Cycle Connections

Budget bobber or a maniacal fabricator's tribute to his redneck Swedish heritage?Charlie Williams is a fabricator/body man extraordinaire. Having known him for around 20 years I’ve seen custom paint jobs on pickups, big rigs, motorcycles, and who knows what else. He’s painted several bikes for me and still has the distinction of having done the favorite paint job for an old Shovelhead Super Glide my wife rode for a number of years in the Eighties. Charlie is just one of those guys who can build, fix, or work on anything…and does. He and his wife Becky have a business in…

I’ve known Herbert for a number of years and was excited to hear he had finally purchased a bike. He’d never owned a bike but had been thinking about getting one for some time. He just wasn’t sure what he wanted to get. That was until Harley-Davidson came out with their new lineup of bikes for 2006. Herbert contacted me and asked what I thought about the new Street Bob. I’ve always loved bobbers so I gave two thumbs up. A few weeks later Herbert contacted me again to tell me he’d completed his MSF class and was the proud…

I met Vicky in March when she decided to join the Khrome Cowgirls. She is a great person and rides one sweet-looking bike. Although she is married and enjoys riding with her hubby, she decided to join the Cowgirls, which has given her women to ride with as well. The Cowgirls are very excited to have her as a member and will share our love of riding, our love of the motorcycle world as well as getting to know her as a person. CC: Vicky, what is your occupation?Vicky: I’m an application specialist.CC: Why do you ride? Vicky:It started out…

EDITOR'S NOTE: We received the following e-mail from Paul Versaw of Lincoln, Nebraska who was more than happy to share a photo and some information about him and his bike “Julie.” Attaching a photo of Julie and me…without overalls. I have been riding all winter except for a couple of weeks when it was too icy. It has been a challenge to find affordable gear that works. The most recent episode was a pair of Dickies insulated bib overalls from the Fort Western Store. We wandered in for a visit after eating next door. I had been watching the prices…

Joe recently upgraded from a 650 Yamaha V-Star to this beautiful new 2006 Yamaha Roadliner. I have known Joe for quite some time and finally got around to interviewing him and taking a few photos for this month's issue. CC: Joe, what is your occupation?Joe: I’m a pharmaceutical development scientist.CC: Do you have any hobbies other than motorcycling?Joe: Yes, I also enjoy scuba diving, paintball, racing and hot rods CC: Why do you ride?Joe: Primarily because it gives me a great sense of freedom. CC: How long have you been riding? Joe: About 10 years, on and off. CC: What…

I have known Matt Canning for almost eight years and he has always been a great friend to my family and me. He recently showed up at my door with a 2004 Yamaha FZ6 and I was excited to see that he gotten back into motorcycling. He has grown in his career and in his love for the open road. One occasion in particular that stands out to me is the day I invited him to dinner and he brought over a honey baked ham! Matt is one of those guys who don’t cut corners when he is your friend.With…

When Editor Mike and I arrived at the location of the photo shoot for Cycle Connections’ January, 2006, cover a pleasant surprise awaited us. We found not one kick-ass chopper but two. Melinda Beebe’s awesome cover scoot was there as expected, and Rick Park happened to be on hand with his wild 2003 custom hardtail. Eager to take advantage of the situation, we quickly decided to invite Rick to be featured in Readers and Their Rides. Rick’s bike sat outside in the cold while Mike and I shot photos of Melinda’s, so it looks a bit frosty in the accompanying…

When the innovative Clay Ridley began building small motorcycles with automatic transmissions in his Oklahoma City factory, he created the opportunity for many non-riders or motorcycle passengers to proudly ride their own bikes. One of those riders is my friend Mickee Rarick from Spearfish, South Dakota, just west of Sturgis. I met Mickee and her husband, Jim, during my 1991 trip to the Sturgis Rally, and we have become very good friends. We look forward to getting together every year during Rally Week. In past years, Mickee rode with Jim on his Harley dresser or with me if Jim was…

I recently had the opportunity to interview John Frala, whose life was drastically changed one Thursday night in June 2004. After leaving a popular bike night location on his Harley-Davidson Deuce, his trip was cut short by a car that made a left-hand turn in front of him. And of course, the operator of the car said they didn’t see him. In case you were wondering, no, John had not been drinking that night. This story has been told many times before and not with an outcome as good as John’s. John may have been permanently disabled, but that has…

I met Erin Doleshal and her husband Jay after one of Jay’s races. She stands by Jay in his racing endeavors and is always there to support him. Having a custom motorcycle that is not only fast, but awesome to see, is one thing every biker could only hope for. During this interview, Erin didn’t think she was worthy of the spotlight, however, the way she handles her bike, I can think of no one else who deserves it more than her. So to all of you ladies out there who ride your own bike, here is another thumbs up…

