Cycle Connections

There comes a time when a man has a need for something to come into his life and bring him back to a period when he knew who he was. Back to a period when things were simple and carefree and the baggage not so heavy. When the joy of life far outweighed the sorrow and the way we looked at ourselves was much more forgiving. The first time I laid eyes on Dinah, it was love at first sight. She was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I knew right then that she had to be mine.…

Doug Keim is more than just one of the elite custom motorcycle builders in our country; I am also proud to call him my friend. Doug is soft spoken, but he speaks well. Unlike some builders, he doesn’t blow his own horn. While some builders’ fame rests more on their television exposure and non-motorcycle product lines, Doug’s fame rests squarely on his ability to build cutting edge bikes that are also rideable. That’s right—I said rideable. You and I both know many of the customs we see at shows would be as much fun to ride as Hillary Clinton is…

A little mechanical ability, a little determination, and a lot of desire led to the transformation of my 1988 XL (bored to 1200 a few years back) to the bike I have always wanted. I bought the Sportster new back in 1988 and have no idea how many miles I have logged. The speedometer/odometer cable was broken through most of the 90s. I got my first ride on a Harley at about age 5, bought my first Harley at age 13, and have been riding ever since. The only thing was I was never satisfied with the way my bike…

It’s the start of a new year and we are already excited about what 2007 has in store for us.One of the advantages of living in parts of the south, like Alabama, is that we have many good riding days, even in the winter. We have definitely had our share of warm riding days so far this winter, so it makes it very easy to transition into planning events as well as planning to attend events, starting in the spring. It does make it a little hard on the bike shops looking to have bikes coming in to get serviced…

Lovebugs. Doesn’t the very sound of that give you a warm feeling deep inside your heart? Wow, a bug that loves. What could be better than that? If you think that way, I’m sure you’ve never heard of Lovebugs. Well brothers and sisters, I’m here to educate. First of all they are called Lovebugs because they spend their whole lives flying around stuck together (if you know what I mean). From time to time I’ve seen a single one and I always figured, Dude, you gotta be one ugly lovebug loser that you can’t get laid with all this going…

You know, some of the things I find most interesting and perhaps at times exciting about The Sturgis Rally is the weather and ever-changing riding conditions. You never know what to expect. I’ve been fried to a cinder in Wyoming, frozen stiff at night in The Black Hills, sand blasted by dust devils, soaked to the bone in torrential rains, beaten into mush by hail, ridden at a 45-degree angle in high-speed cross winds. I’ve been stung by bees, shit on by birds, smashed by huge bugs, eaten more than a few too. I’ve almost been killed by buffalo, mule…

The Kansas City radio scene lost a great talent when Murphy Wells left us a few years back. As you may or may not know, Murphy is BACK! Murphy can now be found doing the midday slot on 97.3 MAX FM. I, as well as many, many other listeners, am thrilled to have Murphy back. Proving that success has in no way gone to her head, Murphy agreed to meet with Stephanie and me on a Sunday afternoon so we could help all you fans catch up with what you’ve been missing. Murphy, accompanied by Chuck Nasty, another former Kansas…

CC: How long have you been building metric customs? Mike: The Triumph is the first 'full custom' metric build that we have done from the frame up. CC: Why did you enter the Metric Revolution in the first place? Mike: I just want to get our work out in front of as many people as possible. The more exposure we can get in the motorcycle industry the better. CC: Do you think your involvement in the Metric Revolution will help your business? Mike: Definitely, it will get our work in front of people who otherwise may have never heard of…

Hail is amazing stuff. It starts out as small ice crystals way up in the sky. It tries to fall but the wind won't let it. It keeps dropping down to collect a layer of moisture then gets blown back up to a colder zone and the layer freezes. The process continues until the ice crystal is large enough to overcome the power of the wind to blow it back up, and it falls to earth. I met Mike years ago through my cousin Donn, who lived in Daytona Beach. We all had Harleys, and Mike used to stay with…

I am gonna start my time with you a little differently this month. I want to make it very clear that what you read this month is my opinion and my opinion alone. I expect to catch some heat over my words and my opinions from time to time but, if I don’t speak out on this incident I would feel like a sellout. Earlier this month a 56-year-old Florida man was killed in a head-on collision with a Dodge Ram pickup while riding a small Yamaha scooter. The pickup was attempting to pass two vehicles on a section of…

As you know, during the month of September we invited those of you who made it to Sturgis this year to submit your favorite Sturgis 2006 rally photos for a chance to win one of three Cycle Connections prize packages containing some great Cycle Connections swag!All photo submissions were reviewed and placed in one of the following three categories. The Cycle Connections photography crew then selected one lucky winner from each category and below are the results: 1)Babes: Oscar – WINNER!2)Bikes: Oscar – WINNER!3)Bikers: Lu – WINNER!* Photos displayed belowCongratulations to all of our photo contest winners and thank you…

