Click here to view the August Edition

2
STAFF
President
Scott Robinson
[email protected]
Scott Robinson and John Amundson, owners of
Wheels of Thunder Magazine, founded July 2010
Table of Contents
4
8
20
Ron Sullivan: Extreme Custom Choppers
7 Kids’s Day at Princeton Speedway
General Manager
Buddy Robinson
[email protected]
Editor/Art Design
Ryan Dawson
[email protected]
Office Manager
Mandi Carlson
[email protected]
Lamont Cranston lead opens new art center
12 Ride for Vikings Children’s Fund
18 Twin Ports Sports Riders - Duluth, MN
MN Regional Sales Manager
Teri Baker
[email protected]
Brainerd International Raceway NHRA Nationals
26
Vice President
John Amundson
[email protected]
Ride 4 a Cause: Charity Rides Calendar
30 10th Annual Ronald McDonald House “The Cruise”
34 Interview with Donnie Smith - Blaine, MN
39 Sturgis: Eternal Combustion Exhibit
40 Heavy Metal: Art of Grant Standard
46 Medina Ballrom Bike & Babe Contest/Shorty’s Run
Special Thanks to our Photographers!
Chris Endres (Cover, Ron Sullivan)
www.hotridesphoto.com
Dennis Sherman (Medina Ballroom/Calender)
www.sherman-photography.com
Denis Larson (Donnie Smith)
www.mtlproductions.com
Andy Perfetti (TPSR)
[email protected]
Steve Frank (Ronald Mcdonald)
www.stevefrankphoto.com
Tanner Wolfe (Ronald McDonald)
www.tanner-wolfe.com
3
WI Regional Sales Manager
Rob Axtell
[email protected]
763.421.4400
www.wheelsofthunder.net
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By Cheri Johnson, Photos by Chris Endres
Some artists use a canvas to create their
vision. Not Ron Sullivan. The owner
of Extreme Custom Choppers in Newport, MN, unleashes his creativity on
metal in the form of custom made
motorcycles.
“Being creative is the bottom line,” says
Ron. Customers will often give Ron
some direction but generally he heads
up the ideas, styles and designs. “The
mechanics will put their two cents in
too and next thing you know, we have a
beautiful bike.”
Such creativity doesn’t happen overnight either. The bike that Ron would long and sleek style
“put up on the mantle” features a low, and is known as “The
Cobra.” Painted lime
green and sporting
a huge cobra design
on the tank, the bike
took half a year to
build.
Ron enjoying a ride with customer and friend, Troy Knutsen
“The mechanics will put their two
cents in, and the next thing you
know, we have a beautiful bike.”
“We designed the bike around a tire actually,” he recalls. “The owner’s son had
me build a bike for him and he wanted
his dad to build a bike with us too. His
son bought him a 300 tire and that was
the start of the Cobra.”
Working on ECC employee Rob Bonneville’s Custom framed Shovelhead
Because Ron does fabrication and bike
repair at his shop, painting of the bikes is
done by a painter that Ron has used for
10 years. “He might suggest a different
style of graphic or something but all of
the designs come out perfect,” Ron explains. “He’s never done a paint job that
I didn’t like.”
4
Trends and Customers
When Ron first started the business,
people were building custom choppers,
then pro street bikes and now baggers.
him, but one person he met at a
show a few years ago has stuck
with him. Robert Brown Jr., a
young man with cerebral palsy,
came to the booth and Ron could
tell the boy knew his motorcycles.
$15,000 to build, Ron called on his
vendors, explained what he was doing
and asked them to donate. Within three
weeks, he had the parts and the bike was
ready to build.
“It was pretty incredible,” says Ron.
“This simple project just started grow“I’d see him here and there and he ing. We had media crews here intercould name off parts and styles, viewing Robert, taping him turning
everything,” Ron remembers. wrenches. It just kept getting bigger and
“His passion stuck with me and bigger.”
I wanted to give something to
him, so I decided to let him build In the end, the effort raised more than
his own bike.”
$30,000 for the hospital and Ron and
Robert are still buddies. “I’ve made a
When it came to building the friend for life,” he adds. “He touched
bike, Ron recalls that Robert my heart in a way no one else ever has
knew exactly what type
of bike he wanted to “His passion stuck with me and
build and what he wantI wanted to give something to
ed to do with it. “We sat
him, so I decided to let him
down and I thought we
would have to have sevTroy’s ‘96 Harley, “Cut-up and made into a cafe
build his own bike.”
racer/bobber” by ECC
eral meetings,” he says,
“But Robert knew what type of before. He’s a courageous young man.”
“Yes, it’s trendy but it’s like teenagers and clothes,” Ron explains. “We’re tires, the angle of the neck, even the colOpening the Business
just big kids. Instead of buying clothes, or of the bike when we sat down.”
Celebrating his 10th year in business,
we buy parts for our motorcycles and
change our minds half way through the The then 12-year-old decided he wanted Sullivan started his business on a whim.
project and then it goes a different way. to raffle the bike and give the proceeds “I was reading the newspaper and saw
to Gillette Children’s Hospital, a place that this building was available for rent,”
We’re big kids is what it is.”
where he had already gone through 25 he recalls. “I’ve always been into motorThese “big kids” range from 16 to 75, surgeries. Since a basic bike can cost cycles and tinkered on them in my gaare in all types of professions and both
men and women. The one thing have in
common is the want to make a bike their
own. “They want the bike to be a reflection of themselves and of their personality,” Ron adds.
Repeat customers are common at Extreme Custom Choppers because it’s
their policy to always be honest. “We
don’t oversell, we tell you what you
need and the importance level but then
let the customers make their own decisions,” he says.
Giving Back
All of Ron’s customers are important to
5
rage. You know, making a bike for my- fun – lots of fun!”
self or for a buddy. But after looking at
the building, I knew I should open my Going to shows, promoting the shop and
own shop.”
building bikes on his
Renting the building was easy but open- own, there were days
ing the business wasn’t necessarily a walk Ron would start at 6
in the park. It took almost four months a.m. and not leave the
of meeting with the city, working with shop until 2 a.m., but,
the neighbors and prepping the space be- he says, he was still having fun. Business was
fore Ron could hang his shingle.
booming in the custom
“I never went to business school or any- industry and eventually
thing but I was schooled on how to open Ron was able to hire a
a business,” he says. “That first year I few people and expand the business.
was in business, I made a few mistakes
but I have learned from them. And I had Although the down economy has slowed
business, Ron has plans
to expand sometime in
the future. “I’d love to
build my own building
and move up to manufacturing parts,” he says.
“We’re an all service shop
and I’d like to grow even
more.”
6
Ron is married to Angela Sullivan and
has two children, Autumn, age 3, and
Russell, age 23.
For more information on Extreme Custom Choppers, go to www.extremecustomchoppers.com and also look for
them on Facebook.
By Cheri Johnson
CJ Communications LLC
Special to Wheels of Thunder
Princeton Speedway
KIDS THRILLED
WITH DRIVERS
Manager/Promotor
Nikki Elton and a crew of
twenty plus workers groomed
and maintain this 1/4 mile
Joey Jensen signing autographs. Joey
drives the V2 A-Modified.
high banked clay oval, as 100
racers compete for points and
Sixty miles north of the Twin Cities, a class championship.From the
kids and fans gather for their “Need for early jalopies to todays WissoSpeed” at Princeton Speedway located ta cars, nearly 2000 fans watch
onthe Mille Lacs County Fairgrounds the races in a modern facility.
Concession by the Mlle Lacs
in Princeton.
County 4-H
Club and the Princeton aycees keep fan
well fed.The races
start in late April and
end in early September.
In
existance
since 1956,jalopies,
modified, sprints,and
late models have competed at the track.
With a need for standardizing rules, the
sanctioning
body
Wissota was formed
in 1984 and has been
providing a strong
Scott Robinson, Wheels of Thunder President, with son
Zack, and Wayne Troseth, driver of the 19 A-Modified. leadership ever since.
Princeton has four
Kids and adults poured onto classes falling under the Wissota banner.
the race track scrambling to try to get Their name and the year they became
their picture taken with their favor- a Wissota sanctioned class: Wissota
ite race car driver, as over 100 drivers Modified (1984), Wissota Super Stocks
gladly gave pictures and let the kids sit (1991), Wissota Street Stocks (2000) and
in their race cars in appreciation for their the Wissota Midwest Modifieds (2001).
support.Manager/Promotor Nikki El- In 2005, a Hornet Class was added. Basiton watched as kids seemingly enjoyed cally a front wheel drive class aiming to
themselves during the 20 minute inter- new drivers.
Ticket prices are $10 for
mission.This was the first year fans were
able to greet their driver on the race Adults,$8 for Students (ages 7-14), $8 for
track and judging from the smiling faces, Seniors and all children 6 and under are
free. Pit tickets are $25. The Fairgronds
it won’t be the last.
7
are available for Demo-Derbies,Tractor
Pulls,Car Shows, etc.Prices are reasonable.Contatct Judy Gerth at 763 389
3138.
