To conclude my reports on Daytona Bike Week, a jump into the past. From its inception in 1937 until the early ’60s, the Daytona 200 was run on the Florida beaten. In 1948, LIFE covered the 12th annual races and reported in its April 19 issue. Now, with unpublished and rarely seen photos from the […]
Archive for March, 2010
Daytona Bike Week 2010. Reinventing Itself.
Published by March 8th, 2010 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.The Daytona party ended yesterday on a warmer note. Not only because of the weather but also because of the lesson learned from this 69th edition. Yes, for financial reasons, many bikers could not make it to Daytona. Same for many friends of the custom motorcycle industry. Some new bikers come and go, some motorcycle […]
Breaking News. 360 Brake Closing Its Doors. Looking For Strategic Alliance.
Published by March 7th, 2010 in Brakes, Customs, Editorial, Events and Wheels.“Hello Cyril. I have attached a letter from me to the industry that will be going on to my website in a day or two, and if appropriate you can post on your blog. As importantly, I wanted you to know where we are, as you have always been a friend. Best of luck this […]
South of Daytona Beach, by accident I bumped into the booth of “Outside The Box”, a custom seats and seat pans shop that I didn’t know. Bill Shalk Sr. makes very cool hand tooled, hand laced, designed leather seats and motorcycle related leather products (saddlebags, tank bibs, pillion pads, back rest pads, single sided bags, […]
Motorcycle Charity Event Love Ride Re-Launched in 2011
Published by March 7th, 2010 in Editorial and Events.The Love Ride, the legendary motorcycle charity event was cancelled in 2009 because of a challenging economy, is planning to start again in fall 2011. Oliver Shokouh, Love Ride founder and owner of Harley-Davidson of Glendale just confirmed that there would be no “Ride” this year and that it will be replaced by a Biker’s […]
Big Dog Motorcycles New Low Cost Chopper Being Road Tested
Published by March 6th, 2010 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.While the full Big Dog Motorcycles line up was shown to the Daytona Bike Week participants, back in Wichita, KS the company is using winter weather breaks to rigorously test their new 2010 low cost chopper announced to be released in May. Big Dog strategy is to acquire part of the $20,000 range production custom […]
Triumph Motorcycles Breathing A New Life
Published by March 6th, 2010 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Exhaust.As I predicted and for my greatest pleasure, Triumphs are back. The old and the new ones. The new ones attract a lot of interest at the International Motorcycle Show located inside the Daytona Ocean Center. The old ones are “hard tailed” and turned into cool choppers & bobbers and can be seen looking super […]
Daytona Bike Week. David Uhl Releases A New Commemorative Painting.
Published by March 6th, 2010 in Editorial and Painters.David Uhl is present at Bike Week, his booth setup at Rossmeyer’s Destination Daytona and showing “Rebel Yell”, his 6th commemorative painting of the Florida event. “I wanted to speak to the ’40s again and illustrate the spirit of the rally from the perspective of being young at heart and throwing caution to the wind . Back […]
Beer. did you tried them all or trying to? Wished you got track of buds adventures? The 33 Bottles of Beer Journal was made for you. Each page gives you the possibility to record the beer’s name, brewer, rating, serving type (like draft, bottle, can, etc.) and the beer taste. To help you define each […]
Willie’s Tattoos Chopper Show. Bigger. Better. Bitching Bikes.
Published by March 5th, 2010 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.What to say that you don’t already know. That it was much bigger for the same parking square footage, meaning about twice more participating bikes than during the former Bike Week edition . That if you were a spectator driving a car, the Publix parking lot across the show was already full at noon. That […]
New Fat Harley-Davidson Ape Handlebar Kits
Published by March 5th, 2010 in Controls, Customs and Editorial.To steer their bikes, more and more bikers are choosing the “fists in the wind” old school style. Dozens of after-market models of ape handlebars are already available, but of course Harley-Davidson wants to get its market share. So, the fMilwaukee actuary just released 2 ape handlebar kits with included risers in 12″ & 16″ […]
Daytona Bike Week. Blue Skies. Cold Weather. Warm Atmosphere.
