Ride White Lines ~ Stories from the Road

Oils by Troy

2009-05-07T05:30:00.003-07:00

Along with tattoos (both having them and being an artist), painting motorcycles, a couple of race cars and the this' and thats in life I also paint in oils. No, motorheads, not the kind that we use in our bikes. I'm talking about the pigmented kind - paintbrush and canvas kind.

Recently I entered into a challenge with other artists to see who can reach 100 fans first so I'd like to ask you to join me at my Facebook Fan page Oils by Troy. Sign in and join.

Thanks, peace & ride safe!

Motorcycles, Bikers, Motorcycle Travel

Arizona Bike Week - Why?

2009-04-14T09:24:00.006-07:00

Arizona Bike week has come and gone... I don't know, maybe it's because I live here, but I just don't see AZBW becoming anything bigger than a circus event for vendors and a few custom builders.

I've been a couple of times, mainly because my brother went and it's always a kick to ride with my brother. It's something I've enjoyed ever since we were little and I watched his little red helmet go bobbing down the canal after his attempt to be the worlds next Evil Knievil. Needless to say he didn't clear his jump and yes his head was still in the helmet... so that you don't think that I'm all that cruel I did, after I stopped laughing, jump in and pull his ass out so he didn't drown! I've also made the ride out to Westworld as part of a charity run with Chesters HD in Mesa, but I've never viewed it as a must go/must see desitination. The valley has some incredible day rides. The ride to Tortilla Flats is one of my all time favorites. The ride to Queen Valley is a little known gem. The ride to Globe/Miami ... I could name more but it's really not the point. April in Arizona is usually FANTASTIC weather to ride in. The rest of the country is just coming out of the freeze and we're hitting the 70's. I just think that the valley is too wide spread to hold the "event" in any of the metro cities... Phoenix, Scottsdale, Chandler doesn't matter - put the event out at the Ranch in Wickenburg or some other smaller city that's 50 miles or so from the 4 million people that rush the streets of the Phoenix Metro area every day.

You know, maybe that's it... after riding in this valley for a lifetime I just don't like dealing with all the cars and the idiots that drive them, so, for me it just isn't worth it to trek 40 miles across town, in traffic, to go and see another pair of chaps or a custom paint job.

"Ride Safe"

Whiteline

Motorcycles, Bikers, Motorcycle Travel

Nickleback and the Sturgis "Rockin' the Rally" show

2009-03-13T08:04:00.009-07:00

I love this band... so now a little free promo for Nickleback's latest release....and the video trailer......

Nickelback: Live at Sturgis 2006 Trailer - courtesy of Metacafe.com

E1 Entertainment, Coming Home Media and Blue Rider Pictures proudly announce the release of Nickelback Live at Sturgis 2006, a hard-rockin’ set of twelve completely uncensored greatest hits recorded at the world-famous “Rockin’ The Rally” show in Sturgis, South Dakota. Arriving in stores shortly following the launch of Nickelback’s highly anticipated “Dark Horse Tour,” the Live at Sturgis 2006 DVD became available everywhere on March 10.

Nickelback’s first live DVD release since 2002, Live at Sturgis 2006 captures an explosive show from one of the world’s greatest recording and touring artists. Filmed with 15 high definition cameras, this definitive concert performance presents the band pounding out fan favorites and modern day classics from their first three multi-million selling albums: Silver Side Up, The Long Road and All The Right Reasons.

Recorded with high definition cameras that produce images equivalent to motion picture film, the Live at Sturgis 2006 DVD offers four distortion-free, full range sound options including SRS Circle Surround, DTS and Dolby 5.1 Digital Surround Sound and Stereo. Bonus features include a special behind-the-scenes documentary featurette incorporating backstage interviews with the band, the music video for “Rockstar,” a Sturgis 101 primer and a photo gallery. Also included is a 12-page booklet featuring liner notes and photography from the show.

Nickelback Live at Sturgis 2006 was Directed by Daniel E. Catullo III; Produced by Jack Gulick & Daniel E. Catullo III; Executive Producers: Tilton Gardner, Jeff Geoffray & Walter Josten; Audio Mixed by Randy Staub

Nickelback Live at Sturgis 2006 – Available in stores March 10

Street date: March 10, 2009
Running Time: 95 Minutes Total
Audio: SRS, DTS, 5.1 Dolby, Stereo

Track Listing & Bonus Features

Animals
Behind the scenes with Nickelback
Woke Up This Morning
"Rockstar" Video
Photograph
Sturgis 101 Vignette
Because Of You
Photo Gallery
Far Away
Never Again
Savin’ Me
Someday
Side Of A Bullet
Photo Gallery
Sturgis 101 Vignette

Ride Safe

Motorcycles, Bikers, Motorcycle Travel

Ten Motorcycle Tour Models Reviewed

2009-02-16T21:51:00.004-07:00

I've used articles by Alan Liptrot before, here's another that I think is worth the read. Ride Safe!

Ten Motorcycle Tourers by Alan Liptrot
Selecting a Tourer is a very personal thing, and I’m not saying that these ten machines are the best. Some may not be still in production, but they are all available, albeit second hand.

HONDA GOLDWING GL1800

The only bit of kit that Honda’s Flagship is missing is an ashtray, and they’re probably working on that at the moment. This bike has been around a long time in one guise or another, but you only have to see the number of owners clubs and members to realise that its popularity isn’t waning yet. A high-tech aluminium chassis keeps the weight down, providing a surprising turn of speed. This is the ultimate tourer, but just too bulky looking for some people.

BMW K1200LT

Although still quite heavy, this bike is more economical than the Goldwing. Looking around, it seems to be one of the most popular tourers around and rightly so if it’s power you want, but it needs a little care on the twisties. Newer models are fitted with a reverse gear.

HARLEY DAVIDSON ELECTRA GLIDE

It’s big, it’s brash and it’s American. Definitely built for comfort, not speed, but will turn more heads than you can shake a stick at. 110mph from a 1449cc engine says it all. One of the advantages of owning this machine is the minimal depreciation, and you’re always going have something to talk about to any passing stranger.

