it into something that the riders of California can live with.” WHEN GAS PRICES GO UP, SO DO MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENTS A new study suggests that as gas prices rose in recent years, so did motorcyclist injuries and fatalities, because more people start using motorcycles and many of those riders are inexperienced, the researchers explained. The analysis, published in the journal for Injury Prevention, revealed a strong association between rising gas prices and an increasing number of motorcycle registrations, along with motorcyclist injuries and deaths. But it did not prove a cause-and-effect link. Analysts examined data gathered between 2002 and 2011 in California, which has the highest number of motorcycle registrations in the United States and the third highest number of motorcyclist deaths, and extrapolated that higher gas prices resulted in an additional 800 deaths and 10,290 injuries among motorcyclists in California over the ten year period. According to the report, crashes were more likely to occur in urban areas and during the afternoon. Of the motorcyclists involved in crashes, nearly 93% were men, 46% were middle-aged, 68% were caucasion, and 20% were uninsured. Riders ages 16 to 24 and those on the latest models of motorcycles were most likely to be involved in at-fault crashes. WEIRD NEWS: NEW ZEALAND COUPLE FINED $40K FOR RIDING WITHOUT HELMET A couple in New Zealand have been fined $20,000 each following multiple instances of riding a quad bike without THUNDER ROADS MAGAZINE WEST VIRGINIA

a helmet. According to the New Zealand Herald, Phillip Andrew Jones and Maria Anna Carlson, share-milkers from Marlborough, had been seen riding their All-Terrain Vehicle without helmets multiple times dating back to 2012. The pair were both fined under the Health and Safety in Employment Act; Jones was charged with failing to take all practicable steps to ensure no other person was harmed at work while riding a quad bike, and Carlson with failing to take all practicable steps to ensure her own safety by wearing a helmet, and the safety of others by not carrying her children on a quad bike. “Quad bikes pose a serious risk on farms, and on average five people were killed and 850 were injured every year,” said WorkSafe spokesman Francois Barton, adding that Carlson was twice witnessed riding her quad bike without a helmet after a prohibition notice had been issued and the second time she had two young children with her on the bike. Carlson admitted that despite owning helmets she didn’t wear one because “it becomes just a little bit of a hassle.” EPA GRANTS ETHANOL TEMPORARY REPRIEVE The ethanol industry dodged a bullet recently after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) deferred action on permanently lowering the amount of renewable fuels that must be blended into the U.S. gasoline supply. Rather than deciding to change the methodology of the mandate included in the Renewable Fuel Standard law, currently based on steadily increasing levels of ethanol-blended fuels, as it first proposed last year to lower the required annual levels, the EPA opted to wait until 2015 to decide. While the delay gives the renewable fuels industry time to regroup and lobby for higher levels, the final quota will likely be less than the original mandate required, but avoids an outcome that could have been much worse for the $30-billion-a-year industry. Meanwhile, many motorcycle and automobile organizations, among others, continue to lobby against ethanol, not just because its unapproved use can damage some internal combustion engines, reduce power and mileage, and void manufacturer warranties, but opponents also argue that ethanol pollutes more than the oil it’s meant to replace, takes more energy to produce than it delivers, drives up cost and scarcity of food resources, doesn’t reduce our oil-dependency, and the government subsidies being paid for ethanol production steals funds that could improve our highways, bridges and infrastructure. QUOTABLE QUOTE: “You don’t always win your battles, but it’s good to know you fought.” ~ Lauren Bacall (1924-2014), iconic American actress