The “Voice President” at Princeton is
Keith Moilanen, who has been announcing since 1964 . Truly a legend!
Any other questions contact:
Princeton Speedway:
P.O. Box 1008
1400 3rd Street North
Princeton Mn. 55371
Phone: 763.389.3135
Fax: 763.631.1475
Cell: 763.238.0053
Web Address:
www.princetonspeedway.com.
Dave Cain driver of the 2c A-Modified.
Lamont Cranston lead
Opening new art center
Pat ‘Lamont’ Hayes, the Legendary Twin Cities blues rocker has returned to his
childhood passion for the arts and shares his plans for a new studio/gallery
Ryan Dawson interviewed Pat Hayes
in Hamel, MN for Wheels of Thunder
Magazine
means a lot to me. I thought this
was really great. It kind of inspires
me.
RD: And looking at some of your
RD: What made you choose Hamel for artwork, you do a lot of Minnesota
your new studio?
landscapes, is that from back when
you were a kid?
PH: Well I always wanted to come back
out towards my hometown area, and PH: Yeah I really like the beauty
when this popped up for rent and it was of the country. ‘Round here, esaffordable, I grabbed it quick. Places like pecially back when I was a kid,
this are hard to find this close. If you it’s pretty much a small town. It’s
went out 50 miles out you might find turning into suburbia now though.
something, but being this close to my When I was a kid everybody knew each
home town, this worked out perfect. other, and there was a pretty big woods
It just came up at the right time and I out there, so we got to go in them all the
grabbed it.
time. Great place to grow up and I was
inspired by the landscapes, and I started
RD: What was this building used for?
painted those landscapes. I got one up
on the wall there, and that one is right
PH: It was the old Fortin hardware across the road from our house- a winstore, been here since 1916. I worked ter scene there. If I would be out there
here when I was a kid-- like 8 or 9 years hunting or something, off to the west,
old in the 5th grade, and this building that is what I would see. That snowy hill
there.
“If I would be out there hunting or
something, off to the west, that is what
I would see. That snowy hill there.”
School. I knew about the Atelier back
from 1968 when someone brought me
there once. But I didn’t want to go there
because I thought it was to stuffy and
quiet and too serious. At that time I was
a wild kid.
RD: Were you just out of high school?
PH: Yeah I was 18 and I said, ‘No, this
is too stuffy and weird’. I was into wild
stuff and wanted to be a crazy rock n’ roll
musician. Like the rolling stones, you
That is what I would look know. And then I decided to go back to
at when I would come back that particular school, because I wanted
from hunting, and that someone to teach me oil paints. If you
stuff is really beautiful, try to learn by yourself it is too hard. So
the country side. It really they taught me a lot at that school.
influenced me. I started
drawing when I was a little RD: What was it like, going back and
kid and got really good it. forth between music and art- how did one
Ever since I could pick up effect the other?
a pencil, I was drawing
pictures. And then people PH: It’s always hard to go between the
would start saying, well two. There are some people that do it.
he’s pretty good you know. Ronnie Wood is a painter too, and even
Got really good at school, Bob Dylan was a painter. Tony Bennett
and then got into music, is a painter. There are quite a few musiand got side tracked for 40 cians that are painters or artists too. For
years. But I still worked on me, it was always hard because it’s two
my paintings and drawings, different mind sets, and music to me has
then in the late ‘80’s I went always been the rowdy, wild thing, and
to a place called Atelier Art art has always been the quiet peaceful
8
part. It’s been hard for me to go from
one to the other, but I did it as good as
I could. But sometimes you gotta do
what you gotta do. Sometimes the music was more important and then other
times the art would be more important.
And when the art was more important
the music would take a backseat, and
I would lose popularity and stuff. I
wouldn’t work on my band and would
let things go. We’d have some performances that weren’t so great. And then I
would go “Oh, I gotta get back into the
band again”, but then my art would suffer so I would have to go back in. It was
always so hard to do that, but now that I
have this studio my art is going to be real
important to me. And I’m going to show
other artists in here to. This is going to
be a studio/gallery, so people will be able
to come in here and see me working on
paintings here, but will also be paintings
all over the wall for sale. There will be a
sign out here and there will be pictures
in the window for sale, and there will be
a number to buy these pictures by ap-
One of Pat’s live model exercises
from the Atelier Art School
pointment. I will be in here working
and sometimes it will say open and then
sometimes closed, but there won’t be
regular hours. I am going to have receptions, and let different artists have shows
and opening parties and try to drum up
some business and get some people in
here to see these paintings.
now that is art right there.”?
PH: Well Andrew Wyeth has always
been one of my greatest artists. He did a
lot of country and winter scenes. There
was something about Andrew Wyeth
RD: Do you have a name picked out yet?
PH: Yeah, it’s going to be the Elm
Creek Arts. Elm Creek is the one that
runs through here, and it’s the one right
by my folk’s house.
RD: For your art shows are you going to
be featuring other artists?
PH: Yeah I’m going to have different artists. See I am going to go to the
Atelier School and there are some really
good painters there. So I am going back
to my old school and asking any of those
students or alumni from there, and see if
they want to show their paintings here.
I’m not going to take a huge percentage
of the sales of them. They will be on the
walls in here and if one of them turns
out really good I’ll have them their own
show. But there will be a collection of
pictures on these walls all the time. Once
in a while, different artists will have a
show in here. Hopefully publicize. And
we want to get some people coming up
here.
Pat at work in his new Elm Creek
Art Studio in Hamel, Minnesota
I really liked a lot, and of course I was
into surrealism and Dali. But Andy Wyeth, I really liked him a lot. And there
are some other ones, old ones, like Leonardo da Vinci and Michaelangelo. I really liked them.
RD: What is your time frame as far as RD: What was the experience like going
having your first opening?
back to school after you went into music
and explored that wild side a little bit,
PH: I know enough not to predict. I can’t and then making the decision to go back
say yet. I have only been here a week. I to school?
want to paint these walls a cream color
and get these stickers off. Then I have to PH: Well I was still living on the wild
go and talk to more artists. These are the side half the time. I still do a little bit.
only paintings I have on the wall here But to me, what is important is the work.
now. I don’t have enough to fill these You are expressing yourself either way.
walls, so I’d like to get some more artists You express yourself through music and
to get some work on these walls. I am the stories you tell in a song, and you
going to put a couple of really cool land- kind of do that with your paintings too.
scapes on the window. Big ones. Then You’re expressing something you see,
people are going to see and go “Wow, that you want to show that to somethose are really good paintings.” So it’s one else. Whether it’s painting or mujust as soon as I find those paintings and sic, it’s an expressive thing, and so that’s
get everything ready. I have no idea, but the similarity of music and art- you are
I imagine two months or so. But I always telling a story, and to me, that’s the imhate to predict something like that.
portant thing. It’s about how I can get
better at being a musician, or how can
RD: Are there any artists that have stood I get better at being an artist, and tell
out to you, and make you think, “Wow, these stories better. So going to school
9
feasible. But it’s not feasible all the time
anyways, because you’ve got to bring
all kinds of junk with you- you have to
bring that easel right there. Sometimes
guys would have to put up an umbrella
to keep the bright sun out. Then you get
bugs on your painting, and you got to
bring something to mix, and you have to
carry your paints, brushes and rags, and
everything. Then you have to get it all
home with getting it wrecked! It gets
to be quite a lot of work, but it’s worth
it because you are better off painting at
the scene, but there are also times when
the sunset will look really great right
now, and 10 or 20 minutes later, it will
be gone. So I try to capture that scene
with a photo.
Proud father Hayes with a
painting of his daughter, Lauren
was just helping me do what I wanted to
do. I figured “This is going to help me
be a better artist and express myself better”. So it was all about getting better at
expressing myself, and that is also what I
am trying to do with music. That’s why
I keep playing. A lot of people say “Oh,
you’re still playing?” Well yeah! You
can always get better, and you can always
learn. When you get to the point that
you think you can’t learn anymore, then
you are done. You might as well go off
to Branson then… (laughs) or Vegas!
RD: So what the process like for you,
if you are out and about and see something
that catches your eye, and you decide you
want to paint it?
PH: I would take a picture. I keep a
camera with me and if I was on the
road somewhere, I would take a picture.
Then I would try to redo that in the studio. A lot of the paintings you see right
here are from when I was out fishing or
hiking somewhere and had the camera
along and took a picture. Some of them
I painted right on the scene. It’s better to do them right there, because the
photo can lie to you. The color or feel
of the scene is always better if you are
right there. You just feel it better. The
wind, and all of the experience of being
right there comes out in the painting. So
it’s always better to be right there on the
scene, but in winter time, that is not so
of local kids that would like to come
in and take some lessons here. We are
thinking about that too. I think that is
a good idea.
RD: Sure, you never know, when a child
is presented an opportunity to learn, they
might discover a little passion for something that they wouldn’t get to experience,
or a chance to try. Everybody has one of
those little water color sets, but with some
instruction, and a little bit of technique,
they might suddenly realize they have a
hidden talent.
