By Phoenix and Metric

This year's Run to the Heartland event in Sebring was one of those “BACK TO THE FUTURE” moments with the return of ABATE heading up the “Famous Fresco” Memorial Poker Run, once again, after a short hiatus. ABATE's “Fresco” Run was the original poker run for this event from the beginning a decade ago. Like most events you have your ups and downs, last year's event was hampered with both a “BAD” economy and “Foul” weather. This year’s event was still hampered by a “BAD” economy thanks to the dumb asses in Washington, but you could not have asked for better riding weather. Another plus for this year’s event was the involvement of “All” the local motorcycle organizations. From Avon Park to Lake Placid, all businesses and Veteran's organization had food and drink specials. American Legion Riders, US Military Veteran MC, and the Alternative MC were all hosting raffles. The Christian Motorcycle Association once again handled all the parking for the event. The Warlocks and Wolf Pack MC's had open house at their clubhouses. The Enforcer MC held a great party. The LAMAS held their annual and arrived at the circle with one of the largest groups ever. TJ's Leather was home to a bike wash held by the Top Gun MC. GHC Motorsports from Lake Placid had its newest “Motor Trike” Gold Wing on display. Highlands County is home to some of the most beautiful back roads to ride your bike. There is nothing like hitting the back roads around the county and stopping at one of the local “biker friendly” establishment to get a bite to eat or the coldest drink for miles around. The Heartland Riders Association, the host the Run to the Heartland, and all of Highlands County is fortunate to have such a great “biker friendly” community. Everyone comes together to pitch in. So if you missed the “RUN TO THE HEARTLAND” this year due to the “bad” economy, save your nickels and dimes and make the trip out here next year. It will be well worth the trip!!! Better yet, come out anytime!!! Get away from the coast and all those tourist and hit the open roads. When you get out here tell them “Metric” sent you. See you soon!!! Read the rest of this entry »

By Miserable George

This year, along with the sadness of losing friends and relatives because of accidents, we lost a long-time ABATE official, and much loved friend...Wayne Carawan, for whom a special service was held just before the regular opening ceremony for the 33rd Annual Spooks & Scoots, at Sertoma Youth Ranch, near Brooksville. I tell ya, during that ritual, in which a "dead" biker is loaded into a hearse and taken to the chapel...there wasn’t a dry eye anywhere...including mine...having lost 4 good friends just last June...very sad time indeed. But, as "they" would want it, this was a time for fun as well, all with a Halloween theme...witches, zombies, ghosts...the works!! Lots of unique costumes, including our own version of Elvira, who posed with the big sign at the entrance to the park...thanks Dee!! I gotta mention this: we had another little lady to do the Elvira thing, but at the last minute...she fell and broke her pretty little ankle!! Get well soon, Lyra!!! Dee was willing to fill in at the last minute!!! Along with biker games, there were giveaways, raffles, and of course...the 50/50 and a "Basket of Cheer! In the afternoon, there was a State ABATE meeting at nearby San Antonio, FL, and to round things out, (after the kiddies were cleared away), a somewhat subdued "beauty contest." Sunday saw the annual Memorial Ride in the beautiful central Florida countryside! Hey, it was a good event...live music, lots of vendors, good friends, pretty girls, and beer...all the good stuff!! We hope to see you there next year...ride safe... Read the rest of this entry »

By Lulu

Our favorite way to kick off Biketoberfest is to ride up to St. Augustine and party with the gang at Bar None on Anastasia. They have the best spread of homemade food at ANY biker bar…any where! The music for this event was the great sounds of Smokin’ Mirrors. Always a great time with real deal bikers! This is one bar that is honestly BIKER FRIENDLY in every category…bar none!!! Read the rest of this entry »