JANUARY 2015

Biker Friendly Directory

Dealers & Shops Busted Knuckles Custom Cycles 406 West Race Street Martinsburg, WV 25401 301-260-0070 www.bustedknucklescycle.com Cutting Edge Customs 3078 PT. Manion RD #2 Morgantown, WV 304-826-6688 Demotto Honda-Yamaha RT 33W Elkins, WV 26241 304-636-5489 www.demottohondayamaha.com M&J Motor Company 1000 S. Queen Street Martinsburg, WV 25401 304-262-6200 www.mjtrikes.com RG Honda-Yamaha 1619 Buckhannon Pike Nutter Fort, WV 26301 304-624-5420 www.rghonda.com Smitty’s Suzuki, Kawasaki, Yamaha RT 33 East Corridor H Buckhannon, WV 26201 304-472-4824 www.supersmittys.com The Twisted Spoke 97 Milford Street Clarksburg, WV 26301 304-326-4644 www.twistedspokeinc.com Triple S Harley Davidson Exit 155 off I-79 Morgantown, WV 304-284-8244 www.tripleshd.com Wiskybilt 137 Harmony Grove Rd. Albright, WV 304-379-BIKE www.wiskybilt.com 30

Bars & Grills

Lee & Janet’s Place Cherry Falls / Webster Springs, WV 304-651-0777

Beander’s 314 Davis Ave Elkins, WV 304-636-6000

Lost River Brewing 155 West Main Street Wardensville, WV 304-874-4455 www.lostriverbrewing.com

Copper House Grill 1155 Airport Road Fairmont, WV 26554 304-534-8323

Nan & Pops Place 3485 Winchester Ave. Martinsburg, WV 304-267-2007

Gameday 318 Pike Street Shinnston, WV. 26431 Gateway Lounge 123 Casino Drive Anmoore, WV 26323 304-623-3060

Pikeview Sports Bar& Lounge 221-223 Pikeview Drive Beckley, WV 25801 304-256-2490

Giovannis Restaurant 451 US Hwy 33 E Weston, WV 26452 304-269-4563

Road Hogs Saloon 415 Clayton Street Rivesville, WV 26588 304-816-6901

Hickory House 1137 US Hwy 19 North Jane Lew, WV 26378 304-269-7373 Homewood Bar & Grill “Home of the Purple Monkey” 223 Homewood Rd. Weston, WV 26452 304-997-8666

Schmitt’s Saloon 245 Cheat Road Morgantown, WV 304-291-9001 Swamp Fox Tavern 4404 Sissonville Drive Charleston, WV 25312 304-340-8094

Jane Lew Junction 43 Mcwhorter Rd. Jane Lew, WV 26378 304-884-6806

The Local Bar & Grill 2552 Ritler Drive Shady Spring, WV 25918 304-763-2839

Jester’s Hilltop Pub 4726 US Hwy 33W Camden, WV 26338 304-269-4004

The Dairy Winkle 162 Campbells Creek Drive Charleston, WV 25306 304-925-6800

Kickstands Bar & Grille 3200 Junkins Ave Clarksburg, WV 26301

The Mason Jar Tavern & Grill 81 N Dents Road Granville, WV 26534 304-241-5914

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THUNDER ROADS MAGAZINE WEST VIRGINIA

Wright Dawgs 1228 Country Club Road. Fairmont, WV 26554 304-368-0834

Medical

Insurance

Rider Insurance www.Rider.com

Lodging

Broken Wheel Campground 2060 Skin Creek Road Weston, WV 26452 304-269-6097

Legal Services Law Offices of Ralph C. Buss 800-582-5577 www.RalphBuss.com

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

Photography

Bobby Tarowsky 304-797-1470 304-723-8955 www.BobbyTRocks.com

Certainty Stores 101 Randolph Ave. Elkins, WV 26241 304-630-1716 Certaintystores.com

Tattoos

Derma Doodle Tattoo Studio 355 Meadowdale Rd. Fairmont, WV 26544 304-816-3016 Thinkin Ink 508 Race Street Fairmont, WV 26354 304-366-1279

Fraternal Order of Eagles #2481 Weston, WV 304-269-6134 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 a 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.