PH: I wish a place like this would have
been around here when I was a kid- a
place that had lessons. I wish that would
of happened to me. Because then I
RD: Is
there
would
have
anything new in the “When you get to the point that progressed a lot
works or something
quicker.
you think you can’t
you are working on?
learn anymore, then you are RD: But you
PH: Well I just
never
know,
want to work on done. You might as well go off maybe then you
my landscapes from to Branson then…or Vegas!” wouldn’t have
the country side
become a musiaround here; a big one in the window cian!
that would capture people’s attention.
But I don’t know. I have been known to PH: Yeah that is true. But I think we
take a really long time to finish some- might have some classes up here. I am
thing, so I am just going to start work- going to talk to some teachers, and they
ing on a couple of really big landscapes can come out here and be a guest teachwith the sunset. I really like the sunsets. er, and have a class in here. It’s a perfect
It could take a long time to finish it, but place for a class.
if I put my mind to it I could get it done.
You can’t predict how long that is going
Elm Creek Arts is
to take.
RD: What do you imagine happening
here in a year from now?
PH: Well I’d hope to be known and selling paintings out of here. That would be
ideal. That people would know about it
and we would be selling a couple
of good paintings a month out
of here. I would be happy about
that.
RD: Is there active local art community up here?
PH: No, I don’t think so. But we
might have lessons out of here,
and have the teacher come in, and
teach a course in the evening. Like
an hour and a half or two hours.
There’s probably a whole bunch
10
located in the old
Fortin Hardware store,
at the top of the hill,
Hamel, MN.
11
RIDE FOR THE VIKINGS
CHILDREN’S FUND
Bryan Henze, Le Suer MN, was at the 2010 Vikings Ride for
Life on July 10th, for a reason like no other. Bryan was there
celebrating the life of his son Lucas.
Lucas was 8 months old when he was injured while at
daycare in April of 2007. He suffered massive injuries including skull fractures, bleeding around the brain, hemorrhages
behind his eyes, and a broken arm. Bryan and his wife Kim
were told the night of his injury that Lucas would not live. He
made it through the night and then they were told AGAIN
that things didn’t look well. Little did the doctors realize what
a fighter they had on their hands.
Lucas turned 4 years old on July 20th! Bryan wears
his shirt with the picture of his son PROUDLY! He told me
“Lucas goes everywhere I go!” Lucas is still undergoing medical attention, but what a blessing and miracle he is. Bryan and
Kim are the strongest parents I know. When I met Bryan, I
met such a proud father, that was riding
not only for life, but
for a miracle.
Please go and
read Luke’s story. It
is so touching. You
can visit his Caring
Bridge website to
read his story, send
prayers to the family, and keep up on
Luke’s
progress.
www.caringbridge. Bryan Henze, Le Suer MN, proudly
org/visit/lucashen- displaying a photo of his son Lucas
ze. Bryan and Kim
are also working on getting started a non-profit organization called Luke’s Legacy. “Luke’s Legacy started out as being
about helping out Luke and his family, but then we thought
about the kids and families at HCMC. We decided to try to get
Luke’s Legacy started to help families in a way that no other
program has.” If your child is gravely hurt, like some kids at
HCMC, you as a parent want to be there by their side every
single minute. The thought of bills like gas, electric, and your
mortgage are the furthest thing from your mind. Wouldn’t it
be great if somebody came into the room and said “I know
you have a lot on your plate, but don’t worry about the phone
bill, we got it for you!” This is still a work in progress, but will
someday become a reality. Bryan and Kim are still working
still trying to catch up from Lucas being in the hospital.
If you would like to donate to Luke’s Legacy,
please send checks to:
Luke’s Legacy P.O. Box 0009 Le Suer, MN 56058 and visit
www.lukes-legacy.org for more information
12
Top Left: Vikings
Cheerleaders help
the cause!
Top Right: Viktor loves Wheels of
Thunder!
Left:Todd Glocke,
4th year at the ride
with daughter
Isabella
Right: Milt Toratti,
69, at the 2010 Vikings Ride for Life.
Heeeeeeere’s Milt!
I met Milt at the 2010 Vikings
Ride for Life. 10 years ago, Toratti started
collecting old firemen’s helmets at auctions and yard sales, and has been decorating them for autographs. He hasn’t missed
a training camp since 1989, and has been
going on and off every year since 1961.
The only time he has missed was when he
was serving in the US Army.
Milt told me that there were lots
of stories about him on the internet, and
I couldn’t believe what I found. In 2007
Milt had had a stroke, was 3 minutes away
from dying, had surgery, and was out
there at camp the next day. Is this where
the quote “no rest for the weary” comes
to play? I even found a picture of Ryan
Longwell signing his cast when he broke
his legs, again, nothing stops Milt.
Milt, who is now retired, has lots
of time to devote to his favorite team.
The players look for him every year to see
what helmet he has, and what he has come
up with next.
It was a pleasure to meet one of
the Vikings biggest fans at the 2010 Vikings Ride for Life. And I can’t wait to
see where we find Milt next. Maybe we
should start something called “Where’s
Milt?”
Thank you Milt and all the Vikings fans that came out to the ride.
by Mandi Carlson
13
MINNESOTA
VIKINGS
Top Left: Bob Lurtsema Center: Stu Voight Right: Ray Edwards
Bottom Left: Phillip Schmoll, 10 year Ride for Life Veteren.
Bottom Center: Gary Busse from Prior Lake, 4th Year
Bottom Right: Ron Lemm, Ramsey, MN Retired Asst. Fire Chief,
his bike is a Special Edition Harley made exclusively for fire fighters.
14
Viktor and the Vikings Cheerleaders thank everyone
who made this years Ride for Life a Huge Success!
16
17
T. P. S. R.
by Mandi Carlson
TPSR stands for Twin Ports Sport Riders. The
group of only 5 members was established by Kris
Herubin and Kyle Poldoski in 2007. Today TPSR has
grown to 80 members from all over Minnesota, Wisconsin, and parts of the United States. The purpose behind
the group was to gather other smaller groups and ride
“United.” Kris says “No one should have to ride alone.
Riding in a group gives you that sense that you belong
to something.”
During the summer you will find TPSR anywhere
that includes stunts and speed! They will even put on
stunt shows themselves, giving anyone that stops by a
great show. Some days the local group in the Twin
Ports areas will get together for one of those “get on
the bike and just see where it takes us” trips. They
never know where they might end up. Every year they
take off on their Annual Daytona Bike week trip. Down
in Florida they meet up with more of their members and
join in all the “Bike Week Events and Fun.”
Winter doesn’t stop TPSR from getting together.
Once a month they will get together and have dinner,
staying united as riders. If you talk to any one of them,
you find that they are very passionate about riding,
and being a part of such a great group.
The purpose behind the group was to
gather other smaller groups and ride
“United.” Kris says “No one should
have to ride alone. Riding in a group
gives you that sense that you belong
to something.”
18
[email protected]
19
AUG 12-15
29th Annual Lucas
Oil NHRA Nationals
The National Hot Rod Association has announced the
schedule for the 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series,
which includes Aug. 12-15 as the dates for the 29th Annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway.
BIR’s event will be the 17th race of next year’s series, and will
follow the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals in Denver,
which is the third leg of the Western Swing. The teams will
have three weeks between the Denver race and the Lucas Oil
NHRA Nationals.
Featuring Wheels of
Thunder’s Very Own,
The best drag racers in the world compete at the NHRA Nationals on BIR’s world-renown track, which is one of the fastest in the country. Names like John Force, Tony Schumacher,
Larry Dixon, Ron Capps, Antron Brown, Brandon Bernstein,
Doug Herbert, Cruz and Tony Pedregon, Ashley Force and
Minnesotans Greg Anderson, Jason Line, and Warren and Kurt
Johnson will be competing for valuable series points and prize
money.
Buddy
Robinson
This kind of racing isn’t for the faint of heart. The Top Fuel
Dragsters get down the track in under 4 seconds at over 300
mph. They crank out about 8,000 horsepower along the way.
Blink at the wrong time and they’re long gone.
YOU’VE GOT TO FEEL IT TO BELIEVE IT!
NHRA Pro-stock
motorcycle
Qualifying Aug 13-14
Eliminations Aug 15
“7 seconds
@
190 MPH”
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www.brainerdraceway.com
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Ride 4 a Cause
August Charity Ride Calendar
August 1st
Spirit of Alyssa Motorcycle
Run- 1st Annual
Pancake Breakfast
8:00AM-10:00AM
The Spirit of Alyssa Motorcycle Run
10:00AM-2:00PM
Dinner, Silent Auction Drawings &
Entertainment
2:00PM-10:00PM
VFW – Cottage Grove (Red Barn)
9260 East Point Douglas Road
Cottage Grove, Minnesota 55016
All proceeds will go to help pay
medical bills and special equipment for
Alyssa. Donations will be accepted at
Wells Fargo Bank “The Alyssa Persell
Benefit Account”
Check out Alyssa’s Benefit and The
Spirit of Alyssa Motorcycle Run on
Facebook.com
Contact:
Christine Fountaine
651-387-8990
[email protected]
August 7
Run For the Races2nd Annual
Long Lake Vintage Snowmobiling
Association is having their 2nd Annual
Motorcycle, classic car, and truck run.