By Amy Poole

Sponsoring our November cover was Dirty Harry’s Pub and it was… Hip Hoppin’…Country Boot Stompin’…Hot Rockin’…Day and Night…In or Out…towards getting your Shine On during Biketoberfest 2013!! The Biketoberfest party at Dirty Harry’s was BIGGER than ever this year and not only because of the massive crowds and the gorgeous weather but also since Dirty Harry’s expanded their courtyard!! Plenty of space for the rockin’ bands on the vast Jagermeister stage and just right for the ladies to flaunt their jewels! The sexy barmaids at Harry’s are always the best dressed, behind the bar or on stage during the bike events, as well as, constantly ready to Trick…or Treat you! Promo girls were on stage hurling wet tees into the crowd while others were marketing their shots. Remember the party doesn’t stop when Biketoberfest is over…Dirty Harry’s has bike nights on Friday’s with specials and their free BBQ party on the 1st Sunday of every month!! Read the rest of this entry »

By Lulu [autoviewer id="284" width="600" height="600" ] Over the past 40 years Phil Peterson’s Harley Davidson, with the help of Key West Sunshine Rotary Club, has sponsored the Miami to Key West Poker Run. This event has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years. Children benefit from the monies raised in the form of scholarships and the event also helps fund Diabetes Research. Of course the influx of thousands of motorcycles also benefits the local economy. Beyond the good works of the run is the FUN! This is one of my favorite events in Florida partially because the police, businesses and locals seem to genuinely enjoy the bikers coming into town. Of course the ride down is scenic and beautiful…even with the never ending road construction. The party once you arrive on Duval is constant beginning on Thursday with the “Upper Duval Crawl” and ending Sunday with Biker Bloody Mary Brunch at Southernmost if you must leave to be back to work on Monday. The poker stops along the way included Gilbert’s Resort in Key Largo, Postcard Inn in Islamorada, The Island Fish Co. in Marathon, Boondocks in Little Torch Key and the final stop Conch Republic Seafood Company in Key West. Once you arrive there are parties, contests such as the tattoo contest hosted by Schooner Wharf Bar and live music (my favorite party spot is Irish Kevin’s), the beautiful sunset at Mallory Square, vendors and of course the bike show hosted by Rick’s/Durty Harry’s and The Big Bike Rider’s Association. The main event was the Harley giveaway hosted at Cowboy Bill’s Saloon/The Rose Tattoo Bar on Saturday night. This year Yuengling and Y100 gave two additional bikes or cash away at events at the Peterson’s dealerships and the winners were Bob Pastorello and Ethuko Rodriguez who both plan to upgrade their current Harleys. The winner of the final Texas Hold em hand was Chuck Heck of Venice. Needless to say you can’t possibly make it to everything, but we gave it our best shot and even made it to our friend, Mike Rudicel’s (South Florida Bike Event’s) Jager party at Tattoos & Scars Saloon for a great time and a taste or two of Jager! Sherry Fletcher from the Iron Horse Saloon in Ormond Beach and I decided to stay an extra day to take a sunset boat ride and choose the great guys and girls from Sebago Watersports to ride with. Free champagne and the prettiest sunset I have seen since Negril was our reward for one extra night in the Keys. I also have to send out a thank you to the guys from Pirate’s Rentals which hooked us up with matching green “bad ass” rides while we cruised the streets of Key West on scooters! This is directly across from the Green Parrot on Southard St. if you find yourself in need of a ride other than your Harley! Put this on your list of places to hit next year it is always the 3rd weekend in September! Read the rest of this entry »

By Lulu [autoviewer id="283" width="600" height="600" ] The crowd is still overwhelming even after so many years have passed. This year, unlike last, the weather was absolutely beautiful for the ride. The Red Knights, Blue Knights and the law firm of Rue, Ziffra & Caldwell did a fabulous job organizing and promoting this event. The speeches by the Flagler County dignitaries were short and poignant. Each speaker thanked the crowd of bikers for their presence, as the sheer number of bikers was a loud statement that they will not let anyone forget the lives lost that beautiful September morning in New York, D.C. and Pennsylvania. I do believe that since the tragic event we as Americans do realize the harsh reality of how dangerous what our fire and police departments expect their employees to face on a daily basis. 9/11 was an extraordinary event, but the truth is each person who wears a uniform has the possibility they will face grave danger each and every day. A trip to “Ground Zero” was given by Rue, Ziffra & Caldwell and the winner was Barbara Pricipe from Eustis. Please remember to ride with us each year to continue to honor each one of the families who lost a loved one on 9/11. Read the rest of this entry »