Clubs, Organizations & Riding Groups 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. For more information call: 304-538-6953 or visit our website at: www.cehelpinghands.com

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JANUARY 2015

Biker Friendly Directory

A Therapeutic Touch 210 E. Park Ave Fairmont, WV 26554 304-366-8711

Retail

GET YOUR BUSINESS LISTED HERE!! CONTACT RHINO: BFD@BIGCITYRHINO.COM

OR 681.209-0832

JANUARY 2015

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JANUARY 2015

Luring New Riders Motorcycle manufacturers have been investing heavily in new markets and attempting to attract new riders to their folds—whether they are simply new riders for that particular brand or riders that are new to the sport overall. The manufacturer’s approaches vary quite a bit with some creating completely new platforms with new engines, frames and sizes while others shuffle engines on to new frames with options taken from this and that to create new sub-breeds of motorcycle. One of the 2015 models that fit this trend is the Honda NM4. Touted as a jump to the future today, the NM4 features an aggressive style according to Honda “the NM4 shakes up the status quo and explodes conventional barriers in

order to attract a whole new segment of forward-thinking riders to motorcycling.” The sleek neo-futuristic styled street bike features a fuel injected 670cc SOHC eight valve water-cooled parallel twin engine, an automatic six-speed dual clutch transmission with two automatic and one manual operation mode. ABS brakes, an integrated wind shield, an adjustable 25.6 inch tall seat that includes a convertible passenger seat that flips up into three different positions as a rider backrest and a full complement LED lighting package including tail light, turn signals and headlight. The NM4 also features integrated storage with saddlebags and upper cowl storage pockets and rider floorboards for added comfort. The NM4 weighs in at 540 lbs (with fluids) with MSRP pricing beginning at $10999.

JANUARY 2015

THUNDER ROADS MAGAZINE WEST VIRGINIA

cooled engine featuring a six speed transmission, with robust power from 2000-8000 rpm. The Street has been designed for the demands of urban riding lighter weight and with a low center of gravity and a 25.8 inch seat. The Street 500 and 750 both weigh in at 489 lbs (including fluids) with prices starting at $6799 for the Street 500 and $7499 for the Street 750 respectively.

The Harley-Davidson Motor Company has taken a bit of a different tack in their pursuit of new riders and increased market share. They have brought out the café racer 2015 Street 500 and Street 750 to market targeting entry-level riders on the international markets of Asia and Europe as well as the domestic market. The Street models in either a 500cc or 750cc version are the new entry-level motorcycles in the HD line up. Including Harley-Davidson’s new Revolution X engine an eight valve, SOHC, liquid-

THUNDER ROADS MAGAZINE WEST VIRGINIA

Obviously, these motorcycles are not head-to-to head competitors with a more than $5000 difference in starting MSRP between the Street 500 and the NM4. Both motorcycles however, do represent two very different ways in which to entice new riders to the banners of Honda and Harley Davidson. Undoubtedly both the NM4 and the Street 500/750 motorcycles have style and though there is no way to determine today if these motorcycles will have precisely the allure and effect that the manufacturers intend and draw the market share they were created to attract; I believe that more choice in the motorcycle marketplace is a good thing for motorcycle consumers. – Patrick McCauley, Thunder Roads Colorado

JANUARY 2015

THUNDER ROADS MAGAZINE WEST VIRGINIA

JANUARY 2015

(410) 561-7323 www.cycleshow.net

•

Bike Com e Show on th East Coast

BEST CUSTOM & ANTIQpUetiEtion

FEB. 6-8, 2015

Find us on Facebook: facebook.com/timoniumcycleshow

IN ONE!

vents Four Big E

The

BIG ONE

Judge’s Choice

Feb. 8, 2015 (Sun) Feb. 9, 2015 (Mon)

Feb. 6, 2015 (Fri)

Feb. 4, 2015 (Wed) Feb. 5, 2015 (Thurs)

