THE MARVELS PROJECT Hardcover

The Hardcover collection of THE MARVELS PROJECT came out this week collecting all 8 issues of the mini series I did with Ed Brubaker. It's available with three different covers to choose from. The two variants are covers I did for issues 6 and 7, one featuring the titanic battle between Namor and the Human Torch and the other showcasing the Red Skull (with a cameo appearance by Hitler naturally). You can check them out in the Marvel catalogue here:

HUMAN TORCH/NAMOR VARIANT
RED SKULL VARIANT

Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Celebrates 70 Years

The Granddaddy of them all - Sturgis Motorcycle Rally celebrates 70 years!
Here are just a few of the things that are on tap, including cold beer!

Made famous by "Big Daddy Rat" Karl Smith
The 22nd Sturgis Rat's Hole Bike Show at Buffalo Chip.

The Rat's Hole will also be serving the ONLY draft beer at the Buffalo Chip and you can purchase a Rat's Hole thermo mug that commemorates Sturgis 2010 and holds 3 cans worth of beer at a discounted price all week - perfect for concerts.

The Sturgis Rat's Hole Bike Show is Thursday, Aug. 12th - staged near the Michael Lichter Exhibition Hall and immediately followed by an Ozzy Ozborne Concert.

Michael Lichter Presents "Eternal 30 In The Wind"

The 10th Motorcycles as Art exhibit entitiled, Eternal Combustion - 30 in the Wind will be on exhibit for 7 days at the Buffalo Chip - featuring 30-custom bikes from top builders alongside the largest single exhibit of Michael's photography, Celebrating Michael's 30th year photographing Sturgis.

Admission is Free, open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

August 7th to 13th, 2010

Lichter Exhibition Hall at Buffalo Chip, Sturgis SD

The exhibit showcases Arlen Ness, Paul Yaffee, Carl Olsen, Matt Olsen, Dave Perewitz, Jody Perewitz, Brian Klock, Donnie Smith, Eddie Trotta, Todd Silicato, Gard Hollinger, Satya Kraus, Jerry Covington, David Covington, Kirk Taylor, Brian Schimke, Athena "Chickie" Ransom, Laura Klock, Gary Maurer, Ron Finch, Counts Kustoms and Sugarbear and more.

Master Bike Builders Ron Finch, Mondo Porras and Bob McKay will join the IMBBA Hall of Fame, Sunday, August 8th at Broken Spoke Campground. Registration for the IMBBA Bike Show is 10 a.m. - The Bike Show awards are at 7pm and the IMBBA Hall of Fame Ceremony is 8pm, immediately followed by a .38 Special Concert at Broken Spoke Campground.

The Legends Ride - Monday the 9th

The escorted ride through the Black Hills will again be one of the highlights as 350 bikes parade from Historic Deadwood to the Legendary Sturgis Buffalo Chip for a star-studded reception and ZZ TOP concert that raises funds for the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame, and for children's charities. Last year, the ride raised more than $60,000. www.legendsride.com.

The Horse 4th Annual Sturgis Bike Show is Monday, Aug. 9th at Full Throttle Saloon in downtown, Sturgis. Registration is free and open from 9 to 11 a.m. with lots of great prize giveaways to bike builders and the audience. Click flyer for details.

STURGIS RALLY IN THE 1950's.....

Don't miss the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum's Hall of Fame Breakfast, at 9 a.m. Aug. 11th.

The AMD - World Championship of Bike Building, Aug. 11th at Champions Park

The Kids & Chrome Ride - Mud Racing - Pro-Hill Climb, Machine Gun Shoots and Nightly Concerts at The Legendary Buffalo Chip.

David Uhl's Sturgis Commemorative Collection at the Legends Gallery - Dirt Track Racing, Limpnickie Lot Bike Builders, International Master Bike Builders, Nightly Concerts and Tattoo Mania at the Broken Spoke Saloon & Broken Spoke Campgrounds.

Iron Cowgirl Missy On The Road To Sturgis

Iron Cowgirl Missy rocked her hometown, Jackson, Michigan on July 24th as a warm-up for her "dream gig" at The Legendary Buffalo Chip during the 70th Anniversary of Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

Her tour is named after one of her many original songs, "Heart Of Steel."

Missy has been on a motorcycle since she was 8 years old and has ridden across the country. She has also ridden a horse across Michigan.

