Oasis Bar & Grill Whaleyville, Maryland

Oasis Bar 'N Grill halfway between Salisbury and Ocean City, Maryland has been voted "Best Biker Bar" four year's running and it's a definate party spot during the spring and fally rallies on the Delmarva Peninsula that stretches along the Delaware and Maryland coastline.

Oasis Bar N Grill at 7539 Old Ocean City Road in Whaleyville, MD was one of the main venues during this year's Bikes To The Beach Rally.

Events included Bikini Babe Boxing, Kangaroo Boxing, professional arm wrestling, a cornhole tournament, bikini contest, hotdog bite, slow ride, barrel push and other traditional biker games, as well as poker runs. Michael Ballard and Angie from Full Throttle Saloon dropped by, and Oasis was home base for Strip Club Choppers.

Oasis Bar N Grill has live music all weekend, plenty of parking, and even has a shuttle bus to help you get around during the spring and fall bike weeks. The action happens both inside the bar and outside, and there are lots of beautiful bartenders ready to serve you up some cold libations.

For more information on Bikes To The Beach or Delmarva Bike Week, go to www.oceancitybikestothebeach.com or www.delmarvabikeweek.com/

To find more biker-friendly bars & saloons, visit Bars4Bikers.com. Bars4bikers brings together biker friendly bars, pubs and saloons from all over the world. Bars4bikers.com reminds you to drink responsibly, and don't drink and ride.

Guaranteed Lowest Hotel Rates at Motorcycle Rally Destinations

I am very pleased to announce an affiliate relationship between Motorcycle Event News and Discount Hotel Reservations -- DHR.com that will allow you to find the absolute best hotel rates near major motorcycle events, worldwide!

DHR.com operates from New York, Istanbul and Manila to offer over 150,000 hotels in over 198 countries, backed by a "Best Rate Guarantee."

I first discovered DHR.com (formerly GtaHotels.com) several years ago and was very impressed with the rate they offered us at a four-star beach resort in Sandestin, Florida. We later took them up on an offer to stay at the Wellington in NYC, and when we had to cancel the reservation there was no service fee for processing the refund. They also offer B&B lodging, all inclusive travel packages, group and tour rates.

DHR.com books lodging accomodations in over 15,000 cities across Europe, US, Canada, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America & the Pacific Rim. And more destinations are being added every month, making them the ideal choice for booking travel to H.O.G. Europe and other Harley-Davidson Rally destinations, worldwide.

Here are some of the many reasons why shoppers choose DHR.com:
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New Motorcycle Trail Dozer At Work In The Black Hills

A new motorcycle trail dozer, donated in part by Yamaha Corporation is being used to open up additional "Motorcycle Only" trails in Black Hills National Forest.

Nearly half a million motorcycle enthusiasts attend the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota and many come to enjoy riding in the Black Hills that stretch into Wyoming.

Millions of park visitors every year enjoy viewing the rugged rock formations, canyons and gulches, open grassland parks, tumbling streams, and deep blue lakes.

September 20, 2011 - The U.S. Forest Service announced the opening of 10 miles of new single-lane trails in the Mystic Ranger District. The Black Hills National Forest covers an area that is 125 miles long and 65 miles wide. (map provided by the U.S. Forest Service)

“These new "Motorcycles Only" trails require advanced riding skills,” said Bob Thompson, acting deputy forest supervisor for the Black Hills National Forest. The new motorcycle trail dozer will be used to create additional new trails that will open this fall.

The new dozer can be driven or operated remotely, and specializes in creating motorcycle trails, although it will also be used to build and maintain other off-road vehicle trails.

The motorcycle trails have markers placed on each end and along the way to help users know where they are, but riders should also carry an official Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) of the area that designates all roads, trails and areas available for public motorized travel in the National Forest.

For more information on the map and on the Black Hills National Forest, go to www.fs.usda.gov/blackhills.

