Dark Custom Channel http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:37:23 GMT We'd been hearing about Sara Liberte and her photography and Garage Girls site for a while, so invited her to take photos during our shoot down in Daytona earlier in the year. She showed up and was the perfect photographer – able to recede into the background like a ninja while she's shooting, and then hilarious to hang out with at parties. This is also a dangerous mix, as we learned when we visited her in her Pittsburgh hometown. She had all these videos on her computer of us telling embarrassing stories at the bar in Florida. If this entry isn't glowingly positive she threatened to put them on YouTube. Did we mention Sara is the most beautiful bike builder/photographer we’ve had the pleasure of doing a shoot with in the summer of 2009?. Here’s an interesting tidbit: Pittsburgh is AWESOME; really cool town with nice weather, surrounded by water and bridges, and amazing views; basically a good bike riding city.. Sara’s North Hills Cycles is located just outside of town. It's a shop at the front, a garage at the back, an office to the side, a paint lab in the basement, and her home on the second floor. Pretty damn good setup. She and her boyfriend Ronnie run the entire operation. Somehow she finds time to take photos and help out at the local animal shelter as well.. Annnnnnyways, we got in and had dinner with Ronnie and Sara at a restaurant that overlooks the entire town. After dinner, Sara took us to her favorite dive, where we did things you do at dives.. The next day we started filming. And well, this is that.... We showed up at Sara’s early in the morning. She’d apparently been awake for 2 hours being a better person than us. She gave us a tour of her shop. We then checked out Animal Friends, the pet shelter she works at. Outside of the Amazon Rainforest, Animal Friends is by far and away the most impressive place dedicated to animals we’ve ever seen.. We then went and hung out with Don, a guy Sara gets a lot of her inspiration from. He’s got an unending collection of bikes. And though he’s older, all the stories he tells about his life as a bike rider are exactly what we see all around now. He’s got it all figured out - nice wife, beautiful place, traveling, riding bikes and working on things with his hands all day long. Made us seriously re-think life behind a desk. Anyways, after Don’s place, Sara ended up taking us through a bunch of her photos back at the shop. She’s a got a wide range of different styles which she adapts to relevant scenarios. She ended up shooting Don, so you can check out her tech in the next video we’ll post in a week or so. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=1502761&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/1502761#loc=detail/blog/1502761/1 Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:09:35 GMT Watch Job For a Cowboy learn to ride a motorcycle and talk about their new album Ruination. CHECK IT! And then find a Rider's Edge class near you to get licensed. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=1457710&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/1457710#loc=detail/blog/1457710/1 Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:55:13 GMT Watch our Art of Rebellion video. We promise you won’t want the two minutes of your life back after watching it. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=1448613&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/1448613#loc=detail/blog/1448613/1 Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:16:01 GMT We'd been reading about these dudes on their blog for a few months. You can visit it here: www.czombieblog.com. All we could figure out was that they’re brothers, like to skate, play music and ride bikes. Oh and they love photos of weirdos, old photos, and Bad Brains youtube clips we'd never seen. We got in touch with Scotty, the oldest brother, who invited us out for a couple days of hanging in Seal Beach, where he lives. Day 1His place is this rad wooden 1-floor spot in the middle of a lot of boring houses; not hard to find. We chilled for a bit and chatted about what we wanted to shoot. Scotty and Turkey, his brother, were real laid back, and down to just hang out and do their normal thing, which means skating, biking, surfing, hanging with friends, and generally being awesome. We shot around the house for a bit, checked out their garage, and then ate at a Mexican spot by the water with a really confusing name. Then we went over to their friend’s house who builds bikes and ramps and spent the afternoon skating. The pipe was couched in between a low fence and a series of glass windows to the garage, which made bailing an unattractive option. Despite precautions, even our 6 foot 4 cameraman Matt who'd never skated before tried to drop in, while camera two, Billy, filmed him at a super high frame rate. Later that night, we had some drinks and watched Matt crash in super slow-motion over and over. Delightful. We finished off Day 1 by stopping by Scotty and Turkey's dad's place, where they'd grown up. He lives there with the rest of the fam, builds bikes out of a garage cluttered with gear any kid would lose their mind over and runs his business. Day 2The next day we got up early and headed down to Newport beach for some surfing. The waves were low, so we grabbed breakfast, and by the time we got back, as per Turkey's prediction, they were back up again. After that we headed to a skate park, then went back to Scotty's place to chill and chat about their whole story, which is better just watched in the video here. Thanks Scotty and Turkey for the hospitality. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=1443532&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/1443532#loc=detail/blog/1443532/1 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:14:03 GMT Harpoon with his artwork Lindsey Kuhn with his artwork Tara McPherson with her artwork Art Chantry's tank Dirty Donny's tank Derek Hess's tank (and you can see some of his artwork in the background) Brian Ewing with his artwork John Van Hamersveld and his artwork Frank Kozik and his artwork The Pizz and his artwork Frank Kozik's tank and fender designs http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=1441498&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/1441498#loc=detail/blog/1441498/1 Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:20:48 GMT Well here we are then, all finished and super sexy. The wiring is now sorted thanks to Todd and the bike purrs. It turned out pretty much just how I imagined. Look how narrow this thing is, marvellous. It’s also a very comfy mileage eater too. Lovely, the stance is spot on, all that mocking up paid off then. Can you see the tuck n roll pad on the air cleaner? It matches the seat and is there to rest the old right leg on when using the cruiser pegs, see what I mean, mmmmmm, comfy. Tall sissy bar and back rest will keep the ladies happy, which as we all know is soooooo important. The mounting brackets on those pipes move around in a couple of rubber doughnuts. Yowza Everything just kinda flows don’t you think? JD did a lot of work on this bike and without him it would just be a pile of bits.Jaymes at Blue Moon Customs painted the tins.All the bits and pieces came from swap meets, ebay and friends. Ok, so for me there is a reason behind all of this. I like motorbikes, I like all kinds of motorbikes and anyone who rides is a friend of mine. I have a real passion for choppers that goes way back to when I was 15 years old in London and seeing an Italian Fantic chopper ( Check them out on the internet ) for the first time. Every teenage boys dream seeing as they were basically a sort of 125cc chopper moped. Which meant I could ride one legally when I reached the giddy age of 16. I dreamt about choppers day and night and drew them constantly. Anyways, never did get a Fantic, way too much money for a spotty kid at school. I’m still obsessed though and now I put a magazine together which has a few articles on choppers so I guess I haven’t changed much over the years. When HD offered me this 883 with instructions to customise as I saw fit, it was on. Looking at all those great photos of choppers from the late 60’s and early 70’s you will notice a couple of things that stand out. Nearly all the bikes are Harleys, they have always been and always will be the perfect bike to customise, this is why we love them. And back then an awful lot of people used the Sportster as their bike of choice. So here I was with the brand new bike and a plan. America is a brilliant country, just about every town in every state will have a metal fabricator/welder who is just itching to have a go at something like this. Those same towns will have someone who can paint and someone who can do wiring and an upholsterer, all who need work and will be as excited as you are on the project. You can go and hang out and get as involved as you want, don’t be afraid to get really crazy, everything is possible. Its all out there and its all do-able. Don’t be intimidated... the only limits are your imagination and of course your wallet. But you may be surprised. The internet is a great tool for tracking down and buying used parts which cost very little, its never been easier in fact . Swap meets are also a great way of getting hold of stuff at ridiculous prices. Also talk to people, I’m always amazed at how friendly and helpful people who love bikes can be. The 883 is a great cheap reliable bike, so get to it! America needs you. CheersMatt Davis http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=1340390&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/1340390#loc=detail/blog/1340390/1 Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:10:35 GMT Lindsey Kuhn's work in progress tank for the Art of Rebellion event happening this Saturday in NYC. Event details. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=1168895&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/1168895#loc=detail/blog/1168895/1 Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:52:31 GMT Check out the finished product! See it this Saturday in NYC at Art of Rebellion. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=1091131&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/1091131#loc=detail/blog/1091131/1 Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:22:07 GMT Come on, isn’t chrome sexy?. All those bikers can’t be wrong surely?! Bars, pipes, rockers and top tree all back from a dip, and the frame, black and shiny thanks to some powder coating. I was going to be all cheap and rattle can it but JD talked me out of that and I’m damn glad he did. ----Ran out of money and time to get the front end replated but I reckon it looks just fine the way it is. JD made up a whole set of new bushings and rockers for it before assembly, I love this guy. Check out those brill cruiser pegs. ----Now to carefully, very carefully, put that sweet motor back into its new home. The only bit of the original frame left was the lower part of the engine cradle, yoink! ----Oh yes, a 21” skinny front wheel with spool hub just looks perfect in that front end, headlights mounted, pullbacks fitted, stickers stuck. ----Now the pipes, some head scratching a few weeks ago ’cos of the rubber mounted engine and where to fix the exhausts to, but we figured it out... mmmmm? How do you like the panhead style squish front pipe? ----We replaced the stock mids with these rather nifty chopper items. ----Oh. My. God. We are so close, all I want to do is go for a bloody long long ride. ----JD wasn’t happy with the shape of the seat I found so he went about reshaping and recovering it, and he’s right... again... it now looks even better me thinks. ----All legal, officer. ----883? Yes indeedy. What you won’t see in these pictures yet is the paint, its mental, trust me. ----Seat cover pattern, 70’s style tuck n roll of course. ----Brilliant! ----The all important “stickers on oil bag.” ----I really can’t tell you how happy I was at this moment, look at it! Fantastic, a real proper skinny lane splitter. And also really, wait till you see the whole bike in detail, with the tins, paint and all the other lovely bits, its magnificent. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=1074486&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/1074486#loc=detail/blog/1074486/1 Fri, 09 Oct 2009 21:51:23 GMT Mocked up again, that’s what we like to do, lots of mock ups, you can’t beat a good mock up I say. It looks different every time, even with minor changes and fabrication. -----Ok, let me run through just a few of the bits and pieces that I collected for this project. Old licence plate holder with Lucas taillight found at the Long Beach swap meet. The lens was badly fogged so a replica lens was found on Ebay. -----Nice sqidgy grips, good for absorbing vibration. Not that this bike is going to vibrate having a rubber mounted engine of course, but they look great. With British style 1” throttle assembly. Swap meet again. -----Used ’77 Sportster oil tank, I like these and they are cheap. Ebay again. -----Diamond foot pegs, chopper style naturally. LB swap once again. -----Don’t you just love Sissy bars, the taller the better in my book. Although my mate made one in his garage and fitted it to his bike. When he went to wheel it out he had to almost lie the bike over on its side to get the sissy bar to fit through the roll up door. So kids, measure the length of your way cool SB first. Another Swap meet find-o-rama. -----Twin rectangular headlights, perfect. What? Is there really any other kind on a chopper?, no, of course not. Found on the ‘for sale’ section of the Jockey Journal. -----License plate bracket goes here brosivs. -----Flat trailer fender in the house. Another trip to the LB swap, damn, I love that place. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=1037841&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/1037841#loc=detail/blog/1037841/1 Fri, 09 Oct 2009 19:40:06 GMT     http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=1037210&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/1037210#loc=detail/blog/1037210/1 Thu, 08 Oct 2009 16:19:53 GMT We want to give you a chance to win a limited-edition Art of Rebellion poster. Become a fan on Facebook, and be on the lookout for questions that we'll post on the wall through October 30th. Answer them correctly and you're in the running for a poster signed by artist Frank Kozik! Check out our Facebook page at facebook.com/darkcustom. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=1006207&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/1006207#loc=detail/blog/1006207/1 Wed, 07 Oct 2009 18:53:32 GMT Ok, ok, so me and JD cut some more of the frame, then got some round steel, an old rear tire I had kicking around, a 12” over springer front end ‘borrowed’ from a mate and a spool hub front wheel. With the help of some wooden blocks, tie downs and beer we Heath Robinson’ed a mock up. Mm mm mm mmmmmm... Anyways, I have a flaked out Sportser tank also just kicking around for another project I will get to one day. That was placed, very carefully I might add, on the temporary top rail. Brilliant!!   A creative drawing class: JD likes tracing. I think he’s a Freemason too. A square and a compass? Wait a minute. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=998628&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/998628#loc=detail/blog/998628/1 Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:23:46 GMT Frank Kozik in studio with work in progress Iron 883 fender and tank for upcoming Art of Rebellion event in New York City.   http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=988526&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/988526#loc=detail/blog/988526/1 Fri, 02 Oct 2009 17:49:31 GMT Hang with artist Tara Mcpherson in her studio in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, as she prepares for the upcoming Art of Rebellion event. Tara talks about her work and what's she's planning to paint and show at the Oct 17th event. Get more info on the Art of Rebellion. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=888755&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/888755#loc=detail/blog/888755/1 Thu, 01 Oct 2009 20:44:50 GMT Good, now are you all sitting comfortably? Because this a good story full of wizards, wicked witches and elves, ok I made that last bit up but its still a good story. Once upon a time a very handsome prince rode in his trusty F100 steed to Glendale, a land far far away. Whilst there he rescued an Iron 883, a fair maiden of some repute. Anyways, enough of the fairy tales ’cos this is all quite real I can assure you of that - a brand new Iron 883. A pure, simple good time bike. However, that’s not why I’m so excited, It’s not ‘cos Angelina Jolie just called me either, actually that didn’t happen, its ‘cos I’m going to tear this thing apart and build a sweet 70’s style chopper using that spanking new and trustworthy powerplant.......erm.....right then. The stock tank, pretty nice right? It still has that Sportster look but it’s going on a diet, no more Del Taco for this sucker. Removing stuff is easy, it didn’t take long either. So this is all happening at my good friends shop, JD. His place is big, he has a lot more tools than I do and is a great fabricator and welder. My welding looks like a 4 year old did it, and the 4 year old did it better than me. Anyways, back half is off. Some stuff... ...and some (loads in fact ) of wiring stuff. Blimey, putting this back together is going to be... um... interesting. ...so that wasn’t so bad, it just looks like it. Now I think its time for a nice cup of tea and a choccy biscuit. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=875808&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/875808#loc=detail/blog/875808/1 Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:36:56 GMT Here is a prelim sketch from The Pizz, King of Lowbrow and one of the next Art of Rebellion artists, for the tank he'll paint for the upcoming Art of Rebellion show, October 17th, in New York City. Get more details on the show. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=867622&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/867622#loc=detail/blog/867622/1 Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:09:17 GMT   Check out Brian Ewing’s work in progress Iron 883 tank sketches for the upcoming New York City Art of Rebellion event... Get more info on the Art of Rebellion show http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=812793&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/812793#loc=detail/blog/812793/1 Tue, 15 Sep 2009 18:21:24 GMT Harley-Davidson presents: The Art of Rebellion NYC poster art show. Harley-Davidson has gathered 10 of the most relevant and exciting poster artists to present their take on the theme of rebellion. The Art of Rebellion is a one-night-only event taking place on October 17, 2009, at LA Venue in the Chelsea arts district of New York City. Each artist will have original work in the show, as well as posters from their collection available for purchase. Portion of proceeds donated to CUE Art Foundation - a non-profit forum for contemporary art that provides extraordinary opportunities for under-recognized artists and compelling encounters for audiences. ONE NIGHT ONLY: October 17th, 2009 | 8pm-12am. DJ & free beverages. Featuring: Art Chantry • Brian Ewing • Dirty Donny • John Van Hamersveld • Harpoon • Derek Hess • Frank Kozik • Lindsey Kuhn • Tara McPherson • and The Pizz, plus photography by Adam Wright & Steven Stone. RSVP for the show on Facebook » La.Venue @ Terminal stores (Chelsea) 608 West 28th Street (Between 11th & 12th Ave.) New York, NY 10001 212.967.9636 | lavenue-ny.com http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=715931&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/715931#loc=detail/blog/715931/1 Tue, 01 Sep 2009 21:26:15 GMT Mayhem Fest is hibernating until next year but here is a small collection of photos from the final weeks. One important lesson learned is that metal heads are passionate about music and neck tattoos. Pictured is the Cannibal Corpse circle pit, the most dangerous place at Mayhem. Shannon Lucas of The Black Dahlia Murder and Zach Householder up next to the Golden Horse Mascot. Straight Edge kids turn into the best junkies…just one man’s opinion. There is nothing quite like an RV tattoo. I hear there is a TV show of someone going across the country trying to put meaning to peoples Coy fish, but I see more entertainment in a guy getting a guerilla on his leg while the party moves and shakes in the back of the bus. Shannon Lucas making bad decisions on a futon that could tell some stories. They were shooting one of those theme park commercials and sent the old guy into the jock security guards. Sunscreen is encouraged! With help of Barb’s Harley-Davidson, members of White Chapel, Mayhem Staff, and The Metal Mulisha all went on a Morning Ride before the show started. We were Motley looking crew blasting down the highway to say the least. Stinger Rode on the Custom with open arms. Thanks to everyone who stopped the Golden Horse and to all the friends we met along the way. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=627972&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/627972#loc=detail/blog/627972/1 Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:19:30 GMT The folks over at VBS.tv’s surf show Hi Shredability have been working with Brad Gerlach. When he told them he was coming to New York with Chris Christenson, they decided to get bikes and head up the coast... Here’s some words for the the show’s producer: We didn't really have a plan. We just kept reassuring Chris and Brad that everything would be cool. By the time we all met up and got out of town the sun was setting on our first day, and those guys ended up taking the first leg in the dark wearing sunglasses and freezing their asses off. When we finally got to a stopping place there was no where open to eat or sleep. If it wasn't for the iPhone we might have all died in a McDonald's parking lot. Instead we settled into a bar stool with a beer and a clam basket in time to catch The Magic beating the Celtics one last time. Oh yeah, then the rest of the trip was pretty good, but that's what the video is about. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=524268&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/524268#loc=detail/blog/524268/1 Mon, 10 Aug 2009 17:54:55 GMT My friend Colin Ramsey (who normally rides a Triumph Thruxton) hopped on the Iron 883 on a sunny Sunday afternoon for a ride from my place in downtown San Diego up to Ramona. I rode my '03 883 Sportster. The windy mountain roads up to Ramona were the perfect place to test drive the Iron. It was Colin’s first time on a Harley and he loved it. We’ll see how long he holds on to that Triumph now!   http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=504061&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/504061#loc=detail/blog/504061/1 Mon, 10 Aug 2009 16:20:51 GMT BMX and motorcycles go together. I enjoy posing my bike next to the motorcycles and telling people that it’s a 2010 model. Quick side note, kickstands suck in rocks. Who would have thought? In case anyone forgot, there are bands on this tour. This is God Forbid doing what they do on a side stage. I have watched so many people go down from heat stroke on this tour that it has finally dawned on me that it’s not just some made up hoax. Get hydrated, then session the circle pit, there is an order of operations... If ever there was a time to invest in black t-shirts it is on this tour. Can you tell which person is not in Slayers road crew? I’ll give you a hint, his shirt was attempted to be tucked in and his cell phone fully holstered. Go Metal! http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=503938&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/503938#loc=detail/blog/503938/1 Thu, 06 Aug 2009 20:36:52 GMT Pro skater JT Aultz and am Wes Kremer stopped by the TransWorld offices to check out the new Iron 883. Wes said he felt like a real Hells Angel sitting on it, but no so much after he almost dumped it cruising through the parking lot! Don’t quit your day job Wes. JT skates for Real, Vox footwear, Thunder trucks, Spitfire wheels, and Ambiguous clothing. Wes skates for Sk8mafia, DC Shoes, Billabong, and Royal trucks. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=497921&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/497921#loc=detail/blog/497921/1 Thu, 06 Aug 2009 18:46:38 GMT While most people see a remarkable thunderstorm overtaking a color rich sunset, I see a field full of rattlesnakes ready to spit venom at my nervous system. It’s hard to trade pine trees for cactus but in all honesty when the views are like this, I see why people put up with the 105-degree heat. I got the esteemed pleasure to make the beer run for all of the bands at Mayhem. This wouldn’t have been as eventful if the runner hadn’t taken me to his favorite pawn/gun/liquor store. The southwest is amazingly convenient. They sold Uzi’s! Always check tires. My father preached preventative maintenance to me and I’m grateful for it. These tires both went out on the same bus at roughly the same time. Nothing like being stuck on the side of the road with 12 people, 1 jack, 1 spare, and no air conditioning because the generator went out hours before and spewed smoke on everything. All you have to do is kick it a few times, I think that’s the governments approved way of testing everything. Happy bussing! http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=497814&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/497814#loc=detail/blog/497814/1 Wed, 05 Aug 2009 21:51:31 GMT http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=495770&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/495770#loc=detail/blog/495770/1 Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:44:52 GMT   Birdhouse and Adio rider Sean Eaton stopped by the TransWorld offices to test drive the Iron 883. Sean is a former Sportster owner himself, and recently sold his Nighttrain and is in the market for a Street Bob. He’s a veteran of two Emerica Wild Rides. We tried our best to keep up with him on PCH as he bobbed and weaved through coastal traffic. His only comment after an hour on the bike, “It’s fun – fun little guy!” Photo by Sam Muller http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=491734&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/491734#loc=detail/blog/491734/1 Thu, 30 Jul 2009 20:18:46 GMT The Golden Horse Saloon sponsored an after party for everyone at Mayhem to come and let loose after Marilyn Manson wrapped up his show. There were 150 VIP passes given out and anyone with credentials was allowed to come drink at the open bar. Pictured are two of the hardest working people in charge of the stages, Checker and Brian. I can’t remember seeing either one of these guys enjoying themselves the whole tour until they crossed into Full Blast Action Party at the Golden Horse. The DJ service was provided by Brian from The Black Dahlia Murder and got mixed reviews, he played Biggie and that’s the best way to make people shake their hips. After a quick “pep-talk” from Cannibal Corpse, the music got better, or the Beer got Free”er,” if that’s in any way possible. Professional BMX riders Lil Jon and KC Badger stopped by the bar for a beer or six. They were attending to watch Slayer and people watch for the most part. We appreciate their support and thanks for throwing stickers on our mascot. Off day fun with the road crew of The Golden Horse Saloon. Going from Seattle to Phoenix in a day is pretty hard on friendships and sanity. That being said, If a giant horse with a heart for a butt hole was in front of your restaurant, would you climb all over it? Yes you would! http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=486346&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/486346#loc=detail/blog/486346/1 Fri, 17 Jul 2009 13:58:43 GMT Heavy Harley-Davidson presence in the San Francisco area. To say that California loves Slayer is the understatement of our generation. In fact, this stop actually had protesters as well as fires in the grass areas. If you're within a 5 hour drive come visit the Golden Horse. We are giving away a slew of things at every Mayhem Event. We have motorcycle lessons, ipods, and of course random swag. This is a Harley girl working hard to get people signed up to win. I like the random clipboard on the guys shirt while the model is being used as a clipboard. Oh the irony... Quite possibly the best neck tattoo cover in the history of the world. Sheryl is bummed, the rest of the world is smirking. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=442633&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/442633#loc=detail/blog/442633/1 Thu, 16 Jul 2009 17:40:24 GMT Oh the mess that is about to ensue! Mayhem Fest 2009 (which I’m travelling with all summer along with buddies Jeff and Stinger), which should be called “Face Melting Awesomeness” has kicked off with Marlin Manson and Slayer being the dual headliners. I don’t really plan on getting all wrapped up in the music because it’s the behind the scenes stuff that you’d rather see anyway, Right? Ever feel like you're living a Hunter S. Thompson story? That was the first sight as I crept from the bus on opening morning. Metal is about having beach muscles and drinking intensely. You won’t get this at an emo concert. Hairless cats have somehow found their way onto the tour. It seriously looks like a vampire and it seems to look through you and not at you. Stare at that hind leg for just a second and imagine this thing on your shoulder... Awesome! In case you don’t know who Stinger is, he is a Full Blast Party. Follow him on Twitter.com/darkcustom http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=441416&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/441416#loc=detail/blog/441416/1 Mon, 13 Jul 2009 13:15:29 GMT When you live in a crowded place like New York, you're going to encounter a lot of action on the street. It's just par for the course. That said, I was definitely not expecting to find this when I came out to the bike in front of my building on Sunday. A couple of homeys were doing some work on my building, and apparently they needed to set up shop mixing some cement right next to the bike. Right as I came outside one of the guys dripped a drop of wet cement on the fender -- he immediately got a wet paper towel and wiped it of and was really apologetic. They assumed the bike was mine and rightly assumed I'd be freaking out about it. When I started taking pictures they really got spooked because they thought I was going to try to sue them or something. And once my buddy Aram hopped the bike and started getting his freak on for my camera they were really confused. There was no damage or permanent mark on the bike, and the truth is there's no way to have a motorcycle in New York with getting it a little dirty. I don't really mind this with my own bike though. I like to look at it as adding character -- kind of like a pair of Converse Chucks that look even better once they're a little worn. Anyways, after the drip these dudes put a drop cloth over the bike as a precaution. Just another thing you might unexpectedly see on your bike in the city. Another day, another adventure. That wraps up my week. It's been fun! The Iron 883 has been great for the city -- surprisingly nimble and easy to manage even in very tight traffic. Nice job, Harley! Now I just need to get one of my own... http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=434002&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/434002#loc=detail/blog/434002/1 Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:07:54 GMT Saturday I finally got a decent day for riding. I headed from Queens over to the Park Slope neighborhood in Brooklyn, where my brother lives. Park Slope is a great neighborhood -- it's all brownstones and every block looks like an episode of The Cosby Show. [day_6, pics 1 & 2] Even in this fancy neighborhood, the Iron 883 got as many envious looks as it did on the Lower East Side. When I came out to the bike later that night to head home there was a young family BBQ-ing out on the stoop, and the guy made a point of stopping me to say, "Hey man, everybody who has been walking down the block has been commenting that that is a beautiful bike you've got there." Sure, I could have fessed up that it wasn't really mine, that I was just testing it out for the week. But what the hell -- I decided to thank him and take credit as if the bike belonged to me, just to see how it felt. It felt pretty damn good. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=430805&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/430805#loc=detail/blog/430805/1 Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:56:29 GMT Game off! I had to call off Day 5 of my blog week due to rain. It was pouring all day and all night. Total bummer. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=426567&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/426567#loc=detail/blog/426567/1 Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:11:18 GMT As I said in my last blog, I'm not a morning person. Getting out of bed at 8 is a struggle. As I lay in bed on Thursday, with the Iron 883 awaiting a guaranteed parking ticket if I didn't get into Manhattan to move it by 9 a.m., my id and superego were battling it out. Superego won. Here's me in front of my caffeine station, waiting for the sauce to come bring me back to life so that I could get back to the Harley before it got a ticket. [day_4, pic 1] It was still wet outside but not raining anymore, so moving it wasn't going to be too bad, provided I could get there in time. So I headed back out to the subway with my helmet, racing the clock to beat the meter maids to the bike. [day_4, pic 2] I've developed a special animosity towards NYC traffic cops since riding in the city. It's especially infuriating that when you do get a ticket the office you pay is not department of vehicles or even a traffic violations bureau, but the department of finance. It's like the ticket exists to fund budget shortfalls instead of actually penalizing any violation. It's very Orwellian. Anyway, my subway was crawling this morning. Subway drivers are like any other drivers -- some of them drive like your mother, and some drive like a sixteen-year-old on three cans of Jolt cola. This driver was driving more like my grandmother, so I was freaking out about being late to the bike. But in the end I made it in time. Here's the bike at 9 a.m., with no ticket. You think that Mini had it easy? One of my favorite things about having a bike in NYC is that even when you do get yourself into this situation where you're racing to beat the traffic cops, which is rare, you can always find a new spot in seconds, so you can get yourself to the deli for more coffee, which is exactly what I did after snapping that pic. Later in the day I got to do a little cruising around my neighborhood in Queens. Here's the view from a red light. Later in the day I cruised back in and parked right in front of my building. I kept local, but it was a good day - no tickets, and I beat the rain. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=424291&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/424291#loc=detail/blog/424291/1 Mon, 06 Jul 2009 22:41:14 GMT Ojai is a hippie enclave North of Los Angeles known for its spas and holistic healing centers. Caffeine enemas and mud baths aren't exactly my bag, but as I roll into town, I spot a joint on the side of the road surrounded by Harleys, and pull aside. The Deer Lodge -- a restaurant and dance lounge, they say -- is one of those kitsch-heavy places with just-right lighting and all your favorite brews, and it's bumping on this Sunday afternoon with 40 or so bikers from a crew down in Compton. I'm a freak, as I unpack my laptop, a pile of dirty laundry spilling onto the ground. I'm smeared with bug guts, my eyes are bloodshot from the wind, and I'm half-deaf. I must look like hell, but the smile on my face must touch behind my head it's so wide; the afterglow of a good ride is slow to fade. I scarf down a pulled pork in the late-afternoon sun and talk sh*t with the bikers there. And as I leave, another minstrel, this one an upgrade over the fish taco crooner, busts out a solo acoustic jam sesh. His first tune: "Sweet Melissa," one of my favorite Allman Brothers tunes. The smog-clogged traffic of Los Angeles awaits, and I linger a moment before firing up the V-twin. Roadtrips always come with a bit of a hangover, once you're done, and with the sun cheating toward the hills, I motor away, easy on the throttle, heavy in the soul. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=422061&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/422061#loc=detail/blog/422061/1 Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:16:31 GMT Wednesday I woke up to a sunny morning - perfect day for a commute to the office on my Iron 883. I passed this sign on the way to get coffee, which I thought was pretty funny. I live in Jackson Heights, Queens -- it's the most diverse zip code in NYC, which I figure has got to place it pretty high in the running for most diverse worldwide. There's a strong Indian and Bangladeshi population, and there is a Bollywood movie theater around the corner from my house -- which was shuttered on this particular morning with this sign hanging by way of explanation. Here's the bike parked on my block, just before I hopped on and rode away. The brick building in the background is my place. 15 minutes later, here's the bike parked in SoHo, in Manhattan, by my office. Even when you live in the boroughs, you can pretty much clear any distance in NYC in about 15 minutes on a motorcycle if you live near the Brooklyn Queens Expressway, or the BQE, as it's commonly known. To the uninitiated, the BQE is a harrowing kamikaze trip of nasty potholes and crazy drivers. But, like many things in New York, once you get familiar with it the grit is just part of its character. Maybe I'll try to pull over in the breakdown later and get some photos from the BQE later in the week - in addition to its glorious grit, it also boasts some of the best views of Manhattan you can find. During work on Wednesday, it started raining again, and here's the catch -- I had parked in a "No Parking Monday & Thursday" block. It was really raining hard, so I decided to wuss out on even moving it to a spot where it'd be safe the next morning, and decided I'd just figure it out later. I'd either move it later that night if it stopped raining, or try to get back to the bike before nine the next morning to movie it. It never stopped raining, and I'm not a morning person. Stay tuned for the outcome... http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=421359&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/421359#loc=detail/blog/421359/1 Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:36:28 GMT South of Morro Bay, Highway One devolves into a suburban cluster, an arterial gusher pumping cars in and out of the calcified cardiac center of Los Angeles. Everybody knows the traffic is a bitch and I've saturated my brain with coastline, so I head inland on route 166 in search of some solace. Giant, winding roads with generous, 70 m.p.h. curves lay in wait; pistachio fields are cradled in the shoulders of stern mountain peaks. I blast past abandoned towns, the buildings there seemingly for sale en masse--churches, schools, homes, the whole lot--and see the occasional ranch in the distance, at safe remove from the glimmering, sweltering asphalt. The whole thing reminds me of the Grapes of Wrath. It's mirage-hot, and the bugs are plentiful, popping against my leather like kernels microwaved by the rays overhead. The road straightens, and after Cuyama, I head South on route 33, stopping to fuel up and brush off some insect exoskeleton at a vintage pump. Route 33 starts docile enough, but once you're well into the Los Padres mountain, you're back in the turns, buxom curves rivaling the roads of Big Sur, swooping concourses cut into the site of the granite hills in winding climbs and descents. The 25-mile stretch ends my trip as I'd wanted: sans traffic, in a solitary set of tight turns that keep me on point and road-focused, weaving in the zen-like state of road flow, both challenged and rewarded by the tough terrain, one with the road and the turns and the momentum. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=416159&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/416159#loc=detail/blog/416159/1 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:38:03 GMT The day after our epic revelry, I dragged my ass into work on the subway, carrying my helmet, looking forward to cutting out a little early to take a cruise around the city. It's a funny feeling being on the subway with your motorcycle helmet. People look at you like, Why would you possibly be on the subway when you clearly have a better option? When I've seen other people on the subway with helmets, I've always just assumed they have crappy bikes that broke down on them and left them stranded. I almost felt like telling people, "No my bike isn't broken down, I actually have an insane Harley-Davidson right now - I just partied too hard to ride it home last night." Anyways, shortly after lunchtime, a thunderstorm broke loose -- a total buzz-kill. It passed, but it continued to look threatening outside. Riding a motorcycle around New York City in the summer is like having a superpower: you can go anywhere you want, whenever you want -- you never have to look for a place to park, and if there's traffic, you just through it, or around it. But the one the one thing that can stop you -- the one kryptonite to your superpower -- is rain. It feels kind of like jumping into a swimming pool with your clothes on. It's just something you want to avoid if you can manage it. I cut out from work when it looked like the sky was clearing. But ten minutes later the sky opened up and I was in the middle of a squall, wearing a T-shirt and Converse Chucks with no socks, just getting soaked. Not much you can do in that scenario other than ride it out. On the upside, you get a lot of classic looks from people driving by in cars, amazed that you're out there on the roads. I wish I could have taken pics of their faces as I was driving. Anyways, I had no choice but to head for home. Here is the bike in front of my place, covered in rain, and me in the bathroom mirror -- you can see where my shirt stayed somewhat dry from folding into my lap. With that, I called it for the day due to rain and waited for the skies to clear. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=414412&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/414412#loc=detail/blog/414412/1 Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:07:10 GMT A fish taco is a glorious creation, an elevation of the lowly cod that can reduce even the most stoic of foodies to shuddering, tear-streaked evangelists for the iconic Mexican dish. Fried fresh, while you wait, and placed in a tortilla with cabbage, some mayo, and a squirt of lemon, the flesh of the fish acts as a canvas for the piquant, crisp flavors that burst into your mouth as you gnaw off your first bite. It's largely a West Coast specialty, but the fish taco has spread in the past decade, rivaling even the burger and pizza craze for sheer bandwidth on foodie blogs and dining section column inches. And while you might find a decent rendition in Wicker Park, Chicago, I'll bet your ass the 25 cent versions you'll find below the border -- light, crispy, and practically flopping, still -- will blow it away, and that's because the flavor of such a simple food is uniquely accented by the context in which it's consumed. I'd picked some brains and consulted a New York Times article on So-Cal fish tacos before heading south from San Fran, but my first opportunity to tackle one isn't until South of Big Sur. On a friend's recommendation, I roll up to Tagnazinni's, in Morro Bay, to find a bunch of fat Americans housing blasted-out breakfast platters. Huh? "You probably want the spot out back," said the receptionist, surveying the grazing beasts, Elephant Seals with shoes. "It's more... authentic." I pass through the carnage, slough off the stares ("Oh my, what's that backpack for? He looks rough!") and see the yellow awning beaming in the shadow of a giant rock resembling the Prudential Ads. Valhalla! I order a pair of fish tacos, settle into a cheesy jam sesh from the local acoustic troubadour, and wash down my haul with a couple of Alaskan Ambers, my dad's favorite brew. I reflect on the food in front of me. Fish tacos taste transcendent down in Mexico because, sh*t, you're in Mexico, esse, and you're probably fisting a Dos Equis toward your maw while the waves crash on the beach and your buddy tracks down a bottle of Cazadores that fuels you through a hotel room destruction montage and the ensuing escape back toward the border to avoid certain dismemberment. Sorry, flashback there. Or maybe you've just driven a leg of the Baja 1,000 and thwarted certain doom around every corner while straining at your 5-point harness and forcing yourself to pee through a Texas catheter before reaching the pit stop to watch the rising sun explode past the horizon, reddening the rocks until the craggy plateau resembles the surface of Mars. Or, maybe you've just ridden 300 miles from Los Angeles on a Harley. You get my drift: Context (and condiments) are everything, when it comes to fish tacos. I recommend the Cholula. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=412009&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/412009#loc=detail/blog/412009/1 Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:33:38 GMT I’m an editor of Death + Taxes magazine, based in New York. Because I have a point of view and know how to use spell check, I occasionally get to test products and write about my experiences. So here it goes... It was a sunny Monday morning, and I hopped on an Iron 883 to ride around town for a while. What better way to start off the week than having someone bring you a beautiful new matte-black beast like this one, toss you the keys, and say, "Here you go." A rad dude named Harald (with a matching rad accent) pulled the bike out of this Sprinter and left it with me on Spring Street, in Manhattan's SoHo, which is where my office is located. Unfortunately on this particular Monday we were at deadline closing the new issue of Death + Taxes. Issue closing days are always pandemonium, with our staff frantically correcting copy-editing issues, making last minute design tweaks, and yelling about ad specs. So I had to park and head back to work rather than taking off on the new bike, which I was bummed about. But if I couldn't ride that day I could at least gloat, and at lunch I brought the D+T crew out to see the bike. That's our intern Amelia and our designer Joey. Yes, those are library books in Joey's hands. No, we didn't eat Halal at the sidewalk cart for lunch. We finally sent the new issue to print about midnight on Monday. We have a tradition at D+T that we always go out and celebrate when we close a new issue -- and we celebrate aggressively. As you can see, Monday was no exception. At some point in the night, we set off a fire extinguisher that we found in the street and disassembled a mannequin that was leaning against a dumpster. That's our managing editor Isaac pretending he has mannequin hands. Whenever you reach a point in the night where you start partying with mannequin hands, you know it's time to take a cab home instead of riding your motorcycle. Thankfully the bike was parked in a safe spot for the night, so I cabbed it home, helmet in hand, daydreaming about tearing it up on the Harley tomorrow. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=408406&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/408406#loc=detail/blog/408406/1 Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:59:14 GMT A marathon is scheduled for Sunday morning and the hotels and camp sites I pass are teeming with thin-waisted, carb-loading joggers and their families. Three strikes and I'm screwed: The lush Post Ranch Inn, a one-of-a-kind compound that grows organically from the cliffs, is way out of my price range; The jaw-dropping, shore-side Kirk Creek campground is booked solid; And Treebones resort, my third choice, is out of yurts. I'd been content to sleep on the damn ground if I had to, commune with the dirt and worms and all that and wake up with a condor riding shotgun on my hog, but the cold has changed my mind. So I thunder on, resigning myself to leaving the bubble of Big Sur to find lodging, puncturing that glow that surrounds your soul while you're amidst the hills and rock. The road starts to stretch straight and the delirious numbness in my chest begins to ebb. I figure I'll pass the night in a low-budget chain motel near San Simeon, William Randolph Hearst's ego trip of a castle. Then, right as the Dream Ride Hangover is about to set in, salvation: around a corner emerges the Ragged Point Inn, a "VACANCY" sign below beaming bright in the dusk. Fortunately, the thin-waisted marathoners had only clogged up the hotels near the marathon site, and this valhalla, a rustic little inn without much in the way of creature comforts, awaits me on a triangle of land jutting out into the surging waters of the pacific. "Hot damn, you smell like a bunch of poop," scrawls the receptionist, as I tin-man my way inside, numb from the road and cold. "I guess that'd be my cheese," I apologize. "Cheese? You're crazy," she says. "No, seriously, it's my cheese," I explain, opening up my pack. "This is good stuff. San Francisco's best." "I'll pass. Now you want a room or not?" she says. 10 minutes later, I'm basking in the spray of a hot shower, and 10 after that, scoping out the scene at the property's cliff-side gazebo, the sun taking a knee on the horizon and blasting out a tequila sunrise of colors. The cliffs are glowing orange, and a set of abandoned wooden steps offer a way down the rocks, not to mention a host of lock-jaw inducing infections should the climber lose his or her footing. After a thoroughly romantic half hour watching the sun set, solo-style, I slink back to the room to prep for dinner. There's only one restaurant on the property, and the captive audience patronizes the establishment with all the zeal of a suburban swingers party. I sit alone under a spotlight, scarfing down a burger and a few beers as a handful of forty-something couples suck down good wine and food watching the afterglow of the sunset. I must come off like a weird pervert or insufferable loser: who comes to a resort like this without a date? Who drops 250 on a room and a king sized bed for themselves? My date's in the parking lot, suckers. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=408382&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/408382#loc=detail/blog/408382/1 Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:43:14 GMT http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=350279&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/350279#loc=detail/blog/350279/1 Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:22:16 GMT Everyone's got their own way of describing Big Sur, but the explorer Juan Cabrillo said it best, back in 1542: "There are mountains which seem to reach the heavens, and the sea beats on them... It appears as though they would fall on the ships." Cabrillo's a dude worth listening to: he was the first European explorer to rock the Cali coast, and his name now graces the cream dream stretch of road I'm chugging down toward LA. Apart from some concrete and a scattering of discrete, low-lying homes, it's still just as rugged here as it was then, and there's something about that combination--imposing topography, intense, almost spiritual vistas--that lightens whatever bullsh*t load you're carrying in the real world. I feel the weight lifted as I wind toward the Bixby Canyon Bridge just south of Monterrey. Suck it, to-do list, I can't come to the brain right now. Leave a message and I'll call you back. The turns are tight, in places, generous in others, and the rock juts out from gentle clumps of earth and grass that push toward the sky. I find a few stretches of road that warrant sessioning, and bust out the electrical tape, affixing the camera to the front of the bike to capture a video or two. Then it's back and forth, banking turns and burning through the straights, turn signal, shoulder, swivel, throttle, and repeat in reverse. I'm a student of curves, and I work hard to gauge the physics of each one, throwing my weight around just so to sculpt the perfect arc. Do it right and you'll slingshot, momentum intact, out the backside. Do it wrong and you'll break the double stripe in the middle, or faceplant into the siderail. Turns have a kind of personality, I realize: some are easy and sweeping; others evil and conniving, duping the rider into a speedy entrance before growing tighter past the apex. Sh*t! All that studying makes me thirsty, so I stop off at the spa and restaurant, Nepenthe, for a brew and a few snaps, rest awhile, then continue on, past the longtime home of writer Henry Miller. Big Sur and the Oranges of Hieronymous Bosch was his ode to the rugged seat of hippie escapism, nouveau spirituality, and (of course) full-on orgies. No orgies for me, though: the sun is setting, the air is growing colder, and I have no f'ing idea where I'm going to crash for the night... http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=344841&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/344841#loc=detail/blog/344841/1 Mon, 08 Jun 2009 13:09:27 GMT http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=339540&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/339540#loc=detail/blog/339540/1 Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:30:39 GMT Motocross has this strange aura around it. It is easily the beginning of all things action sports and has had to reinvent itself time and time again. Everyone who wears skate shoes and a flat brimmed hat claims that they were pro at one time or rode for some old goofy company. But in the end of the day, you need to attach yourself to something, and if neon clothing and bill boarding yourself for companies that will burn out in 10 years gets you off, then please do so. The Golden Horse Saloon had its first real horse visitors. Now what do horses have to do with motocross? Not a thing. But cowgirls need loving too right? As for my personal opinion, I HATE horses because they are always eye balling me. Gives me the creeps. I’d rather it be glue... ISTHATBAD!!   I love how people dress a certain way to show what they're into. It’s completely understandable; your surroundings should influence your life. But people that try too hard need to be called out. Examples of this are people into football wearing jerseys, people into hiking wearing boots, and people into action sports do their best to wear some part of their gear at all time. I myself use to take a big chunk of chain, push half the pin out and wear the greasy thing around my neck. Now I’ll be the first to call out anyone trying to wear a shirt made with built in elbow pads and neon swirls all over the place, but wearing riding socks pulled up to your knees in 100 degree weather is just plain stupid. More importantly wearing all black so you look even more like the lead singer of offspring is not going to get you nowhere. Hot Girls and motorcycles are made for each other. There is something about a girl on the back of a bike, but even BETTER when they are in the drivers seat. Now I understand that a girl on a motorcycle can say a lot for a their character, but add an ankle bracelet into the picture and I’m probably going to try and attach my last name to that. I like girls that like to party, and nothing says that quite like an accessory that allows cops cops cops to know where you at all of the time. Motocross is awesome!!! http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=336226&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/336226#loc=detail/blog/336226/1 Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:23:29 GMT There's cold, and then there's COLD. If you're a biker, you know what I'm talking about: the kind of skeletal death throes your body executes, involuntarily, after you've flaunted Mother Nature's frigid breath. One minute you're soldiering on, defiant, chilly, but determined; the next, your limbs have been turned against you, executing an autonomic, wet-dog-like series of shudders that summon all of your musculature and viscera into one coordinated spasm of warmth-generating activity. That's about the state I'm in when