You can learn more about this talented young musician "chasing her dreams with a fury" at http://www.ironcowgirlmissy.com/ - She will be broadcasting LIVE "On The Road To Sturgis." Here's the link to UStream.TV.


Iron Cowgirl Missy's Heart of Steel tour bus pulls out Sunday, and they will be meeting up with riders all along the way... on the road to Sturgis. When she returns to Michigan with pictures and stories, she will be attending the Porcupine BASH 2010, Aug. 27 to 29th in Chatham, MI.

She is coming to BASH 2010 because she believes in "Paying it Forward" and that is what she has been doing all along the road of chasing her dreams... Supporting our troops, American Cancer Society, Salvation Army and many other worthwhile causes with her energy and music.

I hope everyone has a safe and fun journey to this year's Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, Aug. 8 to 15th!

Two Wheel Thunder’s Johnny Lange Comes to BASH 2010

By MJ Reynolds


Johnny Lange and the Strip Club Choppers Roadhouse Tour have been traveling all season with Michele Smith and Jay Barbieri, filming episodes of “Two Wheel Thunder” for Discovery Channel’s Motorcycle Mondays on HD Theater. He will be heading to the Porcupine BASH 2010 in Michigan, directly from the 70th Anniversary of Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

BASH 2010 is a full weekend of music and biker-friendly camaraderie "Saluting Our Military" veterans and active service men and women. Gifts for veterans in VA homes and hospitals will also be collected at the event, and are being collected at sponsoring businesses in Michigan and Wisconsin.

“I also want to commit to help entertain the veterans on Sunday by bringing one of my Strip Club Choppers over to the veterans home,” said Johnny, whose parents met during WWII when his father was stationed with the US Air Force in London. His grandfather was a member of the Royal Engineers UK Air Force in WWI and WWII. “I was never in the military, but I give them all my respect for their service to God and country.”

Johnny Lange’s friendship with the co-host of the “Two Wheel Thunder” show goes back to Sturgis, six years ago. “I look a little bit like Kid Rock and I was there with a big fuchsia colored bike with green wheels, and everybody thought I was Kid Rock, although I kept telling them, ‘No, I’m not Kid Rock.’ That’s when this guy came up to me and started telling me that he liked my honesty and that he was going to come back tomorrow for a film interview.” It turned out to be Jay Barbieri, who was filming episodes of “American Thunder” on the SPEED Channel, the longest running motorcycle TV show in history.

The story, with photographs of their meeting at Sturgis is one of many stories they wrote together in the  Bikers Handbook: Becoming Part of the Motorcycle Culture , now in its third printing and available at Amazon.com.

Johnny opened Strip Club Choppers in 2004, and Jay Barbieri became his business partner. “This season, we have filmed at Mazatlan Bike Week in Mexico, The Virginia Beach Classic, Thunder Beach in Panama City and of course Daytona Beach Bike Week.”

Two Wheel Thunder's Mexico Bike Week episode aired July 26th as part of Discovery Channel’s “Motorcycle Mondays.” The Strip Club Choppers Roadhouse will be featured in upcoming episodes filmed with Michele Smith and Jay Barbieri at The Virginia Beach Classic, and episodes filmed with Jay at Thunder Beach Rally in Panama City, Florida. The trio kicked off the season together at the 69th Annual Daytona Bike Week. New episodes and previous episodes are scheduled to air almost daily.

Check the Discovery HD Theater Two Wheel Thunder TV Schedule.

Smith and Barbieri previously hosted “American Thunder” on the Speed Channel but after 14 years, and despite high ratings, SPEED decided not to bring the show back. The new “Two Wheel Thunder” show was quickly picked up for “Motorcycle Mondays” on Discovery’s HD Theater and began airing episodes in June 2010.

Michele has been riding motorcycles since 1994 and is considered the “First Lady of Motorcycling” by millions of enthusiasts.

Barbieri is not only hosting the show this season but is also the Executive Producer. Barbieri has been riding a Harley for over 25 years, has hundreds of thousand miles under his belt and has attended countless motorcycle rallies across North America.

This season, Johnny Lange and the Strip Club Choppers Roadhouse freightliner have played a big role in the “Two Wheel Thunder” show, providing a 400 square foot VIP lounge area, complete with sofas, tables and chairs for the audience at motorcycle rallies and other events. “I really enjoy the crowds of people,” said Johnny. “We sign posters and encourage people to hang out with us in our area, enjoy a beer and listen to some music or share some rally stories.”

