The Easyrider Story, 2012

Monday - Feb 6, 2012 3:36 pm

It was that time of year again when I go to my closet and grab my "Peter Fonda - Captain America" jacket and head out to the annual Easyriders Bike Show in Charlotte. The Easyriders Show is always a welcomed break in winter. I always look forward to it!

The bike show entries may have been down just a bit but the bikes that were there were all TOP SHELF. Local builders were well represented. Ben Jordan who has had bikes featured right here in The Carolina Rider Scene won a first place award in his class with his 47 Knucklehead. Ben's bikes are always something special. Another local builder with a lot of talent, Chris Wade, won a "Best of Show" award with his 56 Panhead. Mike Steranko won an award for his immaculate 52 Panhead. This bike will also be featured soon here in my monthly column. Eric Stein also had a real nice entry, a rigid Evo. I don’t know if Eric took home an award but it was a killer bike!   Read more...

What’s Easyriders all about? By Jane LaVoy

Monday - Jan 23, 2012 12:18 pm

So what is it all about? It is about YOU … bikers who love to ride! There was a lot to see and do at the 2012 Easyriders Bike Show at the Charlotte Convention Center this weekend.

For my husband, Greg, and I, first stop was The Carolina Rider "Big Ride" bus. Trudi and the other Carolina Rider Beauties were dressed (or partially dressed depending on how you look at it) for the occasion, greeting, having their photo taken with friends, getting emails, and signing folks up for a chance to win prizes. Thanks to all of you that have submitted your emails to receive The Carolina Rider weekly e-magazine. Did you know we email to over 30,000 of you who want to know where to go for the next ride or party every week - and that doesn't include the over 1.85 million web hits we are getting monthly! Our advertisers are the best and you make it all possible! Greg got a couple of pictures of the inside of The Big Ride … amazing work that Jon has done! Look for it at bike events and make sure to stop by and say Hello.   Read more...

DAVE MANN CHOPPER FESTIVAL

Monday - Jan 9, 2012 12:43 pm

Friday December 9th 2011, Vicki and I made our way to California for our annual visit with my good friend Keith Ball (aka Bandit,) owner and President of Bikernet.com and former Easyriders magazine editor. It is always a pleasure to visit with Keith.

This time we were there to attend the 8th Annual Dave Mann Chopper Festival in Ventura California on Sunday December 11th 2011. Most of you who have ever picked up an EASYRIDERS or BIKER magazine know Dave Mann or maybe I should say know of his artwork. His artwork was always featured as the centerfold in Easyriders and later on was featured in Biker magazine.

Dave Mann’s artwork inspired many a chopper builder from coast to coast. I remember going to the local 7/11 store and picking up a copy of Easyriders the same day it arrived… I had it down to the day! The first thing I would turn to was the Dave Mann centerfold to see what he had created for the new issue. Looking at his motorcycle artwork, you could hear the bike roar and feel the wind in your hair and no detail was ever missing. His work made you want to get and out and burn some asphalt!   Read more...

2012 Easyriders Show in Charlotte

Tuesday - Jan 3, 2012 12:20 pm

"Gather your posse. Hop on your bike or into your 4-door. Go on your own or with your wife and kids. Bring the grands! Make your way to The Queen City with thousands of others who dig motorcycles. Enjoy a party filled with tempting merchandise vendors, hot girls, cool tunes, adrenaline junkies and gearheads galore. It's a pretty good bet you'll run into someone you know!"

It's that time of year again….when you can meet your rider friends and hang out like it's the middle of Summertime. Ride, drive, take the train. This time of year, there's no shame in how you get there but you gotta go! The Easyriders Show will be in Charlotte January 21-22. It's an annual ritual for many area riders. Locals go but there are folks from all over The Carolinas and beyond who show up for this dead-of-Winter party. The Carolina Rider gang enjoys our time at The Charlotte Convention Center and this year we'll have The Big Ride parked inside! Yes, that's right - you can easily find our spot in the Center -just look for our cool bus… and for our lovely Carolina Beauties appealing to the crowds too!   Read more...