TRIUMPH TIGER TOURER

Oodles of acceleration, limited vibration and a truly versatile character. But having said that, if you’re on the short side, forget it. Being a shorty myself, I think it’s a shame that motorcycle manufacturers exclude a huge section of potential customers by having a high seat. However, the taller motorcyclists I know assure me that this is an exceptional bike. I’ll just have to take their word for it.

HONDA ST1300 PAN EUROPEAN

This is one of the most silky, comfortable, fast machines you’re ever likely to have the pleasure of putting your bum on. Even with two up it handles superbly. If you’re thinking about buying a tourer, this has to be worth considering.

YAMAHA FJR1300

This shaft driven offering from Yamaha was specifically built with touring in mind. The huge capacity tank and hard luggage are just part of the deal. Loads of power from the reliable engine will get you out of trouble, but that doesn’t mean it’s thirsty. The FJR represents value for money and I like it.

MOTO GUZZI NORGE 1200

An excellent value for money, shaft driven bike from Moto Guzzi. With a range in the region of 200 miles and a comfortable riding position, this is a true tourer. Some harshly describe this as the poor man’s BMW, but let’s get one thing straight; it’s shaft driven, but it’s not a BMW.

TRIUMPH TROPHY 1200

Sadly discontinued in 2002, the Trophy is still worth considering if you can find a decent second hand model. It’s a heavy bike, but it’s much cheaper than say, the Pan’s and you’ll still be getting a lot of bike for your money. For such a big bike, the cornering capabilities and general handling are pretty good, and you could do far worse than go for one of these, especially if you are on a limited budget.

HONDA DEAUVILLE

This mid size tourer can turn its hand to anything; ideal for commuting on a daily basis and touring across Europe, and the 54 litres of colour coded luggage will help. Low service costs and insurance group make the Deauville very attractive. The build quality of this shaft driven machine is legendary, making it high on would be adventurers’ short lists.

BMW R1200RT

A faster, lighter and much welcome successor to the R1150RT, this machine is not just a good tourer, it’s a good bike. One nice innovation on this bike is the height adjustable seat (there I go again). The Telelever/Paralever suspension provides excellent handling as you would expect from a BMW. Expect to pay a decent price for a second hand one, as these bikes hold their money, but if it’s in good condition you’re going to be the owner one nice bike.

Well, there are ten bikes for you, and they all have something to offer whatever your circumstances. If your favourite was not included, I apologise.

Alan Liptrot is the founder of Motorbike Tours.co.uk The Company offers guided motorcycle tours in Spain, Portugal and Morocco.

Article Source: Free Articles ArticleSnatch Article Directory

Electra Glide, Ultra Glide, Harley Davidson, BMW R1200RT, Motorcycles, Bikers, Motorcycle Travel

Good Luck Arizona Cardinals

2009-01-17T09:16:00.006-07:00

This is one of those times where I have to break from just publishing Motorcycle related articles, forgive me while I come out of 20 years of futility and bask in a moment that I was never certain would come... always hoped that it would... but I am a fan of the Arizona Cardinals, and if nothing, I have learned over 20 years that hopes and dreams of a fan can be quickly dashed.

While the team went to sleep for the last few games of the season they have woken up now with, what seems to be, a chip on their shoulder. I am cheering for that chip to last.

The defense is playing like we all thought they could. The offensive line is protecting like they were hired to do... run blocking, well, they are getting better... The receiving corps? No need to comment, I think the league knows that we have one of the best trio's in the NFL.

.... Jim, give 'em hell buddy!.... and Donovan... I hope you're staying at the hotel with the team and not at your house :) but if you are staying at your house my son says that if he sees you at Chipotle he's going to take back his "good luck" that he wished you before the season started!!

Go CARDS!

back to researching and writing about M/C's... it's going to be 75(F) around here today... maybe it's time for a little 'on the road research'!

Arizona Cardinals, Cardinals, NFC Championship, Football, Motorcycles, Bikers, Motorcycle Travel

$100 Rooms For Rent... Each Couple Please.

2008-12-31T01:00:00.004-07:00

We sat in the corner of the crowded little bar in Daniel, slowly enjoying our hard earned beer while we talked over the events of the mud-bog, the bentanite farting bike, the rain, the newly acquired bruises, and the caution in which we seemed to be employing during the trip to Daniel. We talked about the angels that must be following us, the road gremlins that kept trying to get us and how it all started with a bad intake, flat tire and a dead guy on the highway.

Nearly a thousand miles under our leathers in the past few days. It felt more like a million.

The beer went down smooth, the conversation was cathartic for all of us. The rain had slowed back to a mist so we paid our tab, left our tip and headed to Bonduraunt.

The road to Bonduraunt was slow going. The group was still a bit skiddish from the earlier events. The drivers might have pushed it harder had we been riding solo but we all knew that our passengers would have none of that at this point. The sun sets quickly when you're riding in the valley's of the Rocky Mountain range and before we knew it we were riding in to the night. The worries had gone from mud to animals. Deep in the mountain ranges miles from anyplace larger than a ranch house the game was sure to be running free and wild. Our pace reflected our concern over the possibilities of wandering deer and antelope, slow but sure. As the sun set the temperatures dropped quickly adding to our riding pleasure - damp clothes and leathers, cold temperatures and a self generated 55 mph wind.

We pulled in to Bonduraunt, not much more than a small vacation spot on the highway with a general store, a bait shop and some fly-fishing cabins. It must have been near 10:30--I don't remember exactly, and didn't write it in my journal, but I do know it was late enough that we pulled in to the fishing cabins to see what the price of a room would be for the night. The shop keep was just getting ready to close for the day when we walked in, tired, hungry and just wanting a place to crash.

We checked on availability and found there were two cabins available that would sleep all of us for about a hundred dollars a couple. I'm not certain, and I didn't care at the time, but I think that the room rates increased two fold when we walked through the office door. We agreed to the rate, got our cabin keys, unloaded and then went back to the office to grab something to eat. The sign out front said Snacks, Beer & Bait--we assumed that there would be something we could build a sandwich from, or microwave or... nope, nothing, nada. So we asked the shop keeper if there was a place around that may still be open for a meal. The closest place was about 25 miles on the north end of Bonduraunt Canyon, but if we were lucky...

Obviously This Guy Hasn't Read Our Story...

The General Store might still be open and they had pizza and a microwave.

