Chopper Fanatic » Chopper Fan

Columbia to host Missouri State HOG Rally for first time

Chopper Fan — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 05:00:28 +0000

COLUMBIA — Columbia hasn’t seen the last of motorcycle enthusiasts yet. But this time, they will be H.O.G.s.For the first time, the city will host the 2010 Missouri State H.O.G. Rally. from Thursday through Saturday, Harley Owners Group members will be riding through Columbia. MoreStory Related Articles “We hope to drive out, have some fun, spend some money and hopefully enrich the lives of the people in Columbia,” Brad Sabol, rally coordinator, said.The rally’s arrival has been a long time coming. In October 2008, Reed Hickam, director of the Columbia H.O.G. chapter, approached the Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau for assistance in securing a bid for the Missouri State H.O.G. Rally to come to the city.In may 2009, Columbia won the bid for the 2010 rally over St. Joseph and Branson, said Cori Day, the convention sales manager at the Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau.About 700 H.O.G. members have already registered to attend the rally, Sabol said, and 300 to 400 more are expected to register at the rally.On average, these rallies attract about 1,500 H.O.G. members, Day said.The rally will bring in an estimated $250,000 to $500,000 for Columbia, Day said, compared to the $6 million brought in by the estimated 15,000 to 25,000 members of the National Bikers Roundup earlier this month, according to a previous Missourian article.“this is a much smaller event,” Day said. “It’s more concentrated.”Many of the rally’s events will take place at the Holiday Inn Select and Convention Center. the rally will hold mapped rides, games and workshops on rider training.Mid America Harley Davidson will host a dealer party for H.O.G. members from 4 to 9 p.m. Thursday at 5704 Freedom Drive with food, a beer garden and music from 2 Buck Drunk.

Columbia to host Missouri State HOG Rally for first time

Where to Buy Custom Motorcycle Parts

Chopper Fan — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 05:00:07 +0000

If you truly want to customize your bike without spending a small fortune and ending up with a bike that looks like everyone else’s you have to learn the right places to buy custom motorcycle parts. whether you own a metric bike or a Harley Davidson, it is very easy to get caught up in customizing your bike without much thought to whether you’re spending too much money or if you’re getting the best parts for your bike.Sometimes the best parts can be found at Dennis Kirk or Cruiser Customizing, or even J and P Cycles, but often times the parts you really want aren’t to be found there. Hard to find gems in the custom motorcycle parts business are everywhere yet really hard for most people to find. I’m here to help you look.OK. You’re number one friend in hunt for custom bike parts is Google. But you’re going to have to learn to move beyond page one of the search results. in the past I have found many unique parts for my bike by simply typing in the bike model into the search engine and going page after page through the result. If you’re too specific about what you are looking for often times the way search engines rank sites can work to your disadvantage. this is one of those times where a broad search works best. Here’s a tip: bookmark each and every site that may be of interest. it is really easy to come across a cool custom bike part maker only to not be able to find them again.Directories are your friends. I say that not just because I own one, but because they have already done the work for you. Hunt down sites that list custom bike part websites. this will save you countless hours of searching. On my site I list a lot of website that I have found in magazines, sites that you will never come across in regular search results because the search engines just don’t know about them.One of the best sources of custom parts is custom motorcycle builders themselves. Almost every custom bike builder makes custom parts that they sell direct. These are parts you are never going to find on those large motorcycle parts websites or even at your local bike rally. A great place to find parts if you’re looking to have a unique bike. do broad searches like “Custom Softtail” or “Custom V-star”. you are bound to come across a bike builder who is making some of his own parts.eBay is a great source of custom motorcycle parts at discount prices but be wary. Many sellers are selling parts that look similar to the ones you have seen on other more expensive websites but may be of a seriously inferior quality. I have had much success on Ebay both buying and selling slightly used as well as new parts. Often time guys will customize a bike but a few hundred or thousand miles on it and then completely change the theme and resell the parts they no longer need. you can pick up exhausts and chrome covers for half of retail here.One last thought: if you can’t find exactly what you’re looking for wait a little while and try searching for it again rather than settle for something close. Many times I have come across exactly what I wanted right after buying something else that was close. after all it’s your custom motorcycle, why should you settle for less than perfection?