Buffalo Chip: Lynyrd Skynyrd Band Announced for Sturgis 2012

LYNYRD SKYNYRD TO ROCK THE CHIP -- Southern Rock’s most influential band, Lynyrd Skynyrd rocked the "new" stage in 1999 at the Legendary Buffalo Chip and they are the first band announced for the Sturgis 2012 Rally. 

Sturgis biker music fans from around the world have for years been riding America’s highways to the sounds of “They Call Me The Breeze,” “Sweet Home Alabama,” “Free Bird,” and “Gimme Three Steps.” In helping to invent the Southern Rock genre, Lynyrd Skynyrd also helped invent a related genre - biker music.

From humble beginnings in the summer of 1964, three kids from Robert E. Lee High School in Jacksonville, Florida, Lynyrd Skynyrd has become one of the most respected bands in rock, helping to create and sustain the southern rock genre. The band will play at the Legendary Buffalo Chip during the official Sturgis Motorcycle Rally week, Aug. 6 through Aug. 12.

Lynyrd Skynyrd was named for a high school physical education teacher, Leonard Skinner. The band changed the spelling to draw attention to the band members’ southern accents.

“Gimme Three Steps,” was their first hit in 1973, and Sturgis Rally bikers have been treated to a string of rock anthems that followed, including “Sweet Home Alabama,” “Gimme Back My Bullets,” “They Call Me The Breeze,” “I Know A Little,” “Saturday Night Special,” “What’s Your Name,” “You Got That Right,” “Swamp Music,” “Smokestack Lightning,” “Truck Drivin’ Man,” and “Free Bird.”

Lynyrd Skynyrd was inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 2006

New Cafe Racer Class in Rat's Hole Biketoberfest Show

Café Racers have become almost as popular today as they were in the 70's and they will be included as a new class at the 19th Annual Biketoberfest Rat's Hole Custom Bike Show, Saturday, October 15th at Daytona Lagoon, 601 Earl Street in Daytona Beach.

The show will include 21 classes with 100 trophies to be given away, and a special invitation is going out to all Cafe Racers.

"The top three Café Racers will be invited to participate in a Café Racer Showdown judged by the public at the 40th Rat's Hole Show during Daytona Bike Week in March 2012," said show owner, Ted Smith.

As usual, there will be plenty of magazines, tv and radio shows present. Registration for the ride-in bike show is 8 to 9am. Line up on Ora Street and proceed to the pre-registration table to get your show card. No bikes will be accepted after 10am, when judging begins. Trophies will be presented at 5pm. All bikes must fire at the gate. 

2011 European Bike Week Video Images & Story

Here are video highlights of the 14th European Bike Week and AMD Affiliate Bike Show, September 6 to 11, 2011. Europe's biggest and open bike event saw more than 70,000 bikes from all over the world circle the shores of Faaker See in Austria. 


Top winners in the AMD Affiliate Bike Show will be heading to compete in the AMD World Championship Custom Bike Show at Sturgis 2012.
European Motorcycle Event News

The 20th European H.O.G. Rally and Croatia Harley Days in May 2011.  



Returning for a second year, the 20th European H.O.G. Rally & Croatia Harley Days 2011 were staged in the beautiful coastal region of Carinthia near the Italian border.



20th European H.O.G. AMD Bike Show Winners, May 28, 2011.



European H.O.G. Rally 2012 moves to Cascais, Portugal.
Watch the video preview.

Heroes Painting Unveiled at 10th Aniversary 9-11 Rally

Michael Knepper's “Heroes” depicts a group of riders going to ground zero. The number 343
signifying the number of firefighters who died that day while trying to get
 thousands out of the burning buildings in NYC.

Honoring the brave men and women who sacrificed their lives on September 11, 2001, world renowned artist Michael Knepper unveiled "Heroes" during a  10th anniversary 9/11Tribute Rally that was hosted by the International Firefighter's Association Motorcycle Group and Orange County Choppers (Sept. 9 to 11, 2011) in New York.