Bonduraunt, Bonduraunt Wyoming, Cabins, Motorcycles, Bikers, Motorcycle Travel

We've Heard There's A Bar In Daniel...

2008-12-27T23:00:00.006-07:00

We pushed the bikes a bit farther to where the Bentanite ended and the pavement began again, resting for a moment and still shaking our heads. Deciding we were once again ready to push forward--Daniel, Bonderaunt and then Jackson for the night--knowing that we were, as seems to be the theme, behind schedule and needing to make up time. Mike was lead bike, ready to roll; he drops the gear in to neutral, and hits the starter, there's an odd sound coming from the bike as his Road King tries to turn over. You can almost hear the pressure building just prior to the bang and splat of bentanite being shot from his exhaust pipes to the pavement. We all hoped that this was his bikes way of spitting out the bad shit it had just gone through and getting on to the good.

Ready and started we roll towards Daniel, curve after curve, running the foothills of western Wyoming. The passing country side is beautiful; lush green meadows, rolling tree filled hills, the mountains in the distance. All viewed through a fine mist just so mother nature could remind us who was in charge of this ride. As the miles passed I noticed our push to make up time was being taken at a more cautious pace. The 75 mph or more that we'd pushed in the past now hovered near a leisurely 55 mph.

Soon enough we saw the signs for Daniel. Entrances to small towns on back roads are hardly ever marked by mile count down signs you'll see on the interstates. The sure sign that life is approaching is the reduction in speed sign. First the notice - reduce speed ahead, then the 55 mph, 45 mph and finally the town... 25 - 35 mph. Daniel was 25 mph through the center of town. A pace just fast enough to carry you through but slow enough to stop and patronize a local pub should you so desire. We so desired.

Daniel, Wyoming is a small ranching community - a blink and you'll miss it marker along the western Wyoming highways. On this day Daniel was our haven from the storms both figurative and literally. We rolled in and spotted the only bar in town. Slowing our motorcycles to a near stop we pulled up across the street from the bar (right in front of the purple trees) parked and scrapped our road worn, muddied bodies from our saddles. We were a motley looking bunch. Stained with mud, wet from the rain, weathered and leathered. We walked up and pulled open the weather worn old screen door, it made the creaking sound you would expect from a door in it's condition, and walked in to the dimly lit smokey room.

I'm sure the ranchers and locals all were wondering what the cat had just dug up but my wonderment was only a passing thought, Beers all around please, it's been a long hard day and we're only half way there.

Daniel Wyoming, Daniel, Wyoming, Hwy 189, Motorcycles, Bikers, Motorcycle Travel

Motorcycles in the Movies

2008-12-18T12:00:00.002-07:00

Okay, just to let you know--I have not gotten lazy... There has been a boat load of crap happening in my life and Christmas is right around the corner... so unfortunately I haven't had the time to put together a quality post for your enjoyment in a while. So while I continue to wade my way through everything... including shopping (blaaaa...) ... I was able to find an article that I enjoyed and thought I'd share - I did put in some links to the Internet Movie Data Base so you can check out some of the titles.

I promise, I am working on the next chapter in the '99 Sturgis Story.

Thanks for reading & as always,

Peace & ride safe.
White Line

Motorcycles in the Movies by Alan Liptrot

When Bud Ekins took the place of Steve McQueen, to jump the wire fence in the film ‘The Great Escape’, he arguably created the most famous motorcycle movie scene of all time, but you will notice that I used the word ‘arguably’, because there are other movies that run this one close. The Great Escape wasn’t a film about motorcycles; it just happened to have the scene that everyone remembers. Interestingly, although McQueen didn’t perform that stunt, it was his idea to include that scene. Both Ekins and McQueen were avid motorcyclists.

In 1969, Dennis Hopper directed and starred alongside Peter Fonda in a film that reverberated far beyond the Movie Theatre. ‘Easy Rider’ was the story of two disillusioned youths who, after collecting the funds from a dope sale in Southern California, set off on a trip across America. The Hydraglides in the film, which were built between 1949 and 1952, were bought at auction for 500 US Dollars, but chopper builders Cliff Vaughs and Ben Hardy transformed the bikes, each one having a back-up to ensure the cameras kept rolling. One of the bikes was wrecked in the final scene while the others were stolen before the significance of movie props was realised. The final campfire scene still had to be shot, hence the absence of the motorcycles, whereas in the previous campfire scenes, the bikes are clearly visible. The wrecked ‘Captain America’ was rebuilt and by Dan Haggerty and became a museum exhibit until it was sold in 2001.

Walter Salles directed ‘The Motorcycle Diaries’ which was released in the USA in 2004. This is the true story of Ernesto Che Guevara who in 1952, before completing his medical degree, sets out with his biochemist friend Alberto, to travel across South America on an old Norton 500. La Poderosa (The Mighty or Powerful one), as the bike is fondly, but erroneously named, is asked to take them over the Andes, along the Chilean coast, across the Atacama desert, through the Peruvian Amazon and arrive in Venezuela in just a few months, in time to celebrate Alberto’s birthday on April 2nd. They actually arrive at their destination in July. This movie is in Spanish with English subtitles.

In 2007 the ‘Wild Hogs’, bored with their middle-class existence, decide to take to the road on their Harleys. All goes well until they fall foul of the biker gang ‘Del Fuegos’ whose mean leader steals Dudley’s bike. The bikes in the film, provided by Harley Davidson, were an XL1200C Sporster for Dudley (William Macy), an FXSTS Springer Softail for Bobby (Martin Lawrence), a black Fatboy for Doug (Tim Allen) and a Screaming Eagle Fatboy for Woody (John Travolta).

In the 1997 film, ‘Tomorrow Never Dies’, Pierce Brosnan and Michelle Yeoh steal a BMW R1200 and tangle with villains in a Range Rover. Needless to say, Bond wins the day, and luckily for Bond, the owner of the BMW doesn’t catch up with him. Bikes aren’t used much at all in Bond films, which is a great pity as they seem to be ideal for the this type of movie.