Registration is from 10-11:30am at
Captains on Long Lake. Ride leaves at
12pm (sharp.)
Entry fee is $15 per person which
includes dinner and a chance to bring
home some hardward.
All proceeds go towards the Long Lake
Vintage Snowmobile Racing Association, which is a non profit organization that is all about giving back to
community needs programs. For more
info please contact Carrie for more
information 612.282.6246
August 14
To tell you a little bit about the KMS
Memorial Ride, we are a Non-Profit
organization dedicated to honor the
memory & legacy of fallen soldiers in
Central Minnesota. We are actively accepting donations to the KMS Memorial Fund and greatly appreciate your
contribution and support of our fallen
heroes! For more information you can
check out their website http://www.
kmsride.com or email the KMS Ride
[email protected].
Hugo American Legion Riders
Annual Legion to Legion Ride
The ride starts at Hugo American Legion, 5383 140th St N in Hugo. Check
in from 9:00 am to 10:30 am and the
ride will leave at 11:00 am. The 150
mile ride ends with door prizes, raffles,
silent auctions and music. The ride will
benefit the Disabled Vets Camp. For
more information call (651) 329-8449
or visit http://HugoLegionRiders.
com.
4th Annual Mantorville Motorcycle Stagecoach Ride
150 miles thru beautiful southeast
Minnesota taking you along scenic
river roads and winding climbs.
Live band, prizes, food and fun.
Motorcycle Fundraiser for the
Mantorville Regional Welcome
Center.
Linda Kreter 507-635-4636
Stockyard Days Poker Run1st Annual
The ride starts at New Brighton Eagles
Club, 563 Old Highway 8 NW. Check
in begins at 10:00 am. The ride begins
at 11:00 am. There is no fee for the
ride but organizers ask that you preregister by July 31st so they can be
prepared for the number of bikes on
the ride. The ride will go approximately 150 miles with 3 stops. A prize will
be awarded for the best poker hand.
The ride ends with a display of antique
cars, door prizes, music, fireworks
and more. For more information call
(651) 343-4547 or go to http://www.
stockyarddays.org.
Ride for their Lives to Benefit
Home For Life Animal Sanctuary- 7th Annual
Registration is at 9:30am at the Hitching Post Motorsports 103 N Concord
Exchange in South St. Paul. Everyone
will be departing at 11am and EVERYONE is welcome. There is no charge
for this ride and event, but donations
are requested. For more information
please call 800.252.5918 or visit www.
homeforlife.org.
The Ride for Hospice3rd Annual
The event starts at Faribault HarleyDavidson. Registration is from 9:00
am to11:00 am and the ride starts
at12:30 pm. All bikes are welcome.
The ride fee is $20.00 for each motorcycle. The ride ends with music, raffle
drawing, food, and entertainment. For
more information go to http://www.
hospiceride.com.
August 14-15
Ride MS Motorcycle Tour
From Sat, 14-Aug-2010 at 07:30 AM,
To Sunday, 15-Aug-2010 at 02:00 PM
The 25th Annual Ride MS: Motorcycle Tour will start at the state capitol
in St. Paul and wind through beautiful
western Wisconsin and overnight at
Arrowhead Lodge in Black River Falls,
Wis. After June 30 the registration fee
will be $50. There is a required $200
fundraising minimum for the ride.
Start location Minnesota State Capitol
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Blvd. St Paul, MN 55155 Overnight
location Arrowhead Lodge and Suites
600 Oasis Road Black River Falls,
WI 54615 Finish line location Ap
Anderson Park 101 Johnson Ave. Red
Wing, MN 55066. For more information please contact Whitney Heber
612.335.7950 or visit www.mssociety.
org
August 21
Buggs Annual Poker Run for
the Patriot Guard
Registration begins at Bugg’s Bar,
925 North Concord in South Saint
Paul at 12pm and ride leaves at 1pm
sharp. Free food after the run, best
poker hand cash prizes, trophies will
be awarded at the end of the run.
All donations will be donated to the
Patriot Guard of MN. If you have any
questions please call 651.455.2195 or
go to www.facebook.com/buggsbar.
Mosquito Run 2010
Sponsored by The Brick Yard Sports
Bar & Grill
The ride starts at The Brick Yard
Sports Bar & Grill, 408 E. Howard
Street in Hibbing. Registration is
from 10:00 am to 11:00 am and the
ride leaves at 11:00 am. The preregistration fee is $25.00 or $30.00 on
the day of the event. The fee includes
a t-shirt for the first 100 to register.
All proceeds raised go to support the
Hibbing-Chisholm Special Olympics
Program. For more information call
(218) 969-1097.
Hot Wheels for Billy
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The family and friends are holding the
3rd Annual Memorial Ride on Saturday August 21, 2010. Riders are asked
to meet at 9:30 a.m. at the North Trail
Elementary School parking lot, located
in Farmington at Pilot Knob Road and
170th Street. We will leave the parking lot at 10:00 a.m. to begin the 3rd
Annual Hot Wheels for Billy ride. For
more information please contact Becca
at [email protected] or visit
www.hotwheelsforbilly.com
Rain or Shine.
Harley Heaven Memorial
Motorcycle Run
Ride starts at Moola’s Bar in Jordan.
Registration begins at 10am and the
ride leaves at 12pm. Rain or shine.
The fee is $10 and the proceeds will
benefit the llina Cancer hospice and
Tri-County ABATE. Ride is about 100
miles and drawings will be held at the
end of the ride. For more information
please call 952.758.3296
Susan G KomenMN Ride for the Cure
Ride leaves from UHL Company.
9065 Zachary Lane North in Maple
Grove at 9am. Pre-Registration fee is
$35 per participant thru Wednesday,
August 11th. Group pre-registration
fee is $30 each for ten (10) participant
minimum. Registration fee is $40 per
participant after Wednesday, August
11th. For more information please visit
www.uhlcompany.com/communityservices.html
Mike Bell Leather & Pipes Rally
The poker run starts at Pine Island
Sports Bar, 107 Main St S. in Pine
Island. Registration begins at 9:00 am
and the ride leaves at 11:00 am. All
bikes are welcome. There will be food
and music following the ride. Proceeds
will go to the Rochester Eagle’s Cancer
Telethon. For more information call
(507) 356-4599, or go to http://www.
leatherandpipes.com.
Cops and Kids Run & Benefit
Yarusso’s Italian Restaurant is sponsoring the Cops and Kids Run and
Benefit. Ride leaves at 11am from Yarusso’s 637 Payne Ave in St. Paul, and
will end with a silent auction, raffle,
and dinner, which will start at 5:30pm.
For more information please call Chris
651.442.6425 or Todd 651.755.5763.
Kruzin 4 Kidz
Kruzin 4 Kidz Motorcycle Rally
August 21, 2010.
$10.00 per person with proceeds to
Make-A-Wish of Minnesota. Entry
covers: Ride, Meal( Excel Pork Loin)
& Band Front Fenders~ Registration 10:00 Am - 11:45 AM, Ride
leaves at 12:00 Noon Available:
Door Prizes, Raffle Tickets, T-shirts,
Beer Garden, Adjacent motel. For
more information please call Ray
at 218.924.2286 raystach@hotmail.
com
August 22
Sheriffs Posse Ride for MS
Registration: 8:00-10:00a.m.
Ride with your sheriff: 9:00a.m.
Check points open until: 4:00p.m.
Food: Mankato Harley Davidson
4:00-6:00p.m. Enjoy door prizes,
food, groups photos, a scenic ride,
fun and more! This event is to benefit
the American Red Cross. For more
information please contact Bob
Meyer [email protected] or
call 507-387-6664
Ride For Survival7th Annual
From 10:00am to 4:00pm
There will be prizes, entertainment,
and more.
This is the 7th Annual Ride in
Support of Day One a statewide
response system providing immediate
access to safety for battered women
and their children.
For more information please contact
Ramona Damiani 763.878.1330 or
visit www.mnwomenonwheels.org
August 27
Sportsmans Lodge 6th Annual Biker Run
Sponsored by Sportsman’s Lodge
The event will be held at Sportsman’s Lodge in Baudette beginning
at 12:00 pm on Friday. The event
includes a fun run, bike show, bike
games, vendors, contests and more.
For more information call (800) 8628602 or visit http://www.bikerrally.
sportsmanslodges.com.
Rally Up North
8th Annual R.U.N. motorcycle rally
and ride. Riding to benefit the Patriot Guard of Minnesota. Registration and Pre Run Kickoff Party on
Friday with Music and BBQ. Ride
at Noon on Saturday leaving from
and returning to The Old Waterfall
with Live music, smoked pork dinner,
bike rodeo, and bonfire. For more
information please vist www.rallyupnorth.com
Motorcycling for MobilityA Ride for MS
(rain or shine)
The 2nd Annual Ride Motorcycling
for Mobility- A Ride for Multiple
Sclerosis will start with registration
at Jimmy’s Wurst Bar in Hewitt,
MN 11am – 12:45pm. Ride will
be leaving at 1pm sharp, ending at
Denim & Diamonds. Entry fee is $15
per person which includes, camping
Friday and Saturday night, pre ride
luncheon and ride on Saturday, meal
following ride, Saturday night music
by Glide, door prizes, live auction,
& more! All proceeds go to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. For
more info or to pre register contact
Donna 320.314.8080 weyrlady@
charter.net or Kelly 218.639.5668
[email protected].
