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 takes to ask for one. Thanks to Ryan Simpson for not missing any driving direction to the show. And also thanks to Pam Proctor who mapped my visit so that I didn’t get lost and lose time inside the huge RCA Dome. It’s the way I was able to meet in a record time with a few friends of the V-Twin industry that I missed 2 weeks ago at the Cincinnati V-Twin Expo. On the Avon display, the new Cobra tires were explained to me. They are replacing the Venom R in most sizes from 150/16" to 130/23" for the front, and from 180/16" to 280/20" for the rear . On the Progressive Suspension booth I looked again at their cool new shocks with turn signals incorporated. A few yards away, Cory Ness was displaying his new RedNess bike (his painter picked and painted this name without informing Cory! So, it’s going to be changed). This new custom is gorgeous with superb flowing lines, unbelievable wheels, a never seen before front end, and tons of very neat tricks. For me the best custom ever built by Cory and I told him. On the Performance Machine display I spotted an awesome new narrow primary and a new wheel, both making you desire to start building a bike just to feature them. I saluted a few other friends, and left the RCA Dome with enough info and pictures to feature in details all these parts in soon to be published new posts. The crowd was huge, giving me back a renewed sense of confidence about the future of my industry And guess what? I didn’t miss my plane back to Florida.
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 about motorcycling and safety. First, for those who don’t know, ABATE means “American Brotherhood Aimed Toward Education” or “American Brotherhood Against Totalitarian Enactments”. The main objective of ABATE is to "Educate, Not Legislate." They believe in the education of all who are involved with motorcycling, including but not limited to, their own members, legislators, law enforcement officials and the general public. Education topics include motorcycle safety and awareness, current laws that affect riders and pending legislation that could change the way you enjoy your freedoms. ABATE also encourages their members to help with community charity events, and always promote a positive image of motorcyclists. There are ABATE chapters all over the US (Google ABATE & your state) and I encourage you to be a member and participate (This image was published in the early 70’s by Easyriders Magazine. It says ".Maybe now you ‘ll think twice about riding without a helmet") 
It’s Awards season. During the V-Twin Expo in Cincinnati 
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 custom bikes line-up to compete in the 
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 wire a bike with all the instrumentation required by your unfriendly US State or country. To avoid madness at electrical time, this wiring harness is not only coded to match an OEM Harley wiring diagram, but also features wires silk screened every 3 inch with each function clearly indicated. This will take all the guesswork out of wiring your bike, especially if you do internal wiring in frame, handlebars, etc. The kit includes 20 gauge coated wire weather resistant momentary key start switch. 30 Amp main circuit breaker and two 15amp breakers. Bosch starter relay. Wiring system provides headlight cutout while starting. Also provided is heat shrink and all necessary wire connectors. The harness is designed to be mounted on the frame or inside the frame tubing. Wires are made with factory connections whenever possible but the opposite ends are left open to pull through frame and/or cut to length. If you are running outside just cut to length install heat shrink and solder ends. For sale at 
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 in the details, and are getting ready to hit Daytona where the duo will display at the Seminole Hard Rock Road House outside the Dog House Bar & Grill at 601 Main Street (from February 29 to March). 
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 wheel can be finished in the same or contrast look from the spokes. Many sizes available. Contact on my behalf RMD BILLET at 507-348-8877 or visit them at 
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 close again to the other (of course, he/she needs to wear this special shirt) and you are in full charge, blinking crazy like a Christmas tree. Go too far astray from the source of your affections and you’ll drop back down to two and a half hearts again. Got it? At 
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 life threatening illnesses and is located on 232 acres in Eustis, FL. The Camp allows children whose lives have been a series of medical procedures and hospital stays to enjoy a camp experience as just a “kid.” There is no charge to attend Camp Boggy Creek and it is solely supported by contributions and donations from individuals, corporations and foundations. Since its opening in June 1996, Camp Boggy Creek has served over 32,000 seriously ill children and their families with the help of a core group of 5,500 faithful volunteers and support of corporations, foundations and individuals each year. The Builders Breakfast Daytona event has dozens of builders already confirmed Expect to see amazing auction items signed by all of them. Confirmed attending Builders are: Paul Yaffe, Eddie Trotta, Aaron Greene, Paul Cox, Keino, Russell Mitchell, Kendall Johnson, Russell Marlowe, Kim Suter, Jerry Covington, Donnie Smith, Dave Perewitz, Billy Lane, Cyril Huze, Arlin Fatland, Rick Fairless, Chica, AMD World Champion Chicara, Scott Webster, Roland Sands, Michael Prugh, Jesse Rooke, Arlen and Cory Ness, Brian Klock, Randy Simpson, Roger Goldammer, Matt Hotch and Jim Nasi. Tickets are for sale online at the 
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 turn signal systems. Chromed aluminum caps features hidden hardware and an integrated LED that blends nicely into the cap until the super bright LED’s are activated. Kit includes load balancer, two Shocks Lights and required hardware. Contact your local Progressive Suspension dealer for more information.