Where to Buy Custom Motorcycle Parts

From Humble To Rumble: Sturgis Turns 70

Chopper Fan — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 05:00:17 +0000

STURGIS, S.D. -- Greg Pike seems unfazed as his "chopper" putts past thousands of rumbling motors in western South Dakota's Black Hills, cruising the souped-up riding lawn mower into the world's largest motorcycle rally with his own gang: Booger the dog, Kitty the cat and Mousey the rat. Pike is among the eclectic mix of people flooding this normally sleepy town for the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The six-day event officially kicks off Monday and is expected to attract as many as 750,000 people, likely making it home to the highest concentration ever of chrome, leather and tattoos. But these days, you're more apt to run into a hog-riding orthodontist than a motorcycle outlaw. after seven decades, the rally has morphed from a small race to a rowdy gathering of biker gangs to a weeklong party of biking enthusiasts from across the globe. some come for the concerts - Bob Dylan and Ozzy Osbourne are among the scheduled performers - while others simply want to gawk at expensive toys. among the more bizarre twists, actor Pee Wee Herman promises to perform the world's largest "Tequila Dance." They're all tumbled together, along with more than 700 vendors selling everything from tattoos to roasted turkey legs. and somehow it works. "Anybody who has anything at all to do with motorcycles thinks this is the place," said Christine Paige Diers, executive director of the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame. "Doctors, lawyers or the guy who built his bike out of spare parts - Sturgis is for anybody who likes motorcycles." then there's Pike, who claims he made the trek from Texas in three weeks on his Murray lawn mower. "This is Sturgis - anything goes," Pike said as he walked through the town's crowded Main Street, accepting tips from rally-goers taking pictures of Mousey perched atop Kitty perched atop Booger. The 50-year-old, who travels across the county with his animal roadshow, figures he'll pocket $10,000 in tips at Sturgis. The rally began in 1938, organized by the Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club as a venue for racing and stunts, and continued every year except for two during World War II. Officials estimate this year's attendance at between 500,000 and 750,000 people, which would eclipse the 633,000 people who showed up for the 60th anniversary rally. The 50th drew 400,000 attendees. Don Vodden, 92, of Eldon, Mo., said he's the last surviving member of the Jackpine Gypsies and never imagined the rally would grow so large. He raced against eight other riders in that first flat-track event in 1938, which featured two riders on Harley-Davidsons, while he and the others campaigned Indian Motorcycle bikes. "I won $65 on a $300 motorcycle," said Vodden, who has attended most of the rallies since then. "It's a real nice civic event for the town," he said. "It's a blowout now and highly commercialized, with a little of everything and wonderful entertainment, and people come in from all corners of the world." The metamorphosis has disappointed others. Neil Hultman, an 82-year-old Sturgis resident who has attended 63 of the 70 rallies, remembers when they attracted only a couple hundred people. "It started out as a racing and family event, then it started changing when the bike gangs started coming in the late 1950s," he said. "In some ways now, it's turned into a concert, music-type moneymaking thing, which doesn't interest me at all." But he still comes, because of his love of motorcycles and "I see something new every year." Along with Dylan, a folk music icon, and Osbourne, a heavy metal pioneer, other scheduled music acts include Kid Rock, Motley Crue and ZZ top. The lineup "is the biggest and best so far," said Rod Woodruff, who owns the nearby Buffalo Chip campsite that has hosted concerts for 29 years. The machines also have changed over the years. a $150,000 custom-built bike was a rarity a decade ago, but now the flashy choppers are common, said Ben Lopez, who moved to Sturgis from California about 20 years ago after a stint in the Air Force. "Every year they get bigger, better and fancier," the 49-year-old said. Which might explain the more reserved atmosphere. Today's hardcore rally-goer is grayer and better behaved than when Sturgis police Chief Jim Bush began patrolling in 1978. The department made about 1,500 arrests back then, but last year "had contact with about 500 people - and 300 of those were for parking tickets," Bush said. Drugs, drunkenness and nudity have dwindled, he said. "There used to be a lot more young, single males, riding not quite the caliber of bike, who where involved in outlandish activity," Bush said. "Now they've reached the more middle-age bracket in life, and probably as responsible as they're ever going to be, and successful as they are every going to be, riding a $25,000-plus toy." Harley-Davidsons rule the rally but motorcycles of nearly every make are represented. Parked next to Lopez's Harley was a vintage lime green Honda scooter with a Kansas license plate that was photographed as much as the meanest of bikes along Main Street. "Ten years ago, somebody would have probably run over that," he said. Other longtime rally-goers agree that things have become more tame. The Hells Angels motorcycle gang even have a booth. "We're not out here selling drugs and killing people," said Mike Hutton, 41, of Riverside, Calif. "We're selling shirts and calendars." Proceeds help fund motorcycle runs, Hutton said. "Gas is not cheap these days," he said. Steve Dille, 53, of Denver first attended the rally in 1988, riding a Harley-Davidson - and never would have considered anything else. this year, he and his 17-year-old son, Keaton, rode in on Hondas. "It's a little more sanitized now," he said. "A lot more police and a lot less bike gangs. it was a lot rowdier back in the day."

