Archive for the ‘custom motorcycle’ Category

Last year I posted my 9 Weird Motorcycles for 2015 and there were some real strange ones on that list.   This year there is just as many wild ones.

I just saved the pictures of the weirdest, custom motorcycles though out the year from Facebook, Twitter and where ever else I ran across them.  The list of candidates for 2016 weird motorcycles was very large so I decided to post about the top “runners-up” in this category.  I will post the weird winners in a few days.

If you have any candidates you would like to submit for the 2017 list of weird motorcycles, just let me know!

Check out he following links!

 

Hilariously Confused Dad Is Overwhelmed By Daughter’s Gift Of A New Bike

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Pule Jets and Motorcycles?  Why not?  We also talked about this on the DawgHouse Motorcycle Radio show #393.

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Bosch wins a CES 2017 innovation award for their motorcycle technology.

 

The 2017 Honda Rebel is a rad reboot!

 

Rambo the Motorcycle Riding Alligator!

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Premiering tonight at 9PM EST on The Esquire Network (formerly Spike TV) is the latest entry into Motorcycle TV “Wrench Against the Machine”.

According to Esquire’s web site Wrench Against the Machine is:

“The country’s most prestigious motorcycle builders put their reputations on the line in the ultimate test of creativity and craftsmanship. Each episode pits two teams in a head-to-head battle, with only three days and $3,000 to transform basic stock motorcycles into rowdy, riding, works of art.”

So from my POV an updated, bearded, DIY, “Biker Build Off” mashup with “Junk Yard Wars” or “Trading Spaces”.  This motorcycle TV sounds interesting to me so I hope to see it in the future.

Now, I do not get The Esquire Network as part of the “packages” on my TV provider but I am hoping that it will be part of the providers “On-Demand” offering.  Check out the “sneak peek” video below.

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Grabbing Toes at 70 MPH!! – LOL Zim Killgore posted this to You Tube nearly a year ago but I just ran across it.  Cruising up the highway Commander Zim spots some Halloween socks sticking out the window and decides he should ride his motorcycle close enough to pinch the toes inside the socks.

Moto Guzzi builds a BAD ASS Trike No really, a tank treaded trike built in the 1960s by Moto Guzzi to climb mountains.  

Retracting Motorcycle License Plate… BUSTED. A man decides to evade the EZ-Pass toll system on his motorcycle by installing a retracting license plate. 

Stunters shut down Times SquareKen, of the DawgHouse Motorcycle Radio, has been ranting about these events causing the motorcycle community to have a black eye.  See one happen in Times Square.

Top 10 tools to take touring.  Well do you carry these tools on your motorcycle?

I have watched 3 episodes of Discovery’s newest motorcycle themed TV show.  As noted in an earlier blog post this is another in the networks “motorcycle builder” TV show history.  For more you can go to the Discovery Channel’s website to find out more. 

Based on the commercials, I did not have a lot of high hopes for the networks newest b2motorcycle TV show.  I expected a late Gen-X or Millennial version of American Chopper.  Motorcycle builds with lots of drama, yelling and some forced “stuff”. 

I was right but,  I was wrong too.  These guys seem to get along and honestly like each other.  I think they would be building motorcycles in the same manner whether or not there was a TV crew hanging around.  Jason Wilson, the part time builder the show revolves around, comes across as a good guy who is trying to become a full time builder … but admits he is a terrible businessman.   

With that said, you would think that this would be just more motorcycle eye-candy TV…and you would be right.  BUT, I have caught myself genuinely smiling while watching the show.  These guys are having fun doing what they are doing and I am having fun watching them do it.  I recommend you set your DVR to record this latest motorcycle TV show. 

I am giving Scared Steel Bikes 4 out of 5 stars.

4 out 5 stars

ijustwant2ride.com

The DawgHouse Motorcycle Radio…News Rants & Racing

This week on the DawgHouse Motorcycle News Rants & Racing… http://tinyurl.com/zpzc58l

Norton to deliver V4-based Superbike to market.
HD & Marvel team up to build Super Hero bikes.
Block the road, lose your bike.
The last 911 ride.
MotoGP/Moto2 from Brno.
AMA Pro Motocross from Budds Creek.

 

larDay three actually started at dinner because I was able to pass on the crazy hillbilly hat.  It was an ambush style pass off and was a lot of fun for everyone around, except Larry, Larry was not very happy.

ijustwant2ride.comThe next day started with an early 5:30 morning rise with the intent to be on the road by 6:45.  The reason for the early rise is that the Emmitsburg, Md Fire Department (Vigilant Hose Company) was providing the ride with a pancake breakfast.  This Fire Department started in 1757 and it was an honor to be associated with them!

ijustwant2ride.comAfter the breakfast stop we rode about a mile or so to the National Firefighters Memorial. The memorial was quite sobering. The names of all the firefighters killed on duty are engraved on pavers and there is a special section dedicated to NYFD killed on duty including those killed during 9/11.  The oldest documented casualty that I noticed was from the late 1700’s.