Marlon Brando played gang leader Johnny Strabler in the 1953 film ‘The Wild One’, in which a small town is terrorized by two rival biker gangs. Brando rides a 1950 Triumph Thunderbird. This film was banned in the United Kingdom for fourteen years, after which its first public airing was at the 59 Club in Paddington, London. The audience were predominantly ‘Rockers’. The movie also features Lee Marvin as the opposing gang leader.

In 1968 ‘The Girl on a Motorcycle’ was Marianne Faithfull as young wife Rebecca, who leaves her husband to visit her lover in Heidelberg. One of the amazing things about this film is how she manages to keep her Harley in an upright position even when taking bends. The film is also known as ‘Naked Under Leather’, which sounds a whole lot more interesting don’t you think?

There are of course many other movies featuring motorcycles, some of them with very interesting titles such as ‘She Devils on Wheels’, ‘Chopper Chicks in Zombietown’ and ‘Electra Glide in Blue’, but until someone comes up with a scene to rival the wire jump in ‘The Great Escape’, I’m sticking with my favourite,

Alan Liptrot is the founder of Motorbike Tours.co.uk The Company offers guided motorcycle tours in Spain, Portugal and Morocco.

Article Source: Free Articles ArticleSnatch Article Directory

Steve McQueen, The Great Escape, Dennis Hopper, Peter Fonda, Easy Rider, Wild Hogs, Electra Glide, Motorcycle Tours, Motorcycles, Bikers, Motorcycle Travel

I'm Dreaming of a Motorcycle Christmas

2008-12-17T06:15:00.005-07:00

I'm dreaming of a motorcycle this Christmas
Just like the ones I used to ride
Where the polished chrome glistens
and motorists listen
To hear my pipes go rumble by

I'm dreaming of a motorcycle this Christmas
With every open road in sight
May my way be merry
While I ride that cherry
Home this Christmas night

Motorcycles, Bikers, Motorcycle Travel

The New Bike and Bentanite

2008-12-07T10:00:00.002-07:00

On the road - not even noon, okay, maybe but we still had plenty of light left and an a new bike to get broken in. We pulled out of Monarch Harley Davidson, turned left and headed towards Evanston, WY. "Grandpa" sounded nice, deep throaty rumble and a stereo, damn what more could a man ask for... okay, there are a couple of things but I was easy to please that day.

We rolled out of Orem and headed towards Provo Canyon opening the bikes up as we went. With each turn my smile grew wider and my wife calmed down, it seemed as if we were making this trip happen come hell or high water and both of us were equally determined to freeking enjoy it. Even if it killed us! One switchback after another, one climb followed by a descent, each mile ticking by a little faster than the last and it seemed before we knew it we were turning east on to highway 80.

We knew at this point that we were well on our way, the miles between us and Arizona were now considerable. The scenery had changed from high desert plateaus to pine covered mountains. Highway 80 cut through one mountain pass after another and the number of motorcycles heading east seemed to grow with every passing mile. Evanston came and went and was little more than a fuel stop--gas stations were packed with bikes from every state in the western US--fuel and go was our mission, as fast as we could, and just to keep the travel gremlins at bay each of us would ring our "bike bell" just prior to starting up and heading out. Onward we went towards highway 189 North to Kemmerer, Wyoming and then towards Daniel, Bonderaunt and finally Jackson (aka Jackson Hole). The miles were mounting up fast. We stopped in a small town, population one gas station and a mobile home, for an "ass-break", a quick smoke and something to drink and snack on. A quick check-in with the kids back home just to let them know mom and dad were still alive and kicking and the new bike was running like a kitten with a really nice roar. Fifteen minutes of stretching and bullshitting it was time to ring the bells and head north - on to Daniel.

The plan, I know, here we go again with this damned plan, but the plan... was to stop in Jackson for the night. We had ridden hard and covered a lot of ground if we could get to Jackson we would be nearly back on track.

We fired up the bikes and pulled back towards 189 North. A left turn, the clank of the gears dropping as we quickly got up to speed and then we saw "Them". We are not usually scared by "Them" but on this trip we learned to be and the group was about
to get our first lesson in how to "fear the sign."

What sign, you ask?

The feared "Road Work Ahead" sign.

We didn't know at the time that we should be afraid. We had never been afraid of a sign before. Why start now? It's just a sign. It's an eye grabbing orange with black letters shaped like a diamond - so, what's to fear?

As we rolled on what the sign had warned us about was starting to come in to view; it seems that in Wyoming when they do "road work" on the back roads, which really is what highway 189 is--a farm road, they tear up the top of the road and leave only the bentanite bedding for the farm/ranch trucks to travel on. This works good enough for motorcycles as well as long as it hasn't rained... and it had.

We pulled to the side of the road, shut down our bikes and just looked at each other shaking our heads. We all thought it--but it took a few moments for anyone to say it--WTF can't we catch a break!?

Bentanite, when prepared for roadwork, and mixed with rain, becomes as slick as riding on ice and just to make matters even more fun you sink in to it just enough that it will build up on your front wheel and turn steering in to a full body work out.

As you may remember from previous chapters in the 99 Trip to Sturgis story; I have been riding from the age of 10. I started out and road for years dirt bikes in the deserts of Arizona. I have a fairly high comfort level with off roading--dirt biking, just not on a nearly 900 pound motorcycle with 400 pounds of riders and gear, my friends have less.

As we all stood there watching farm truck after farm truck trudge through, sliding sideways, we knew we had to decide on one of two options: Ride forward through the 1/4 mile of road-less roadwork or turn around and ride 80 plus miles back to the highway and cut across the bottom half of Wyoming. The second, really, was not an option we had come this far, been through this much we were all going to Jackson and then to Yellowstone--end of story. So it was said--so it shall be done.

Mike decided that he'd go through first, JR would follow then the rest of the group. Mike's a bit crazy--you may remember him as the lead rider from the Riding Through Hell Chapter--so he and his lovely wife pulled out, followed by JR and his wife, and then the rest. Nice and slow was what we had said, too fast and the bike will get squirrely in the Bentanite, to slow and you may have a faster build-up on the tires... 100 feet and while not easily controlled we were all doing fine. 200 feet with each of us following the other. Nearly half way now, we were staying pretty much in the tracks of a truck and the new ones that Mike was carving along the way--and then it happened--as fast as you could scream "OH F*CK!" Mike's rear wheel slid left and then right and down they went sliding through the rain soaked Bentanite, JR swerved left to avoid running over Mike and his bike, corrected back to the right. Just when he got around Mike and Kim-- the bike slid to the right and then to the left and down they went doing their best imitation of Mike and Kim sliding through the mud.