The Strip Club Choppers Roadhouse, complete with VIP lounge and world famous Strip Club Chopper “pole” bikes will be rolling into Chatham, MI for the Porcupine BASH 2010, Aug. 27 to 29th – to “Salute Our Military” and help provide gifts and needed activity funds for veterans.

Combining his love of strip club dancers and beautiful motorcycles, Johnny built his first strip pole chopper and landed a spot on the Jay Leno Show.

His one-of-a-kind strip pole chopper and bagger motorcycles will be on display at BASH 2010. Grab your camera because you are welcome to take pictures with the bikes.

“When we were in Virginia Beach together, Michele interviewed me from the pole! I don’t know if they will edit my comments. I said something like, ‘Coming out of retirement’ when I introduced her,” laughed Johnny in an interview from the road, July 27th.

“When we travel from rally to rally together there is never a dull moment,” Jay said in an earlier interview. “Thank God for editing, and I say that with a smile.”

HD Theater is a high-definition television network from Discovery Communications, Inc., the owner of the Discovery Channel. It launched nation-wide in 2002 as Discovery HD Theater and is now the most widely distributed basic cable HD network in the United States.


Two Wheel Thunder – Strip Club Roadhouse Tour: STRIPCLUBCHOPPERS.COM

Quebec Rat Shop, "Blade" Wins Canadian Biker Build Off

BLADE by Fred Vaillancourt of The Rat Shop Custom Bikes, Quebec is the new Canadian Biker Build Off Champion.

The 6th Canadian Biker Build Off Competition was judged by the IMBBA, July 23rd, 24th and 25th in Welland, Ontario, Canada. See full listing of results.

Photos by Jack McIntyre, IMBBA staff photographer.

More photos are available in the IMBBA Canadian Biker Build Off Photo Gallery.

FUNHOUSE TATTOO - a little overview..

Here's Fester doing another FINE piece!! Perfectly executed Chinese letters.. complete with brush strokes. You could see all the tiny lines from the camel hair brush that it could have originaly been painted with! Don't know if that's what they use in China for brushes...

Fester tattoos with confidence and precision. Natural instinct. He has years under his belt of hardships & good times. He's had to jump some hurdles in his lifetime! All of these things can side track you from your trajectory of being a professional tattoo artists. He stuck with it and now 13 years later.... greatness.

Sasha does too! I don't think you will find another quite like her. ...This feather is so clean and well done. All this talent and ability is from YEARS of work. Working on your own legs... guinea pigging friends, working on Ryan! The amount of dedication it takes to do what she does is unbelievable. The anxiety and stress in the early years from trying to push your limits and occasionally falling on your face compares to accidentally cutting off the wrong foot of a patient with gang green in his toes... well, maybe not as bad. We have all been through it and come out the other side!!

It's as if one day, a light bulb goes on in your head and all of the sudden you're doing stuff like this:

or this shell by Sasha:

Now, because of the TV shows on tattooing, tons of people want to get into it. It's not the Outlaw art it used to be. It's great for business but it's lost it's edge. There are tons of kids who want to get an apprenticeship, or think it' s an easy job. It' s not. People think that just because you're a good artists, you can do this. Or just because you have a degree from some art school that you will be attractive to us to bring you in as an apprentice. Not true. We get tons of inquiries about an "apprenticeship program" or if we need any apprentices. Nobody ever NEEDS one... really. Maybe a helper to clean tubes... sterilize, answer phones... but to find somebody who is willing to dedicate YEARS of their life to learning this trade is a rare thing. It's even more rare to find somebody who is WORTH teaching this to.

I had an apprentice once - Jeremy Riley. He turned out GREAT. He was with me for 9 years!!! He now owns Tattoo Union on Broadway... right down the street from where he started.

For me, every aspect of tattooing is important. It's not just the art of tattooing...Here's a bit about what I do on the side... building tattoo machines.

This is the NEW steel BLACK WIDOW machine. It's coils are not only triangular in shape, the space between the protruding tops and bottoms allow for more winds of wire. It is a strong smooth running machine, yet sensitive and versatile enough to execute the finest details with the smallest needle groupings as well as subtle grey shades.

Most machine suppliers will sell a machine for the fair market price, but now that China is involved, the price does not always match the product. Most artists want to buy a machine which is ready to go. Buy one of those and if you don't know how to adjust of modify it, the price just wasn't worth it. Our machines are ready to go, tuned and set up to be able to perform whatever function you need to perform.