Jay Doleshal has been traveling the ProStar circuit for the past two years and won the Pro Street class in Noble, Oklahoma by running a consistent 8.42 ET. He is also a full-time police motorcycle instructor—what a dream job! He gets to ride a motorcycle at work, weather permitting, and also drag races. I’m envious! Jay’s wife Erin also rides with him and is very dedicated to his racing. A drag racing motorcycle cop. Humm…you might want to think twice before trying to out ride a motorcycle cop. It might be Jay!CC: Jay, what is your occupation?Jay: I’m motorcycle cop.CC:…

I first met Kevin at last year’s Cycles & More Bike Show when he stopped by the Cycle Connections booth and introduced himself. We seemed to have a lot in common and talked for quite a while about bikes and racing. I knew Harley Dave Adams and Dyno Mike Wilson had been working on a pretty hot FXDX that was black and very stealthy, but had no idea it belonged to Kevin. During this interview, Kevin told me his passion has always been motorcycle racing and this year he has won the Harley grudge drags at Heartland Park in Topeka,…

It has been five years since I had the pleasure of working with Ryan. I think he was a novice rider when I first met him, but I have seen him progress from a 650 Kawasaki to a 750 Honda Shadow Ace, and now he has moved up to the 2005 HD Road Glide. He was always riding, even in cold and nasty weather, and never misses the local KC runs that are a big hit in the area. I am glad that Ryan has kept up with the flow and events. Watch for Ryan and his Fiancée Madonna at…

Carolyn Condit Colorado Springs, ColoradoI received an e-mail from Carolyn Condit, one of our readers who lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado. After reading Carolyn’s e-mail I asked her to send me a photo of her and her bike so we could share her story and photo with our readers. I published Carolyn’s e-mail on our E-mail to the Editor page and below is her interview:CC: Carolyn, what is your occupation?Carolyn: I’m a business analyst.CC: Do you have any hobbies other than motorcycling?Carolyn:Yes. I enjoy running, playing with my two labs and knitting.CC: Why do you ride?Carolyn: The freedom that I…

I met J.W. during Oklahoma Bike Week at Sparks America in June, 2005. I was amazed to see him riding his beautiful chopper in all of the bike games from slow ride to barrel race. Like the other competitors, he was having a blast. After the games, he invited me to meet other members of his club and visit with him in his r.v. CC: What is your occupation, J.W.? J.W.: I’m a truck driver for the U.S. Postal Service. CC: Why do you ride?J.W.: I have been riding bikes from the age of 12, and now it is just…

Connie Scott Independence, MissouriCC: Connie, what is your occupation?Connie: I’m a Senior Executive Assistant at Sprint.CC: Do you have any hobbies other than motorcycling?Connie :Yes. I enjoy travel, teach aerobics & volunteer work.CC: Why do you ride?Connie: I ride because it is one sport you can enjoy alone or with a group. I also like how motorcycling, unlike a car, turns every trip into an adventure.CC: How long have you been riding? Connie: I’ve been riding since 5 years solo. CC: What was your first bike? Connie: It was a 535cc Yamaha Virago. CC: How many bikes have you owned?…

Carol Diaz with sister Jenny Acosta on backKearney, MissouriI have known Carol Diaz and her husband John for several years and they are two of the nicest people you will ever meet. This photo of Carol and her sister Jenny was taken during a photo shoot for their Ride the Organ Trail Benefit Dice Roll flyer. CC: Carol, what is your occupation?Carol: I’m a cable splicer for SBC in Liberty and areas north of the river.CC: Do you have any hobbies other than motorcycling?Carol:Yes. I enjoy fishing, camping and my grandkids.CC: Why do you ride?Carol: It’s the free bird coming…

Nick KasikFriendswood, TexasI first met Nick Kasik and his wife Nikki at a bike night in Lee’s Summit, Missouri where their company, Temptress Choppers was sponsoring a wet T-shirt contest. A few days later I dropped by Nick’s shop to check out all the cool custom bike parts they were fabricating using the latest CNC machines. Nick and Niki recently moved to the Houston, Texas area and are fitting right into the local motorcycle scene where they can enjoy year-round riding. We recently recruited Niki as a Cycle Connections account representative for the Houston and surrounding area, so if you’re…

Bob “Thunder” CrossThis is a photo of Bob and Tyler. A few weeks ago, Bob contacted Dave Miller, our Tech Tips writer and asked Dave if he’d consider building a bike for him. Dave jumped at the chance, and Bob already has the frame ordered and on the way. I also spoke with Bob, and he plans to use as many local motorcycle businesses as possible for rounding up his parts and accessories. Once Bob gets enough parts together and drops them off at Dave’s shop, we’ll take you through every step of the building process in our future issues.…

Debbi a.k.a. “Little Toto”I have gotten to known Toto, and she is a good friend, an avid motorcyclist and one amazing lady! Along with juggling a job and being a mother and housewife, she is also the Newsletter Editor, Photographer and Web Mistress for the Khrome Cowgirls of KC motorcycle club. So as you can see, she enjoys wearing many hats, including her cowboy…or should I say cowgirl hat?It seems like no matter what ride, rally or event I attend, I can always count on running into her, so I thought…hey…why not recruit her to cover some events for us,…