It was sometime between Mike hitting the ground and JR doing the same that my wife began screaming at me and beating me on the shoulders and back. I don't know why. I still wonder to this day what would possess her to smack me around with everything else that was going on--I mean, after all I was the one in control of us falling or not--why hit me? I pleaded for her to stop but she wouldn't she slapped me and smacked me and beat me on my back, yelling things at me that are normally reserved for the bedroom, a divorce court or a combination of the two.

I knew she was scared and worried about her friends lying there in the mud but I couldn't stop - there was no place to stop. I trudged on, taking my beating as I went, listening as the profanities were volleyed at me like mortar rounds in a fire-fight and just for good measure an occasional "Let me the 'F' off of this bike NOW!"... thinking the whole time...soon honey and if you keep hitting me it may be sooner than you think.

I had put my feet out to the sides of the bike to offer a bit more stability--hoping my feet would act as skis through the muck and figuring if it goes down I should end up standing over my motorcycle and not under it like my oh so unlucky friends. To be honest I was also pulling from every memory and trick I had learned while dirt-biking and thinking the entire time... Jesus, I just bought this F'ing bike there is no way on God's green earth that I'm laying down!

As soon as I made it through to the other side I pulled my motorcycle off the road and we ran back to our friends, covered in mud, a little bruised, and not at all happy to say the very least. We picked their motorcycles up and pushed them the rest of the way through.

No one spoke, with the exception of one question and one statement; "Why were you beating on Troy, what were you thinking? You could have caused him to put you and that new bike in the mud!"

A few minutes to gather ourselves, calm everyone's nerves, pick the bentanite out of every crevice of my buddies motorcycles and we're ready to head to Jackson for the night...

And it started to Rain!

Motorcycles, Bikers, Motorcycle Travel

BUB Exhaust: Product Review

2008-12-04T05:30:00.002-07:00

A couple of years ago a company by the name of Rinehart Racing/Bub Exhaust began showing up en mass on the motorcycle scene. Although the company has been making race tuned pipes for Motorcycles since 1976 it wasn't really until recently when the general public began to take notice - it might have something to do with the pipes and mufflers becoming more affordable for the average "Joe the Biker".

There are two things I want in most motorcycles. First it needs to have that certain something... that something that makes it a part of me. It needs to have a mean, grumbling, bitchy old man thing. Second it has to have balls when I tell it to do a Ricky Bobby and "Go Fast".

I absolutely love when someone takes the technologies learned from the racing industry and transfers it to the motorcycle world. Not only did they transfer the technology - but the people at Rinehart Racing/Bub Exhaust, in my opinion, have transformed the world of motorcycle exhaust.

Around two years ago I purchased a set of the Bub Eagle Beak mufflers. The price was around $600.00 including shipping and handling. I ordered directly from Bub Exhaust. I'm certain I could have ordered directly through my local Harley Davidson dealer (but they'd already gotten enough of my money) or through one of the Custom Chrome shops but hey if you can go right to the horses mouth - why not?

I received the pipes within a few days and immediately had my Harley up in the air pulling the "Screaming Eagle" performance exhaust off and putting the Rineharts on. It took no time at all - a few bolts and it was done.

* It is recommeded that you re-chip or re-jet your bike (depending on if it's FI or Carb'd) I already had mine chipped when I put on the "Screaming Eagle" performance intake and exhaust.

I started the bike up and immediately had a completely different "note" to the exhaust. A Much deeper, richer tone. So it was time for a quick trip to around the neighborhood. The performance and horsepower increase was noticable immediately.

When rating a product I look at 5 different areas:

Craftsmanship - always important if it isn't made worth a damn it will perform the same way.

Ease of Use/Installation - the "Do I have to bloody my knuckles" syndrome - usually because some engineer that's never worked on a bike made the part impossible to put the part on without injury.

Warranty - for me it's part and parcel with craftsmanship - hell you built it now stand behind it.

Order to Receipt Time - I hate to wait. If I've bought it I want it now.

Overall Performance - okay it may have bloodied my knuckles a bit, it may have taken a bit longer to get than I wanted but does it make me happy?!

I give the Bub Exhaust System five full leather jackets for excellence in craftsmanship, ease of installation, warranty, order to receipt time and overall performance.

Rinehart Racing/Bub Exhaust, Rinehart Racing, Bub Exhaust, Custom Exhaust Systems, Motorcycle Product Reviews, Product Reviews, Exhausts, Rineharts, Screaming Eagle Kits, Motorcycles, Bikers, Motorcycle Travel

Hulett, Wyoming Bike Week Transformation

2008-12-02T11:00:00.003-07:00

Population 360 days of the year: 408, and then, for just a few days a year, the unmistakable sound of man and machine - Rolling Thunder will echo over the Black Hills and descend upon this small town. 100,000 sandwiches will be served, countless gallons of beer and soda will be consumed, T-shirts, patches, leathers and lord know what else will be bought and sold, and then, as quickly as it came the thunder will roll back out and over the hills until next year.

Population during the Sturgis Rally and the Ham-n-Jam aka, No Panties Wednesday, an estimated 30,000 - 40,000 at any given time with a constant parade of stock and custom Motorcycles, Choppers, Crotch Rockets and other two and three wheeled mechanical works of art running 2 wide and 6 - 8 miles in length (both coming to and leaving).

The first picture shows "Downtown" Hulett, the second shows the bikes parked about 1/2 mile out of town. They're lined up all the way in to town and anyplace they can park on the main drag.

Hulett may best be known for its proximity to "Devils Tower" of "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" fame.

Hulett, Hulett Wyoming, Hulett Wyoming Bike Week, Sturgis Rally, Motorcycles, Bikers, Motorcycle Events

A Bikers Tribute

2008-11-30T12:30:00.001-07:00

Different things inspire motorcycle owners to customize their bikes. It could be based on death, ladies, art, abstract, or in this builder/owners case a tribute. The entire motorcycle was a tribute to the firemen lost in the 911 bombings of the towers. I chose to take a photo of the gas tank on this bike because of the details that were incorporated. The old-skool gold leaf graphics; the fire engine red color, the Fire Department insignia on the "tank bib", but most of all because of the way the owner decided to incorporate the names of the fallen. Click on the picture to see them.