This is the Godoy Machines V3 machine. This piece of machinery has had year of designing and testing. It happens to be our 3rd patent in the works!! The way this machine runs doesn't compare to ANY machine out there. Every component has been dissected and re worked for function and ergonomics. From the precise machining to the tight layer winds, from the deluxe powder coated finishes to the minor details like fasteners and terminals... this is a piece of highly functional art. Because of the coils shapes, there are more layers of wire than on a standard machine. It will operate at between 6 and 7.5 on a regulated power supply. Which is a higher than on our V2 and Black Widow machines. This does not change function. You will not find a smoother feeling machine than this one. This is the Mercedes of tattoo machines.

The Godoy Machines V2... what can I say. Before our office actions with the square coil patent, we were experimenting with a V series coil. The shape of the coil, the angles of the coil... and of course the wire gauges were all things we were studying. We were also concerned with the magnetic field and how to direct it to where we wanted it to go. We slanted the coils, away from each other to re direct the magnetic field to either end of the moving armature bar, and here ya go... the V2 was born. Future modifications lead us to now, where the rear coil is straight and the front coil is angled.

BACK TO THE SHOP....

We believe in advancement. We support creativity and originality. The shop environment, though light hearted and fun, is also serious. We are serious about the service we provide and the ethics we keep

Sturgis Painting by David Uhl Celebrates 70th Anniversary

The Legends Gallery at Broken Spoke Campground will host a reception at 8 p.m. Aug. 7th for motorcycle artist David Uhl to kick off the  70th Anniversary of Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The reception is free and open to the public to attend.

David Uhl will be presenting his Sturgis Commemorative Collection of fine art prints, including “70 & Counting” – his newest piece commemorating the 70th Sturgis rally. The exhibit will also feature “Stella” and “Evelyn”, which are the two last pieces in the Women of Harley-Davidson Collection.

David Uhl was born in Toledo, Ohio on September 20, 1961. Early on, David began creating amazing drawings and, by high school’s end, had decided to pursue a career in art. He applied for, and won, the only full-ride scholarship to the Colorado Institute of Art offered to a high school senior in the U.S. He was dissatisfied with the design programs the school offered, yet he excelled at the life drawing and illustration classes. Leaving school after one year, he focused his talents on commercial illustration, eventually forming Uhl Illustration, an award-winning firm servicing many prominent clients such as FedEx, IBM, Coca-Cola and Time magazine.

Acquiring a motorcycle in 1988 and riding to Sturgis, South Dakota, David saw first hand the culture of cycling enthusiasts. He entered the world of Harley-Davidson® apparel (t-shirt designs) with great success. Yet, after a time, David felt there was something missing, artistically.

In the beginning of 1996, after 20 years of producing drawings for commercial clients, David entered the world of oil painting. This radically changed everything. Developing his own unique style, he focused his attention around the turn of the century. In 1998 David conceived of a brand new, yet timeless avenue for Harley-Davidson art; museum quality oil paintings. Harley-Davidson, exhibiting nearly a century of history at the time, was the perfect match. David researched motorcycle imagery from the 1930s and ‘40s. This led to his first work; A Change in the Weather. He flew to Milwaukee to present the painting to Harley-Davidson executives. Over a hundred paintings later David feels he is still in the infancy of his painting career.

The Legends Gallery is located at Broken Spoke Campground, 79 North Highway, Sturgis, South Dakota. Phone: 917-763-1334

David’s main collections include: The Women of Harley- Davidson, Sturgis Commemorative, Daytona Commemorative, 100th Anniversary, The Graceland Project, The Rosenkrans Collection, Aviation and Military, among many others.

David’s artwork is displayed throughout the world, and sought by serious art collectors and celebrities alike. Charles Osgood, of CBS Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood, referred to David as “The Norman Rockwell of Harley-Davidson artists”.

For further details, visit uhlstudios.com.

South Wales Naked Bikers Make A Statement

What do we have to do to get noticed? That is the Question. And a group of bikers in South Wales came up with an unusual answer in a Motorcycle Safety video they are promoting on YouTube: How about bikers riding NUDE? That's right!

Tattoo Artist of the Week - Knuckle

Tattoo Artist "Knuckle" owns and operates Knuckle Energy Tattoos in Osaka, Japan.

Facebook: KNUCKLE

Website: knuckle.jp

He also paints and offers fine art prints, posters and specialty items.