From Humble To Rumble: Sturgis Turns 70

Lots of would like to acquire custom motorcycle

Chopper Fan — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 05:00:07 +0000

Lots of would like to acquire custom motorcycleWhen Jesse James and also his West Coast Choppers initially made an appearance on the Discovery channel the world got a little taste of what custom motorcycles have been all about. The financial system has been excellent and also lots of men started to dream about getting their own custom bike. Of course lots of of them being upper middle class soccer dads thought the biker lifestyle as portrayed by the great Jesse has been just a little too terrifying for them.Then the Teutels got along. American Chopper hit a note with men that Jesse unsuccessful to do. It made them spend money. Abruptly every man in American over 30 desired a custom motorcycle. and also those that had the cash bought them up in droves. Custom bike shops sprang up in nearly every little city in the country and also lots of a custom motorcycle builder thought they’d hit pay dirt.even people who truly didn’t plan on buying custom motorcycles ended up buying a bike simply because we got caught up in the phenomenon that has been American Chopper. all 5 motorcycles later and also 2 custom builds under my belt, I could honestly say that if custom bikes hadn’t been all around the TV, I probably might not use a storage filled with them right now. The country just gone crazy over custom motorcycles.Doctors and also attorneys gladly spent for $30,000 bikes thus they could join the custom motorcycle trend. along the way a few production custom motorcycle businesses gone into business and also made their fortunes in an exceedingly quick time. Should you had the money and also desired a very nice bike without having the concerns about getting pieces and also such, the production chopper fit the bill. Many of these trendy riders basically changed into genuine motorcyclists, myself included, yet that’s where the problems begun.When you have ever ridden a chopper or a bobber, you are knowledgeable that these points are excellent for bar hopping and also to march around at your own local bike night yet as a full time rides they only really don’t work. Trust me I understand; after a 400 mile ride to Niagara falls I rapidly realized that have a low long custom bike was not what I desired to ride on long trips. and also lots of some other new riders discovered similar lesson. as revenue of touring models jumped the custom motorcycle business started out in order to hear the death knell that is about the corner. Therefore misfortune hit the motorcycle industry in general.as the United States financial system fell interest on custom bikes fell with it. Many newcomers to the bike setting up business whom had lucked into a full time career out of an interest soon discovered that when simply real bike riders desired custom bikes built, simply hardcore established custom motorcycle shops acquired the business. even the well known OCC felt the crunch as their once desired theme bikes started to be a low concern for organizations who were right now on a tight budget.Watchers of the show observed as Paul Teutel Sr had to lay off several workers and also enthusiasts could simply ponder if their new setting up is ill timed. The custom motorcycle trend has been over.Hence what does all this signify for the custom motorcycle business in general. Could it be dead? hardly. It’s technique bigger compared to prior to the trend started out. Plenty of upstart companies have succeeded to survive simply because they created a excellent merchandise. a few production chopper businesses have fallen from the wayside. Nevertheless the the majority of important thing, to me is that motorcycling normally has ultimately turn into primary stream. In spite of a tumbling financial system and also HD in economic trouble more people are generally driving motorcycles right now than ever before. and also that implies more people will be customizing them likewise.It’s a unusual sight to see a motorcycle that hasn’t been customized a single form or another and also I with confidence anticipate that after this financial system bounces back the custom bike industry and also custom parts industries can grow. Just how do I know all this? Simply because in spite of lagging sales and also the passing of the trend, internet websites regarding motorcycles are generally busier than ever. Individuals may not be spending money right now yet these are performing a thing nearly as important. They’re making their bike parts wish lists and also in some situation deciding who they are going to get to make their custom dream bike when things turn about. that they can.Take heart my buddies, the custom industry isn’t dead, just going for a considerably needed siesta. computer disaster troubleshooting Share and enjoy:

Lots of would like to acquire custom motorcycle

The official and authentic dealers of Honda Motorcycles have joined the site Motorcyclebestbuys.com

Chopper Fan — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 05:00:09 +0000

2010-08-25 12:16:56 - Honda Motorcycles are the most affiliated and affirmative producers of vivid Motorcycles. this company has created some of the best possible models which have made it possible to make the bike lovers more enthusiastic and energetic. the Honda Motorcycles is not only popular in the teenagers for thrill but also is the amazing selection for the Bike buyers. They should be bought from the authentic and genuine dealers who are appointed by the company. many of these Honda dealers have announced to join the online site Motorcyclebestbuys.com with their wider collection of new Motorcycles and used Motorcycles for sale. Honda is the Japanese name which has made the entire world shocked and stunned with the engine quality and manufacturing style. After second World War, Japan experienced huge set back but the commencement of Honda and the fastest development of the company with a vision and qualitative approach made the company an important role player in the economy of entire Japan. the company first started with the engines production and then converted the target to the Motorbikes. the Motorbike production of the company was a huge turning point for the company and the industry as well. as we all know, the quality of engines and technically desired products of Honda is unmatchable. these qualities made the growth of the company quite rapid and dynamic. the Honda Motorcycles gradually not only became popular in the bike lovers but also became the worldwide leaders in the Motorcycles for sale industries. the company has provided many models which have made it possible to get the Motorcycle lovers to get innovative techniques and latest equipments added to the models. Honda Motorcycles are also popular in the used Motorcycles for sale sector as their quality and names are the biggest reliance for the budget oriented and quality seeker buyers. this Japanese Company has created some of the smashing and splendid models of Motorcycles of different types like the Cruise Motorcycles, Competition Motorcycles, Custom Bikes, Sports Bikes, Dual Sports Bikes and many more. All of these types of bikes and styles of the same are offered by Honda to the ultimate buyers with the help of mediators who are called the authorized Honda Dealers. these dealers not only sell the company product like other dealers but they also share all the schemes, benefits, guarantees, warranties and commitment that are offered by the company alongwith the Bikes. these additional benefits can not be compared by any other dealers. so, it is always smarter decision to buy the Motorcycles from these dealers. Also there are many authentic used Honda Motorcycles for sale dealers who are approved by the company. many of these dealers and exclusive performers have decided to sell their assets online on the platform of Motorcyclebestbuys.com. this is one of the reliable sites that are available in the online business. this site is quite impressive performer in online sales of Motorcycles for sale last year also. the moment you click your desired model of Bikes, you can get the entire collection of Motorcycles in a flash. the reliability and wider availability of Motorcycle models at this site have been outstanding. there are thousands of Bike buyers who have experienced the pleasure of buying these bikes and are making the Motorcycles for sale industries alive and enriched. Also the used Honda Motorcycles are displayed with full detail that makes the buying and selection process easier and speedier. so, the site is truly one of the most dedicated and dynamic search for the Motorcycles for sale buying online. Have a pleasure of buying.

