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I had to call Bandit back at his velvet-walled Bikernet penthouse office three times before he stopped hanging up on me.“I’m serious, you stolen-plate runnin’ bastard! And stop hanging up on me!” I shouted into the phone.“You want me to fly you out there and pay you to cover Miami strip clubs?” came the suddenly […]

This is the story of my first Harley. It is one filled with dreams, good times, friends, and enemies, drugs, business dealings, parties, women, & treachery. It is a story that needs to be told, for the young ones to learn from, if they will. The time is approximate, and all names have been changed

Scoots First Ride Scoot’s second chopperMy first ride was a “Bug” mini bike when I was around 12-yrs. Old. It was one of those “cool” ones with the peanut tank and baby apes. First thing I did was rip off the exhaust and put on a straight pipe. My life went down hill from then

Art still owns his first Shovelhead.ART'S FIRST BIKE AND BLUES1983, Pushing the front end of the big Shovelhead down the coastal highway of the outer banks of North Carolina, thinking about the year on Okinawa. I was Scrimping and saving to purchase the 1980 FXE. The time spent as a barracks rat was worth every

Author and custom painter, Joann Bortles, or Crazyhorse. CRAZYHORSE'S DREAM COME TRUE–ALMOST They say, that a human brain will take a traumatic experience and bury it, not allowing the conscious mind to dwell on it. By 1994 owning a Harley became so distant a dream, that I never even thought about it anymore. I was

Old shots from Bugs. Doesn't have a damn thing to do with this story.FIRST MEMORIESWith me, it started on a highway somewhere in LA, when I was probably in the 3rd grade. It was the early '60s. My mom and dad, who were and are fine upstanding citizens, had no interest in motorcycles. As a

Here's Johnny, the authorThe Origins of a Passion I have had many people ask me why I ride a motorcycle. I’m sure most who ride have known the scenario of pulling up to the gas station to refuel and getting hammered with the stories of cycle lore by every customer. You know the stories, “My

Bike Building Boot Camp or A Crash Course In Chopper Building The 50th Team.A rare e-mail address flashed across my in-box. Jesse James from Monster Garage wrote, “Wanna help build an Old School Chopper?” I wrote back, “I'm not a master builder, you have a number of talented builders at West Coast Choppers. I'm just

There's always a lot of squawkin' about what a true chopper is. Some guys swear it's a chopper if it's a motorcycle with long fork$$$$$. Others believe it's an anti-social statement in the form of a motorcycle. The descriptions and beliefs on the subject are endless, and (this being America) there ain't a damn thing

Editor's Note: Below is a story from Tim Conder, and old friend, bike builder, custom painter and all around artist. After the story I'm running his bio to give you the entire scoop on the man. Enjoy–Bandit.I just worked a 16 hour day crankin' on a paint job for some football player. I think I'll

I planned a weekend getaway with my son Logan for some time ago, and the weekend had finally arrived!Young Logan was due to get out of school at noon on Friday. I needed to rescue his young self and scramble through gravel for 1.5 hour into Port Alberni, from our home in Bamfield, on Vancouver

My Robin in front of Flora-Bama on the Beach. Well kids, it is time for another blithering installment of “The Travels of Rigid Frame Richard”. This one doesn't involve a quest to “Clothe Poor Girls”. What a shame. I hit Pensacola, Florida for my niece's graduation. It was great to get to visit but tough

One of Ben & brother Chase's early mechanical efforts. Some people call motorcycles a lifestyle or a hobby, while others call them status symbols. I called motorcycles a barrier. I am the daughter of a mechanic and a fanatic, Mark Deacon. I am the sister of a protege and a follower, Ben Deacon (14-year-old). I

Photo by www.vixenstars.com   Ain’t no use in lookin’back…  Jody’s got your Cadillac. Ain’t no use in goin’ home…Jody’s got your girl and gone.. Your left, Your left, your left, right,BRAVO!!! One helluva run, but Jake Kincaid wasglad it was over. It had taken nearly fourmonths, but he’d done it. He rode themodified Super Glide through

Just before Christmas 2005, the company I had worked hard to make successful, closed its doors for the last time. I was fortunate, though, I snatched a job offer prior, but it required leaving Texas and moving to Virginia. I never thought I would leave Texas, but you gotta pay the bills and that’s where

Chris Kallas art available in the Black Market. Chris Kallas and Greg Parigian Inglewood, CA 1968.In Feb. 2005. I got a call from a childhood friend that I hadn’t seen or talked to since 1969.We used to build models of choppers and make modifications to our Sting-Ray bicyclestill his family moved away. It's strange talking

My first time on a Harley was October 26, 2005. I was 35, and newly single. The tall, smiling guy I’d met on a plane two days before showed up on a 1999 Road King. I’d spent two hours getting ready, and all that preparation was about to be destroyed. I was a motorcycle virgin.

About six months ago I got my first Harley. It is a 2003 XL883R.I love it and like all proud Daddies’ I want the rest of the world to think my baby is as wonderful as I do. Now I think some do. Living in Jacksonville Fl, it’s a short ride to Daytona. So my

Heading out this morning on my way to work, bundled in layers and heated gloves, I was still a little concerned about how cold it might be as the temperature was a crisp 42° F and 60 mph down the road for 30 miles can be chilly.My fear was quickly overcome, and I have to

Gaspar Trama, motorcycle instructor par excellence, and one of the finest humans I have ever had privilege to know, passed away Tues, July 11, 2006. He went into the hospital for abdominal pain last Saturday, they found colon cancer, operated successfully, and he died later of a heart attack. (The leading cause of death for

Me and ChaCha.(True story-Dates might be off a little.)I named every bike I ever had, since the first 20-inch bicycle to the present.What’s this all about, ya say? Read on and you’ll learn valuable advice. If ya do learn, send me a dollar.If ya don’t, no charge.December 2003– Unfortunately, divorce is inevitable. She fuckin’ dumped

OK, first of all, Robert and I decided to leave on the 30th of May, so we could both spend time withour wives that Monday. We'd been working a major shutdown at the JOB and needed a getaway ride. I got to our meeting spot an hour before Robert. This gave me time to reflect,

Feel like riding your new bike across the country during the winter? Photo from Bob T.I’ve had a few new Sydney Netriders ask me about how to keep warm on the bike during the winter months.So I thought I would put up some suggestions and a few tricks learned over the years.Some of them might

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith. There is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge will award to me on the day.” ~ II Tim. 4:6-8In Loving Memory of my sister, my best friend and my right hand