I pull into Monterrey, John Steinbeck's old hunting ground. Now, most riders are skilled weathermen and weatherwomen, astute sky watchers and devoted weather forecasters used to trolling weatherunderground.com for forecasts. But this trip, I've been reamed by Mother Nature, who just a week before was kicking out 90-degree days, and today dumped a steaming 45-degree chiller into my lap. Let's just say I packed light. Knowing the conditions doesn't mean succumbing to them, of course. "40 degrees out today? F it. It's going to be 40 and sunny," is what I said, a perverse kind of optimism taking over, and so yeah, I was f'ing cold. This is all by way of explaining why the hell I am now the proud owner of a 12 dollar souvenir Monterrey fleece, a splendid garment with a ferocious looking shark embroidered on the left breast pocket. There's no better way to proclaim to the locals that you're a giant asshole than by snapping up a tourist t-shirt or fleece like this one, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Anyhow, Monterrey isn't just home to a row of tourist traps, an aquarium, and a made-for-Hollywood strip of bars and hotels--it's also the site of a seminal biker legend. Hunter Thompson's biker opus, Hell's Angels, begins with an account of the group's famed ride to Monterrey, a rolling bacchanal that ended in rape charges and a drawn-out court trial ending in acquittal. The fiasco gave Thompson an opportunity to wax philosophical on the long-haired road warriors. Were they really two-wheeled terrorists? Or were they a media-manufactured phenomenon, rough dudes, admittedly, but rapacious only when held under the harsh lens of public consumption? His conclusion: their legend wasn't born, but made--and by lazy, sensationalist journalists spooked by facial hair and horsepower, not the Angels themselves. I think about this as I motor through Monterrey on my fresh-off-the-assembly line bike, wearing my glorious new Monterrey souvenir fleece. I wonder what'd happen if I started doing doughnuts next to the ice cream stand... Instead, I head back onto the PCH. But it doesn't take long before I'm channeling my inner Sonny Barger anyway. "Sorry, man, we don't allow motorcycles," announces the guard house attendant at the entrance to the 17 mile drive, a winding stretch of coastal road that hugs the Pebble Beach golf course and passes by the Lone Cypress, a vista not to be missed. "What? Ridiculous!" I yelp. "Yeah, I know it man--I ride, too, but I guess they decided that 20 years ago and stuck with it since then." Old stereotypes die hard, I guess, and good 'ol Hunter might have a thing or two to say about the blockade. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=336221&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/336221#loc=detail/blog/336221/1 Thu, 04 Jun 2009 13:20:40 GMT I shove off from the Westin carrying Paul's map, striped up with highlighter, and a bag full of stinky cheese. Stinky cheese was a bad choice, I'll realize later, but my foodie friend Matt had made this plea at the airport, as I boarded my plane and he headed for one to North Carolina: "...if you get just one thing, buy a hunk of red hawk cheese at Cowgirl Creamery." Matt knows queso, so after a shower, some e-mails, and a coffee and I roll down to the San Francisco Ferry Terminal market for some road snacks. The market is not to be missed: A pork joint called Boccalone offers sumptuous cones of prosciutto, perfect for carrying around the market (drool), and Blue Bottle Coffee gives my current bean fix, Stumptown, a serious challenge. At Cowgirl, I grab the creamy, stink-bomb of a cheese after sampling five or six others, and then head West to Tartine Bakery, one of the best bread shops in town in the Mission District, for some bread. Around 11, it's time to ride. Paul had pointed me toward the Sutro, a coastal park lands on the west side of San Fran, to start my trip. Highway 1 starts further down the coast, but the Great Highway and the Skyline Boulevard extend along the coast below the Sutro, letting me dodge the traffic and smog of 19th avenue (which eventually turns into the PCH). It's not as direct, but every twist of the throttle drives the salty musk of the ocean deeper into my nostrils, and soon, I'm rolling through what resembles Napa country: tufts of hill on my left, foliage and the occasional glimpse of shoreline on my right. Past Pescadero, I pass a gorgeous little inlet called Bean Hollow that someday I'll visit with the clan. Epic. Then, on my left, I spot a joint called Pie Ranch, which, not surprisingly, promises pie. Pie! I slam on the brakes and snag a slice, and talk a bit with the folks there. Pie Ranch, it turns out, offers a lot more than ass padding. The shop also workshops and internships connecting city kids with the agriculture and farming--All the more reason to scoop up an extra helping, right? Hey, I've got a spring-mounted saddle. So what if I'm riding low on the shocks? http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=334635&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/334635#loc=detail/blog/334635/1 Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:25:41 GMT The best road trips are bookended by bad-ass destinations, which might have something to do with why I'm yammering about San Francisco here... But hear me out: When you're in the saddle there isn't much but wind howl, gas stank, and eye candy to keep you entertained, so it's the stuff you do before you left — and the stuff you'll do when you arrive — that can sometimes keep you rolling. I kick off every trip with a proper feast and this time, I start off at A16, an Italian joint in the Presidio run by Nate Appleman. A week after my visit, Nate happens to score the Best New Chef award at the James Beard awards, and I'll vouch for his chops. Not to mention the rest of the pig: A charcuterie plate offers some intense, hog's head testa, marinated cow's tongue, and aged prosciutto; a gorgeous, pasta-like tripe dish that comes next redefines offal for me. Mind. Blown. I pack in a handful of other delights and slip back onto the bike, throttling through the Presidio and under the reddish shoulders of the Golden Gate Bridge. My destination: The Pelican Inn, a squat, 16th-century-style bed-and-breakfast just outside of Muir Woods. The Pelican's pub is perfect for washing down the day's sights, and a bristle board dart set reminds you that bells and whistles are for suckers. I scrape the pegs through a series of tight turns, fill my lungs with the earthy Redwood air, and suck down a brew before continuing north toward Petaluma, where the Lagunitas Brewery sits. All in all, not a bad agenda for a half day in the city. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=300870&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/300870#loc=detail/blog/300870/1 Fri, 29 May 2009 17:28:16 GMT San Francisco's a Harley kind of town, and not just because the ghosts of motorcycle past hang thick in the air like road soot. There's history to be found, alright — in the Hell's Angels' haunts scattered around the city and the biker-friendly bars scattered around town (a tamale and a Chimay at Zeitgeist is a must) — but it's the torque-friendly topography that really seals the deal for me. The up-and-downs of Telegraph Hill require a slow, steady roll and throaty ascent, and the jumpy little speed machines I see jerking around the streets look like impatient dogs straining at their collars. I rumble, patiently, up and down the city, eventually coasting to a stop at my hotel, the Westin at 3rd and Market. The place is bike-friendly in the best way possible: Paul, the bell captain, comes bounding over as I heel out the kickstand in front. "Oh, man, nice bike!" he says, grin as big as a headlamp. "Crossbones, right? You gotta see my ride downstairs." He's Hog-mad; I've come to the right place. I stash my helmet and follow him into the garage to find a modded police cruiser shoved in a cubby hole to the side of the down ramp. "Fixed her up myself," says Paul. "Threw the front running lights on the back, for more visibility, and swapped out the engine, too." There's a water bottle strapped to the side, with a milky-hued hose running into the mouth, and I never quite get the chance to ask what that mod was for. But still, I trust Paul, as much as I trust my helmet: He's the kind of asset you'll never find advertised on a hotel Web site, but can improve your trip in a million ways. We start trading tips, marking up maps, and swapping road stories--all before I've even hit the check-in counter. With the temps dropping, the guy even offers me his leather chaps. Needless to say, if you're heading to San Fran, ask for Paul. The hotel's only $109 a night, and his advice--which is priceless--comes gratis with the hog you rode in on. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=293617&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/293617#loc=detail/blog/293617/1 Tue, 26 May 2009 19:05:56 GMT The South San Francisco, CA dealership of Dudley Perkins is only a $16 cab ride away from San Francisco International Airport. The fourth-generation spot has brought Harleys to West Coast bikers since 1914, making them one of the oldest continually operating shops in the country. Perkins wears its history like a road-worn biker's jacket: A wall of engines, from the first 53-cc V-twins to today's 1,200 cc giants, greets you in the entryway, and vintage machines are scattered about the showroom floor. I even find a handful of recreational AMF pieces in the corner (Harley golf carts? Damn...). I shake hands with president Thomas Perkins, pick up up a t-shirt, a Harley road map (Don't leave home without 'em--there's no better pocket-friendly guide for bikers), and head downstairs past a wall of vintage posters and memorabilia to pick up my steed: A 2009 Crossbones, all leather and matte black paint and testosterone; ape-hangers for handlebars and nothing between the wind and the road but your jacket and the chest hair beneath it. A twist of the throttle and I'm headed for the city, the hills on my left, the bay on my right. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=289792&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/289792#loc=detail/blog/289792/1 Fri, 22 May 2009 19:55:23 GMT I've thrown a birthday bash for the past five years called Sausagefest, and this year, I wanted to change things up a bit. I know what you're thinking. Sausagefest: Bar full of dudes, right? Nope. Sausagefest is a beer-soaked bacchanal celebrating cased meats and a host of other epicurean delights. A grill the size of a third-scale aircraft carrier, a keg or the back patio of a friendly bar, and lots of flame-licked proteins; You get the picture. But sausagefest is also a huge pain in the ass to set up. So this year, with Spike TV sending me out to the Long Beach, CA, shop of motorcycle builder Jesse James, I figured the only decent way to ring in my birthday was to lay waste to the west coast on a hog. I wondered: Should I head north to Portland, the only major city on the West Coast I've yet to visit (and the microbrew capitol of the world)? Should I head inland, maybe sacrifice a fistful of greenbacks at the craps tables in Vegas? Get lost in Joshua Tree? I felt like a starved man staring at a buffet. But the answer wasn't tough to come by once I whipped out a map. My ride stared at me like a python grinding the Pacific Coast: Highway 1, the rugged stretch of rock and asphalt that runs between San Francisco and Los Angeles. It's a cream dream of a ride, the kind of curves rubber and internal combustion were made for, with soaring views that'll kill you like sirens if you're seduced by their beauty. Bonus: I'd be able to live out some of the stuff I'd read as a kid in Hunter Thompson's biker tome, Hell's Angels, which launched his career in 1966 and probably had more to do with my choice of profession than I'd like to admit. I'd be able to live out some of the legal stuff, anyway. So I stuffed a backpack full of everything I needed for the trip--a laptop, some clothes, a toothbrush, and some electrical tape--and headed for San Fran. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=286559&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/286559#loc=detail/blog/286559/1 Fri, 22 May 2009 19:49:00 GMT What's good, road warriors? My name's Matt and I'm going to lay down a few posts from the road in this space over the next week or so. I host a show for Spike TV called The Playbook, and ride a Sportster, though I'm fiending to upgrade to something with more cojones... Anyhow, you can check out my bio and the link above. Hope ya dig--and happy riding. Later, m.   http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=286553&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/286553#loc=detail/blog/286553/1 Mon, 11 May 2009 21:23:36 GMT We're going to be stopping by Rock On The Range (www.rockontherange.com) on May 16 + 17 in Columbus, OH. We have lots of fun guests lined up and cool bikes. Come hang out with us as well as our friends in Flyleaf, Atreyu, The Used, and more at the Golden Horse Saloon. We’ve got an Iron 883 just begging to be yours, as well as limited edition posters to boot. Check out the bands' page on myspace... THE USED: www.myspace.com/theused FLYLEAF: www.myspace.com/flyleaf ATREYU: www.myspace.com/atreyurock   http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=274592&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/274592#loc=detail/blog/274592/1 Mon, 04 May 2009 20:46:54 GMT More of Steezy Riders...Mitch Nelson's take. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=267029&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/267029#loc=detail/blog/267029/1 Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:54:50 GMT Steezy Riders will be featured as a part of the Action Sports Film Series at the Newport Beach Film Festival this Saturday, April 25th at 4:30pm at Edwards Island 4. Get a sneak peek here of Jon Kooley on the ride, then if you're in the SoCal area, see the 30 minute long form film at the festival. Steezy Riders is a documentary featuring Jeremy Jones and his pro snowboard buddies as they ride through Utah and Nevada on Harley-Davidson motorcycles, hitting different boarding spots along the way. For more on the Newport Beach Film Festival check out their website. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=254318&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/254318#loc=detail/blog/254318/1 Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:25:57 GMT The Relix threw a sick Autorama afterparty, called the Hotrodders Ball, in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Check out the action and tunes from Al and The Black Cats. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=252822&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/252822#loc=detail/blog/252822/1 Fri, 17 Apr 2009 13:51:06 GMT Sportster owner, Reece Zylstra, found some stripped down cars and bikes in the Relix display at the Autorama show in Grand Rapids, MI.  Check out the video. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=246135&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/246135#loc=detail/blog/246135/1 Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:23:16 GMT http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=237503&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/237503#loc=detail/blog/237503/1 Tue, 07 Apr 2009 18:42:30 GMT http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=235237&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/235237#loc=detail/blog/235237/1 Fri, 03 Apr 2009 16:31:27 GMT Check out JP Walker's video from Steezy Rider's. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=230953&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/230953#loc=detail/blog/230953/1 Mon, 30 Mar 2009 20:50:25 GMT Pro snowboarder Seth Huot joins his buddies for a ride through Utah and Nevada. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=226092&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/226092#loc=detail/blog/226092/1 Mon, 30 Mar 2009 20:36:06 GMT Pro-snowboarder Aaron Bittner on his board and bike. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=226071&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/226071#loc=detail/blog/226071/1 Mon, 30 Mar 2009 17:27:38 GMT Enter for a chance to win an Iron 883 Sportster. Mail a 3 x 5 card, prior to June 22, 2009, with your name, address, city, state, zip code, daytime phone number and e-mail address to Iron 883 Sportster Sweepstakes, P.O. Box 514066, Milwaukee, WI  53203. See official contest rules for complete details. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=225867&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/225867#loc=detail/blog/225867/1 Wed, 18 Mar 2009 13:13:08 GMT The Emerica skateboard team tours the country via motorcycle, traveling from Easley, South Carolina to Emerica's Wild in the Streets event in New York City for Go Skateboarding Day. Catch the full episode on FUEL TV's Insane Cinema this Friday, March 20th, at 7:00pm CST. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=214228&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/214228#loc=detail/blog/214228/1 Tue, 17 Mar 2009 22:01:38 GMT Today was my last day so I made the most out of the day. I started with a Sky Ride on the Daytona Pier. After that I went for a walk on Main Street, then to the Iron Horse Saloon. There I went to the Wall of Death. Those people ride their machines on a wooden wall that has a 90° angle. They don't even need to keep their hands on the handlebars - that's crazy-scary. At night I went to see the Razorbacks rockabilly band at the Bank. Well, it was my last night so I made the most of it. Partying is what makes Daytona Bike Week even better. So I guess, this is my last post...Stay tuned for the videos. Hope you'll have as much fun watching it that I had being part of it. Later!- Calypso http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=213761&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/213761#loc=detail/blog/213761/1 Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:55:52 GMT Today I went shoping at Robison's, an old Harley Shop, most of the things in there were older than me so are the t-shirts I bought. Later I hung out at the Limpnickie Bike Show. They displayed the bikes inside the skate park, nice combination! Did I tell you the guys from the Lot were having fun smashing a car with sledge hammers, well... I don't think you can call that a car anymore. At night we went to the Renegade Magazine Party: drinks, Rockabilly Band & tattooed people everywhere. The band were The Kings of Hell and they can definitely make the party happen... So let's party!! Later!- Calypso http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=208807&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/208807#loc=detail/blog/208807/1 Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:55:13 GMT Today I rode from the Limpnickie Lot to the Willy's Tropical Tattoo Bike Show. Coolness meeting more coolness, it's the young blood meeting Old Skool souls. At Willy's the bikes were rad, the crowd was heavily tattooed & the girls were stylish. All I ever wanted... Later on we went to the Biker Fusion charity party to see a lot of my friends. Then we went to the Broken Spoke Saloon. Pat, Flip, Kevin, Kurpius and the crowd went wild as usual. Josh was blowing fire, Flip and Paul were wrestling and Pat was explaining to me the meaning of life. From what I understood... Later!- Calypso http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=208801&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/208801#loc=detail/blog/208801/1 Tue, 10 Mar 2009 14:04:15 GMT Today was the paintball contest at the Limpnickie Lot. The paint was pink and the boys and girls were fierce. While most of the people were trying to get protection, some didn’t care about getting hurt at all. There were violent gun battles within inches of each other. Every game resorted to hand to hand combat. This is how the motorcycle kids play: the rule is... no rules. At night, I went to the Flat Track races. Those people are fast! It was a thrilling experience. Let see what tomorrow is gonna bring us. I want more thrills. Later!- Calypso http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=206499&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/206499#loc=detail/blog/206499/1 Sat, 07 Mar 2009 00:20:16 GMT Today, I spent the day hanging out with my friends at the Limpnickie Lot down here in Daytona at Stone Edge Skate Park. Those people are taking their own activities into the motorcycles industry: Skateboard, paintball, punk rock, smashing cars, etc... They're totally making it happen - and it seems to be picking up speed. We’re all here, ready to have fun, so be it. Later!- Calypso http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=203842&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/203842#loc=detail/blog/203842/1 Sat, 07 Mar 2009 00:19:33 GMT We finally arrived to Daytona. Wow, till the last moment, I wasn’t sure we would make it. We arrive at the hotel and let me tell you... it is as creepy as the van ride. The carpet is full of stains, there is a peephole leading to the neighbor’s room (and vice-versa) and the bed sheets are older than me. Well, at least it’s right on the water which could be nice, if it was not freezing out. What the hell??? It’s supposed to be Florida. Well, it doesn’t matter, it’s part of the charm. Yeah, I’m in Bike Week, let’s do this... Later!- Calypso http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=203838&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/203838#loc=detail/blog/203838/1 Fri, 06 Mar 2009 20:02:33 GMT On the road again. We said we would get to Daytona in one day, but it looks more like three. Anyway, hope we get there. I hope that's where he's taking me still. Maybe we're out of the country? I was fed Mexican burritos & Mexican water in a place called South of the Border that we stopped at, it's in South Carolina... Doesn't seem like United States to me... Later!- Calypso http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=203611&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/203611#loc=detail/blog/203611/1 Fri, 06 Mar 2009 20:01:14 GMT So far so good. Yesterday we went to a skateboard party in some hidden warehouse in NYC. Ramps, bands & drinks , that was rad as Americans would say. I would just say très wicked. Today, my strange friend saved me a spot in his van to Daytona. It doesn't feel quite right though. I wish I would have listened to my mom when she told me not to get in strange vehicles. But I had to get to Daytona... Later!