The official and authentic dealers of Honda Motorcycles have joined the site Motorcyclebestbuys.com

Cycle Source Magazine: The Second Annual Brooklyn Invitational Custom Motorcycle Show

Chopper Fan — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 05:00:08 +0000

Please join Keino and his crew for the Second Annual Brooklyn Invitational Custom Motorcycle Show WHEN: Saturday, September 18th 2010, 3pm-12am WHERE: Root Studios, 131 North 14th St., Brooklyn, NY PURPOSE: To showcase custom motorcycles built by some of today’s most innovative and exciting craftsman and artists. DESCRIPTION: The first invitational took place September 19, 2009 at the Autumn Bowl in Brooklyn, new York. Thirteen motorcycle builders from the Greater Tri-State Area were selected to present custom motorcycles built specifically for the event. a curated selection of the best work being done in the motorcycle world. Not only professional bike builders, some make their livings as noted artists, photographers and more. The event far exceeded the hosts’ expectations. More than 2,000 people attended from all over the country, with over 500 bikes parked outside the venue. This year, we are having this show at ROOT, a 20,000 square foot photo studio/event space in Williamsburg. We are expanding variety of builders, not only tri-state area, but also from as far as from California just for the show. Music by noted new York bands, the Dixons, Natur, and Endless Boogie. Among the list of builders committed for this year: (in alphabetical order) Lock Baker Ernie Barkman John Copeland Paul Cox Chopper Dave Mike Davis Shinya Kamura Krazy Kevin Chris Lindig Hugh Mackie Andrew Rosa Keino Sasaki Max Schaaf Jeffrey Schad Jeff Wright Dice magazine Works Engineering Alongside the bikes will be a show of photographs by Adam Wright Cicero DeGuzman Jr Ken Nagahara James Macari Additionally, DICE Motorcycle Magazine will be having a release party for their newest issue Sept 17th, Friday evening at Matchless Bar in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Admission to the event is free.

Cycle Source Magazine: The Second Annual Brooklyn Invitational Custom Motorcycle Show

CBS4 RTV4 WHBF Quad Cities, IL / IA News Weather SportsFrom humble to rumble: Sturgis turns 70

Chopper Fan — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 05:00:10 +0000