The Horse Backstreet Choppers Show at Sturgis 70th

STURGIS - The 4th Annual Horse Backstreet Choppers Show is FREE to enter on Monday, Aug. 9th at Michael Ballard’s Full Throttle Saloon as part of the 70th Anniversary of Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

The Horse’s mission is to recognize all hard-core, garage-built backstreet choppers. All owners are encouraged to enter. Registration opens at 9 a.m. and all bikes must be registered by Noon. Winners announced around 4 p.m.

This year’s panel of guest judges includes Paul Cox of Paul Cox Industries, Mondo Porras of Denver Choppers, Bill Dodge of Bling’s Cycles, Eric Gorges of Voodoo Choppers, Patrick Patterson of LED Sled, Paul Wideman of Bare Knuckle, Jesse Dupre of Jackyl, Sugar Bear of Sugar Bear Choppers, Roadside Marty, Brew Dude, Matt Olsen, Charlie the Nomad, special guest judges, Michael Ballard of The Full Throttle Saloon and Angie Carlson of Full Throttle Flaunt, and many more.

“We are excited to be back at The Full Throttle,” said Steve Broyles, who heads up each year’s show. “Last year’s show was a great success so we expect even more great built bikes to show up this year.”

Those who enter their bikes in the show will have a chance to win an Evil Engineering Belt Drive or Baker Drivetrain Gift Certificate along with thousands of dollars in other door prizes from many different companies like Custom Chrome/Jammer, Stevenson’s Cycle, Fabricator Kevin’s, Cycle X, Unique Patina, Anvil Customs, No School Choppers and many many more. You must have a bike entered to win the door prizes.

There will also be tons of crowd giveaways. But of course, no Sturgis event would be complete without great bikes, great entertainment and great babes, so be sure to enter your bike or stop by and check out all the action.

Competing bikes will be on display at the Full Throttle from noon to 4 p.m.

The Horse Backstreet Choppers Bike Show is sponsored by Evil Engineering, LLC, Stevenson’s Cycles, CCI/Jammer Cycle Products, Baker Drivetrain, Cycle X, Fabricator Kevin’s and many other great companies. For more information contact Kari at (313) 737 8888 or thehorseads@aol.com.

Thehorsemag.com

Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame Breakfast

The annual Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Breakfast is 9 a.m. Wednesday, August 11th at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center in Rapid City, South Dakota.

Breakfast tickets are available for a $35.00 donation, tables of eight for $300.00. Tickets can be purchased through the Museum 605.347.2001 or on line at www.sturgismuseum.com/cart/

 
STURGIS MOTORCYCLE HALL OF FAME 2010 INDUCTEES ANNOUNCED

The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame is pleased to announce the Hall of Fame inductees for 2010. The Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame is designed to recognize individuals or groups who have made a long term positive impact on the motorcycle community.

Nancy Davidson – Nancy Davidson, wife of Willie G. Davidson, is recognized throughout the motorcycling community as a passionate and devoted ambassador for the sport of motorcycling. While she doesn’t ride her own motorcycle, she’s been an inspiration to her children (Bill, Karen and Michael Davidson) and countless women riders as she shared her passion and support for the sport of motorcycling. Nancy Davidson has attended numerous motorcycling events, including some 30 Sturgis Motorcycle Rallies – most times riding to the event from Milwaukee with her husband.

Betsy E. Lister – Betsy Lister has been working to keep bikers informed for over twenty years. She is the founder of two websites - gypsypashn.com and bikerbits.info – that give bikers from all over the country information about rides, rallies, vendor opportunities, biker rights and more. She also operates a third website providing bikers with lessons on insurance coverage. Over the years she has volunteered numerous hours to raising awareness for motorcycle safety and motorcycle insurance issues. While logging over 100,000 motorcycle miles, Betsy has founded organizations and rides to raise funds for a variety of charities. She is also the biker poet laureate for both Massachusetts and New Hampshire for Roadpoet eMagazine.

Ronald McKinley – Ron McKinley spent 20 years as a South Dakota Highway Patrolman – 5 of those years as a motorcycle trooper. Both during his time as a trooper and since his retirement in 1991, Ron has dedicated himself to motorcycle safety through talks, seminars and safe riding courses. He is a Motorcycle Safety Foundation instructor, serves as the safety officer for four Harley Owners Group chapters, teaches Riders Edge safety courses, writes a monthly safety newsletter for 18 groups, has served as a Volunteer State Safety Coordinator for Harley-Davidson Motor Company and teaches for the Harley Owners Group Primary Officer Training.