The motorcycle community lost a legend when Indian Larry died. Thanks to the efforts of Keino and Paul Cox, all that Larry was has not been lost. After working for years side by side with Larry, Keino and Paul Cox carry on as Indian Larry Legacy. The bikes have the same flavor but with touches that are truly something more. Keino is soft spoken but was a very enjoyable interview. He is definitely a 180-degree departure from most builders.CC: How was 2005 for Indian Larry Legacy? Keino: Over all it was all good. We had the street promotional bike and…

Aaron Greene is one of the most interesting individuals I have had the pleasure to interview. His quiet demeanor and politeness belies the success he enjoys. Aaron holds multiple U.S. patents and he may be the most intelligent person I know. Speaking to Aaron, one can’t help but feel his passion for motorcycle, and you walk away knowing our sport will be carried on the shoulders of his innovations for many years to come. CC: How was 2005 for Paramount, Aaron? Aaron: You know 2005 ended great. 2005 was kind of a weird year I think all the way around…

Rick Fairless may be the hardest working man in motorcycles. With a work ethic second to none, Rick has turned Strokers Dallas into not only a world class bike shop but also a world class party destination with his Stroker Ice House Bar. I receive Rick’s newsletter and the man has some type of great event at Stroker every single week. Rick’s friendliness and attention to fans is legendary, and I have no problem stating he is one of my most favorite people in the business. CC: Rick, how was 2005 for Strokers Dallas? Rick: 2005 was good, and we…

Life is good for Paul Yaffe. Not only does Paul Yaffe Originals (OYO) continue to be on the cutting edge of custom bike design, but the PYO parts catalog is also second only to Arlen Ness in the sheer number of parts and accessories available. When looking over bikes at any custom bike show you may or may not know it, but you are looking at much of PYO’s catalog. Many of the other master builders use PYO parts on their own custom builds. Paul’s original bike-in-a-box chopper kit provided many would-be master builders with the quality kit they needed…

For those whose crusade is the search for the ultimate in power from a V-Twin engine, Kendall Johnson must be the Holy Grail. Kendall is a truly gifted builder with a sterling reputation. The designs from Kendall Johnson Customs are always cutting edge, but instead of seeking power from one of the big name engine companies such as S&S, TP Engineering, or Patrick Racing as most builders do, Kendall chooses to build his own engines. The reputation for bulletproof horsepower has helped Kendall not only power his own creations but has also led to him being the engine builder of…

Around 3:15 a.m. on Friday, August 11, Reese Good, owner of Ultra Craft Customs in Gardner, Kansas and two friends were on their way home from Sturgis when they became the targets of an apparent random drive-by shooting.Reese was critically injured and is still in the hospital fighting for his life. The shooting took place after Reese and his friends stopped at the Valero gas station at 44th and Kansas Avenue, just off near Interstate 635 in Kansas City, Kansas. Reese was a passenger in a truck, which was pulling his motorcycle trailer with another bike in the back of…

Yes, it’s time once again for another Reader’s Photo Contest! If you made the pilgrimage to South Dakota for this year's Sturgis Rally we invite you to submit your favorite rally photos between NOW and Midnight on Sunday, September 24, 2006 for a chance to win one of three Cycle Connections prize packages containing some great Cycle Connections swag!Photo submissions will be reviewed and placed in one of the following three categories and all photos will be published in our October 2006 issue. Once all photos have been received, the Cycle Connections photography crew will select one lucky winner from…

Randy Simpson knows how to party. From the time he rolled into Bartle Hall for this year’s Easyriders V-Twin Show until the time to head out after the last attendee left, Randy had a good time. You would never know this is the guy that heads up Milwaukee Iron. Randy is as guy-next-door as you can get. Not only did we get to spend a big part of Friday during set-up with Randy, we also had the pleasure of hanging out with him at Kim and Cheryl Suter’s Thank-You party. Between Randy and Ron Finch I have never laughed so…

Thus far, 2006 has been a good year for Kim Suter. Once again he hosted a kick-ass party the night before this year’s Easyriders V-Twin Show. KC Creations-built Big Inch Bikes are more popular than ever, and to top it all off, Kim has landed an invitation to participate in the Discovery Channel’s Biker Build-Off. Success hasn’t spoiled Kim though. After talking to him for a bit you still see the same guy you have always known. Kim at times seems a bit uncomfortable with his celebrity status; I believe that to be a good sign. It shows he doesn’t…