Motorman’s Riding Tips, Tricks and Techniques

Monday - Dec 19, 2011 4:15 pm

I still get lots of questions about the proper way to make a U-turn. This is in spite of the fact that I’ve written about it several times. This month I’m going to give it to you right from my book, Ride like a pro.

Here’s how to set up your U-turn practice area: Mark of a u-shaped area approximately 34 feet long and 24 feet wide. You can either use chalk, cones, or tennis balls as markers. Put one marker in each corner of the U-turn and no more than two or three markers down each side. Also keep in mind, you can set up the U-turn as wide as you care to. However, 24 feet is the size of your average side street.   Read more...

Crusin For Kids 2011

Monday - Dec 19, 2011 4:06 pm

Well, every weekend there are many Toy Runs to choose from, and Greg and I never know what we will be involved in. Last week I understand that several rides had numbers of 700 or more bikes, and some went well over a thousand - an impressive ride but this weekend was different.

This Saturday we chose "The Cruisin for Kids Toy Run" out of Lincolnton. Of course Greg uses the Carolina Rider Calender to pick from and he actually called the number on the poster for details. He picked this ride, because of how nice the gentleman on the phone was. The gentleman's name was "Chappy."   Read more...

Touring Cozumel on a Harley!

Monday - Dec 12, 2011 1:22 pm

Thanksgiving usually means me in the kitchen from 6 a.m. to noon preparing the family favorites. But this year was different. And yes, I may be bragging a little bit. Greg and I spent Thanksgiving week on the Royal Caribbean "Allure of the Seas," the largest ship in the ocean. It was fun to know that Captain Johnny was a Harley Rider and we passed his Yellow Harley each time we went out the Gang Plank. Even though we didn't have any issues with sea sickness, we were a little homesick for the Toy Runs we were missing right here in our NC back yard!

But, thanks to the internet, I found a land excursion for Cozumel that put us back in the saddle! That's right - a Harley Davidson Tour of the island! Thanks to our guide, Carlos aka "Charlie Brown," and Sergio who was our sweep, we had the opportunity to go beyond the shiny gates of just shopping in a vacuum of slick marketing!   Read more...

The 16th Annual Gaston County Toy Run

Monday - Dec 5, 2011 4:47 pm

God Bless Our Kids! This was the theme at the 16th Annual Gaston County Toy Run, hosted on Saturday December 3rd. Each year Greg and I try to attend a different Toy Run, and the weather was perfection on Saturday!
We could have taken the highways to get to the Ranlo Church of God, but I popped the Blue Tooth in and we irritated the voice on GPS as we turned and twisted through the back entrance of Spencer Mountain Road with the dog and, of course, toys, strapped on the back of our bikes! Already a great way to start the day!   Read more...

Basura Blanca aka White Trash

Monday - Dec 5, 2011 4:31 pm

This is the last bike for 2011 and one of the best for the year. The owner Ben Jordan of Jordan Designs has had a bike in Stealth's Custom Corner before, the bright sunshine yellow Shovelhead. Ben is no stranger to having his work featured, with articles on BIKERNET.com, BIKER and EASYRIDERS magazines. He's a master at what he does and I have followed him for a long time. The first bike he did was very mild compared to his creations today. I remember it was a Sportster with Ape Hangers and a very nice paint job, nice but just a stepping stone to what he rolls out today.   Read more...

Earning an Iron Butt: He's #2 on the Planet!

Monday - Dec 5, 2011 3:54 pm

There's something pure and lonely about a solitary ride. What you've got to offer and what the road throws back at you. A necessary challenge at times driven from the gut and inspired with the zest of living to the fullest. The motorcycle your comrade against (and for) the worlds that the two of you invade and retreat from. Whether a short buzz up to the corner pub or a long stretch of endless mile markers, a lone rider experience has a savory sweet flavor all its own.
I so enjoy ride stories and I am especially drawn to tales told by those who take on a ride as a personal quest. Such is the case with this account of taking the Iron Butt challenge. In fact, Ed Benson's story is of a ride within a ride within a ride within a ride for he earned not one but four Iron Butt certifications in the ride he set off for on July 9th of this year.   Read more...