From there we were to ride to Groves Harley Davidson in Winchester, VA for lunch.  But, Debbie and I had a slight change of plans, we ran by our home to drop off dirty clothes and pack some clean clothes.  This was one of the benefits of a ride that is less than 20 minutes from your home. Groves had BBQ ready for us when we arrived and boy was it good.

From there we rode to the Luray Caverns.  Even though it is not far from home we had never been there before.  The cave tour came with a free pass to their car museum we had a good time.  The 54 degree cave was a pleasant break from the 85 degree temps outside.  If you decided to try the caverns please note that it is 1.2 mile trek with about a 160 foot elevation change….if you go down you got to come back up 🙂

Leaving Luray we traveled up a mountain with a lot of great twists and turns. Dropping down the other side we were just a few miles from our hotel, a shower and dinner.  It was another good day of travel, sites and riding!

2016 DAV Rolling Thunder Raffle Motorcycle

2016 DAV Rolling Thunder Raffle Motorcycle

I am not sure, as I have never heard any official numbers, but from my perspective attendance was way down over Rolling Thunder 2015.

Normally, starting from the Wednesday before the event, I would start seeing motorcycles headed inbound to Washington.  This year, even through Saturday afternoon, there was little thunder in the area.

Almost every motorcycle dealership in the Washington metro area has some form of pre-event the Saturday before the actual Rolling Thunder parade. Debbie and I attended the pre-event at Fort Washington Harley Davidson.  This dealership is also the Harley Owners Group (HOG) “pin stop” which leads one to believe that there would be a large crowd, as there has been in the past.  Not this year, I was very surprised at the lack of numbers at the dealership.

I make it a point to wonder around the parking lot to check out the bikes and license plates.  This year there were, of course, a lot of motorcycles from the east coast nearly every state from Maine to Florida were present. A couple plates from Texas and one from Montana were the furthest western representatives.  On the international front Canada contributed bikes from Quebec and Newfoundland.

On the way home we stopped at the Jukebox Diner in Sterling, Va.  It was a quite enjoyable meal.  The restaurant is a hat-tip to 1950s in theme and our server, Erich, was having a lot fun with his customers.

Sunday morning, the day of the Rolling Thunder parade, I decided to support my local HOG chapter with the staging for the ride to the Pentagon.  We parked 373 motorcycles in Frederick Harley Davidson parking lot. That was down from 2015 and way off the 750 staged during the 25th anniversary of Rolling Thunder.

Next year is the 30th anniversary so maybe the numbers will return to the norm.

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Britain’s First Female Motorcycle Wall of Death Star Yvonne Stagg

Smallest motorcycle in the world?

Bike Shed Motorcycle Club Paris 2016

A town’s forgotten motorcycle history!

Ride 50 at 50! 3 Amigos from Britain go to the US to ride the Lonely Road!

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Debbie and I attended the largest Motorcycle Show and Expo in the mid-Atlantic region a few weeks ago.  Held at the Maryland State Fairground, I think there were more folks at this year’s expo than attended in 2015.   

As has been in past years Harley Davidson of Baltimore took the premier spot on the floor, directly inside the entrance.  As we walked through the Harley display it looked like they were even selling one or at least were in serious negotiations.  Just behind the HD exhibition were the Indian and BMW Motorrad displays.  Turning to the right and moving like salmon swimming upstream is the accessories and product section.  

Ijustwant2ride.comThere were all the normal stuff like jackets, vests, chaps and biker themed jewelry.  One vendor caught my eye was producing, on site, LED signs… we might be ordering one or two of those as gifts.  At the end of the road contestants for the Miss Timonium title were “showing their talents” to the crowd.  Debbie was not too impressed, I tried to not let on I was watching, LOL!

 ijustwant2ride.comSimilar to last year the Expo was including adventure traveling companies & vendors along with guest speakers.  Debbie and I stopped and listened to the “2 Ride the World” discussion. Their 13 year, 400,000 mile, around the world story compressed into a 30 minute confab was very entertaining, and left the audience wanting more.  Highly recommend you check out their story!  I am looking forward to a book or even a movie! 

ijustwant2rideThe organizers also had, similar to the adventure traveling section, an area where vendors were showing off their new stuff on stage. We stopped to find out what Sena was releasing in the New Year.  Turns out they are going to release their own “smart” helmet with active noise cancellation and full integration of their product line.  If you are invested in the Sena products you should check out this new helmet when it arrives, cost will be about $500US.

Ijustwant2ride.comMy highlight of the day occurred at the KTM display.  As we were walking buy Debbie remarked that KTM was the bike that Ryan Dungy of Supercross rode (a 450) and that she wanted to see what that bike looked like in person.  She walked up to the salesman and asked if they had one at the show, they didn’t but a minute later she was climbing on a KTM 350 of similar size.  I almost laughed when the guy looked at me with a “how does she know all this Supercorss stuff” look on his face.

 The bikes on display for show were all very nice and some were just plain spectacular. The custom “muscle bagger” by Sick Sledz took best in show!  I have a couple pictures of it just below.  

We spent about four hours looking at all the stuff on the floor before heading home.  I hope this year’s event was a success for the vendors and show participants.  Debbie and I had a good time and plan on going back in 2017.