Roger Schieman, Founders Award – Roger Schieman has spent countless hours keeping alive the history of motorcycling and the history of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Roger has been a member of the AMA and as a Jackpine Gypsy for 20 years was instrumental in the operation of races in Sturgis throughout the year, but especially during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Roger was a founding partner and board member of both motorcycle museums in Sturgis, and still volunteers his time to help make the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame a place where the history of motorcycling and the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally can be shared with visitors from all over the world.

Stan Simpson – Stan Simpson’s involvement with motorcycles spans 60 years. From his first Indian Scout ride in 1949 to his present day work improving the direction of the American Motorcyclists Association (AMA), Stan has been a force in the motorcycle industry. Stan is one of a rare breed that is fully involved with both on-road and off-road motorcycling. He won his first AMA race in 1957, was a local motocross champion, won a national enduro and was involved in numerous International Six Day Trials (ISDT) teams. Today, Stan serves as Chairman of the Board of the AMA, is working tirelessly to expand and improve the motorcycling lifestyle and tries to ride at least 20,000 miles a year on-road and 10,000 miles a year off-road.

“Kiwi” Mike Tomas – “Kiwi” Mike Tomas is founder of Kiwi Indian Motorcycle Company and is widely recognized as one of the most knowledgeable experts on classic Indian Motorcycles in the world. Kiwi Indian Motorcycle manufactures four new updated models of classic styled motorcycles that pay tribute to the classic Indians of years past in addition to over 2,500 different reproduction part numbers. Mike sponsors race teams and even competes in endurance rides to demonstrate the viability of the classic Indian in today’s world.

Blackfoot Concert Free at Sturgis Broken Spoke Campground

My friend Walt Lumpkin just sent me this wonderful photo of Blackfoot and today, Broken Spoke Saloon Campground announced a free Blackfoot concert to help celebrate the 70th Anniversary of Sturgis Motorcycle Rally! I love it!

AUGUST 3rd – 15th



79 North, Sturgis, South Dakota


600 acres at the foothills of beautiful Bear Butte with tent camping spots, private air-conditioned cabins, and oversized RV spots with hook-ups, plus the best facilities and amenities in the Black Hills. 
 
All concerts are free for campground campers - All other concerts are $10 to attend if you are not a camper.
 

• Concerts: .38 Special, Dokken, Great White, Eddie Money, Warrant, Gallagher, The Kentucky HeadHunters, Black Stone Cherry, Confederate Railroad, Black Oak Arkansas, (free)Blackfoot*, Houses of the Holy, Dallas Moore, Jasmine Cain, Laura Lynn & Lucas Hoge.


• IMBBA Bike Show and Hall of Fame Awards, Easyriders Rodeo, Gill Montie’s World Famous Tattoo Mania, the Michael Lichter & Sugar Bear Ride, the Cycle Source Ride and Chopper Show, the Vietnam Veterans Wall, the Baker Drivetrain Smoke-Down Showdown, the S&S Smokeout, the World’s Biggest Biker Pool with Hot Tubs & Tiki Bar, Legends Art Gallery, Good ‘ol Days Raceway, Hill Climb, America’s Original Extreme Motorcycle Thrill Shows, the Limpnickie Lot - where attendees can interact with the next generation of bike builders, the Lucky Daredevil Thrillshow, Hot Contests with Cash Prizes, Free Spoke to Spoke Shuttle, Live Music Day and Night, and an on-site General Store.

Food vendors: Pizza Hut, Dirty Willies, Hickory Hollow Smokehouse and more.
• FREE (and improved this year) WiFi. 
• FREE Beer Hour 4-5pm Daily with One Time Purchase of $5 Broken Spoke Mug

• FREE Pool Concerts Daily – Laura Lynn & Lucas Hoge
• FREE "Johnny Chop" Hill Climb.

• FREE SPOKE 2 SPOKE Shuttle to / from Downtown Lazelle St. Spoke & Campground
• FREE Moonlight Movies

BROKEN SPOKE CAMPGROUND IS WHERE YOU WILL FIND

• Limpnickie Lot

• Baker Burnout Box

• Legends Art Gallery

• Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial Wall – “The Wall That Heals” Visit: brokenspoke.com and book reservations online at: brokenspokecampground.com or call: 877-653-6679

California Motorcycle Art Show Saturday

This Saturday Only - 3 p.m. July 17th - Motorcycle engraver Tay Herrera and Big Iron Joe will be joined by leather artist Duane Ballard and a cast of other motorcycle artisans at Thy Will Be Done Art Show at Blacksmith Gallery - 1014 North Parker St., Orange, CA.