By JAMES MacPHERSONAssociated Press Writer STURGIS, S.D. (AP) - Greg Pike seems unfazed as his "chopper" putts past thousands of rumbling motors in western South Dakota's Black Hills, cruising the souped-up riding lawn mower into the world's largest motorcycle rally with his own gang: Booger the dog, Kitty the cat and Mousey the rat. Pike is among the eclectic mix of people flooding this normally sleepy town for the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The six-day event officially kicks off Monday and is expected to attract as many as 750,000 people, likely making it home to the highest concentration ever of chrome, leather and tattoos. But these days, you're more apt to run into a hog-riding orthodontist than a motorcycle outlaw. After seven decades, the rally has morphed from a small race to a rowdy gathering of biker gangs to a weeklong party of biking enthusiasts from across the globe. some come for the concerts - Bob Dylan and Ozzy Osbourne are among the scheduled performers - while others simply want to gawk at expensive toys. Among the more bizarre twists, actor Pee Wee Herman promises to perform the world's largest "Tequila Dance." They're all tumbled together, along with more than 700 vendors selling everything from tattoos to roasted turkey legs. And somehow it works. "Anybody who has anything at all to do with motorcycles thinks this is the place," said Christine Paige Diers, executive director of the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame. "Doctors, lawyers or the guy who built his bike out of spare parts - Sturgis is for anybody who likes motorcycles." Then there's Pike, who claims he made the trek from Texas in three weeks on his Murray lawn mower. "This is Sturgis - anything goes," Pike said as he walked through the town's crowded Main Street, accepting tips from rally-goers taking pictures of Mousey perched atop Kitty perched atop Booger. The 50-year-old, who travels across the county with his animal roadshow, figures he'll pocket $10,000 in tips at Sturgis. The rally began in 1938, organized by the Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club as a venue for racing and stunts, and continued every year except for two during World War II. Officials estimate this year's attendance at between 500,000 and 750,000 people, which would eclipse the 633,000 people who showed up for the 60th anniversary rally. The 50th drew 400,000 attendees. Don Vodden, 92, of Eldon, Mo., said he's the last surviving member of the Jackpine Gypsies and never imagined the rally would grow so large. he raced against eight other riders in that first flat-track event in 1938, which featured two riders on Harley-Davidsons, while he and the others campaigned Indian Motorcycle bikes. "I won $65 on a $300 motorcycle," said Vodden, who has attended most of the rallies since then. "It's a real nice civic event for the town," he said. "It's a blowout now and highly commercialized, with a little of everything and wonderful entertainment, and people come in from all corners of the world." The metamorphosis has disappointed others. Neil Hultman, an 82-year-old Sturgis resident who has attended 63 of the 70 rallies, remembers when they attracted only a couple hundred people. "It started out as a racing and family event, then it started changing when the bike gangs started coming in the late 1950s," he said. "In some ways now, it's turned into a concert, music-type moneymaking thing, which doesn't interest me at all." But he still comes, because of his love of motorcycles and "I see something new every year." Along with Dylan, a folk music icon, and Osbourne, a heavy metal pioneer, other scheduled music acts include Kid Rock, Motley Crue and ZZ top. The lineup "is the biggest and best so far," said Rod Woodruff, who owns the nearby Buffalo Chip campsite that has hosted concerts for 29 years. The machines also have changed over the years. A $150,000 custom-built bike was a rarity a decade ago, but now the flashy choppers are common, said Ben Lopez, who moved to Sturgis from California about 20 years ago after a stint in the Air Force. "Every year they get bigger, better and fancier," the 49-year-old said. Which might explain the more reserved atmosphere. Today's hardcore rally-goer is grayer and better behaved than when Sturgis police Chief Jim Bush began patrolling in 1978. The department made about 1,500 arrests back then, but last year "had contact with about 500 people - and 300 of those were for parking tickets," Bush said. Drugs, drunkenness and nudity have dwindled, he said. "There used to be a lot more young, single males, riding not quite the caliber of bike, who where involved in outlandish activity," Bush said. "Now they've reached the more middle-age bracket in life, and probably as responsible as they're ever going to be, and successful as they are every going to be, riding a $25,000-plus toy." Harley-Davidsons rule the rally but motorcycles of nearly every make are represented. Parked next to Lopez's Harley was a vintage lime green Honda scooter with a Kansas license plate that was photographed as much as the meanest of bikes along Main Street. "Ten years ago, somebody would have probably run over that," he said. Other longtime rally-goers agree that things have become more tame. The Hells Angels motorcycle gang even have a booth. "We're not out here selling drugs and killing people," said Mike Hutton, 41, of Riverside, Calif. "We're selling shirts and calendars." Proceeds help fund motorcycle runs, Hutton said. "Gas is not cheap these days," he said. Steve Dille, 53, of Denver first attended the rally in 1988, riding a Harley-Davidson - and never would have considered anything else. This year, he and his 17-year-old son, Keaton, rode in on Hondas. "It's a little more sanitized now," he said. "A lot more police and a lot less bike gangs. it was a lot rowdier back in the day." Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

CBS4 RTV4 WHBF Quad Cities, IL / IA News Weather SportsFrom humble to rumble: Sturgis turns 70

Bikers are Animals Blog: Bandit on a custom chopper…

Chopper Fan — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 05:00:18 +0000

©Paul JamiolOur dog Bandit bookin' down the road on a cool Fall evening astride his custom chopper. I added a winter background, some lights and a bag of toys and used this one for the Xmas cards we send out. every year, Bandit is on a different bike for the cards. FTR...the real Bandit is a Shiba Inu.

Bikers are Animals Blog: Bandit on a custom chopper...

