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READER’S RIDE – LUNGER, Tom Russo’s Motorcycle Tribute to Doc Holliday

All bikers love westerns. It’s just a fact. Retired Lawman Tom Russo has a warm place in his heart for Val Kilmer’s characterization of Doc Holliday in the film Tombstone. This one-of-a-kind tribute to the film took a little over a year to complete. In the film, Doc Holliday died from tuberculosis and at the time, someone who suffered from this disease was called a “lunger”, hence the name of this bike. Eric Barnes, owner of Airbrush Art USA in Gulfport, Florida, painted this 2019 Harley Street Glide with incredible attention to detail and a strong understanding of the themes…
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Survivor Strong Breast Cancer Survivor Benefit Presented by Freedom Powersports

Freedom Powersports out of McDonough, Georgia, is your one stop shop for everything in new and used motorcycles, ATVs, side-by-sides and Slingshots. The dealership is proud to carry a wide selection of on-road and off-road vehicles, sure to Fuel your Escape. Freedom Powersports is Henry County’s factory authorized BMW, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Polaris, Honda, and Slingshot dealer and is part of the mighty Freedom Powersports company founded by Kevin Lackey. Believe it or not, Kevin began as a porter at a dealership and worked his way up to manager. Then he leveraged a deal to buy the owner out. From…
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THE RED DEVIL – Richard Ruck’s Show-winning Shovel

The amazing motorcycle you are no doubt drooling all over belongs to Richard Ruck of Tampa, Florida. I had the pleasure of giving Richard the Editor’s Choice Award at the Easyriders Bike Show last year and had Michael Lichter shoot this scoot for a feature. Sadly, Easyriders was purchased by a Canadian company that wanted the brand for their fashion blue jeans and the magazine died a hideous death. Fast forward to today when the illustrious Erick Runyon has photographed this sweet scooter for your demented perusal. Rich grew up around motorcycles in the Catskills. He was a wild child…
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When will it be your turn?

When will it be your turn? When will the Reaper knock on your door, put out his hand and demand his payment. One day you will stand before him for that payment. For decades I have been riding my motorcycle around the country. I’ve experienced a ton of stuff. I’ve been to a lot of events, traveled countless miles, and met incredible people. With all of this, I’ve experienced great joy but recently, I’ve also experienced horrific life-altering sorrow. Over the years I have spoken many times on a topic that I’m sure many of you are tired of hearing…
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Mike Lichter Presents Today’s Top Ten Fave Photos

Everybody in the motorcycle scene knows Michael Lichter. He is without a doubt the world’s best photographer of custom motorcycles and the biker lifestyle. His amazing and memorable images have been seen in Easyriders magazine for over 40 years and in many other periodicals and motorcycle-related books all over the planet. Mike will do absolutely anything to get a shot. I’ve seen him hang off the back of a speeding pickup truck to get just the right photo of a custom motorcycle as a pack of bikers roar down the highway right behind him. His photographic documentation of such renowned…
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BIKER HISTORY PART 1 – How the Motorcycle Culture Began

Ever wonder how the whole biker lifestyle got its start? Well, it began with servicemen returning from World War II who bonded together over the love of motorcycles. You see, by 1934 out of nearly 300 American Motorcycle Companies that were created from around 1900, only two remained in business, Harley-Davidson and Indian. At the depth of the Great Depression, Harley-Davidson pulled out all the stops to stay alive. Luckily they continued to sell motorcycles to the police departments across the country. Over at the Indian camp, the new President, Mr. du Pont was fighting to survive and doing an…
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BIKER LEGEND, RICK FAIRLESS – Livin’ the Dream!

Rick Fairless was born in Dallas, Texas and lives in the suburb of Irving. He’s a custom bike builder who loves the psychedelic 1960’s and it shows in his world-class roadside attraction and biker hangout, Strokers Dallas, Strokers Ice House Bar, and Punch Wally Garage. Rick was raised on motorcycles and started riding when he was just seven years old. When he was 19 he went to work for his Great Uncle who owned a chain of paint stores called Roach Paint Company. These stores later became Glidden Paint Company. After 20 years in the paint business, and never missing…
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From The Helm – The Evolution of Born To Ride

