Blog

SPRING HAS SPRUNG!

It’s springtime in Florida and we’re feeling the full effects my BTR friends. The pollen covers everything with a green haze and makes everyone sneeze a lot. The spring breakers acting stupid at the beach makes the locals green with disdain. Mike boils eggs way too long and turns the yolks green that makes for funny looking deviled eggs after losing the Easter egg cracking contest down at our local pub. Speaking of eggs, it’s that season for me to pop out a few. Mike cuts me off saying, “for the past few years I’ve been forgetting about your motherly…
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Get on that Bike and Ride!

Damn. A quarter of the year is already gone! Hopefully you didn’t waste any time! The weather is getting nicer, restrictions are loosening up, and events are starting to take place all around our beautiful state. If you listen to the rumor mill, it says we have a lotta really cool events coming up in the next couple of months for all of us to get out there on our bikes to enjoy. Along with all this beautiful weather we also have snowbirds still among us. Y’all know better than to slack on paying attention and keep an eye out…
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MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK! – Seattle Engraving’s Gold-plated Guns

Two brothers from Seattle have created an incredible company that makes beautiful artwork out of deadly weapons. We’re talking about our new Born To Ride sponsor, Seattle Engraving Center. Mike and Haysam Gamil moved to Florida and opened Seattle Engraving Center in Brandon. You’ll find them at 1073 E Brandon Blvd, in the Town Center at Forest Park. Imagine owning a super rare Colt Talo exclusive Aztec Empire 38 Super with amazing gold accents, incredible engraving and devilishly detailed mural work on the stock. You’ll find that piece of lethal jewelry on their website along with hundreds of other mind-blowing…
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Knox Murray, Born To Race

When Knox Murray was just four-years-old, his parents took him to see the Supercross races at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The family enjoyed an evening of two-wheeled motocross madness in all its glory and Knox studied every move by the racers. When Knox walked out of that Stadium, the young boy looked up at his folks and said, “That’s what I want to do!” “He begged us to get him a dirt bike for two years,” Knox’s mom Melissa Murray recalls. “We finally got him one and he took off and has never looked back!” Knox is now…
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DAYTONA MADNESS!

HOWDY BROTHERS AND SISTERS! Born To Ride burned rubber over to Daytona Bike Week this year and the proof is in this kickass issue! March 5th through the 14th was the ultimate Run to the Sun for the 80th Annual Daytona Bike Week. Your brothers and sisters from Born To Ride held court out at the Rat’s Hole Bike Show where we proudly picked the Editor’s Choice Award. We kicked off riding season as only Born To Ride can, partyin’ with the best and messin’ with the rest. Take a look inside this awesome April issue for killer coverage of…
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SPYKE & MIKE GO TO THE PET STORE

It's a great time to be living in Florida my Born To Ride friends. As the rest of the country is shut down either from snow, freezing temperatures, or creeping corona virus, we here in Florida are enjoying a fairly open for business state with warm weather, outdoor events and live music on a limited but regular basis. Most recently, the Gibtown and Sarasota Bikefests are now a memory of good times. Many Kodak moments were made with new and old friends. Check it out on the Born To Ride website. All that fun was just getting our partying taste…
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DO YOU LOVE A GOOD BIKER BAR? OF COURSE YOU DO!

Well, come on out to the Red Star Rock Bar in Tampa, right behind the Harley-Davidson of Brandon dealership for a day of killer food, excellent drinks and awesome live music. We’re talkin’ a St. Patrick’s Day biker blowout celebration on Wednesday, March 17th called the Irish Stampede! Join the Soul Circus Cowboys for some righteous rock ‘n’ roll and scooter-friendly good times. Paul Medrano, owner of this rip-roarin’ whiskey bar and roadhouse says the venue started because of his love of Led Zepplin. “I’m a rock ‘n’ roll guy,” he laughs. “We try to find eclectic bands and touring…
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Life is a Ride. Live it!