FALLBROOK: Fallbrook Motor Fest rolls into town Saturday

Chopper Fan — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 05:00:09 +0000

The art of the engine will be celebrated Saturday in Fallbrookwith the inaugural Motor Fest, which is scheduled to bring music,beer and horsepower to downtown. The event will join four seasonal festivals held each year bythe Historical Downtown Merchants Association and could become anannual celebration, said Michael Calvanese, president of theassociation. Calvanese said inspiration for the Fallbrook Motor Fest camefrom the third Wheels of Desire show running at the Fallbrook ArtCenter, where 39 motorcycles are on display through Aug. 15. "I just thought it would be great to piggyback on that," saidCalvanese, owner of Café des Artistes in the Art Center. While the Wheels of Desire exhibit is about motorcycles only,Calvanese said Motor Fest will be more inclusive. "The concept is not just motorcycles," he said. "We're going tohave vintage Porches, classic cars and more bikes.I was trying toget a helicopter here. anything that has a motor. I see itexpanding in the years into anything that has a motor, evenyachts." Motor Fest will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday on MainAvenue, which will be closed to traffic between Elder and Alvaradostreets. the festival is free for people walking on Main Avenue toadmire the motor displays, but there is a $5 fee to enter the twobeer gardens at either end of the event. Music will be provided in the beer gardens by the bands Andre J,Gin Pistons, given Life and Indica Roots. Vintage cars from local clubs, as well as five classic Porschesfrom California Porsche Restoration in Fallbrook, will line MainAvenue during Saturday's event. People visiting the festival also will have an opportunity tostop by the Wheels of Desire show at the Art Center on the cornerof Main and Alvarado. Mary Perhacs, the center's executivedirector, said the center will be open past its regular 4 p.m.closing time that day. Admission to the center is $8, but visitors that day can buy a$30 VIP ticket that will get them into the center and the beergardens, discounts to local restaurants and an event T-shirtdesigned by local artist Brett Stokes. Owners of some of themotorcycles on display in the show will be at the center that day,she said. Perhacs said motorcycles and Fallbrook seem to be a good match,although he noted that some regular patrons of the center weren'tconvinced before the first Wheels of Desire show was presented in2003. "I said, 'Give it a chance,'" Perhacs said. "They came in andsaid, 'These are beautiful.'" Custom motorcycles are at the heart of the popular realitytelevision show "American Chopper," and Perhacs said a GuggenheimMuseum exhibit on motorcycles inspired her to create the firstWheels of Desire show. the Fallbrook exhibit has been expanded inits third incarnation at the center, she said. "Many people look at them as art forms," she said. Perhacs also said she was encouraged to learn that people fromLos Angeles and Palm Springs were coming to see the center'smotorcycle show and that more than half of the visitors said theywere interested in learning more about the center. Call staff writer Gary Warth at 760-740-5410.

FALLBROOK: Fallbrook Motor Fest rolls into town Saturday

From humble to rumble – to ridiculous? World’s largest biker rally celebrates 70 years in US

Chopper Fan — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 05:00:17 +0000