Michael Knepper is inspired by bikers right out of the biker scene. Bike Builders are often his primary subjects. Among them are Paul Cox and Keino of Indian Larry fame, Russell Mitchell of Exile and from Germany, Fred Codlin and the husband-wife team of Tomas and Dani Habermann. Knepper's studio is in Hamburg, Germany but you will find him at rallies and motorcycle events all over the world.

All of his paintings are available as posters or fine art canvas prints.

9/11 Heroes Across America Ride & Rally Images

Thousands of firefighters joined a "Heroes Across America Ride" to a 9/11 Tribute Rally hosted by the International Fire Fighter's Association Motorcycle Group and Orange County Choppers to "Always Remember & Never Forget" the 347 IAFF members, including 343 FDNY fire fighters who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001 during terrorist attacks in New York, Washington, DC and Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

They came together from  as far away as British Columbia and California to share the 10th anniversary of that terrible day.  

Details and more photos available at: www.911tributerally.com/

They gathered at OCC headquarters in Newburg, New York, where Paul Teutel, Sr. lead a charity ride on Saturday and unveiled a 9/11 Tribute Bike.  

More than 3,700 motorcyclists rode together on Sunday, Sept. 11 from Newburg to the FDNY Fallen Fire Fighters Memorial in New York City.





They included members of the FDNY Fire Riders Motorcycle Club, Motor Maids, Rolling Thunder and Patriot Guard Riders, led by IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger.

 

Photos courtesy of Lisa, Brent, Jess & Justin from Sexy Skins Suede & Leather Fashions

We Will Never Forget The Real Heroes of 9/11/2001

The firemen, policemen, airline pilots & passengers, rescue workers, doctors and nurses and people from all walks of life who risked their own safety in order to save the lives of fellow Americans.

Sucker Punch Sally's Owner Christian Clayton dies at 40

A sad day in the motorcycle world, on 9/9/2011 Christian Clayton from SuckerPunch Sallys passed away unexpectedly in his sleep at home in Phoenix, Arizona.  He was 40 years old.

Christian loved bikes, hot rods and guitars.. pictured here with his Fender Telecaster on a SPS Traditional.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the family.

Created in 2002 by custom bike builders Jeff Cochran and Donnie Loos, Sucker Punch Sally was the first limited edition manufacturer in the industry to specialize in old school stripped down bobbers and choppers sold at reasonable prices.

Geri and Christian Clayton joined the company in 2003, moved operations from Ohio to their manufacturing facility in Scottsdale, Arizona and later became co-owners of Sucker Punch Sally Motorcycles. 

In this photo, Christian is pictured with his good friend, SPS artist Sara Ray.

R.I.P Christian you will be missed...

The Hideaway Grill, Cave Creek AZ

Arizona Bike Week is quickly becoming one of the largest bike rallies in the country. Celebrating its 16th year in March 2012.
Hundreds of thousands of riders trek to the Phoenix area for a week of early season riding and partying before continuing on to CycleFest at WestWorld in Scottsdale.


For many people, the party doesn't start until they pull into The Hideaway Grill, just outside of Phoenix in Cave Creek, Arizona. Mark Bradshaw opened The Hideaway Grill back in 1998. He wanted a place where bikers could get out of the city, get some wind in their faces and relax with some great food and a frosty beverage. For 13 plus years, The Hideaway has continued to attract more and more of the Arizona Bike Week crowd.... and become quite possible the perfect biker bar!

Hideaway Grill features a daily Happy Hour from 2 til 6pm, with free food and discounted drinks. Every day of the week is special, from Taco Tuesdays with 75 cent tacos to Blue Collar Night, with cheap PBRs and well drinks.

Bike Night is pretty much every night, but the official "Double Down" Bike Night is Friday, when you can make your drink a double for an extra 2 bucks. The staff is friendly, attentive and hard-working


The menu at The Hideaway ranges from  chicken wings and cheese sticks to salads, burgers, hot dogs and pizza. They recently added a breakfast menu and now open at 6 AM for those who want to get in a full day of riding!