Published by March 4th, 2010 in Editorial and Events.On Wednesday, it seems that everybody decided to stop whining about temperatures, adjusted clothing and went walking the vendors for some serious shopping (?). Started my day at the Freeway Magazine lunch party, a traditional gathering of the main builders, personalities & medias present in Daytona. More industry representatives from here and abroad than last […]
You are looking at a complete Harley-Davidson crushed by a Honda dealer who didn’t like the Milwaukee brand. This “sculpture” is exhibited front of the J&P Cycles store at Destination Daytona. It belongs to the company and is permanently exhibited at its National Motorcycle Museum in Anamosa, Iowa. Don’t know what happened to this Honda […]
Always loved vintage leather jackets and know at least 2 persons collecting the rare ones symbolizing an era, motorcycling or otherwise. Because of the retro looking trend in our industry, expect to see more Jackets whose design and details are copied from the ones that former generations wore to cruise and race. Even Harley is […]
Seth Enslow Sets World Record For Longest Harley-Davidson Jump
Published by March 3rd, 2010 in Builders, Editorial and Events.Yesterday mooring, Australia time, American stuntman Seth Enslow has broken the world record for the longest distance jumped on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle with a 183.7-(56 meters) foot jump. Enslow had to put on his record-setting performance twice because much of the media missed the first run because he was scheduled to make his record jump […]
Because of high unemployment and low consumer confidence and consequently low big cruisers sales, the Daytona motorcycle landscape has changed quite a bit. I confirm that the Rossmeyer’s family has its Harley-Davidson Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach and Sunrise dealerships for sale (all in South Florida). Some continue to state that Fort-Lauderdale is under contract (not […]
Erik Buell Racing launches Its First New Motorcycle
Published by March 3rd, 2010 in Builders, Editorial and Events.It didn’t take long to Erik Buell to launch its first new first model. The 1190R is based on the Buell 1125R and 1125RR, offers increased engine displacement, with a complete kit of Superbike level components. This model is for race only as you remember that Erik Buell is prevented by contract with Harley-davidson to […]
I am not into biker jewelry, but still admire what Ben Hopson & Glen Liberman have created. This stainless ring features six micro-precision gears that turn in unison when the outer rims are spun. Very fast forward thinking. A good piece of conversation wherever you go. Available for purchase in four standard US ring sizes: […]
Custom Harley-Davidson Cross Bones. Petrali Style.
Published by March 2nd, 2010 in Builders, Customs and Editorial.Last weekend in London, The Ace Cafe Motorcycle & Custom Show (affiliated with the AMD European Championship Of Bike Building) had quite a few very cool bikes on display. In the “Modified Harley-Davidson Class” and although it was not the winner, I like this bike called the “24” because it’s the best custom “Harley Cross Bones” […]
Most tattoos are about images conveying a message. But what about tattoo typography? Isn’t the written word even stronger to deliver a specific message? It’s even more efficient if you use typography turning letters into images to make your words looking like beautiful tattoos.
2010 Analysts Prediction. Down Year Ahead For Harley-Davidson. Recovery Near.
Published by March 2nd, 2010 in Editorial.Although Wall Streeters don’t have a magic crystal ball, it’s always interesting to read what the pundits think of the Harley-Davidson stock (HOG). 75% of analysts agree on the following: In a survey of 70 dealers the retail market remains soft, with factors such as high unemployment and bad weather to blame, dealers expect to […]
Daytona Antique And Classic Motorcycle Auction Is Saturday March 6, 2010
Published by March 2nd, 2010 in Builders and Events.Every year, Bator International Auctions organizes the Daytona Antique And Classic Motorcycle Auction. A lot of great pieces are going to change hands. It is just a 10 minutes drive west o Daytona in Deland and it starts at 9 am. Stetson University – Edmunds Center. 143 Pennsylvania Avenue. And if you are not in […]
The Definitive Photograph of Indian Larry
Published by March 2nd, 2010 in Editorial and Merchandise.To commemorate the fifth anniversary of Indian Larry’s untimely death, internationally acclaimed portrait photographer Tom Zimberoff has announced the availability of three sets of original, museum-quality prints memorializing Larry’s legendary pose atop his bobber “Grease Monkey.” These are not cheap copies of a photograph but the real deal, each one a museum-quality original, affordably priced. Available directly from the artist, […]
Harley-Davidson Studded Camera Cases
Published by March 2nd, 2010 in Builders, Editorial and Merchandise.It’s Daytona Bike Week. Your brought your camera to immortalize the 2010 edition. You ride a Harley and of course you are going to visit at least one time one of the 2 local authorized dealers (Harley Daytona on Beach Street and Rossmeyer’s Destination Daytona in Ormond Beach). New on the shelves, a series of […]
Awesome Vintage Motorcycle Rocket Science.
Published by March 1st, 2010 in Builders, Customs and Editorial.Don’t know what will be said in a century about some of today’s builders and custom bikes, but our motorcycle history is rich of crazy people having conceived insane and beautiful machines. I learned that Adam Opel, the founder in 1863 of German automobile company Opel, had a grandson called Fritz Von Opel quite obsessed […]