KC’s Saloon and R and R
Ranch Up North Blow Out
The ride starts at R and R Ranch.
Registration is from 9:00 am to
11:00 am and the riders will leave at
12:00 pm. The ride ends with a meal,
music, biker games, and a burnout
pit. For more information call (218)
296-1951.
August 28
2nd Annual “Experience the
Thunder Ride for Kids”
Experience the Thunder Ride
for Kids charity motorcycle rally.
Registration at 10:00 a.m. at the
Northwood West Campus, 4000 W.
9th Street, Duluth, MN, 9 blocks
north of Perkin’s Restaurant on 40th
Avenue West. Rally begins at noon
after complimentary lunch and soft
drinks. The approximate 120 mile
route will include beautiful Jay
Cooke Park ending at Mr. D’s, 5622
Grand Avenue in Duluth. Drawings for prizes at 6:30 p.m. $25 per
motorcycle, $30 two riders. For more
information please contact Kathleen
Wolleat 218.728.7196 kwolleat@
northwoodchildren.org or visit www.
northwoodchildren.org
Motorcycling for Mobility
Motorcycling For Mobility 2nd Annual A Ride For Multiple Sclerosis
August 28th, 2010 Registration:
11:00 A.M. - 12:45 P.M Millerville
Liquor Store, Millerville, MN Ride
Leaves at 1:00 PM Sharp! SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE MUSIC Pre
Register by July 15th for $10.00 per
Person For More Information or
to Pre Register Contact: Pennyjo:
320-815-0530 - [email protected]
OR Gary Helm: 320-220-2175 [email protected]
ride will go through Debs, Nebish,
Blackduck area on to the Red Lake Nation, all the way to The Point. The ride
ends with a fish fry, and door prizes.
For more information call Lea at (218)
679-3341, Thelma at (218) 766-4473,
Bill at (218) 368-5286, Llisa at (218)
308-3072, Dude at (218) 368-4749,
Maureen at (218) 672-2111,
Bike for Kids Sake
Big Hogs for Small Dogs
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern
Minnesota Bike For Kids’ Sake ride
will begin with registration at the
United Methodist Church at 10am.
11am everyone will take leave and
enjoy a scenic ride through Southeastern Minnesota. Cost for drivers is
$25 and $15 for riders. If you would
like to print off a registration for
please visit www.bbbsofsouthernmn.
org or for more information please call
507.451.5922 or 866.459.5922
2010 Rockin’ Roll- Ride to
Change a Child’s Life
The day begins with a Rockin’ Roll
REV UP Party at Kieran’s Irish Pub
- Block E in the heart of downtown
Minneapolis. Riders will be led on
a spectacular ride out of the city to
beautiful Prior Lake and the Minnesota
Horse & Hunt Club for an afternoon
of great shooting activities. Riders will
once again hit the road over to St. Paul
and the Rockin’ Roll WRAP Party at
O’Gara’s Garage featuring live music,
great food and an exclusive Rock
Legends Guitar Auction. They day will
end with a bang as bikers parade into
the Minnesota State Fair where they
can enjoy all the rip roarin’ fun of the
Great Minnesota Get Together, including free concerts, the mighty Midway,
great eats and more. VIP Seating
is available to participants for the
Grandstand Concert headlining TIM
MCGRAW (tickets sold separately,
while supplies last).
All proceeds benefit Smile Network
International
Early Registration for bikers is $35
and $30 for riders. Registration forms
available online www.smilenetwork.
org or call 612.377.1800
Fundraiser Ride Against
Youth Suicide.
The ride starts at Red Lake Humanities Center. Registration will be held
at 8:00 am and the ride will begin at
10:00 am. The fee is $25.00 for the
rider and $10.00 for a passenger. The
August 29
Benefit for Small Dog Rescue of
MN Starts at Tilly’s Oronoco MN
Registration 9:AM, - Kick Stands up
11: AM sharp 125 - 150 mile scenic
ride, Includes lunch, prizes, raffles and
meet some puppies up for adoption
COST: $25.00/rider,$10.00/passenger,
Dogs Ride FREE, Register by August
21st and receive a FREE T-Shirt All
bikes and riders welcome. For more
information please call Dave at 507254-3947
Toys for Tots Ride
1st Annual Leathernecks MC, Twin
Cities Metro Area Toys For Tots Ride
Sponsored by: Minnesota Chapter,
Leathernecks MC Intl, Inc
Hosted by: Windy Acres Saloon.
11154 N. 60th St Stillwater, MN
55082
Honored Guests: Members of the
Twin Cities Area Marine Corps
Reserve
Date/Time: August 29, 2010 @ 1:00
PM, Registration begins at Noon. First
150 to register receive a patch or pin.
Vendors will be present during the
registration period.
The ride begins and ends at the Windy
Acres Saloon in Stillwater, MN, riding through 100 miles of the Eastern
Minnesota and Western Wisconsin
St. Croix River scenic roadways. A
minimum donation of $10.00, or a toy
of equal value, is requested for each
rider and passenger with all donations
going directly to the Twin Cities Area
Marine Corps Reserve for their 2010
Toys For Tots campaign.
For more information please call
612.240.2186 or go to http://toysfortotsride.org
HAPPY
TRAILS!
If you would like your event listed, just email us: [email protected]
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10th Annual Cruise
for the Ronald McDonald
House raises $119,042
Photos (this page) by Steve Frank- www.stevefrankphoto.com
The 10TH annual “Cruise” motorcycle benefit ride was held
Sunday July 25th at the Rochester Community Technical College (RCTC) sports arena. Over
$8,000 in donated door prizes
were given away or auctioned off
in silent or live auctions. This is
the largest benefit donation that
the Rochester Ronald McDonald
house receives and the ride is the
largest motorcycle benefit ride in
Southern Minnesota.
This year, The Cruise raised
$119,042 on Sunday. While the
dollar total was lower than last
year’s record $124,000, this year’s
10th anniversary event had a record 1,450 riders. Riders toured
the region through the day, then
gathered at University CenterRochester for a 5:30 p.m. parade
to the house, on Second Street
between downtown and Saint
Marys Hospital.
Next year’s Cruise is set for July
24, 2011.
Jason built this bike in remembrance
of his good friend who had been
killed in a motorcycle accident.
Sharon is a 65 years young. She had purchased her first
bike at the age of 60 years old, while taking her son to
a bike shop. Never have ridden a motorcycle in her life,
she went home crying thinking she had made a mistake.
Within a few days, she had felt the passion of the open
road, and hadn’t looked back since. She has been to the
cruise every year since that night.
Retired War Vet Larry and
his sweet Valkyrie Trike
Akex has been working on this bike for the past 33 years. The tank is made from solid wood, with
various switches to open storage compartments (very Indiana Jones style). The back seat is made of a
used whiskey barrel. Volkswagen engine. Built most components of the bike herself.
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Greg Brehmer of Eyota, Mn.
2010 Harley Davidson Custom
Blood, sweat & tears truly went into Greg
Brehmer’s new Harley and it really shows.
Previous to this bike Greg had been in a horrific accident involving a local officer from
the area who failed to look before pulling
away from a stop sign. Greg, traveling down
the road, crashed head on into the side of the
officer’s car, which in turn put him into the
ER with emergency heart surgery and manymany more injuries, including a steel rod in
his left arm. Keeping certain parts of the
original bike was important in creating the
new one for Greg. Adding the lime green accents from the original bike holds a reminder
that nothing is going to stop this die-hard
rider from hitting the open road.
Photos (this page) by Tanner Wolfe - www.tanner-wolfe.com
Troy & Heather Howland of Rochester, Mn.
2008 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide®
Due to a front break issue Troy pushed
through the morning to get his new front
brake system put back together and bled.
Then discovered that the brake line that had
came with the new system was too short for
his new ape hangar handlebars that were
installed. So with out wanting to miss the
ride he clamped the old lever too the middle
of the right bar and away they rode to be
with friends and fellow riders on a beautiful
Sunday ride through the country.
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An interview with:
Blaine, MN
Interview by: Ryan Dawson
Photography: Denis Larson
Model: Kelsey Kennedy
RD: Well for starters, how did you get front end, can you put this different rake
in it and make this front end work?” So
into motorcycles?
we had welders and stuff like that in the
DS: Well, I started riding in ‘64- I shop where we did our race car work, so
bought a used triumph, and I had an un- we raked the frame and then, you know,
cle who was involved in motorcycling, at the time I had bought a bike, and
so I rode the triumph for a couple of my brother had a bike, and we thought
years and then sold it for a racecar, be- “Well, that looks pretty cool”, so we
cause my back ground was in drag rac- started raking our own frames, and then
ing. We got into building the racecar, pretty soon he brought over some more
and then I bought myself a Sportster, frames, and it just kind of grew out of
and then Uncle Sam decided I needed that.