Mark Bradshaw was honored as  Arizona Bike Week Hero of the Year in 2010. for his hard work, dedication and selfless contributions to the biker community. Congrats, Mark! Keep up the good work! 

If you're planning to attend Arizona Bike Week and Cyclefest, make sure you pay a visit to The Hideaway. Say Hi to Mark, get a picture with one of the bartenders, and grab a Quickie before an awesome day of riding (it's a breakfast dish). Don't forget to tell them that Jeff from Bars4Bikers.com sent you!


Click links below for:
Arizona Bike Week  Rally News
Early Rally in Phoenix
March 23 - 27, 2012
Cyclefest at WestWorld
March 28 - April 1, 2012
Scotsdale, Arizona
http://www.azbikeweek.com/


To find more biker-friendly bars & saloons, visit Bars4Bikers.com. Bars4bikers brings together biker friendly bars, pubs and saloons from all over the world. Bars4bikers.com reminds you to drink responsibly, and don't drink and ride.

Trail of Tears Ride: Sept. 17th 2011

The Trail of Tears Rememberance Ride, every year on the third Saturday in September commemorates the forced relocation of American Indians in the 1830's from the Southeast to reservations in Oklahoma. For some it was a walk of 800 miles and a journey of three months without food or water. Many suffered from the elements, starvation and disease. More than 4,000 Cherokees and countless other Indians died along the way. Photographer Kelly Roper Gillespie - Bent Mind Photography joins many of her Native American family for this ride. "This truly is one event your soul feels clean leaving from," she said in a recent interview.

"Last year, I could not get over the colors of mustard yellow contrasting the blue sky and I was extremely impressed with the areas that were set up for the riders along the way."

"I truly was overwhelmed at the amount of bikes in one area. GREAT vendors, great shows and historical stories from the tribe members."

"It's just so hard to show the true amount of bikes and people, so for this reason, I am bringing a wide angle lens with me this year."


The ride was started in 1994 by Bill Cason of Whitwell, Tennessee in an effort to have the historic route recognized. "It started out, I just wanted to make enough money to put a sign up on the highway," Cason said in a video interview. "Now, 17 years later, we have hundreds of signs and more than $230,000 has gone to scholarships for Native Americans."

Click map to enlarge for details.

Join the ride en-route or join ride-ins Sept. 16th in Alabama, Georgia and Kentucky.

More than 150,000 motorcycle riders now participate in the original 225 mile ride from the historic Ross's Landing in Chattanooga, Tennessee to attend a Native American Festival PowWow at McFarland Park in Florence, Alabama. The line of motorcycles rolling into Florence was 50 miles long in 2007, according to local law officials.

But for the past 10 years, hundreds of members in this group have continued their ride to reach Native American destinations in Oklahoma. 

Trail of Tears Remembrance Association, Inc., created in 2007 continues to educate the public about the Trail of Tears Removal Act of 1838 and also provides Native American scholarships that assist the five civilized tribes of North America (Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, and Seminole nations) in the Southeast and Oklahoma.

Over a four day period this ride covers not just one trail, but several. The ride touches upon the Drane/Hood Route, The Bell Route, The Benge Route and The Northern Route and crosses eight states to create a remembrance of the many different tribes of Native American People.


This video interview with Bill Cason was made in 2010 by THV-Arkansas.

For more information go to these Trail of Tears websites: TrailOfTears-Remembrance.org
or AL-TN-TrailOfTears.net.
 

 

Bikes, Blues & BBQ: Largest US Charity Rally

More than 400,000 rally fans made their way to Northwest Arkansas last year to enjoy the best in riding, music and barbeque at the Bikes Blues & BBQ Rally in Fayetteville, Arkansas. "This is our 12th year and we have added a fourth venue, more vendors and more entertainment," said the event's director, Joe Giles.  The 4-day rally kicks off Wednesday, Sept. 28th.

