Four days after I broke the news that Big Dog Motorcycles was closing, that the lender would foreclose on them, that the company would start calling dealers to inform them, that CEO Sheldon Coleman would create a new company to distribute parts under the name of “Big Dog Performance Parts”, that the new company would […]
Archive for the 'Builders' Category
Big Dog Motorcycles Finally Admits It Was Seized And Forced To Close
Published by April 7th, 2011 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.Victory High-Ball. Roland Sands Style.
Published by April 7th, 2011 in Builders, Customs and Videos.A video about Roland Sands customizing the new High-Ball. With the Ol’ Vic, Roland is just reinforcing the old look the designers of Victory were after. Minimum modifications (engine & transmission are untouched), hand shifting and retro cosmetic touches through accessories and paint color.
20th Anniversary Los Angeles Calendar Motorcycle Show & Calendar Girl Music Festival
Published by April 7th, 2011 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.It will happen July 16th, 2011 at the Long Beach Queens Mary, but in a new location and with lower admission prices. as the LA Calendar Motorcycle Show celebrates its 20th Anniversary! The Calendar Show moves from the Queen Mary Event Park of the past years to dockside next to the historic Queen Mary ocean liner […]
MeanStreet Products Introduces the Newly Refined Avalon Springer
Published by April 7th, 2011 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Suspension.Very sleek and a work of art under any angle the Avalon front end has always been the most radical Springer front end available to the custom builder. MeanStreetProducts re-introduce an evolved version keeping the same stunning lines sculpted out of billet aluminum with a touch of steel, but now fitted with new Progressive Suspension […]
Choppers Built With Conviction…In Prison.
Published by April 7th, 2011 in Builders, Customs and Editorial.Keeping inmates busy doing something useful, providing them the skills to successfully re-enter societ and letting them make some money should always be a top priority. Many programs with these objectives already exist in prison and correctional facilities. But until today I didn’t know that such programs could include building chopper motorcycles. At least one correctional […]
Son of legendary drag racer, builder and tuner Pat Foster, Cole spent his youth always close to his father that he idolized, hanging around, observing and learning how to fabricate motorsports stuff, always keeping an open mind to everything, from race cars to hot rods to motorcycles. Owner of Salinas Boyz Customs, Cole Foster is in business since close […]
I want My Shovelhead. Pleasing The Queen In Green And Pink
Published by April 6th, 2011 in Builders, Customs and Editorial.This is the story of a biker forgetting to pick up his FLH in a bike shop during more than 4 years, of the shop owner’s wife wanting it for her and getting exactly what she wanted, in fluo green and pink. Warning to all those who don’t pay their bill when their bike is […]
Custom Chrome International Bike Show Series Continues In Pennsylvania At the Sturgis Road Show Championship
Published by April 5th, 2011 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.Amateurs and professional Custom Builders, it’s your last one chance for 2011 to compete in the USA for the Custom Chrome Championship Series. Coming off of the highly successful North American Championship and the Custom Chrome Europe Championship just completed this past week, East Coast and Mid West bike customizers will now get their chance […]
Exclusive. Big Dog Motorcycles Is Closing.
Published by April 4th, 2011 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.Another very sad day in the motorcycle industry. Last week I was informed that Big Dog Motorcycles laid off or furloughed a few more workers and that the company would probably close its doors in the next few days. This morning, Big Dog Motorcycles started to call its remaining dealers to inform them that they […]
The Story Of Snatch. 2nd Place Custom Chrome North America Championship.
Published by April 4th, 2011 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.Very few Custom Builders, as talented as they can be, are comfortable at verbally expressing their motivations when starting a project and even less at explaining the many options they had and at justifying the choices they made all along the fabrication process. 35 years old Satya Kraus from Kraus Motor Co. could talk during […]
Best Custom Bikes At Custom Chrome International Bike Show Series European Championship (Part 2)
Published by April 2nd, 2011 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.Beginning of the week, I published pictures of some of the winners of the Custom Chrome Europe Show (13th edition) held last weekend in Mainz, Germany. More than 120 custom bikes were competing from as far as Lithuania and Norway for a total prize awards of € 50.000! Below is the complement list of winners, […]
Trick New Trike Wheels By Performance Machine
Published by April 2nd, 2011 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Wheels.Motorcycle aftermarket wheels leader Performance Machine entered the trike market in 2010 with their new Forged Trike wheels. They are the first of their kind to be manufactured for Harley-Davidson, Honda Gold Wing, Victory and other select OEM trike applications. PM is also currently developing wheels for Lehman’s new Kawasaki “Storm” trike, which will be […]
It comes from the shop of the usual suspects for this type of machine, Shanon & Marc Parker at Parker Brothers Choppers, the duo who brought to you the Tron Cycle Light bike. It’s not a toy, not a “green” e-trike (it’s powered by a Harley Evo 80″), will never be street legal (rear steering by […]
Breaking News. Original Daytona Beach Rossmeyer’s Harley To Be Turned Into A Museum And Store.