Over 25 years ago Ron and Deb Galletti decided to spread their passion for motorcycles to the world by creating Born To Ride magazine in their home of Tampa, Florida. With his background in shooting and directing video entertainment, Ron also created Born To Ride TV, the longest running biker TV show in the world. Since 1995, Ron and Deb have interviewed literally everyone in the motorcycle industry, from bike builders and fabricators, to the movers and shakers of the aftermarket world. Born To Ride TV appears every Sunday night at 11 p.m. on Great 38 television, serving the west…
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Get Your Voice Heard

Hey everyone. Hard to believe July is gone and it’s August already. And along with August comes the ever popular Sturgis Rally. It should be interesting to see the turn out at the Rally this year. Before you know it October will be on top of us. More important to me is to see you out there riding and enjoying those motorcycles. Never forget a new adventure on that bike. Regardless of the manufacturer, it’s only a tank of gas away. With everything going on out in the world today, it’s not difficult to get lost in the stress of…
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Spyke and Mike

Here we are my BTR friends, the dog days of summer are upon us. It's early in the season and we've already had four named hurricanes, one Sahara Sand blast, and the heat wave from hell cooking us while we're still alive and trying to stay safe. I tell Mike, 'thanks dad! The outside shower you set up for me feels great! I use it several times a day and don't even need your help. No more waiting for Mother Nature either. I just climb the pole and pull the string! But you know who does need help is the…
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BTR Reader’s Ride – Roosterz Rod Shop’s Rigid Sporty

Born To Ride is proud to present our first Reader’s Ride offering a showcase for scooters just like yours. Every rider thinks they own the world’s coolest bike and we want to see yours! This month we kickstart our Reader’s Ride program with a sizzlin’ rigid Sportster. It’s the perfect barhopper that was freshened up by our friends at Roosterz Rod Shop John Benedict, Jim Cecil and Tim Hahn out of Clearwater, Florida. The boys specialize in traditional American hot rods, custom cars and motorcycles. Tim found this scooter on eBay and bought it with thoughts of it becoming the…
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I Am An American – Nefarious James

I am an American. Not a White American, African American, Mexican American, Italian American and so on. I am an AMERICAN, Period. First and foremost out of all the titles and ranks I have held in my lifetime, this is the title I hold with pride the most. Throughout the years many men and women have sacrificed so much to have that title and defend it to their last breath. As with anything else in this world there is symbolism for everything. We are graced with the American Flag. Not just any flag, but A flag that has represented Hope,…
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FROM THE HELM

The Road Ahead Howdy brothers and sisters! This is the first issue of Born To Ride magazine that kickstarts with our look at where we are and where things are going in this crazy two wheeled world we all love. Some call this an editorial, we call it From The Helm; it’s a look from the captain’s cabin. I’m Dave Nichols and I’m new to the Born To Ride family. I was the editor of Easyriders magazine for nearly 25 years. I was also the editorial director of 13 various motorcycle, hot rod and tattoo magazines. In that time, I…
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FINZ FINDS Central Florida Spring Ride

Nothing like beating the Florida heat in the summertime with a nice back road ride to three of Central Florida’s scenic natural springs. Besides the beautiful back roads in the area, you can stop and cool off with a swim in the 72 degree crystal clear spring water. If you don’t want to get wet, you can always picnic, hike, or canoe and kayak down one of the spring fed rivers in the parks. WEKIWA SPRINGS STATE PARK My ride starts at Wekiwa Springs, and continues onto Kelly Park/Rock Springs, ending at Blue Spring. The ride is only 44.3 miles,…
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Generation To Generation – A poem by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

In a house which becomes a home, one hands down and another takes up the heritage of mind and heart, laughter and tears, musings and deeds. Love, like a carefully loaded ship, crosses the gulf between the generations. Therefore, we do not neglect the ceremonies of our passage: when we wed, when we die, and when we are blessed with a child; When we depart and when we return; When we plant and when we harvest. Let us bring up our children. It is not the place of some official to hand to them their heritage. If others impart to…
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We are Born to Ride!

As I’m writing my column for June, it’s into the later part of May and I’m wondering what to do this Memorial Day weekend. “What IS there to do?” I ask myself. Looking at my social/events calendar, everything seems to be canceled, postponed, or rescheduled for a later date. But I wanna RIDE! Remember we are Born to Ride! Yeah, that’s it. The “where” doesn’t really matter. At least not to my wife, or me. Just being able to get out there and enjoy it, enjoy the weather, enjoy the scenery, enjoy the ride. That’s what it’s all about. Please…
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