"Over the last eleven years we have seen the rally grow from a small poker run to one of the largest motorcycle rallies in the country," said Giles. In 2009, the rally extended from Fort Smith to Rogers and over to Eureka Springs. From the Randal Tyson Track Center in south Fayetteville to Dickson Street and up to the Northwest Arkansas Mall where concerts take place at the Arkansas Music Pavilion.

Demo rides at the 2011 BBB Rally at Baum Stadium will include the new Harley-Davidson models, along with Can-Am's new three wheeled cruiser and sport models, plus Yamaha and Suzuki. The Victory corporation, in conjunction with Freedom Powersports, will be bringing the 2012 Victory Vegas’s, Hammers, Jackpots, Visions, and Kingpins.  

Bikes Blues and BBQ has more than doubled its fan base in 2 years on Facebook, which is also a common hook up for rally organizers and volunteers.

Rally bar tender, Kimmy Cruz (center in this photo) is always front and center at this rally that is in her home state, Arkansas.

Rally with a Purpose
From the very beginning, the founders of Bikes, Blues & BBQ realized that although the three festival components of the rally — bikes, blues and barbeque — would be enough to put on a great event, so much more was possible. They wanted to hold Bikes, Blues & BBQ to a higher standard and give it a greater purpose. With that in mind they designated Bikes, Blues & BBQ as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to supporting local charities with funding raised during the rally.

The Miss BBB Bikini Contest with $1,500 up for grabs kicked off Friday, Aug. 19th with semi-finals Sept. 28 & 29 and the finals on Saturday, Oct. 1st. Click the poster image to enlarge for details.

Poker runs hosted by Fayetteville Fire Department leave for Eureka Springs on Friday morning and for Devil's Den State Park on Saturday morning.
Bikes - Loaded with chrome and dripping with attitude - Battle of the Bikes Show opens at noon Saturday, Oct. 1 at the main beer garden venue, (Walton Arts Center parking lot.) A bike parade begins at 3:30pm Saturday at College Avenue and Dickson Street, including a children's bike parade at 3:40pm along a section of Dickson Street.


Blues - A new partnership with the Arkansas Music Pavilion (AMP) in 2009 brought national and regional talent to the rally, including Blackfoot, Molly Hatchet, and The Marshall Tucker Band. Joe Giles was the official BBB Music Coordinator and emcee.

Candlebox and Jamey Johnson will be in concert Thursday & Friday night at AMP in 2011.

Some of this year’s great bands will include Little Hoojin, Trick Bag, Kory Montgomery, The Nace Brothers, Dante and the Hawks, Louisiana Crossroads, David Kimbrough, Jr. (That’s right, the son of Blues legend Jr. Kimbrough.) For the 2011 rally, Saturday will be “All Blues and Rhythm ‘n’ Blues Day”. "We’ll have some folks who will really put a little jump in your rump all day and night long," said Giles. 

BBQ - Every year some of the best BBQ teams from around the country come here to compete in the KCBS Barbeque Cook-Off and the Arkansas State BBQ Championship. Starting Friday morning the air will be filled with the smoky aroma of barbequed chicken, ribs, pork, and beef brisket!


Details at: Bikes Blues and BBQ.

Sturgis Saloon in Skandia, Michigan

The 71st Anniversary of the Sturgis Rally has ended, and now, hundreds of thousands of people are forced to look back on memories and wait until next August for their next Sturgis experience. However, there is a place where you can  experience the fun of Sturgis all year long! The Sturgis Saloon, located in the beautiful Upper Peninsula of Michigan opened just two months ago (June 2011) to rave reviews by people who know what a good time is all about!

Built on the theme of "Spring Break For Adults," they have been keeping the party going non-stop with classic car nights, bike nights, mechanical bull riding, live cagefighting and oversized-glove boxing events.  They are even starting a dodgeball league!

Sturgis Saloon offers a menu full of fantastic options, and possibly has the best burger in the Upper Peninsula. They also have great boneless wings and sweet potato fries, all made fresh with high quality ingredients at great prices! They have a huge selection of cold beverages, and the bartenders are super friendly!