Published by April 1st, 2011 in Builders, Editorial and Events.Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Harley-Davidson announced that the original Beach Street location, located at 290 North Beach Street, will be temporarily closed as of today April 1, 2011 and that construction will immediately begin for The Original Bruce Rossmeyer’s Harley-Davidson Museum and Store in its place. The Beach Street location was the first Harley-Davidson® dealership in […]
Harley-Davidson Flathead Sidecar Masterpiece
Published by April 1st, 2011 in Builders, Customs and Editorial.Although all winners of the Custom Chrome Europe Championship Series that I featured at the beginning of the week impress me for their creativity, the beauty and craftsmanship on this Harley Flathead Sidecar makes it my favorite to feature. The best 3-wheeler I have seen in many, many years. Samuele Reali (and his crew of friends) […]
New Genuine Harley-Davidson Leather Jacket With Classic Design
Published by April 1st, 2011 in Builders, Editorial and Merchandise.Those riding a Harley, especially an old model, should like this brand new leather jacket with a classically subtle design with a modern zip-off cotton hood. The action back, pre-curved sleeves and adjustable waist tabs deliver all-day riding comfort. Made of midweight leather with a poly-mesh lining and a poly/cotton hood. Lightweight padding at the […]
Fast Motorcycle Industry News
Published by April 1st, 2011 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.1-Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE: PII) today announced a $100,000 donation to the American Red Cross to assist with relief efforts underway in Japan. “On behalf of everyone at Polaris, our heartfelt thoughts and sincerest well-wishes go out to the people of Japan,” said Scott Wine, CEO, Polaris Industries Inc. “Our Japanese partners and friends have […]
On January 20, 2011, the unveiling in my Blog of the new Victory High-Ball pictures and tech-sheet provoked a record number of your comments, exceeding those you made after the release of the Harley-Davidson new Blackline model.. At the time you told me that you would love that I test ride it and Victory Motorcycles […]
A fellow photographer in Europe has to write a feature about this very nice Bobber, but lost tech sheet information and contact with the builder. If anyone knows, please post info in “comments”. Thanks on his behalf.
Secret Prototypes And Oddities At Harley-Davidson Museum
Published by March 31st, 2011 in Builders, Editorial and Events.Ever wondered which bikes they were about to launch as new models for your riding pleasure? The ones they scrapped at the last minute for various reasons? What were they thinking? The Harley-Davidson of Milwaukee is offering a very interesting exhibition of an exotic collection of motorcycling oddities and secret prototypes. The artifacts exhibited here […]
Ron Finch opened Finch’s Custom Styled Cycles in 1965 in a small building in Pontiac, Michigan. Not only to design, build and paint striking one-off motorcycles in his own very unique extreme style, but also creating metal sculptures and other objects resisting any aesthetic classification. All along his professional career, Ron has pursued a broad […]
Best Custom Bikes At Custom Chrome International Bike Show Series European Championship (Part 1)
Published by March 29th, 2011 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.Last weekend in Mainz, Germany during the 2011 Custom Chrome Europe Dealer Show, 103 top custom motorcycles competed for trophies in 3 categories (Modified Harley, RevTech Performance and Jammer Classes) for the title of Custom Chrome European Champion. And the big winner is this gold BSA beauty named “Son Of A Gun” by Larry Houghton […]
Jesse James American Outlaw. The Book.
Published by March 29th, 2011 in Books, Builders and Editorial.“Jesse James American Outlaw” – Jesse’s Memoir – will be in stores May 3rd, 2011. You are looking at the book front and back cover jacket featuring Jesse in old western gunslinger attire, .44 revolver included… In this book Jesse tells it all about what he calls “a crazy life, a wild ride, from a volatile upbringing […]
Custom Chrome International Series. North American Champion.
Published by March 28th, 2011 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.As I reported last week while on location at the Custom Chrome International Series held during the CCI Dealer Show in Santa Clara, CA, Kirk Taylor from Custom Design Studios was voted by his peers the North American Champion. Kirk’s personal preferences lean towards retro style choppers and bobbers but like many of us his […]
Twin brothers Eddie and Ronnie started “Unknown Choppers” (slogan is “We’ve never heard of you, either”) hand building in their own shop a variety of frames all made out of 1.25″ DOM tubing, TIG welded and delivered with MSO. Example is this nice looking X-Line rigid Sportster Chopper frame with 40-degree rake. But since all […]
New Harley-Davidson Women’s Rider Comfort System
Published by March 27th, 2011 in Builders, Editorial and Merchandise.Harley-Davidson launches an interesting Women’s Rider Comfort System (RCS) to optimize comfort (staying dry, warm or cool) in changing temperatures. Women riders and passengers can use a three-layer system providing versatile gear that makes riding more comfortable regardless of weather conditions. The key with RCS products is to stay comfortable by peeling off layers as […]