By Amy Poole [autoviewer id="282" width="600" height="600" ] The 2nd Annual Flagler Heritage Festival was celebrated at the Black Cloud Saloon this year. Hosting this event is Heritage Crossroads, the same group that acquired Florida’s first highway in Flagler County. If you are familiar with Flagler County you know there are MILES of worthy historic culture! Stormy skies and a soggy ground did not prevent this “fun for the whole family” event from taking place at the Thunder Gulch Campground. This occasion is to recreate the history of Flagler County by showing reenactments of historic ways of work, play, and the way of life back then. Volunteers and attendees made camp and brought the historic atmosphere back to life by blacksmithing toys, cooking by small fires, demonstrating handmade tools, displaying craftsmanship and a few antique autos rolled in. Also on display were some rare antique motorcycles provided by Bruce Rossmeyer’s Harley Davidson. Many of the children participated, hands on, to see how food was prepared and how children entertained themselves many years ago. Present-day items were on site including Pinstriping by the Rossie’s, Sheila’s Funnel Cakes, arts & crafts, food & more! What an intriguing affair and thank you John, the owner of Black Cloud and ALL the sponsors that lent a hand to make it all come together! You can go to www.heritagecrossroads.org for future info or become a sponsor for next year. Thanks!! Read the rest of this entry »

By Billy "Kneecap" Braddock

I was going to write this whole article on those Moto-Psychos that terrorized a man, his wife, and their two-year-old child in an SUV in N.Y. Their actions reinstates the label of 50 years ago when bikers were considered leather clad, bearded, tattooed barbarians, that did nothing but indulge in booze, dope, and barroom brawls. This, in no way reflects most of the motorcycle organizations that spend their weekends contributing to their community. This whole incident doesn't deserve the ink that is used to write about it, but it needs to be addressed. Rather than waste the magazine's space, I will address this incident in my blog at nobodiesopinion.com. I wrote this article during Biketoberest, after reading an article in our local liberal rag; I decided to address their opinions. The article was entitled "Daytona Beach, other venues face challenge: keep bikers coming" by Jeffrey Cassady. Instead of an upbeat article about the arrival of bikers from around the country, they portrayed a picture of doom. The first sentence was “If you've noticed Biketoberfest crowds seem to be smaller than they were a decade ago, you're not alone”. Maybe we need to do a quick reflection on Biketoberfest. In 1992 it started out as “The Daytona Fall Tour” and attracted approximately 5000. In 1993 it changed its name to “Biketoberfest” and was attended by 15,000. By 1999 it had grown to 75,000, and even with the aftermath of the 2004 hurricanes, 100,000 came to Daytona. This number has stayed fairly steady since. Ever since I was a kid, all I've heard from Daytona was “we need to make Daytona Beach into a family oriented town”. Wake up Daytona; you are a “Beach Town”, not “Disneyland”. Complaining, whining, and blaming the economy, competition, and changing demographics are not going to increase or keep attendance. I even heard of one merchant saying that he'd like to see a little rain so that it would keep the bikers on Main Street. If you need rain to keep people in your establishment, do you think you might be doing something wrong? It's not that bikers are getting older or smaller rallies that are siphoning attendees. There are 10.4 million registered motorcycles in United States with an average age ownership of 40-47. The percentage of owners 40-49 years old has increased from 14 to 28%, and owners 50+ increased from 9 to 25%. Even though the highest percent of owners are male, females are gaining ground. Granted, the population of the millennials now equals that of baby boomers, but baby boomers have and spend more money. Daytona needs to take a lesson from successful businesses. 99% of success is in “Attitude”. They need to ask themselves, “Why are bikers going north or to events in Orlando”? Shelly Rossmeyer Pepe, general manager of Bruce Rossmeyer' Daytona Harley-Davidson at Destination Daytona, hit it on the nose, when she said “It's a total community effort. If you invite people to your home, you need to provide excellent service with an excellent product. You have to offer a party.” Making Daytona more attractive to bikers may not be an easy accomplishment. First, they need to expand Biketoberfest from four days (it's actually three days, Sunday doesn't count) to ten, like they did in 2004. Would you ride 1000mi.+ for a three-day party? Add events and attractions to keep the rally fresh. The bars, restaurants, hotels, and campgrounds need to stop price gouging the bikers. Stop the police from ticketing bikers for every little thing. They have more important things to do, like catching criminals. Stop looking at the glass as being half-empty. Remember the bottom half is full and the top half is empty. Try to fill the whole glass. Stop picking on older bikers. They tend to be multi-taskers. They can laugh, cough, sneeze, and pee at the same time. See you on the shiny side up tomorrow… Read the rest of this entry »

