motorcycle blog

The Harley-Davidson Motor Co. Archive Collection

We have all heard the rags-to-riches history of one of the most revered motorcycle marques in the world, Harley-Davidson. We’ve heard the story of three Davidsons and a Harley starting the company in a backyard shed and building three vehicles back in 1903. Much of the early history of the company is the subject of conjecture and speculation, but some things we know for sure. In 1903, there were more than 150 domestic motorcycle manufacturers in the United States, 7 of which were located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the same city in which Harley and the Davidsons began building motorcycles. As…
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Dirty’s Trouble Maker, Josh Kurpuis

I built this bike with the premise that I could barhop and smoke anyone light to light, or hop on and go 1,000 miles on the weekend. Happy to say ... have done both! That’s the good part of the story. The first build of this bike was slightly different, Denver’s springer, magneto, and a few other differences. On the way to Smokeout East, I pulled into JW’s place in Wilson, NC and the throttle stuck— launching me into the woods!!! Missed most of the trees! However, the last tree really de-raked the front end. Trailered it the last 50…
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Stephanie Karidas, More Than Just A Biker

There is assistance available when someone you know and love has had a traumatic brain injury resulting from a fall, an accident, or physical assault. People who have had an accident may not know what to do or what options they may have in order to treat these issues. Educating the public is very important when it comes to understanding Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) and Aphasia. In this month’s cover story, we are going to introduce you to Stephanie Karidas, Ph.D., CCC-SLP. Stephanie is an accomplished speech-language therapist, sailboat racing competitor, and Harley-loving rider! Stephanie knows just too well what…
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Spyke & Mike, Rise of the Phoenix

Check out these pics my BTR friends. From the destruction of the first Fat Bird rises the Phoenix, or more appropriately, the Fat Bird 2. My original ride was a legacy that ended during Leesburg Bikefest 2017. All it took was being parked in the wrong place at the wrong time, and one sport bike to come crashing into it. The blessing in disguise was that no one was hurt during the demise. Over the course of 10 months and with plenty of blood, sweat, and tears from Mike, a new legacy has been born. It took the help of…
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My First Father’s Day

After about 5 years of agonizing scans procedures, chemo, and once a week checkups, I have to endure My First Father’s Day without my best friend, mentor, and most of all just Dad. The prayers for longevity are all over, but the “how’s your dad doing” are still coming from the ones that you just don’t see very often, bringing back the feelings, although for shorter lengths of time. But now I’ll have all waking hours of Father’s Day to remember him. My father and I have always shared a lot of time together, some of which was discussing our…
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Honoring Their Courage and Sacrifice, Happy Father’s Day

As Marie Galletti Mitchell and I corresponded regarding her story in the Sq. J, I found myself reflecting on how I enjoy talking with and writing to our descendants. They are special people … people who realize the importance of what our 390th did during WWII. Allow me to quote from one of Marie’s letters: “What a group of good-looking, virile young men in Dad’s crew! Dad is first on the left in the front row. Laverne Dillow was killed in action. What a waste of life it was for him to have died so young! When Dillow went missing,…
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Trailer Trash Court – Craven Moorhead

Life in the trailer park is always interesting. It’s a simple, yet very entertaining way of life. There isn’t much to do here but keep up with the ‘he said—she said’ drama that plays out like a reality TV program day by day. No need for cable, internet or other forms of electronic entertainment when you live in a sit-com style reality show. As elementary as it may sound, I can’t complain about the lifestyle—largely because I can’t afford to do much of anything else. I have had a few menial task jobs here and there, but as long as…
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The Wild Angels – Biker Movie Review

The iconic 1966 film featuring Peter Fonda, Nancy Sinatra, and a cast of hundreds, is one of the most well-known biker exploitation films ever produced. In this classic film the “Angels” a California Motorcycle Club, travel across the state to retrieve a stolen motorcycle belonging to one of the clubs members “the Loser.” Heavenly Blues (Fonda) is the charismatic club president. At times he seems to have to ‘baby-sit’ his troop of fun-loving boozers and druggies. This one is a favorite of mine, because the producers actually used real Harley-Davidson choppers and actually cast some of the real members of…
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Biker Movie Review: Hell Ride

This month’s Movie Review: Hell Ride Confusion and chaos pretty much sums up this movie. It is the modern day version of all the biker exploitation “B” movies ever made. Curiously, Larry Bishop (as Pistolero) appeared in a variety of films including The Savage Seven, Mad Dog Time and Kill Bill to name a few. His collaboration with Quentin Tarantino in this most recent effort, would lead one to believe that “Hell Ride” is a major cinematic production destined for the A list. Sadly, it falls short of that mark. The story revolves around Pistolero and his gang “the Victors.”…
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Movie Review – Easy Rider

This month Born To Ride reviews the Iconic film “Easy Rider.” The ultimate in biker films, Easy Rider ventures beyond the ‘exploitation’ theme of similar films exposing the lifestyle of, and the counterculture of the late sixties. This film spawned countless look-alike exploitation pieces, and as a stand alone in its class it can be credited for the creation of the very lifestyle that a lot of us enjoy today. There is no reason for me to explain the plot of this movie. If you are reading this magazine, you have already seen it at least twice, and can remember…
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