"In Memories of" are a big deal in the biker world; tattoo's and patches are the most common and mainly reserved for those we were closest with, my hat's (bandanna's) off to this owner for his "IMO".

Motorcycles, Bikers, Motorcycle Travel

The Eyes Never Lie

2008-11-28T01:30:00.001-07:00

It's never about the Destination, anyone who has rode a motorcycle farther than a beer and chips run knows this to be true.

Anyone who has ever been pealed off of their saddle at the end of the day with their knees aching and their back filing for divorce knows, that while the destination (the days or the trips) is always nice to get to it only serves a limited purpose.

Rest, recuperation, and the opportunity to wake up at the crack of dawn and do it all again.

We are the cowboys, cowgirls and modern day gypsies of the 20th Century. It's not a statement supported by facts, rather a deep seeded knowledge that we hold true.

A yearning to travel and be one with all that is around us - and it dwells within our blood. It is a core element to who we are, we need it like we need water.

You can tell a brother or a sister through simple observation; they don't have to be in jeans and leathers or even near a motorcycle and you will know. We are the one sitting in the conference room combing through a multimillion dollar budget. We are the one covered in the dust from the construction site. We are the neighbor at the block cook-out.

You can pick us out of a crowd, just watch our eye's shift ever so slightly when the rumbling sound of a motorcycle in the distance passes. We may have just come off of the road, the engines still warm, but the longing and desire is strong.

The eyes never lie.

Motorcycles, Bikers, Motorcycle Travel

Spike My Chopper, please

2008-11-26T09:30:00.001-07:00

I've been to countless motorcycle rallies. I've seen thousands and thousands (some times all at once) of custom bikes and choppers. I've seen chrome twisted used in ways that are truly amazing... but this... "Spiked" Chopper... was a first. This Biker gets today's "Use Caution over Bumps" award.

Most times I'm awed by what an owner will do to their motorcycle... When I saw this one, I didn't know what to think. I think that; Awesome, Original, Ouch, WTF, I have to have a photo, all ran through my mind about the same time.

motorcycles, choppers, chrome, chopper, Motorcycles, Bikers, Motorcycle Travel

It's A Gas Cap Stupid

2008-11-24T10:00:00.004-07:00

Paperwork has been shuffled and the Grandpa bike has been rolled in to the shop. The mechanics have gone through the bike from top to bottom. Brakes have been replaced (even though they were good - just a thing I have...) all the fluids have been changed, gaskets replaced we're nearly ready to roll.

It's getting close to lunch so we walk to the McDonalds across the street. We're feeling fairly excited about the prospects of getting back on the road. The past 24 hours have been stressful for my wife and I.

In case it's been a while since you've read the beginning (or if I didn't mention it before) my wife is new to riding - brand new - this is her first trip across the country on a motorcycle. She's been on a couple of day trips in the past three months but that is the extent of her riding experience. She's been through hell and earned her stripes and we're only on our third day of our two week trip. She's lived through mechanical breakdowns, flat tires, delay after delay, a dead guy on the highway, a thunderstorm from hell, nearly being killed at 70mph, the loss of a motorcycle that she "loved" nearly as much as I did, a ride in a van with a lady that sells sexy underwear out of it, and now the purchase of a new motorcycle - she keeps telling me that she loves me and she trust me - I don't know which one I fear most!

We order a burger and a drink from McDonalds, woof it down and head back to Monarch Harley Davidson to see if our bike is ready. As I walk in to the mechanics area the dealership manager pulls me to the side, it seems that we have a problem. Keep in mind that when I bought the bike I told these guy's just how important it is to get us on the road, I went through everything that we had been through in the past couple of days, and let them know that my wife was extremely stressed by all of the events. I know this weighed on his mind when he said;

"We can't get the gas tank open. It has a locking cap on it. The owner has the key and he's gone to Sturgis."

NO, it's not possible, you are pulling my leg right - just a good laugh before you give me my keys and send me on my way.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know what to do"

I think my response, it was a rant and a plea all wrapped in to one, went something like this: "Okay, here's an idea - open the fucking tank NOW. I don't care if you have to take a torch and cut the cap in half, if you need to pry it off with a screw driver. I don't care if it EVER locks again, I need to be able to put gas in the tank to drive down the road and you need to make it possible for me to do it. You don't understand, my wife has said that if we're not out of here and on our way - she's flying back to Phoenix and she doesn't care if I come with her. Get the cap off, really, I don't care how."

"We will try again to contact the owner..." at this point my wife and best friend walked up to us, they both have a built in radar that let's them know when I'm about to lose all control and start acting less than civil.

My wife asked what's going on, I told her. I knew my death was inevitable. I prayed it would come sooner than later, for it to be swift and painless. I knew better. I knew it would be cold and calculated, drawn out in a manner that would be akin to a mid-evil torture chamber, a slow and agonizing death, one meant to ensure maximum pain and suffering while I waited for the darkness to ascend.

She turned and walked away. This surprised me some but scared me more. I followed only to discover this wasn't my brightest idea of the day. When we arrived at a point far enough from the dealership that she safely felt no-one else could hear, she let loose. A stream of tears clouded with the profanity that had been building for days. I felt like I was witnessing the eruption of Mount St. Helens. The hot emotional lava poured forth in threatening promise after promise. I knew that I had but one option - they had to get the gas cap off or I had to sacrifice myself to the road gremlins and the gods that govern travel disaster. These would be the only options that would satisfy my wife's anger and frustration.

My friends again arrived to save me, at least temporarily, and while my wife's best friend comforted her and told her about her nightmare trips I managed to skulk off and head back to the mechanics bay to see what kind of progress, if any, was being made.

The mechanic was continuing to struggle with the locked cap when I arrived. I pleaded with him to do anything in his power, I didn't care if he ruined the cap - I would buy a new one - just do anything possible so we could get on the road. He must have recognized the desperation in my eyes and in my voice as he simply nodded, walked over to his tool box and brought out an a key blank (gas cap keys for on a Harley are round like the old fashioned soda machine keys) hit the grinder a couple of times, tried it in the gas cap, went back made some adjustments, tried it again, made some more adjustments and within five minutes the cap was open. I guess you need to plead your case to the right people to get anything accomplished.