The next thing you know, we
to take a vacation with him for a couple of years. Before that, we were running were using that money to support the
what they call “gasers”- Willy’s coupes racecar, and it was kind of a cash deal, but
and sedans. We had one with a blown my buddy who was an accountant said,
Chevy and one with a blown Chrysler. “Oh no, you gotta get a set of books,
After we came back in late ’69, gasers this ain’t just a passing fad”, so we got
were done and funny cars were in, so we an ol’ boy to help us with our accounting, and he said, “You know, if you got
got into building funny cars.
In 1970, my uncle came over rid of that race car, you could make a
with a brand new ’70 Sportster, and he living on these motorcycles!” [Laughs]
wanted us to rake the frame, and we We never thought of that, but we sold
didn’t even really know what that meant, the racecar and three years later we had
and he said “You know, I got this long 15 employees. That company made it
about 15 years,
and then we kind
of went through
this same hiccup we are going
through now.
Rob Roehl welding on a bike at Donnie’s shop in Blaine, MN
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RD: Can you tell us a little bit about
your crew here?
DS: Yeah Rob Roehl is my fab guy,
he does the welding and fabricating. He
was the son of a friend of mine that I got
to know- he was building houses across
the street, and so I met him then, and I
think what happened was, he was doing
a lot of softball playing and got a DWI,
and was trying to figure out how to stay
out of trouble, so he came down and
was like, “You mind if I just hang out
here, and I’ll help ya, I need something
to do”. I don’t know if he had a bike at
RD: So how that time, but I remember at one point
long have you he had a little hot rod Suzuki, and then
been at this shop he finally got a Harley- an old Shovelhead, and we redid that a couple times,
in Blaine?
and he kept helping me more and more.
Finally, he got fed up with his
DS:
We moved here job and I was picking up a lot more work
than just a little hobby shop, and we kind
in ’96.
of outgrew the garage and opened up
the shop here, and he’s been with me for
about 20 years now. I used to be the fab
guy and the metal guy, and I was the guy
hammering things into shape, but trust
me, I was never as good as he is now, but
back in the day, I could hold my own.
Now I get to be the front guy, and he
gets to be the hammer and welding guy.
Don Tima is kind of the motor, wiring,
and trouble-shooting guy, and then we
got a part-time guy and we’ll see where
we go if the business comes back. In ‘05
and ‘06 it really took a beating, which
I’m sure everybody is feeling. It ain’t
just us, it’s everybody.
RD: Over the years is there any particular bike that stands out as ‘the one’?
it always seem like this
gasoline thing become
the real stopper in the
game plan [Laughs].
But it was a bike
that I had built that
was pretty wild and
crazy for the time, and
if you’d see it nowadays, you’d recognize
it in the days of the real
small chassis, and Arlen
built a bike- we both
built a bike that had no
top framework around the motor, and it
made the bike real small looking. I built
a lot of bikes, and some guy once asked
me “What’s the best bike you built?”
And I said, “Well I don’t think I built it
yet, ‘cause I think the next one will be
better and each time to build one, you
learn something new, and you can’t always use every idea you got, ‘cause you’ll
never get it done! [Laughs] Sometimes
you just gotta go with what you started
with, and on the next one you’ll use the
new ideas you came up with. I think
that’s how a lot of us work, and the
economy might dictate a more conservative bike, ‘cause if you keep building
all these far out ones, there aren’t enough
customers for them.
DS: Well I built a bike that’s in the
museum in Sturgis called “Pandemonium”, and that was in the late 70’s or
early 80’s, and that was kind of the- it
seems like what has happened in this
industry, right now, I think we’re just
starting over again, ‘cause what we’re
trying to do is more work in remodeling
or customizing stock bikes, and that’s
what happened in the 70’s. You started
with the Softtail- we were putting 150
tires on them and that was a big deal, and
then they come out with the 200, and
we figured out a way to get that one on
there, and then they grew and the bikes
get crazier, and it seems like everybody
tries out how to do the next thing, andI’m not saying that’s what kills it, ‘cause
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RD: What’s the biggest difference in
the custom bikes nowadays versus 30 years
ago?
DS: Well, I think we have a lot better choice of parts that are high-tech, because of all the C & C availability. Back
in them days, you could make one of
those parts, but it was like you spent days
and days grinding it out of aluminum or
steel, but now they draw it on a program
and stick a piece of aluminum in there,
and you hit a button, and then you get a
part out of it. Or even further than that,
they have a machine that makes it out of
nylon or wax, and you try it out, and if
doesn’t fit, you make another one and
pretty soon you have a part that works.
There’s a lot more technology
easily available, but back in the day, we
were pretty much young blacksmiths
[laughs]- hammer and chisel guys. You
know, we did what we had to do, and
it was pretty much right from the gut.
There’s lots of good builders, I mean,
I guess you can call them builders, but
they are not exactly designers, you
know, they buy the fenders, and they
buy the tank, and they put together
some nice bikes, but they don’t always
have the facilities to cut up a tank or
fenders or make the pipes. There’s just
so much stuff out there now, and even
if you are trying to be a one-off person,
its hard, or trying to do something that’s
never been done before. But sometimes
I gotta laugh at these guys who think,
“This is the new deal I‘m putting together”, and I’m like, “Man that’s been
around for 30 years!” [Laughs] Been
there done that. Just ‘cause you can put
a billet piece on where a guy hand-made
a piece of metal, it isn’t that new or different.
RD: So you’ve got a bike that is heading out to the Eternal Combustion Show
at Buffalo Chip in Sturgis?
DS: Yes, Michael Lichter’s display.
He’s done different programs, and he always tries to come up with a new theme,
and this one is called Eternal Combustion. I wonder what he was drinking
when he thought of that one, but anyway, what he does is kind of mates some
of the young builders with the older
builders, you know, I am up with Brian
Klock. The funny thing is, 20 yrs ago,
Brian brought an FXR frame to my
shop, when I had my shop at my house.
I raked the frame, did some fab work,
and a fender and stuff for him, and did a
couple of other pieces, and pretty soon,
he got into his own little shop in South
Dakota, so they’ve got us teamed up together. I got a bike that we debuted in
our show in March at River Center, and
that’s the bike we are taking out there
to show against him. I don’t think it’s
a competition, it’s just mating 2 bikes
together, and you each have your own
area and it’s kind of like an art exhibit.
You bring what you bring, and he brings
what he brings, and that’s it. It’s not a
competition, but of course we both
want to put our best foot forward in the
deal. And the bikes will all get shot by
Michael Lichter, so it’ll either be in VTwin or Easy Rider.
then we thought, “Well, we need a 6
speed instead of a 5 speed, you know!
[Laughs] So it would have been nice to
know all that going in, ‘cause we might
have went at it a little differently. We
had the pipes built and you know, Rob is
very good at building exhaust, and we’ve
had a lot of engineering things fed to us
by my very good friend Gerald Rinehart
RD: What can you tell us about that of Rinehart Exhaust- I never asked him
bike?
to tell me what is the latest and greatest,
but we’ve been real fortunate to be great
DS: Well, it started out as an ‘05 friends, get some helpful tips, and built
standard stripped
down bagger, and
it’s one of these
deals where, the
guy was just gonna have us make
a set of bags and
do a few minor
changes on it, and
then he decides
that we should
build this custom exhaust that
comes out thru
the rear fender,
and then he decides it’s pretty cool, so some great exhaust. We probably would
we should get into these fancy wheels, have built a bigger set of pipes, but what
so we kind of stepped it up there, and we’ve got on there works and sounds rethen he decided he didn’t want it to look ally good.
like it’s just a warmed over Harley, so we
might as well make a fairing for it.
RD: When you are getting ready to
It’s one of them things where- I start on a bike, do you usually have a pretmean the bike turned out fabulous, but ty specific idea in mind or a plan of what
it almost would have been nice to know the end result is going to be?
going in, and we could have done things
a little differently, I mean, Rob did a DS: Yeah. You know, years ago I
wonderful job, and we used to sketch, back in the early years.
got a hand-made set But now, Rob and I have worked toof saddle bags on it, gether long enough that, it’s like I can
and a hand-made fair- start a sentence and he can finish it, or
ing on it that’s more vice versa, and sometimes we- we were
of a sport fairing. We doing a bike once that’s got a blower on
extended the stock it, and I was sitting there, you know, we
tank, we reworked the had the chassis set up, and I had seen anstock frame, and then other bike, and I knew what I wanted to
we thought, “Well, it do, and I was going to take it from there,
needs a bigger motor”, and I sketched up my idea of a gas tank,
so we put a 120 motor and the next day I came in and showed
in it over the 88, and him the sketches, and he pulled out a
36
piece of paper, and it was almost like I
had traced his idea, and we were about
20 miles apart when we did it! [Laughs]
And we really enjoy input from our customer, ‘cause then you know, but sometimes you go “Woah, woah, woah, that
ain’t gonna work”. I call it trying to fit
a square peg in a round whole, and they
go, “Oh I didn’t think of it that way”.