Hello again, everybody. Welcome to another edition of Nefarious James. No politics this month, no government talk, just plain old reflection. Had a really good time at the Thunder by the Bay event and its inclusion of Choppertown Live. Choppertown Live brought back a lot of personal memories for me. Seeing the old bikes and cars really sent me back to when I was growing up. Things were much simpler back then. No computers, it was safe to drink out of a garden hose, and lots of time spent outdoors. Didn’t really worry about getting sick from everything you touched…
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THUNDER BY THE BAY’S CHOPPEREOWN LIVE – CREATIVITY CENTRAL

Aside from the old chrome and stainless-steel components securely attached between welded and painted structural tubular steel, I saw an old shovelhead engine with slight wear pocks and a cast iron texture that spoke of the fifties carefully polished to a mirror sheen. The only color on the machine other than chrome and black was the color of the spark plug wires. “Make the design yellow,” My bearded customer commanded, “to match the wires.” Then he added, “with a little bit of gray.” A small bobber with apehanger handlebars and a coffin gas tank echoed old school fun. I would make…
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BORN TO RIDE TV’S 1,300TH EPISODE

Plus, Choppertown Live, Daytona Bike Week and more! HOWDY BROTHERS AND SISTERS! There are big doin’s around here at Born To Ride as we celebrate the 1,300th episode of America’s longest-running biker lifestyle TV series, Born To Ride TV. Ron and Deb Galletti started Born To Ride TV over 25 years ago and the little show that could, just keeps on rollin’ down the tracks! Imagine creating thirteen hundred incredible episodes. Catch Born To Ride TV on Facebook, Choppertown and YouTube. It’s biker TV, made by bikers, for bikers. We have to say, this year’s Thunder by the Bay and…
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The Letterfly Guy

Wow! What a blast going on here in central Florida! If you didn’t see the interview on Born to Ride TV on the Boss Hogg Radio Show last month, just visit the Born to Ride Archives and watch. I am complimented to be endorsed by such a great group of enthusiasts all dedicated to heightening the motorcycling experience. That is pretty much what I do except they do it with exciting events, show off what’s new with motorcycle products, introduce the radical fabricators, showcase accessories and stuff. I do it with decorative paint. The finishing touch for any bike building…
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The past holiday season has been tough for Mike my BTR friends.

The past holiday season has been tough for Mike my BTR friends. Between covid and some unusual circumstances regarding his healing, his addiction has reappeared it’s ugly head. These trying times have become so bad that it’s almost as if Mike has the onset of dementia and this feathered egg maker almost cracked. Let me tell y’all about it. Ever since last month’s new revelation with people and doors, Mike has been wandering around, talking to himself and thinking out loud. It was the straw that broke the camels’ back. He has now fallen off the wagon, right back into…
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Buffalo Bike – Pinstriping by Letterfly

It all started with the buffalo bike. I recalled being in a crowded parking lot, surrounded by motorcycles and one sight stopped me in my tracks. As I looked out over the sea of bikes, one machine stood out with no shine, no sparkle and nothing in common with the rest. I did a double-take. The motorcycle that piqued my interest was completely covered with brown shaggy fur and the stuffed head of a buffalo mounted on the front. I was thrilled and drawn in to look closer. I asked Ron, the owner, if I could sit on his bike…
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Have a vision-Trust the process…

Bobby Stein is an Effective and Experienced communicator. A professional with a demonstrated history working within the fitness and podcast communities. He is the Creator and Host of the Motiv8d Mindset and producer and co-host of the “Two Wheel Action” Podcasts. He is passionate about sharing the successes, setbacks and stories of artists, athletes, musicians, entrepreneurs and extraordinary folks from all walks of life unveiling and learning just what Motivates their Mindset- Hello and Welcome to the New Year Born to Ride Family! Do we realize that right now is a fantastic time to get after it… Hindsight truly is…
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Spyke and Mike New Year’s Resolutions

“Woohoo, it’s 2021! Mike and I are both looking forward to 2020 being over, my BTR friends. It's that time of year for us to put up or shut up. Declare resolutions, make changes, be goal driven and pay bills on time. OR, just lay on the couch watching TV, accepting the New Year and the new Covid strain as both unfold before us.” Mike breaks in, “That’s easy for you to say and do my feathered friend, Spyke. You’re Covid-proof, so what else do you have to worry about? Resolutions? You're already the best bird out there. Okay, well…
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Get off your ass, America!

Here we are finally in the new year of 2021. Everyone I’ve seem to run into is hopeful that this year will be way better than the last. But as we all know, the old saying says hindsight is 2020 but we look forward to, and are hopeful for, a new and more optimistic 2021. Unfortunately, it appears that the year designation does not seem to change many of the concerns that we as a people have about the outlook of our country. Anyone who knows me knows that I try not to speak about politics, or anything of that…
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