Sturgis Saloon features live entertainment on weekends, and has a huge fenced in outdoor area with a volleyball net, horseshoe pit and plenty of room for special events. They're open every day except Christmas, noon 'til 2am Monday thru Saturday, and noon til 11pm on Sundays.

Sturgis Saloon, "where the rally never ends!" is located at 9271 US41 South, in Skandia, Michigan, about 20 miles southeast of Marquette. Be sure to check them out!

Tell them Jeff from Bars4Bikers.com sent you!

To find more biker-friendly bars & saloons, visit Bars4Bikers.com. Bars4bikers brings together biker friendly bars, pubs and saloons from all over the world. Bars4bikers.com reminds you to drink responsibly, and don't drink and ride.

Craig Metros' Bikes, Hot Rods & Motorcycle Art Shop

Factory 6: Craig Metros from Fuel Tank TV on Vimeo.

Craig Metros is a Detroit born car designer, artist and hot rod builder. Craig moved to Melbourne, Australia five years ago on an international work transfer and recently opened a shop with some fellow Ford Motor Company design buddies.

The six-man shop produces custom motorcycles, hot rods and Craig's brand of art that is heavily influenced by his love of bikes and rods. This brand new video interview with Ford Chief Designer, Craig Metros was co-produced by Luke Ray (Fuel Magazine) and Tom Broadhurst (Bandit Films) for Fuel Tank TV in Melbourne. Enjoy!

Ride for the Cure, Oct. 1 with Grand Marshall Brenda Fox

Please join the New England Walkers4Knockers for the 2nd Annual Ride for the Cure & After Ride Bash

m, After Ride Bash from 5pm on at the
$25.00 per person - includes breakfast & lunch by Texas Roadhouse, the ride, the after ride bash, a chance to win $500 cash and some great prizes. The ride begins and ends at Seacoast Harley-Davidson, 17 Lafayette Road, North Hampton, NH.

Free T-shirt for the first 300 to register
Click the poster image to enlarge for details

Registration is 8:30 to 10:30am - kickstands up at 11am on Saturday, Oct. 1st 2011. at Seacoast Harley-Davidson, North Hampton, New Hampshire. Breakfast & Lunch provided by Texas Roadhouse, Newington, NH. After Ride Bash at the Chop Shop Pub in Seabrook. 
 

Don't miss your chance to meet and ride with legendary motorcycle spokesperson, breast cancer survivor and Grand Marshal of this event for a second year: Brenda Fox.... and if you can't make the ride, please buy the 2012 "Women of Hope" Breast Cancer Calendar.
Motorcycle Event News is proud to be a media sponsor for the ride and calendar.

Click here for calendar details.

Iron Tails Saloon - Acton, Maine

Iron Tails Saloon is the hottest new thing to come to Maine since lobster and chowder. Iron Tails has only been open since early May, but has already become a destination stop for riders all over New England! With a great menu, full bar and an awesome open air front porch, Iron Tails is where the party is every night except Tuesdays!

Iron Tails' menu features all that is required from a good biker bar, like wings and nachos, but adds a Maine flair with selections like Buffalo Maine Shrimp and baked haddock. Try the 2 Dogs In Heat, their oven baked version of chili cheese dogs, or the "Old School" Haddock Jack, a fresh haddock filet topped with special seasonings, garlic, Jack cheese and tomato slices. They'll have you coming back over and over again.

Iron Tails Saloon has a daily happy hour, with drink specials and discounts on appetizers. Wednesday night is "Take It In The Can" night, with discounts on canned beer. Sunday nights, they have fresh oysters on the half shell. They've got live entertainment on weekends, and an Open Mic night on Thursdays.

If you happen to get up to the northern New England area, be sure to check out Iron Tails Saloon! It's located in Acton, Maine, it's only about a half hour away from Laconia and about a 2 hour ride from Boston. Iron Tails Saloon, it's where the Soft Tails roam! Tell them Jeff from Bars4Bikers.com sent you!