But a lot of customers will see something I built or someone else built, and
they might like a certain part of it. And
I’m not saying we try to copy someone’s
work, but I’m sure they do the same
with us.
RD: Well sure, when we decided to
make a motorcycle magazine, the first
thing I did was went out and got the latest
copy of Easy Riders and American Iron to
see how the other guys are doing it.
DS: Exactly, that’s the thing, you
know I’m sure that the new guys on the
block look at what every guy is doing,
but sometimes, you wonder what the
hell their doing. They’re like, “Nobody’s done this before!” And you’re
like, “Yeah, there’s a reason nobody’s
done that, ‘cause it ain’t very cool”, you
know. [Laughs] They think “Wow, nobody’s done it, so that’s going to be our
mark in the deal, and
you’re like “Wow, you
gotta be joking”. But
there’s some guys out
there doing a really good
job, and there’s some
young guys who are doing things and don’t get
too full of themselves.
You know when
the TV thing got going,
and the next thing you
know, they think they
are the latest and greatest, like Elvis Presley, or I get these guys
who have been in magazines, and they
call and think you’ll give them parts, and
I’m like, “No, I don’t think so, that’s not
how it’s gonna work”, I’ve been in dozens of magazines. Like when our show
took off and was doing pretty good, and
this lady called me from the east coast,
and her husband has a shop, and she
wanted us to buy him into the show, and
I said, “Why would I do that?” And she
said, “Well, he’s been in the magazines
and that, you know”, and I said, “Oh
yeah? I’ve been in hundreds of magazines. You don’t even know who you’re
talking to do ya?” And she said, “Well
he’s so-and-so”, and I just say, “Well you
tell him we’re not interested”.
The one surprising thing is that
so many people see me in the magazines,
and they actually believe I’m from California. [Laughs] “All these years I’ve
seen you and I’ve always thought you
were from California”, and I’m like,
“What part about the ‘Minnesota-this’
and the ‘Minnesota-that’ don’t you get?”
You know, I’ve had bikes like the Minnesota Mind-Blower, and the ‘Minneapolis-here’ and ‘St. Paul-there’, but they
just think if you’re building these kinds
of bikes you must be from California.
RD: Yeah, like a Minnesota farm boy
couldn’t come up with that, right?
tor of Street Chopper, and he came to
Sturgis, about the first year the west
coast guys really took Sturgis seriously.
I remember telling Arlen what a big deal
Sturgis was, and he goes, “Sturgis? You
gotta be joking!” I said, “The last time,
say ‘74-75, I was there, and there had to
be over 10,000 bikes”, and he goes, “No
way, the big events are all in California”.
I said, “Tell you what, you would be impressed if you come out there”, and so
finally in ’76, he comes out there and he
goes, “You weren’t BS’n now were ya?”
I think the first year we went out
there, there were 9000 bikes, and it was
like being at the state fair. When you got
9000 bikes roaming around in that little
town- and Deadwood was pretty wild
and woolly at that time too- you knows,
there was lots of cowboys and such. I
think Arlen has only missed one year, or
maybe two, and it was maybe a health
thing that prevented him from being
there. Other than that, he’s made it
there every year and I think everybodyI was on a panel of 6 builders, Dave Perewitz, Ron Simms, Eddie Trotta, myself,
and I think even Michael Lichter was on
it, and I can’t think of who else at the
moment, but out of the 6 people, 5 of us
picked Sturgis when the question was,
“What’s the best event in the United
States? And the guy who picked Daytona, Eddie Trodda goes, “I gotta pick
Daytona, I’m from Florida!” [Laughs]
DS: Yeah exactly, so it amazes me RD: And you’ve got a benefit with your
sometimes, and I feel quite lucky. There Hamsters Group out in Spearfish? What’s
was a guy back in ‘76 who was the edi- happening with that?
37
DS: On Monday night, we do a banquet out there. The Hamster Group
does it, and I kind of ramrod it, ‘cause
I’m from Minnesota and in the area, and
I got a couple guys who help me and we
got a good crew at the Holiday Inn that
helps us. It’s our Monday night banquet
where we put our new members in, and
there’s also a silent auction for the Children’s Care, which is in Souix Falls, and
they have a new branch of it in Rapid
City.
Last year, with a sit down dinner for 520 people and a silent auction,
we raised $296,000 in one evening. This
year we have a sit down dinner for, I
think, 606 at the moment, and we are
turning people away ‘cause that’s all
the room will hold. I just talked to the
people out there, and they said, “Everybody’s gonna have to be real friendly out
there, ‘cause it’s going to be close quarters”. I’m pretty proud of our group,
you know, it works on donations and
some of them build things that they sell
off, or guys will paint up like refrigerators, like Dave Perewitz took a thinner
can and cut the top off, cleaned it up,
had it all painted with wild flames, and
it sold for like $1500 bucks! [Laughs] It
had a hamster head on it, and it said Sturgis ‘08 or something on it.
Yeah, the boys step up pretty
big time and we’ve got some wonderful
people that like buying stuff and helping out. The Children’s Care is really
a great bunch of people that we work
with. They are very grateful, and we enjoy working with them. We‘ve got two
or three of our members on their board,
and we’re pretty proud of that, and the
folks that are involved with the Hamster
Group- I’m very proud to be a member
and a part of it. They answer the bell
when they need to and that’s great.
tually this fall, not in Minnesota, but in
September, they are taking a group of
us out to South Korea, and it consists
of Dave Perewitz, Arlen and Cory ness,
Eddie Trodda, Michelle Smith from
American Thunder, Scott Jacobs, who
is one of the mural painters, you know,
he paints the Harley murals, and another
gentlemen, Grady Pfeiffer who is like a
rep- you know for Daytec and BDL Belt
Drives and that. They are flying us over
and paying our way, and they are starting a rally called Sturgis Asia Rally, so
we’re looking forward to that.
That’s kind of a whole new venture for us- there are guys who have done
some foreign appearances, but they’re
putting this together and it’s going to be
real interesting how we’re accepted. I’m
and if they time it right, since the bikes
are already over there, maybe we could
put something together for November
or December in Japan, rather than fly
the bikes all the way back. I guess when
we get over there, one day we’re going
to ride up to the DMZ and check that
out and that’ll be— well, especially since
how North Korea decides to sink a ship,
and now we’re having a military exercise
so, we’ll just ride up there and tell ‘em
to straighten up or we’re gonna run over
‘em or something.
Supposedly South Korea has a
big hog owners group up there, so I’m
sure they’ll be all over us, and my girlfriend is going with me, ‘cause I get to
take one person with me, so that spot
went away really fast [Laughs], and they
give us an interpreter so we’ll have someone with us all the time, and it should be
fun. I’m hoping it pulls off for ‘em, and
I think it’ll be pretty cool.
RD: Well that all sounds great, I really appreciate your time and everything.
I’ll be watching for you at Buffalo Chip.
DS: Well it’s my pleasure, and I wish
you the best of luck with your new challenge. I know with new things it’s always tough to pull them together, but
the industry is starting to wake up a little
bit- I’m not going to be the guy saying
that the economy is back on its feet- I
don’t think anybody really knows, but
the bike industry is- it’s just kind of
starting over you know. We got guys
talking, where a few years ago, there
wasn’t anyone talking, and it’ll still take
some time, but we just gotta do what we
gotta do, you know.
RD: Well the biker community is very
taking two bikes, and I’m sure Arlen’s loyal, and hopefully this magazine will
taking two, Eddie’s taking two, David’s help raise awareness for different biker
RD: Well if you can raise over taking two, and we’ll see how it goes. friendly businesses, and everyone can help
$200,000 dollars for kids you have a right The way our contract reads, we could each other out and we can all squeak by.
to be proud, absolutely. Do you have any expand it, and they are possibly look- Thanks again for you time Donnie, you
other events going on this fall?
ing at working with Japan to put one are a real class act.
on there. It’ll be fun, especially when it
DS: Umm not really, but- well, ac- doesn’t cost you anything but your time, DS: Hey, thanks.
38
In addition, the 6,500 square
foot venue constructed primarily to house Lichter’s extraordinary exhibitions, will
for the first time, be adorned
with Michael’s photography.
To celebrate his 30th bike
week in Sturgis, Lichter
will have over 100 prints on
display from his archive of
limited edition prints, some
being premiered for the first
time while others are over 30
years old.
Enthusiasts Eagerly Anticipate Michael
Lichter’s Tenth Annual Motorcycles as
Art Exhibit: Four New Builders Added
Sturgis Buffalo Chip, SD ( July 20, 2010) Michael Lichter’s internationally renowned
and highly anticipated 10th Annual Motorcycles as Art exhibition is only weeks away
and is guaranteed to be a significant highlight of Sturgis Rally Week 2010 festivities.
The exhibit scheduled for August 7-13,
will focus on the explosion of interest and
the passion for custom motorcycles seen
over the last thirty years. Entitled, “Eternal
Combustion- 30 in the Wind”, this year’s
display poses the question, “How is this
passion passed on through time?”