– – – –

Lakeisha Maldonado

2008 Suzuki Hayabusa 8:00 PM 6:00 PM (Laying of Main Aisle Carpet Will Begin at 6:00 PM) 10:00 PM (Bikes may enter from side doors) 9:00 AM (By Pre-Written Permission ONLY-Please Call) OVER $20,000 6:00 PM – 11:00 PM IN CASH & AWARDS! 8:00 AM – Noon

Noon 8:00 AM 6:00 PM 8:00 AM

Timonium Motorcycle Show’s

Custom & Antique Bike Show Competition February 6, 7, & 8, 2015

CUSTOM

ANTIQUE

ENTRY FEE: $95 (per motorcycle)

Phone: 410-561-7323 Fax: 410-561-3032 Website: www.cycleshow.net

Facebook.com/timoniumcycleshow

MAKE CHECKS OR MONEY ORDERS PAYABLE TO: American Recreational Promotions • 1818 Pot Spring Road – Suite 112 • Timonium, MD 21093

Type of Bike to be Entered (Bike photo must be enclosed): Will You Need 110V Electrical Outlet?: YES NO

OVER $20,000 IN CASH & AWARDS!

Brief Description of Bike:________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________

Check detailed Competition Class descriptions at www.cycleshow.net. Any questions, please call Lisa 410-561-7323 ext 15

Entry Make: __________________________________ Year: __________ Model:__________________________ Enter Competition Class That You Feel Best Fits Your Bike: __________________________________________

Name: ________________________________________________________ Phone: ________________________ Address:___________________________ City:_______________________ State: _______ Zip: ____________ Email Address: ________________________________________________________________________________

Copies of this form may be used for multi-entries

BIKE ENTRY FORM

(Fill out Entry Form below and return with check or money order. Retain top portion for reference. Additional move-in info will be sent in early January.)

Check out last year’s winners and 2015 competition class descriptions at www.cycleshow.net

‘FOR SALE’ Bikes and Signs can only be located in Commercial Spaces in the Main Show Building or located in the Exhibition Hall’s ‘Used Parts/Bikes’ spaces (check out ‘Swap Meet’ Info at cycleshow.net). A $95 Entry Fee and this completed bike entry form are required for each bike entered into competition, no matter where the bike is located. Exhibition Hall bike entries will be judged by the same judges and at the same time as all other bikes in competition. The Maryland State Fairgrounds does not allow any individual, group or company to display or sell any merchandise that contains the names, symbols or phrases identifying or supporting any real life 1% outlaw club or gang on Fairground's property. Attendees may wear colors. Call Lisa at (410) 561-7323 ext 15 if you want your bike entry to be ‘FOR SALE’.

Move-Out Times:

Move-In Times:

• 8” x 10” 2015 Commemorative Show Plaque (first 200 entries) • Each Bike Entered Receives (1) Owner and (1) Guest Pass

(you may use your own custom stanchions)

• 10' x 10' Display Area (bikes may also be located in a commercial display space) Best of Show: • Trophies Will Be Placed Next to Winning Bikes Early Sunday Morning • Free 110 V Electrical Outlet (if needed) • Free Parking For Personal Vehicles and Motorcycle Trailers • 3' High Protective Stanchions Around 10' x 10' Display Area

$95 ENTRY FEE (PER MOTORCYCLE) INCLUDES:

*All Bike Entries will be inspected upon arrival to confirm that competition class chosen by bike owner fits actual bike entry according to AGE, STYLE and EXTENT of alterations

*All Bikes Welcome (Domestic or Foreign) *Professional Judging (Out of State~Non-Bias~Nationally Recognized)

COMPETE FOR IMPRESSIVE AWARDS AND BIG CASH $$$ PRIZES

2200 York Road, Lutherville/Timonium, MD 21093 Friday & Saturday 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM ~ Sunday 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

February 6, 7, 8, 2015 Maryland State Fairgrounds - Timonium

“CUSTOM & ANTIQUE BIKE SHOW”

TIMONIUM MOTORCYCLE SHOW’S

Check Out Last Year’s Winners at cycleshow.net