"This is the second Thy Will Be Done Art Show," said event organizer, Lisa Ballard. "Our aim is to showcase people in the motorcycle industry who enjoy an artistic lifestyle."

Please join Sara Ray, Paul Cox, Latisha Woods, Kurt Taylor, Pete “Hot Dog” Finlan, Buckwild, Ron Pouge, Kristina Pamias, Duane Ballard, Tay and Big Iron Joe for a night like no other. Spend quality one-on-one time with the artists as they discuss their artwork. Special guest Saign Charlestein and Warren Heard will have pieces on display. All of the artwork in the Blacksmith Gallery can be purchased.

We're raffling off a Miller Electric arc station valued at $650, a bronze piece done by Tay which is valued at $500. Also Joe has donated a one off sword that is valued at $250.00. There are also various art pieces done by TWBD artists. Raffle tickets are only $5.00 each. The first 500 people get a free show poster with each raffle ticket purchased!

Sponsors include Bikernet.com, Miller Electric, Weatherby, King’s Fish House, Oxygen Service Company, Iwata and the Perfect Circle Cupcakery.

Details: thywillbedoneartshow.blogspot.com

Hoka Hey Journey Not About The Money

Chris Callen of Cycle Source Magazine shares what it was like for him on the 2010 Hoka Hey Run, covering over 9,000 miles from Key West, Florida to Homer Alaska. He interviews the people on the run and captures some of the incredible scenery.

You can meet up with the Cycle Source crew at the 70th Sturgis Rally at the Broken Spoke Campground and you can connect online at CycleSource.com.

WE COVER SH*T AND REPAIR SCRIBBLE...

Cover ups are serious business. They are a great way to get rid of regret, wether it's the memories of that Vegas trip when you got married by Elvis and got your future ex husband's name tattooed on you or wether it's a souvenir from your f*cked up teenage years experimenting with sewing needle and india ink tattoos! Emotional regret is a different story!!

Cover ups don't have to be so complicated. Any quality artist SHOULD be able to cover a tattoo. The "normal" way to cover a tattoo is to use a color that is darker than the colors used in the tattoo to be covered. Most artists (the mediocre ones) would have chosen a design which was mostly BLACK to cover this tribal, like another tribal or a mountain gorilla or... When in reality, a color that is the same value of the tattoo to be covered will work to blend it into the new design or to cover it. The tattoo in picture is greyish... a dolphin would have easily covered this, leaving plenty of clear skin to put a rainbow coming out of it's ass and not have the colors muddied up by the grey tattoo.

If you look at photo number one, the tattoo looks dark on the skin because the only color to contrast it is her skin color, but if you took a blue ball point pen and drew a line on the tattoo, you would see that the pen is darker than the tattoo and you would know that you have more options than you think!

Tattoo colors in their bottles look thick, dark and dense... they are much like tempera paint, or poster paints, the difference is in the surface they to be applied to. On paper, the color will be opaque, that is to say "solid" because the surface is not as porous as skin is so on paper, these colors can cover spots or patches which are dark. IN the skin, the colors go in transparent so there's no way you can cover a freckle with yellow, or pink or anything lighter in value than that freckle. They will show through, some darker scars will too... birthmarks, the same... GET IT?

how bout now?

In this tattoo I (Art) used shades of battle ship grey and watered down black to do the "base coat" of the tattoo... creating a foundation which would make it easier to add lighter colors around those areas to create depth.

If you need cover up work, think of the images that you like. It's up to us to make it cover that ugliness. You should be open minded because NOT all images will cover all tattoos, for example, a bright yellow happy face would never cover this grey tribal tattoo. The only other option, if your tattoo is super dark, besides tattooing a big black patch is laser treatments... which can be used to lighten the tattoo in order to have more options for cover up designs, or to get rid of it all together.

If anyone can do it, we can. Got one to do really soon, the clown who did it originally, knows who he is. Have a few ideas in mind just in CASE Your original idea doesn't work.

Have You Seen Jim Meehan's 1976 H-D?

82 yr. old Jim Meehan wants to ride again. Jim has been riding a H-D since he was honorably discharged from the Army in 1948 - until his 1976 H-D with blue sidecar was stolen July 5th in Harrington Maine.