Thirty custom motorcycles recently built
by 15 pairs of builders tied together by
family, respect, friendship or apprenticeship
will be on display at the impressive Lichter
Exhibition Hall located on the grounds of
the Sturgis Buffalo Chip. Builder teams
highlighted within the show include: Arlen
Ness & Paul Yaffe, Carl & Matt Olsen,
Dave & Jody Perewitz, Donnie Smith &
Brian Klock, Eddie Trotta & Todd Silicato,
Kevin Baas & his Kennedy High School
Chopper Class, Gard Hollinger & Satya
Kraus, Jerry & David Covington, Kirk
Taylor & Brian Schimke, Roland Sands &
Drake McElroy, Ron Finch & Gary Maurer, Sugar Bear & Counts Kustoms, Laura
Klock and Athena Ransom as well as recent
additions Dave Cook & Warren Heir, Jr
and Paul Wideman and Nichole Grodski.
“This exhibit has been a total labor of
love for me as it has been for nine years,”
explains Lichter. “Working with these
builders to pair them up, occasionally into
a seemingly unlikely pairing at their own
request, has been great. It will be great to
watch their progress in the coming months.
I love this work and I love this industry.
Everyone who comes out to see this exhibit
will be able to sense the passion felt by all
those involved.”
Lichter has been a staple in the motorcycle
community for over thirty years, with his
name ingrained in the minds and collections of enthusiasts around the world. This
is Lichter’s tenth year as curator for the
premier Sturgis exhibition. Since 2000,
the Motorcycles as Art exhibition has been
home to an ever-changing collection of
motorcycles, artwork and memorabilia that
is nothing like you have ever seen before.
By melding art and motorcycles together in
a way that bikers can genuinely appreciate,
Lichter has been able to repeatedly capture
the essence of the motorcycle genre. Both
fans and enthusiasts readily look forward
to Lichter’s annual
display as it has
been heralded as
some of the finest
industry collections
ever assembled.
“Last year’s exhibit
was phenomenal,
thousands of guests
came to experience the display,”
states Sturgis Buffalo Chip owner,
39
Rod Woodruff. “We’re so enthusiastic for
this year’s show. Michael Lichter is truly
a gifted artist and photographer and we’re
delighted to have his yearly exhibit at the
Lichter Exhibition Hall here at the Sturgis
Buffalo Chip.”
Michael Lichter’s 10th annual Motorcycles
as Art exhibition entitled, “Eternal Combustion - 30 In the Wind” can be seen for
FREE daily, from 10am to 10pm at the
Lichter Exhibition Hall on the grounds of
the Legendary Buffalo Chip, August 7th
through the 13th 2010. For more information on this year’s exhibition, log on to
www.buffalochip.com. Sponsors for this
year’s exhibit include Hot Leathers, Interstate Batteries, Progressive Insurance and
Spectro Oil.
Directions: From Sturgis, continue 3.4 miles east
on SD Highway 34, look for the “CHIP” buffalo
sculpture in the horizon. From SD Highway 34, turn
right on 131st Avenue, then veer left immediately on
Alkali Road for “CONCERTS.” Travel one mile
east on Alkali Road, then take a right on 132 Avenue
and another right into the Buffalo Chip’s east gate.
Upon arrival into The Chip, the Lichter Exhibition
Hall will be on the right at 20603 132ndAvenue Sturgis, SD 57785-6635.
l
a
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o
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ains of
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a
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i
e
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Grant Stan
t
h
t
i
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orking
mension.
i
d
r
e
h
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o
n
who takes w
to a
real life in
Below: Druid Ravens
Bronze, Stainless Steel
27 inches square
Photo Credit: Neal L. Larson
by Kristin Donnan Standard
Courtesy of Art of the Hills, LLC
Standard’s most profound influences
have been spiritual, and inspired by his Celtic
background and work with Native American
practices. The two histories, he says, share
similar mythology, traditions, and symbolism,
which he uses in his artwork.
Because of these sources of inspiration,
nature has been Standard’s standard, and his
passion has long been metalwork. Indeed, he
says that working with metal invites such an
intense level of concentration that he “loses
himself in the moment of creation.”
This concentration has resulted in
both figurative and abstract sculpture,
much of which plays on nature’s “flow of
energy” through people or the elements.
Many of his pieces reflect a “four-directions” theme, which represent the guardian spirits of the four winds.
“For me, though, the four directions ground you, they bring you to the
center, into the moment,” he says.
Left: Odin
Bronze, Stainless Steel, Semi-Precious Stones
42 inches square
Photo Credit: Grant Standard
40
Lately, Standard often has incorporated the use of actual natural
objects—bones and fossils—in wall
hangings and functional art pieces
made of bronze, stainless steel and
copper. The difference between many
of this issue’s other artists’ work and
Standard’s, is that his sculptures begin
with a natural object—like a trilobite,
an eagle skull, or a deer’s backbone—
but the resulting piece of art includes
either a sculpted representation or an
actual metal casting of the object. He
uses these animal remains as totems
that represent grounding to the earth,
or connections with other realms of
existence.
Above: Wolf Moon
Bronze, Stainless Steel
34 inches diameter
Photo Credit: Grant Standard
www.standardmetalworks.com
Below: Origins
Bronze, Stainless Steel, Semi-Precious Stones
24 inches square
Photo Credit: Neal L. Larson
For example, for one piece he
chose trilobites, one of the first complex
creatures in history and fossil relatives
of arthropods. These “bugs” grew to 28
inches and are easily recognizable, providing a theoretical, foundational connection to origin stories common among
indigenous cultures. In the piece, he
positioned four stainless steel trilobites
in a “four-directions” cross arrangement,
around a figurative place of emergence,
poised as if ready to disperse across the
earth. “Called Origins, this piece explores our relationship to all life,” he
said.
41
These concepts of joining present to past not only underscore Standard’s reverence of nature,
but also relate to his connection with metal itself, especially the bronze process. Bronze has an
ancient history, nearly unchanged for thousands of years, that makes Standard feel as if he is
connected to past generations.
“It has to do with what is
ancient and what is modern,
working with bronze is like
stepping back in time, both
with my hands and with my
place in the world. I feel that
through bronze I can look
back, in order to go forward.”
Above: Medialus
Stainless Steel, Carbon Steel, Copper, and Bronze rod
42 inches diameter, 32 inches tall
Photo Credit: Jessica Simons
Left: Zion
Bronze, Sterling Silver, Copper
24” largest diameter
(with stand, 32” tall)
Photo Credit: Jessica Simons
Over the years, Grant’s study of world religions and
the interconnectedness of all human beings has provided a
broad perspective that is evident in his latest work. Such a
deep well might take a lifetime to plumb, and the writings
of Bahá’í scholars, among others, are a bountiful resource.
Often Grant’s pieces reflect themes recurrent among
many cultures. Often they remind us of journeys at once
personal and universal.
Standard’s work can be found at Dakota Nature
and Art in Hill City, or at Prairie Edge and James
Van Nuys Gallery in Rapid City.
www.standardmetalworks.com
42
Standard working on the life-size bronze
skull of STAN, cast from the original
Tyrannosaurus rex fossil on display at the
Black Hills Museum of Natural
History in Hill City.
:
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CALL 763-421-4400 OR
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Wakefield was established in
1884. Mining was It’s main stay.
Goodies bar has been home to
many owners over the last century. The tin ceiling takes you
back to an old era. Located in the
Western U.P. of Michigan, near
Lake Superior. 5 hours from the
Twin Cities, Minnesota. Currently under construction with plans to open this Fall. The area offers
many activities including snowmobiling, ATVing, fishing, hunting and
also hosts 4 ski resorts.
Jeff is a commercial restaurant contractor, and has built and consulted
on many, but this is his 1st bar, and it should be something to see. Much
of the bar will be kept as the original
and restored to like new condition. For
anyone who ever wanted to own their
own bar, this might be of interest to
you. We will have more on the progress
and story to follow in the next issue.
Jeff Bjerksett
612.221.6444
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Winner: Troy
Schouviller
Winner:
Kathy Singer
Bike
and
Babe
Kirk Suchomel
Contest
2010
Kevin Dubbin
Shorty’s Ride for the Cure
www.shortys-ride.com
Kari Botner
Lonnie Ellis
“This is Chuck and Christina Bravinder on a 2010 Harley Trike. We
were on Shorty’s Ride for the Cure. My husband alway wanted a
bike, but is un-able to ride a motorcycle due to a disability, so the
trike was a great chance for us to be able to ride a motorcycle together. I was not thrilled about it, but now I really enjoy it. I feel it
put the spark back in are marriage. Shortys was the the first bike rally
ride we went on.
We bought our bike at CROW RIVER HARLEY. They really care
about the people and will help you get what is right for you. They
made modifications on the bike so my husband can ride the trike.
They even stayed open late and did what it took to make it happen. I would like to say THANKS to CROW RIVER HARLEY and
LARRY for making my husbands dreams come true.”
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