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 found 47 percent of men would give up sex for half a year, compared to just over a third of women. It seems that size really does matter more for men than women," the firm said. My opinion is that this survey forgot to ask a question to women: ”would you buy a 50 inch plasma TV to your man for not having sex with you during 6 months?”. If the answer is yes, it would mean that the 50% of UK men who would not give up sex are going to get extra-lucky while the other 50% are watching TV. And in the US? I want to know. Are you ready to sacrifice for a 50-inch plasma TV?
I know Sasha Mullins since quite a few years and she is a sister of the road. I agree with her that 
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 available: "Monster Drag Pipes" and "Monster Shotgun Pipes". Both feature heavy 16 gauge steel tubing and a finish that is truly show worthy. The 1¾” header pipe continues inside the true 2½” outer body maximizing the scavenging pressure, resulting in significant performance gains. This double layer construction also helps resist discoloration. Each set includes removable louvered-core baffles with polished billet end-tips, and all the necessary brackets and hardware. The Exile logo is carved into each pipe so everyone will know you’re running the real deal. Exile Monster Pipes are priced at $599 and are available exclusively through Drag Specialties or direct from Exile Cycles. Exile also offers their ‘combo’ deal: one front pipe and both styles of rear pipe for $799, allowing you to switch up the look of your ride for very little extra cash. 
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 winners are:
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 details on engine modifications (I am sure there was), but like me you can identify many Performance Machine custom parts and a special dual exhaust. You should see this custom Ducati on the show tour starting with Daytona Bike Week in 4 weeks.
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). 
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 master or 11/16 if you use dual calipers. Access to reservoir is made easy by removing the bolted through top covers. Pistons are equipped with stock Harley Davidson new style seals. Fitting inside bars are standard 10 mm banjo bolt set-up. Scorpio bars come in different styles and customer will need to provide the total bike rake and stretch to adjust the bars set-up. 
On January 12, I wrote an article called 
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 as a Chopper. I am not sure about the front basket, but it doesn’t matter: building a custom motorcycle is about freedom…of expression. It features a 113 cu engine from Ultima and a 6-speed transmission, in a custom frame made by Marvin Cable of “Class Act MC Engineering”. Of course, a Springer front end and pin striping (By Manny in Phoenix) are a must on this kind of ride. If like me you didn’t know about this Tombstone, AZ custom shop, encourage the crew by visiting their website at 
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 
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. The pipes have individual heat shields that run from the cylinder head to the start of the megaphone and intended for rubber mount Sportsters from 2004 to present including fuel injected models. In chrome or black finish. Suggested Retail price: $965.00. At 
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 show you that you can find anything and everything at the V-Twin Expo. 
If you want to know what’s going to happen in the economy, business and investment markets, look at population trends or demographics. If we can’t see the very long term coming, at least we can observe how people are changing their way to spend money. The biggest years for births in the baby-boom generation were 1957 to 1961. Spending on motorcycles seems to peak at age 45. Harley-Davidson started to flatten out in 2006 and declined last year. Now we are all concerned about the future. The United States looks a lot like Japan and Japan has been declining for the past 14 years. That means deflation. And if you look at Japan’s economy you see a decline in prices, in value of assets and erosion of the buying power of wages. As baby boomers move into retirement, service industries will grow. Productivity gains are more difficult to produce in those kinds of businesses than in production and technology. So what should we do? Pay down debt and save. Easier said than done. You don’t want to make long-term payments on assets whose values are declining with time. Cash becomes king in a deflationary period. The paradox: the longer we wait, more we will be able to buy. So, what about our motorcycle industry? Hard core bikers will continue to ride. Bikers who are also art lovers will still want a "state-of-the-art" custom motorcycle. And between these 2 groups? No room for motorcycle fads and "fashionistas" on 2 wheels. Discretionary money just evaporated. It’s really the way I see it for a long, long time. Now it’s your turn to tell me your perspective (This lady was seen participating to the Love Ride. Picture by Sheriff)