To find more biker-friendly bars & saloons, visit Bars4Bikers.com.
Bars4bikers brings together biker friendly bars, pubs and saloons from all over the world. Bars4bikers.com reminds you to drink responsibly, and don't drink and ride.

Central Iowa BACA: Bikers Against Child Abuse

The Central Iowa Chapter of Bikers Against Child Abuse invites everyone to attend their 2nd Annual Biker Bash on Saturday, August 20th at The Ridgemont, 7460 Hickman Road in Windsor Heights, a subburb of Des Moines, Iowa  to raise awareness and funds to help battle the epidemic of child abuse.

Click the flyer to enlarge.

"Entry to this event is free, so come learn about who we are and what we are about all while enjoying all sorts of entertainment and specials inside," said Adam "Psycho" McNeely, merchandiser and events coordinator for Central Iowa BACA. "Come on out and party with B.A.C.A., check out our vendors, get some new ink, feed your belly, grab a cold one, and rock out to some great live music... and don't forget to bring a dirty bike." The event starts at Noon on Saturday, Aug. 20th and ends at closing time (2am) Sunday.

Beer Garden with drink specials
Food specials
Tattoos by Ink Addition,
Sound Quality provided by Gadgets of Executive Services
Live Music by: Double Barrel

Bikini Bike Wash, Vendors, Raffles and much, much, more

B.A.C.A. was founded in Utah in 1995 by John Paul "Chief" Lilly, a licensed clinical social worker, part-time faculty member of Brigham Young University and registered play therapist, who had spent nearly two decades advocating for abused children.

BACA Mission Statement

Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA) exists with the intent to create a safer environment for abused children. We exist as a body of Bikers to empower children to not feel afraid of the world in which they live. We stand ready to lend support to our wounded friends by involving them with an established, united organization. We work in conjunction with local and state officials who are already in place to protect children. We desire to send a clear message to all involved with the abused child that this child is part of our organization, and that we are prepared to lend our physical and emotional support to them by affiliation, and our physical presence. We stand at the ready to shield these children from further abuse. We do not condone the use of violence or physical force in any manner, however, if circumstances arise such that we are the only obstacle preventing a child from further abuse, we stand ready to be that obstacle.

What started as a way to reach one frightened 8 year old boy, became a circle of bikers with chapters in Utah, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Texas, then across the country and in other parts of the world. To locate a B.A.C.A. chapter in your state or country, with links to BACA Nation Radio Forums and more, visit (bacaworld.org) BACA International, "Breaking the Chains of Abuse."

Hells Angels and Mongols Fight at Sturgis Rally 2011 (Video)

Video shot from the balcony of One Eyed Jack's, Wednesday night (Aug. 10th) of a fight in downtown Sturgis. The witness who shot this video said he was talking on his cell phone watching the Hells Angels Sturgis headquarters when all hell broke loose!

"I heard popping noises and looked down. Probably 20 Hells Angels and Mongols were going at it, fighting, etc. Within a minute, the Sturgis Police were at the scene, guns drawn and taking control. Notice the women in the clubhouse coming out with their hands over their heads. We had noticed the Mongols eating outside at the restaurant while walking in. Wonder if it was a turf deal since the restaurant is directly adjacent to the Hells Angels clubhouse?"

A member from both groups was stabbed during the downtown Sturgis gang fight between the Mongols and Hells Angels on Aug. 10 , which may also have been a contributing factor to smaller crowds at the 71st Sturgis Rally, Sheriff's Chief Deputy Tom  Wilts told the rapidcityjournal

The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally by tradition is considered "neutral territory."

Following the 70th anniversary rally, it seemed likely the 71st Sturgis Rally, Aug. 4th to 14th would draw fewer rally fans. But many who were at this year's rally said every campground had vancancy signs and the crowd was 30 to 40 percent smaller than the estimated half a million crowd that attended Sturgis 2010.

According to traffic counts in and out of the rally, released to the Associated Press by the State Department of Transportation, attendance was down nearly 12 percent from last year's estimated 466,769 that was up from 442,163 in 2009. The 60th rally in 2000 drew the biggest crowd so far, an estimated 633,000.