The dealership apologized for the inconvenience; filled our tank with gas and we were finally, once again, on the road to Sturgis

Grandpa, bike, McDonalds, motorcycle, riding, mechanical breakdowns, flat tires, dead, highway, thunderstorm, dealership, mechanics, gas tank, Sturgis, Phoenix, death, Harley, road, Motorcycles, Bikers, Motorcycle Travel

Monday Music

2008-11-24T06:00:00.003-07:00

Here's a little Monday Music for ya'll...

I love playing this just after I've been riding hard on a long stretch of highway, usually trying to make up for lost time.

Lean back, ease off the throttle, let the engine unwind, hear the crackle of your pipes as your rolling in to the next small town and jam to the sounds of ...... Big & Rich - Save a Horse

Big and Rich, Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy, Cowboy, Motorcycles, Bikers, Motorcycle Travel

Living by it

2008-11-23T06:00:00.001-07:00

I would change the last few seconds to just fade to black. I've ridden some pretty radical non-HD bikes in my life and personally I don't care what you ride, just ride.

... that reminds me... I need to go and find that "Big and Rich" song ... I think it's called.... Save a Horse...Ride a Cowboy ;)

Motorcycles, Bikers, Motorcycle Travel

Death of an old Friend leads to the Birth of a New One: On the Road to Sturgis Again

2008-11-21T10:30:00.004-07:00

The last time I posted about the '99 Sturgis trip, and I know it's been a while, my buddy and I were on our way in to Monarch Harley Davidson in Orem, Utah. I still hate that ride in, you'd figure that I'd be over it by now - you know - move on already... nope. I hate riding "bitch" - my guess is that it's a control issue, maybe someday I'll take it up in therapy - but then again, when is the last time you saw a motorcycle parked in front of a therapist office? Motorcycles are therapy.

We arrived at Monarch Harley Davidson just prior to opening so we waited, not long, for the staff to arrive. When they arrived the immediately knew I was the guy they had spoken to last night - I don't know, maybe it was the "I'm riding out of here one of two ways - on my own bike or in a cab" look that I had on my face that told them. They greeted us, welcomed us in, poured us coffee and listened to our tale. Of course they did, hell, they wanted to make a sale didn't they. I would have stood on my head, ran to McDonald's and sang karaoke if I was going to get a sure fire commission first thing in the morning.

I looked at a couple of bikes that they had on their showroom floor; A 93 Police Cruiser in powder blue, a Black and Red Sportster (no way the wife was going for that one!), and a couple of others that didn't really suite our immediate need and then I came across the back that was to be affectionately named "The Grandpa Bike" by my buddy's wife. It was perfect - not what I wanted to go bar-hopping on but it was a great touring bike and that's what we were doing - touring.

A 1995 FLHTCUI (FLH Ultra Classic) Bike number 303 of a limited edition series. The first year that Harley had put fuel injection into this model. It was black and burgundy (look at the right side of your screen - that's it after I modified it a bit), hard side locking saddle backs, over padded saddle, AM/FM Cassette player with front and back speakers, Raised Trunk, arm rests with speakers built in, highway bars and pegs, custom foot(floor)boards, CB Radio with built in passenger to driver communications ports - it was perfect, albeit not my ideal bike - but I would grow to love "Grandpa" in a short period of time.

I had found the bike that would take us the rest of the way to Sturgis and back. Let's start the deal. It was a used bike, 3 years old, it had 13,000 miles on it and the price was $12k. Not bad, lets start the paperwork.

The rest of the group got to the dealership about an hour after the shop opened, the timing was perfect. We had time to look at all the bikes, talk about the work that I wanted done to the bike once we had purchased it, and get all of the paperwork completed except for my wife's signature. The dealership had everything lined up, the work orders were already submitted, the parts department (what? you can't buy a motorcycle and not put some of your own touches on it!) had all of the parts in stock and pulled and the numbers had already been run.

I showed my wife the two bikes that I had narrowed it down to, talked about the pro's and con's, as I saw them, of both bikes and told her which one I liked. She agreed completely; personally I think the padded arm rest, stereo and extra storage convinced her more than I ever could.

We signed the papers and the dealers wheeled my bike to the shop; brakes, fluids, some chrome adds, remove some of the baffle, fuel it up and we'll be off.

All of this should take about two hours.... if you've been reading this story from the beginning... guess what :)

Sturgis, Harley, Harley Davidson, Fuel Injection, Orem, Utah, Motorcycle, Motorcycles, Bike, Sportster, FLHTCUI, FLH, Ultra Classic, Sturgis, Dealership, Bikes, Motorcycle, Bikers, Motorcycle Travel

Green Machine

2008-11-20T10:00:00.004-07:00

- When you go to a rally you will find that the variety of motorcycles you see is only equaled by the variety of people - for now... the bikes -

Photo taken in Sturgis / August 2007.

motorcycles, sturgis, rally, sturgis rally, sturgis motorcycle rally, Motorcycles, Bikers, Motorcycle Travel

Motorcycles and Music

2008-11-19T12:00:00.001-07:00

When I was young (that sounds terrible!) I used to run the highways wishing I had music. I would play song after song in my head and on occasion I would even dare to try and sing louder than my pipes. Of course this usually lead to the ingestion of some flying protein and the mad brushing of teeth after the ride was over, but the point is that music always was and remains a big part of my life and I missed it when I was riding my motorcycle.

My friends and I agreed that there had to be a way to get "tunes" on our bikes. Back in the day we didn't have portable anything. The Walkman was years away and the iPod, oh hell, not even imagined yet. So in the honor of teen ingenuity we would bungee, duct tape, strap any way that we could our "boom-boxes" to our motorcycles, fill our saddle bags with the 14,000 "D" cell batteries that it took to power those things for the trip and wa-la! Music on the road.

We would head out for a trip to Colorado to visit a friend, a weekend in Mexico, a quick run to the beaches of San Diego and we'd have music to listen to along the way. Of course changing the 8-track while riding was near impossible so you'd better like what you were listening to for at least until the next stop.