- Calypso http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=203610&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/203610#loc=detail/blog/203610/1 Fri, 06 Mar 2009 20:00:39 GMT Hello Everybody, I'm Calypso. I just arrived in New York from Paris. I'm on my way to Daytona Bike Week, can't wait to be under the sun. Meanwhile, I'm running errands in Brooklyn and taking pictures of kool people like Wes, John and Jeffro. Those guys are real artists and they got themselves kool rides too. From the studios to the workshop, this is really fun. I was supposed to travel down to Daytona with Keino from Keino Cycles but he's so busy with his new shop, that he can't make it. So, I think I'll just go there with my mysterious friend and his disturbing van. I don't have that much choice, I need to be there on time... Later!- Calypso http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=203608&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/203608#loc=detail/blog/203608/1 Wed, 04 Mar 2009 18:16:08 GMT "As long as there have been cars and bikes, there have been people painting them. And they don't always call themselves artists, but they are... every inch of it."-David Trulli "People coming to this exhibition will have a great opportunity to have their minds, perhaps, twisted open in a way that they haven't had before."-Oliver Vernon The theme was “The Art of Rebellion” and we invited eleven artists to show us their versions of what that meant to celebrate the launch of the new Iron 883 at the Robert Berman Gallery in Santa Monica's Bergamot Station Arts Center on February 7th. Check out the photos of the artists' work. For more on the show, head over to www.craveonline.com for their take. Christian Clayton's tank Rob Clayton and his tank Bob Dob's tank Shephard Fairey's artwork Frank Kozik's tank and artwork Tara McPherson with her artwork Alex Pardee and his tank David Trulli and his artwork Mark Dean Veca with his tank and artwork Oliver Vernon's tank http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=201330&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/201330#loc=detail/blog/201330/1 Mon, 02 Mar 2009 17:05:17 GMT   Eleven artists did up some tank art on the new Iron 883 for the release party at the Robert Berman Gallery in Santa Monica's Bergamot Station Arts Center. Go behind the scenes find out what inspired them. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=199084&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/199084#loc=detail/blog/199084/1 Mon, 16 Feb 2009 18:40:43 GMT Eleven of today's most relevant and exciting artists will present their take on the theme of rebellion at the Robert Berman Gallery in Santa Monica's Bergamot Station Arts Center. The show runs February 7-21, 2009 from 11am-6pm, Tuesday through Saturday.  Artwork is for sale and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Art Matters, a foundation that assists socially and aesthetically groundbreaking artists. Artists in the show include:Shawn BarberChristian ClaytonRob ClaytonBob DobShepard Fairey Frank KozikTara McPhersonAlex PardeeDavid Trulli Mark Dean VecaOliver Vernon http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=187313&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/187313#loc=detail/blog/187313/1 Wed, 11 Feb 2009 21:13:57 GMT Pro snowboarder Jeremy Jones and twenty or so buds hit the road from Austin to SoCal for a few glorious days of biking, boarding and bonding.  Check out their blog for more . http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=183273&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/183273#loc=detail/blog/183273/1 Wed, 11 Feb 2009 21:05:21 GMT On June 1, 2008 a tight group of professional skateboarders and close friends took to the open road for 3 weeks of riding, camping, skateboarding and good times. This is Emerica’s Wild Ride. Every year, the Emerica team takes to the back roads and highways for the Wild Ride - the only professional skateboarding tour/ride across the US that invites any and all to come ride with and hang out with the pros as they take to the blacktop on their Harley-Davidson motorcycles.  They ride from skateboarding demos at local parks, to autograph sessions in skate shops, to camp grounds or no tell motels.  The ride usually ends with a bang – with Wild in the Streets, a kind of Critical Mass for skaters. It’s happened in Chicago, San Francisco and this year in NYC – thousands of skaters taking to the streets and taking over, for a little bit, the streets they are usually banned from.This go round, Emerica headed to the East Coast from Los Angeles, across the 40 panhandle and up through the deep south to the final destination of New York City.6,000 miles, a tornado  (we recommend not riding through one intentionally), a dozen or more dive bars, and a few flat tires later... we travelled across this great country of ours with our only needed possessions crammed into a small duffel bag, our freedom at our feet, and memories rolling by day by day.As grueling as skateboarding, riding, and camping everyday for nearly a month sounds, it’s usually a few days after the Wild Ride when we look back and wish we were back on the highway again. Hopefully we’ll see you with us next year.--Timothy NickloffCast of CharactersJune 20, 2008 – New Jersey – back parking lot of the hotel – waiting to ride out to the next skate shop signing.  The manager repeatedly threatened to call the police on the skaters – all of whom had spent the night there without incident – for skating around the front lot.Sean Eaton – Street Bob – Pro Skater Sean also made the 2500+ mile  ride out from CA to SC.Mods: Thunderhead, lowered it, changed handlebars.Why this bike? “I had a Sportster for a long time, but I had wanted a Street Bob for years.”  “Because it is black” chirps Leo Romero.  Sean: “Mainly I like the bigger motor….it is so fast and it looks great. And it’s black – the flat black is my favorite, for sure.“What’s with this connection between skaters and Harleys?“Yeah, I guess you see more and more people on bikes. It really fits the way we live…we do a bunch of crazy stuff anyway, riding a bike just kind of goes along with that.  And you can make your bike your own – no one on the ride has a stock bike, everyone does something different.” Leo Romero – Street Bob – Pro Skater. Leo put 70,000 miles on his bike in one year.Second year on this bike on the Wild Ride (has ridden in 3 of them). Rode from LA to SC. Leo chose the Street Bob on looks alone.Mods:  Changed handlebars, new rear tire, pipes.  Definitely wants to continue to trick this one out.Jon Minor – Street Bob - Cinematographer One of the West Coast crew who rode out Southern California, after picking up his bike at the Glendale Harley Dealership.  Jon is Emerica’s videographer.Jon “rode the hell” out of his Sportster, and was ready to step up with the Wild Ride looming on the horizon.  “It came down to the Street Bob or the Night Train…and I liked the fender better on this one.” Jon had his eye on the Bob for a few years, but wanted to cut his teeth on the Sportster first. He also asked around the Emerica team to get his friend’s opinions on their own rides.Mods: New handlebars, grips, levers, thunderheader, new wheels; had it powdercoated matte black.Heath Kirchart – 01 Night Train – Pro Skater85,000 miles – Rode out from GlendaleHeath is the main reason that the Wild Ride exists. Along with Altamont brand manager Justin Regan, it is his passion for combining motorcycles and skateboarding that gave birth to the ride.  Heath picked out his bike, having never ridden one before.“I wanted to buy a bike that I would have and love for the rest of my life. This was one of the two all black ones I saw.”The draw of two wheels and a motor vs. four wheels and 7 layers of pressed Canadian maple? “Well, skating is something that can be done alone or with other people. And it’s the same thing with bikes.”Justin Regan – Brand Manager, Altamont – Dyna Glide Rode out from So CalJustin Regan is the driving force behind the Wild Rides.  “Sometimes a skate tour with a bunch of skaters in a van can get really boring,” says Regan.  “This is a lot more fun. We figured we would do a tour on bikes, camp-out. The first one, we camped in fields. The next year, we organized it better, named it the Wild Ride. Each year it keeps getting bigger, with more and more kids getting bikes.” In terms of aesthetics, Regan sees a definite preference for how the pros like their bikes: “They really want the bikes to look beat-up. Matte, stealth. I know some who have spray painted their bikes, including the engine.”Modifications:  New black spoke wheels, new rear end kit, wider rear tire, new handlebars, replaced light and indicators (minimized them) thunderheader. Get more on the ride at http://emericaskate.com/team/wildride/news. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=183268&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/183268#loc=detail/blog/183268/1 Wed, 11 Feb 2009 20:53:34 GMT A bunch of guys learned how to ride and we documented it to show you how easy it is. Find a class near you. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=183260&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/183260#loc=detail/blog/183260/1 Wed, 11 Feb 2009 20:49:13 GMT Harley owner Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters crank out an intense rendition of "The Pretender" to wrap up their set at the 105th Anniversary. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=183251&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/183251#loc=detail/blog/183251/1 Fri, 06 Feb 2009 14:54:43 GMT Riding Harley's across the desert to the mountains in mid April seems a bit ludicrous!  For a group of professional snowboarders, traveling and seeing the most outrageous of weather and circumstances, it simply seemed, well, a must.  Coming from snowboarding, we wrench on our gear, we take it down, we build it back up, we change it from the shelf life it once had.  The Austin group of riders is no different on their bikes -- those that have bikes crank on them, paint them, pull stuff off, fabricate parts, change bars, cables, seats, etc.We wanted to take our "other life" that we love and mix it with our professional lives, which we also love.  So many similarities. Commitment, pain, endurance, communication, planning and the most uncontrollable of all -- weather!  Wondering what's around the next corner and being committed to deal with the surprise of adventure. --Jeremy Jones http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=178842&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/178842#loc=detail/blog/178842/1 Fri, 06 Feb 2009 14:48:24 GMT The 2006 Emerica Wild Ride kicked off June 10 in Denver and wrapped up in Chicago on June 20 – just in time for Emerica’s Wild in the Streets main event on June 21 (Go Skateboarding Day). The Wild Ride caravan for the 10-day road trip included Andrew Reynolds, Heath Kirchart, Ed Templeton, Kevin “Spanky” Long, Bryan Herman, Leo Romero, Austin Stephens, Braydon Szafranski, Brandon Westgate and Matt Allen.Photos courtesy of Patrick O’Dell For more on Emerica and the Wild Ride visit www.emericaskate.com. Note: Harley-Davidson is not affiliated with these photos or the development of this video and is not responsible for the content or view expressed in it. http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Dark_Custom/dark_custom.jsp?locale=en_US&communityName=Dark_Custom&mediaId=178834&contentType=blog&loc=detail/blog/178834#loc=detail/blog/178834/1