We are in a market downturn, and new custom shops are opened, new manufacturers create exciting parts, new production custom bikes are launched and new print and online magazines are created to report on our industry. And it’s great because I am pretty sure that the men behind these new […]
Archive for the 'Editorial' Category
Revolution. The First Canadian Magazine For Custom Bikes.
Published by February 17th, 2008 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.Indianapolis Dealers Expo 2008
Published by February 17th, 2008 in Builders, Customs, Driveline, Editorial, Events and Wheels.Since I was close to Indianapolis, between 2 planes, I had to pay a very fast visit to the Dealers Expo, the ultimate extravaganza for the powersports industry. Thanks to Dennis Johnson from Dealers News I got a press pass in less time than it […]
Today I am in Indianapolis, IN, and later this Saturday I will make an appearance at the Liberty ABATE of Illinois. I am a guest at their 21st anniversary party, and it’s a good pretext to tell you a little bit about this national coalition dedicated to preserving the rights of all motorcyclists and educating […]
It’s Awards season. During the V-Twin Expo in Cincinnati IronWorks Magazine proudly announced the winners of the 2008 Innovation Awards (made by Pat Patterson of Led Sled Customs in Dayton, OH). These Awards are given to companies who have created outstanding new products for motorcycles. The award recipients are selected by the editors of IronWorks […]
OCC’s 2 New Limited Production Bikes
Published by February 15th, 2008 in Builders, Customs and Editorial.Before the V-twin Expo, I told you that OCC would unveil during the show 2 new productions bikes. Here they are, the way I saw them in Cincinnati. A bagger called the OCC SR Cruiser and a Softail type bike named the OCC Sweet Amber. The OCC SR Cruiser […]
Daytona March 4th. Iron Works Magazine Ride-In-Bike Show
Published by February 15th, 2008 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.Carl Speed Shop is a cool place to hang around during Daytona Bike Week (a lot of parking place and the opportunity to say hello to the Carl Morrow family, holder of not less than 166 national and world speed records). It will even be more exciting March 4th, from 12 to 4 PM when […]
Wiring Harness. Avoid The Madness.
Published by February 15th, 2008 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Electrical.Each custom builder has his forte and his weaknesses. And me, I have no patience to do electrical work. And I know that many among you, pro or not, feel the same. Anything that can help save time and mistakes is welcome. Like this wiring harness conceived to satisfy all your needs even if you […]
A New Custom Shop Of Love And Hate
Published by February 14th, 2008 in Builders, Customs and Editorial.A new custom shop? Cool. By beginners? Not really. Love Hate Choppers (LHC) is the association of renowned tattoo artist Ami James (Miami Ink TV show) with master custom builder Marlowe B. They opened shop on Washington Avenue in South Beach Miami (of course), are wrenching their first bikes with hard core styling and finesse […]
It’s getting more and more difficult to find a motorcycle wheel whose design cannot be confused with one of the multiple variations offered by a dozen manufacturers. This one has its own “personality”, reason why I like it. This one-piece “SMUGGLER” wheel is simple, different, and can be ordered in ten interchangeable billet spokes The […]
Hug Shirts To Light Up Your Valentine’s Day
Published by February 14th, 2008 in Accessories, Editorial and Merchandise.Come within hugging distance of your significant other (I learned that it is supposed to be 6 ft or 2 meters for my European readers) and these pixilated hearts begin to flash. Proof that you are in love! During your normal activities only two and a half hearts will light up on your shirt. Get […]
Can you believe that Daytona Bike Week is in 2 1/2 weeks? So, it’s time to mention the 2nd Annual Builders Breakfast to be held Tuesday, March 4th 2008 at Destination Daytona. Boggy Creek is named beneficiary of this charity event. Camp Boggy Creek is a year round camp for children ages 7-16 who have chronic or […]
At the V-Twin Expo I also discovered this new product from Progressive Suspension. Yes, Shock Lights designed to bolt onto the PSI 812 and 412 Series shocks. If, like me, you are minimalist, it’s a pretty cool idea to resolve part of your rear lighting setup. These Shock Lights can be wired into brake or […]
Is is sad news or not? Nearly half of British men surveyed would give up sex for six months in return for a 50-inch plasma TV, a survey found out. Electrical retailer Comet surveyed 2,000 Britons, asking them what they would give up for a large television, one of the latest consumer "must-haves." The firm […]
She Deserves To Be Miss Sturgis 2008. Help Sasha.