I started thinking about this the other day when I was out taking a sunrise ride through the desert back roads, kicking back and enjoying the sounds of the built-in stereo on my '07 FLH. Today it was the sound of 3rd Eye Blind, Nickleback and the latest from Kid Rock, "All Summer Long". It is the Anthem of my life past.

Back then however, it would have been Steppenwolf, The Allman Brothers and Janis Joplin... Oh well, Welcome to the future :) Now, here's some Kid Rock and "All Summer Long", enjoy.

highways, music, riding, motorcycle, bikes, motorcycles, Colorado, San Diego, 8-Track, FLH, 3rd Eye Blind, Nickleback, Kid Rock, All Summer Long, Steppenwolf, Allman Brothers, Janis Joplin

Going Up The Country - Woodstock 1969

2008-11-15T12:48:00.003-07:00

A little Saturday fun... sit back, relax.... remember?

"Canned Heat" Going Up The Country - Woodstock Music & Art Festival 8-16-1969

Canned Heat, Going Up The Country, Woodstock, Woodstock Festival, Festival, 1969

Motorcycle Safety and Awareness - Before You Hit the Road

2008-11-14T17:05:00.005-07:00

biker babe, bikerbabes, nudes, nudebabes, motorcycle nudes, naked, sexySturgis? Daytona? Laconia or just around the corner to your local Grocer your destination does not matter if you have not learned the basics of motorcycle safety.

We have all heard the stories or personally know riders that have years of riding experience and have made mistakes. It can happen to anyone at anytime. By educating yourself you greatly reduce your chances or at the very least improve your abilities to identify and get out of potentially dangerous situations. Get educated about what your doing. Yes, experience can be the best teacher in the world but making a mistake on a motorcycle can be seriously dangerous to your health.

Rider safety courses are an excellent idea for any rider. I began riding at the age of ten and over the years I have logged thousands upon thousands of miles accident free. I consider myself a very aware and safe rider. Two weeks before leaving for a cross country road trip I was hit from behind while trying to leave my neighborhood. I did ALMOST everything I should have; checked left, checked right, used my indicator... I FAILED to continuously scan all approach areas and to know where my escape route was going to be. I concentrated on traffic in front of me and not on what was coming up behind me. Unfortunately the traffic behind me did not concentrate on what was in front of them. The bright side was it was the collision was minor, I ended up with just a stiff ankle and a few repairs to the bike. Damage to my motorcycle was about $1,400.00 which the other drivers insurance took care of. I just had to deal with the inconvenience factor of taking the bike back and forth to the shop for repairs

This only emphasizes the point that when you are riding your motorcycle you have to be constantly evaluating your riding conditions; street surface, traffic patterns, bike reaction & feel, weather, side streets, road debris, wildlife and other potential hazards that may be lurking and be prepared to act/react with a plan. The motorcycle industry has developed an acronym to help you remember how you should be identifying and reacting to situations. The acronym is SIPDE or Scan, Identify, Predict, Decide, Execute.

Scan

Identify

Predict

Decide

Execute
Remember to always be aware of your surroundings. Riding a motorcycle is more than just getting on and rolling down the road, road trips can and will wear you out. Take breaks, keep yourself mentally alert (you mind is key to riding safe).

Sturgis, Daytona, Laconia, motorcycle safety, motorcycle, riding, route, traffic, insurance, repairs, bike, SPIDE, route

Motorcycle Art

2008-10-30T11:24:00.008-07:00

I found this pic, and many more like it (check the site out), and had to put it up on "Ride White Lines". Being a Motorcycle enthusiast and going to a ton of shows over the years I've seen all kinds of M/C art, but I have never seen anything quite like this. This picture and all of the ones of motorcycles over at All Fine Arts have been crafted from watch parts. I thought it was pretty cool from several aspects; time (no pun intended), craftsmanship, originality, interpretation - really thought it was cool. Check out more over at All Fine Arts.

Peace

Technorati Tags: art, motorcycles, Motorcycle enthusiast, Ride White Lines

Tattoo Time

2008-10-28T17:39:00.007-07:00

After finding out that we were supposed to tip the stripper we decided it was time to move on, time for the tattoo. Across the street we went, all of us had a bit of a light head, filled with enthusiasm, we were going to permanently mark-up our bodies! Woohooo!

How fun was this going to be.

Into the shop we went, looking at all of the different pictures on the wall, watching people getting "work" done and trying to decide which tattoo was the "coolest" one for us.

Hey dude, does it hurt?

Well, it's been nearly 30 years and during that time I've trained as a Tattoo Artist under a guy named "Toomer" and began my tattoo career, ok, not career but my sideline for extra money, after all at that time the military was my "career", and to this day I wear a shirt that I get from my Art Supplier that has a skull in the background (kind of a gray print on a black shirt) and bold white letters that state: "HELL YES, IT HURTS!"

We each picked out out tattoo, each had a reason for what we chose, I went first. Into the chair, the artist shot a template of the design, placed it on my arm (bicep area) and began to work. I sat there sweating for two hours while he put my "leopard perched upon a skull" design on to my arm. I now try to remember what the reason was that I chose a leopard, the skull doesn't surprise me in the least... but the leopard that one baffles me. All that I know for sure is that each of the five of us have a leopard of some type on our left arm.

And the band of brothers is:

Maui
Woody
Wolf
Hillbilly (from someplace called Devo Mountain, TN)
and Moose

We all did our Boot Camp together and later our Advanced. Maui went on to Military Intelligence School in Southern Arizona, Wolf ended up in Korea, Hillbilly - he had a bit of a tough time and was asked to leave Uncle Sam's party, and Moose, well, Moose was last seen jumping out of a plane someplace over the swamps of Louisiana training for Ranger School - no one really knows what happened to that crazy SOB.

Once the group had all been freshly "Inked" we all headed to the convenience store bought what we thought would be to much beer and went back to the hotel room to drink the night away.

The sun was in mid-sky before we woke from our haze, foggy headed and bandaged arms we grabbed a cab to the bus depot and headed back to the base.

Technorati Tags: tattoo, artist, skull tattoo, Inked, Boot Camp, First Tattoo, Tattoo