The City of Sturgis issued 719 vendor licenses for the 2011 Sturgis Rally, down 5.5 percent from the 761 issued for the 70th anniversary rally. Sturgis is also "aging out" as a rally, according to a recent survey: 61% of the Sturgis crowd is age 41-65, including 38% that are ages 41-53.

AMD World Championship Sturgis 2011 Show Results

Japanese bike builder Ken Tabata came to Sturgis as an unknown to win the 2011 AMD World Championship of Custom Bike Building, on Wed., Aug. 10th. Tabata of Tavax Engineering, Yao City, Osaka, worked for more than 3 years on "TAVAX 2011V," a bike with dynamic movement and power, "designed to look like a Cheetah about to pounce."

Top 3 in the Freestyle class: Satya Kraus of Kraus Motor Co (left) (3rd place), newly-crowned World Champion Ken Tabata of Tavax Engineering (center) and Larry Houghton of Lamb Engineering (2nd place).    Click images to enlarge.

TAVAX2011V effortlessly combines sculpted aluminum bodywork with one-off hand-made pieces that form the suspension and replace the stock engine and transmission covers. At the rear of the bike the swingarm pivots from behind the rear cylinder, arcing over the transmission, and carrying a linkage system operated single shock, a design similar to that found on many modern sports bikes.

At the front of the machine the suspension begins at the axle as a leading link fork, which then changes via a pair of links to finish as a Springer fork.

To demonstrate the performance potential of his bike Ken has forgone tall and wide wheels, favoring instead a pair of Marchesini 17in sport bike rims carrying floating rotors and Lockheed brake calipers.

Taking a less complex styling route, Larry Houghton, of Lamb Engineering, secured second place with Son of a Gun. Based around a 1951 BSA single cylinder engine (found on eBay) and Talon motocross wheels. Larry built the rest of the bike himself, often collecting material from the scrap bins of friends in the engineering trade. His careful recycling of material meant that he was able to build a World Class custom motorcycle for less than $9,000, including the gold candy silver metalflake paint wrap.

Third place winner Satya Kraus believes in the bare essentials, aptly demonstrated by his entry, "Bolide." He achieved his aim by putting a 93ci S&S Shovelhead motor in a one-off frame carrying a mono-shocked swingarm, telescopic forks and 17in Alpina spoked wheels shod with Metzeler sport bike tires.

1st Place - Performance Custom Class was won by Jim Giuffra and the girls of AFT Customs, who rebuilt a 1970 Honda CB750 café racer styled custom, complete with RaceTech suspension, Beringer brakes and numerous one-off pieces.

1st Place, Production Class: The influence that café racers are having on the current custom scene can also be seen in the design of the top placed Production Manufacturer class bike. Best known for its line of Chops and Bobbers, Darwin Motorcycles has built what it describes as an American muscle bike. Powered by a 132ci S&S X-Wedge V-twin, the RLX carries a full range of top spec components including Öhlins suspension, Beringer brakes and BST carbon fiber wheels.

Italian Sidecar Bike wins AMD Modified Harley Class: A first in 2011 for the World Championship was the entry of a sidecar outfit and it was this outfit, Abnormal Cycles' Union, that took the honors in the Modified Harley class. The Model 'U' powered outfit features a stock frame fitted with a custom sidecar body and a leaf spring Indian style front end, which includes a pair of handlebars created to also look like a leaf spring.

The World Championship of Custom Bike Building exists to showcase and promote international custom motorcycle design and engineering quality, craftsmanship and innovation; and to promote the evolution of custom motorcycling in ways that will help secure the unique enjoyment of custom motorcycles for future generations of riders.

The World Championship is a free-public-admission four-day event that opens on the first Sunday of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, culminating in an awards ceremony at 3:00 pm MST on the Wednesday of the Rally. The whole event, including the awards ceremony, is broadcast on the internet and you will find photos of all of the top bikes at www.AMDChampionship.com.