STURGIS, S.D. - Greg Pike seems unfazed as his "chopper" putts past thousands of rumbling motors in western South Dakota's Black Hills, cruising the souped-up riding lawn mower into the world's largest motorcycle rally with his own gang: Booger the dog, Kitty the cat and Mousey the rat. Pike is among the eclectic mix of people flooding this normally sleepy town for the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. the six-day event officially kicks off Monday and is expected to attract as many as 750,000 people, likely making it home to the highest concentration ever of chrome, leather and tattoos. But these days, you're more apt to run into a hog-riding orthodontist than a motorcycle outlaw. After seven decades, the rally has morphed from a small race to a rowdy gathering of biker gangs to a weeklong party of biking enthusiasts from across the globe. Some come for the concerts — Bob Dylan and Ozzy Osbourne are among the scheduled performers — while others simply want to gawk at expensive toys. Among the more bizarre twists, actor Pee Wee Herman promises to perform the world's largest "Tequila Dance." They're all tumbled together, along with more than 700 vendors selling everything from tattoos to roasted turkey legs. and somehow it works. "anybody who has anything at all to do with motorcycles thinks this is the place," said Christine Paige Diers, executive director of the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame. "Doctors, lawyers or the guy who built his bike out of spare parts — Sturgis is for anybody who likes motorcycles." Then there's Pike, who claims he made the trek from Texas in three weeks on his Murray lawn mower. "this is Sturgis — anything goes," Pike said as he walked through the town's crowded Main Street, accepting tips from rally-goers taking pictures of Mousey perched atop Kitty perched atop Booger. the 50-year-old, who travels across the county with his animal roadshow, figures he'll pocket $10,000 in tips at Sturgis. The rally began in 1938, organized by the Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club as a venue for racing and stunts, and continued every year except for two during World War II. Officials estimate this year's attendance at between 500,000 and 750,000 people, which would eclipse the 633,000 people who showed up for the 60th anniversary rally. the 50th drew 400,000 attendees. Don Vodden, 92, of Eldon, Missouri, said he's the last surviving member of the Jackpine Gypsies and never imagined the rally would grow so large. he raced against eight other riders in that first flat-track event in 1938, which featured two riders on Harley-Davidsons, while he and the others campaigned Indian Motorcycle bikes. "I won $65 on a $300 motorcycle," said Vodden, who has attended most of the rallies since then. "It's a real nice civic event for the town," he said. "It's a blowout now and highly commercialized, with a little of everything and wonderful entertainment, and people come in from all corners of the world." The metamorphosis has disappointed others. Neil Hultman, an 82-year-old Sturgis resident who has attended 63 of the 70 rallies, remembers when they attracted only a couple hundred people. "It started out as a racing and family event, then it started changing when the bike gangs started coming in the late 1950s," he said. "in some ways now, it's turned into a concert, music-type moneymaking thing, which doesn't interest me at all." But he still comes, because of his love of motorcycles and "I see something new every year." Along with Dylan, a folk music icon, and Osbourne, a heavy metal pioneer, other scheduled music acts include Kid Rock, Motley Crue and ZZ top. the lineup "is the biggest and best so far," said Rod Woodruff, who owns the nearby Buffalo Chip campsite that has hosted concerts for 29 years. The machines also have changed over the years. A $150,000 custom-built bike was a rarity a decade ago, but now the flashy choppers are common, said Ben Lopez, who moved to Sturgis from California about 20 years ago after a stint in the Air Force. "every year they get bigger, better and fancier," the 49-year-old said. Which might explain the more reserved atmosphere. Today's hardcore rally-goer is greyer and better behaved than when Sturgis police Chief Jim Bush began patrolling in 1978. the department made about 1,500 arrests back then, but last year "had contact with about 500 people — and 300 of those were for parking tickets," Bush said. Drugs, drunkenness and nudity have dwindled, he said. "There used to be a lot more young, single males, riding not quite the calibre of bike, who where involved in outlandish activity," Bush said. "now they've reached the more middle-age bracket in life, and probably as responsible as they're ever going to be, and successful as they are every going to be, riding a $25,000-plus toy." Harley-Davidsons rule the rally but motorcycles of nearly every make are represented. Parked next to Lopez's Harley was a vintage lime green Honda scooter with a Kansas license plate that was photographed as much as the meanest of bikes along Main Street. "ten years ago, somebody would have probably run over that," he said. Other longtime rally-goers agree that things have become more tame. the Hells Angels motorcycle gang even have a booth. "We're not out here selling drugs and killing people," said Mike Hutton, 41, of Riverside, Calif. "We're selling shirts and calendars." Proceeds help fund motorcycle runs, Hutton said. "Gas is not cheap these days," he said. Steve Dille, 53, of Denver first attended the rally in 1988, riding a Harley-Davidson — and never would have considered anything else. this year, he and his 17-year-old son, Keaton, rode in on Hondas. "It's a little more sanitized now," he said. "a lot more police and a lot less bike gangs. It was a lot rowdier back in the day."

From humble to rumble - to ridiculous? World's largest biker rally celebrates 70 years in US