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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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Leather Lid Inserts, an established Leather Saddlebag Accessory business based in southwest Florida

Ray V. Gordon is The Owner & Founder of Leather Lid Inserts, an established Leather Saddlebag Accessory business based in southwest Florida. They’ve coined the phrase “We take the sag out of the bag” because that is exactly what they do. Ray has been riding motorcycles since he was 14 yrs old and has watched the motorcycle industry grow and is glad to be a part of what it is today. After 35 years of owning and operating a successful aluminum company in Ft. Myers FL, Ray sold the business so he could retire (he thought) and bought himself a…
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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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Tech Tip Hi-Tech Lighting

Installing A LED Headlight All headlights are not created equal; they are available in four basic light sources: incandescent, quartz halogen, HID (high intensity discharge) and LED (light emitting diode). Some riders think that brighter headlights are better, when in fact it is the color temperature of the light source that gives a rider the ability to see objects at night. A whiter light gives a rider greater depth of view at night. Incandescent and quartz halogen lights have a yellow cast and HID lights have a blue beam, while hi-output LEDs emit a true white light; their light color…
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Reader’s Ride – Farrel’s Custom Touch

Farrel Bernstein has lived an amazing life and has had an illustrious career. Born in New York and now living in Port Richey, Florida, self-proclaimed CEO, designer, craftsman and chief cook and bottle washer at Custom Touch Biker Jewelry, Farrel is a lifelong biker who has motorcycle oil runnin’ in his veins. His old school jewelry is made by bikers, for bikers. We’re talkin’ hand-made, unique fine jewelry and motorcycle accessories. You could say that he’s been involved in a lot of skullduggery as much of his biker art is adorned in sinister skulls. Farrel tells us that his parents…
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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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The Squeaky Wheel

Welcome to February, 2021. It’s already one month into the new year, and I gotta wonder how many people made those resolutions on New Year’s and have already quit the attempt to make the changes they wanted to see in their lives. Very unfortunate. We, as a society, need to realize that it takes time, effort and drive to get what we want. Not a handout. What we’ve seen in 2020 is not the right way to go about getting what you want long-term. The old saying is that, ‘the squeaky wheel gets the grease’ and unfortunately, at times that’s true. We…
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CHOPPERTOWN LIVE

What happens when you mix an award-winning series of Chopper Documentaries under the Choppertown name, add about 50 world class chopper builds, a few hotrods, an amazing 11,000 square foot venue in a topical climate like Sarasota Florida? You get an awesome event called ‘Choppertown Live’! This three-day event is brought to you by the good people at Born to Ride Media and will be held at Thunder By the Bay at the Sarasota Fairgrounds Feb.19th, 20th and 21st. Our goal at Born to Ride is to bring you an incredibly fun three day immersive ‘experience’ complete with a motorcycle…
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2021 THUNDER BY THE BAY MUSIC & MOTORCYCLE FESTIVAL

ONE OF THE BEST EVENTS TO ATTEND AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR IS WITHOUT A DOUBT THUNDER BY THE BAY IN SARASOTA, FLORIDA. This event is constantly bringing in the best of music, vendors, parties, contests, and more. I had the great opportunity to speak with Lucy Nicandri, the Festival Organizer and Executive Director for the Suncoast Charities for Children, about this year’s exciting event! In terms of Covid-19, I asked Lucy what changes had to be made in planning this year’s Festival. Nicandri shared, “Expanded safety precautions and social distancing measures will be implemented for the safety and…
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Biker Legend, Mondo Porras – The Godfather of Choppers

Revered as the “Godfather of Choppers” by many of his peers, Mondo can look back at an illustrious career in custom bikes as very few can. From judging and putting on bike shows worldwide, to television appearances and hardcover books, his story is as unique as the man himself and his name as instantly recognizable as the long, low and lean bikes Denver’s is most known for. Of course, it wasn’t always just “Mondo.” In fact, during the early days, back in the sixties when he began his career at Denver’s Choppers in San Bernardino (commonly referred to as Berdoo),…
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Indian Larry’s Gasoline Alley Block Party

Born To Ride continues to look back at our relationship with Indian Larry. Here is a reprint of an article BTR published in August 2004 Where better to spend a Saturday afternoon then hanging out in Brooklyn at Gasoline Alley? Indian Larry is the host with the most and proves that his talents and vision surpass just motorcycles. From choppers, hemi’s, to jet engine trucks, this made for a world of eye candy and party props. The melting pot of NYC showed its true colors. A wide display of multi talented speed enthusiast, including Dave Cronk made this event completely…
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2021 HARLEY-DAVIDSON CVO MODELS COMBINE EXCLUSIVE PERFORMANCE, STYLE AND LUXURY

Two Models Debut Harley-Davidson Audio powered by Rockford Fosgate MILWAUKEE (January 19, 2021) – Harley-Davidson® Custom Vehicle Operations™ represent the pinnacle of Harley-Davidson style and design. Created for the most discerning customers, the 2021 CVO models offer show-stopping finishes, advanced technology, exclusive components and attention to detail that borders on obsessive, engineered and assembled to factory-quality standards and backed by the Harley-Davidson limited warranty. The Milwaukee-Eight® 117 powertrain – the most displacement and power offered in a motorcycle straight from the Harley-Davidson factory – is exclusive to four limited-production, premium CVO models. CVO models for 2021 include the CVO™ Limited,…
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NEW STYLE CHOICES AND FEATURES FOR HARLEY-DAVIDSON HOT ROD BAGGERS

New Chrome Finish and Two-Tone Paint Options for Road Glide Special and Street Glide Special Models MILWAUKEE (January 19, 2021) – A trio of hot rod baggers with fresh swagger and new features is part of the collection of special Harley-Davidson® motorcycles for 2021. With a slammed stance and muscular Milwaukee-Eight® 114 power, the Road King® Special, Road Glide® Special and Street Glide® Special models combine commanding street presence with the long-haul capabilities of the Harley-Davidson® Touring chassis. These bikes are designed to rule the boulevard on Friday night and run for the border at daybreak. For 2021, the Street…
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