Published by February 12th, 2008 in Editorial and Events.I know Sasha Mullins since quite a few years and she is a sister of the road. I agree with her that Miss Sturgis should not only be an attractive woman but a real biker who rides every year to the Black Hills event. So, she wants to get the title and use it to […]
New Monster Exhaust Pipes by Russell Mitchell
Published by February 11th, 2008 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Exhaust.Russell likes bikes with an industrial look and made his mark building them this way with his own style. Huge exhaust pipes have always been a signature component on every Exile bikes for over a decade. The same style of pipes is now finally available for your 1986 – 2008 Harley-Davidson Softails. Two models are […]
Website Traffic. What Some Motorcycle Website Owners Don’t Want You To Know.
Published by February 11th, 2008 in Editorial.Web usage statistics are used as a tool for assessing a Website. But, few website owners and advertisers of the motorcycle industry understand website traffic. All website owners are offered free “website traffic programs” (like “Webalizer” or “Webtrends”) providing a bunch of over-inflated and unreliable traffic data. Why? Because […]
It’s a tradition. Every year, on Saturday evening during the Cincinnati V-Twin Expo, all the industry gathers in the Grand Ballroom of the Duke Energy Center to celebrate the winners of the Excellence Awards given away by Paisano Publications. Great food and drinks, and good camaraderie to congratulate the bling bling winners. And this year’s […]
Roland Sands Hypermotard Ducati
Published by February 10th, 2008 in Builders, Customs and Editorial.You already know that Roland Sands has a racing background and enjoy working and customizing all kinds of bikes. Here an example of his work on a Ducati platform. The result is called “Hypermotard” and just looking at this picture you can see that not much has been left untouched. I don’t have yet much […]
Berlin, Germany. Actress Katie Pfleghar participates to a protest organized by PETA, a group fighting animal cruelty. In this case, chicken (“Huhner” in German). As you can see, she is in a cage. She didn’t have to wait a long time to be freed for a more chick treatment. (picture Franka Bruns/AP).
Scorpio One-Piece Bar/Control System
Published by February 9th, 2008 in Controls, Customs and Editorial.Another very nice after-market product that I admired at the V-twin Expo. Made of billet aluminum, those high quality bars have integrated master cylinders, reservoirs, switches, throttle cable, wires and lines. Everything runs through the supplied stainless steel polished riser bolts. 11/16 bore clutch that works with any style transmission hydraulic cove. 9/16 bore brake […]
Mike Seate About New Florida Bill To Crush Motorcyclist Thrills.
Published by February 9th, 2008 in Editorial.On January 12, I wrote an article called "Debate Raging About Motorcyclist Penalties" addressing a Florida Bill aimed at sanctioning bikers doing stunt riding and exceeding the legal speed limit. Mike Seate, a well known motorcycle journalist and author of many hard cover books on our custom bikes just wrote an interesting article on this […]
Like Phil Korte of “Create A Custom Cycle”, I love bicycles from the 50’s and 60’s. And one of my favorites is this 1957 JC Higgins Flightliner Bicycle. And it just happened that it was Phil’s inspiration to build this white and red custom bike that he qualifies as a Board Track Racer, and me […]
Roland Sands Design (RSD) just released their new design “Diesel” wheel. The Diesel wheel is available in RSD’s exclusive Contrast Cut™ finish and for the first time, a brilliant chrome finish. The rolled rim lip is new for 2008 and features CNC-machined speed dots along the rim, a look unique to RSD. The seven spokes […]
The beauty of the Cincinnati trade show is not only about discovering new products imagined by my friends of the industry but also about discovering motorcycle companies that I didn’t know because their main line of business was not the V-Twin market. For example Boyesen Engineering releasing the Power X-Wing, a true bolt-on performance accessory […]
New Storz/BUB High Pipes For HD Nightster Sportster
Published by February 7th, 2008 in Editorial and Exhaust.Light up your Nightster with a dirt track style dual exhaust system from Storz/BUB. Available in chrome or black ceramic coat finish, they feature two individual head pipes with stepped diameters leading into beautifully tapered megaphones with billet aluminum end caps. Fixed steel baffles produce a mellow but powerful exhaust note and never require repacking. […]
Some need one, even two to carry and not lose…whatever they want to carry or hide when they ride. This one has the merit of not looking like the other boring chrome cylinders. Of course, will work well on bikes with a warrior theme. (IMO too many ‘barbaric’ bikes on the road). Anyway, just to […]