Jim often gave the senior shutins a ride in the sidecar. Jim's biggest fear is whoever stole his Harley will ruin the pristine condition of his ride.

The Washington County Sherriff's Department in Maine said they did not have much to go on in this case. But that was before Joe Oborny of HDBikerForums.com launched an all-out Internet biker media campaign from his home base in the Pacific Northwest.

"Bikers let's unite & help find the scumbags that stole Jim Meehan's 1976 H-D," Joe said in his appeal to fellow internet biker media. The alert was picked up by Charlie Brechtel of BikersInnerCircle.com in California and broadcast nationwide.

But the first solid lead came from a post by "Gypsy Pashn" Betsy E Lister of BikerBits.info who is based in New England. One of her readers reported a 1976 H-D for sale on craigslist not too far from the crime. The Washington County Sherrif's Department followed up on the lead, July 10th but apparently the vin numbers did not match.

If you have seen this bike, or have any information that might be helpful, please contact joeoborny@gmail.com

Marine Salutes Rolling Thunder Riders in DC for 4 Hours

A solitary Marine holds vigil at full attention during the Rolling Thunder motorcycle rally in tribute to fallen comrades. More than 1.4 million have watched this video of Marine Sgt. Tim Chambers standing for more than 4 hours at attention to salute more than 300,000 Rolling Thunder riders passing through Washington DC on Memorial Day weekend 2010.

He has been doing this for 6 years, and this year took a leave of absence from the Marine Corps to travel with "Carry The Flame" to Washington. "Run For The Wall" riders follow two cross-country routes every year, from California and Texas to join the Rolling Thunder Run through Washington DC, attended by nearly a million motorcycle enthusiasts.



We salute you, Marine Sgt. Tim Chambers! Semper Fi!

View an excellent video of the 2010 Rolling Thunder First Amendment Demonstration Run.

Rolling Thunder began in 1987 as a demonstration to bring awareness to the plight of prisoners of war (POW) and to those missing in action (MIA). Rolling Thunder originated when four Vietnam Veterans, exercising the First Amendment "Right to Petition and Assemble", organized the first group of 2500 motorcycles to ride through the streets of Washington, DC. This first Rolling Thunder run was made in an attempt to petition the government to take responsibility for the soldiers that were abandoned after the Vietnam War ended.

Today over 300, 000 motorcycles ride during the Rolling Thunder Memorial Day weekend observance, held each year in our nation’s capital. Rolling Thunder has evolved to be not only a demonstration for the POW/MIA issue but also a demonstration of patriotism and respect for soldiers and veterans from all wars.

Run For The Wall XXII - May 19 to 30 - "The Missing Man Formation" leads riders across the country to the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Wall in Washington DC to promote healing among ALL veterans, their families and friends; to call for an accounting of all POW/MIA; to honor the memory of those killed in action in all wars; and to support military personnel all over the world. "We ride for those who can't" - http://www.rftw.com/

Going For the Burnout Record, Thursday Night At Sturgis 2010

What do you get when you have 500 motorcycles burning out at the same time? A world record

The Broken Spoke Saloon and Campground is proud to announce that their S&S Burnout is Back!!! The same rubber chunking, heart pounding, hair raising event that first graced the County Line during the 2009 Black Hills Rally is kicking off round two in 2010.

It's going to be a Thursday Night, Bike Night World Record Burnout Night: August 12th and S&S Cycles will be giving away an S&S motor!!

500 lucky individuals will line their motorcycles up to become part of history and create a one off burnout that may even be seen from the far reaches of space. Of course safety is the number one factor and The Broken Spoke will be bringing in concrete jersey barriers for contestants to pull up to. Each and every rider will receive a number and be sent a corresponding certificate for their participation in this one of a kind experience. They will also receive a raffle ticket for their chance of taking home that shiny new S&S motor. This will be the only way to get your shot at the motorcycle history books and a killer prize from America’s premiere horsepower provider so don’t miss out.

Head over to the Broken Spoke Campground from 12 to 3pm  to sign up. Or pre-register by sending an email to lisa@dbcustomleather.com to reserve your number. All contestants will be required to sign a waiver. If you are not present, your number will be handed over to another contestant at the start of the event.

Immediately after - Sign up for the Cycle Source Motorcycle Bike Show! Sign up to enter your personal build (3 to 6 p.m. registration) for a chance to go home with a one-off trophy!