By Deborah Speicher

[autoviewer id="277" width="600" height="600" ] When Harley-Davidson and the City of Milwaukee throw a party, they really pull out all the stops. The party was somewhat spread out throughout the city and surrounding areas. The local dealerships all held parties of their own with live music, vendors, and various entertainment. The House of Harley dealership had different themes for each day and held organized rides that benefitted various charities (Susan Koman Foundation for Women’s Day, Fisher House for Veterans Day, etc.). Up at the Powertrain Plant in Menomonee Falls, they also held demo rides. It was a true twofer as we got to tour the plant and then ride the new 2014 models. There are lots of changes to the new Harley-Davidsons especially the touring models which had long lines to demo. I especially liked the fact that ABS is either standard or available as on option on all models. Lots of very cool paint options for 2014 too! The Harley-Davidson Museum was a great place to check out the history of all things Harley. There were also numerous vendors, a HOG (Harley Owners Group) pin stop, bike night and an AMD motorcycle show. Kudos to H‑D for having great food on the premises. I ate at Motor Bar and Restaurant previously and stopped in again a couple of times this trip. Service and quality were uncompromised even with the large crowds. The staff at the Museum recommended we leave our motorcycles in their secure lot and take a shuttle over to the Summerfest Grounds which we did a few times. The Summerfest Grounds are located in downtown Milwaukee on the shores of Lake Michigan and can accommodate several concerts at once. For one price, you got four days of 60+ concerts which featured The Doobie Brothers, ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Joan Jett and several other top notch acts. Three separate concerts (with additional tickets) were available for Aerosmith, Kid Rock and Toby Keith. There was also UFC and other events, making it something for everybody! Saturday, August 31 we attended the H-D parade. Participating were numerous antique motorcycles, hundreds of HOG chapters from all over the world, various law enforcement agencies and departments, motorcycle celebrities such as Willie G. and Nancy Davidson, and Governor Scott Walker (Wisconsin). The parade of approximately 7,000 motorcycles went from Miller Park to downtown Milwaukee and ended at Summerfest Grounds. This was really a sight to behold! We also spent some time out in the country hitting some of the local hangouts such as The DMZ Bunker in Waterford which has the best burgers and cold brews around. Friday night fish fries are popular at just about every local pub and once again the locals directed us to a really good one at Benno’s in downtown West Allis. No matter where we went, the people of Milwaukee and surrounding areas couldn’t have been nicer and welcomed us “home.” You can be sure I will be heading back for the 115th Anniversary in 2018! Read the rest of this entry »

By Kneecap

The Bar None Saloon in St. Augustine celebrated their 15th anniversary this year. With all the businesses that have closed in the past few years, this goes to show you how a well-run, friendly establishment can survive. The management and staff are so accommodating and friendly that you want to go back. The party was not supposed to start until four o'clock. However, I got there early and the place was mostly filled. By four o'clock a seat was hard to find. There was plenty of food, great entertainment, and great service. Without saying, their anniversary was a great success. With this attitude they will be celebrating many more anniversaries. Kneecap, and Thunder Roads Magazine Florida gives this bar Five Stars . Visit them soon and you'll give Bar None five stars also. Read the rest of this entry »

By LuLu

During Biketoberfest two brothers were signing autographs at one of my favorite “Super Centers” J&P Cycles. The Parker brothers, Marc and Shanon, have made quite a stir in the custom market. Originally from Greenville, South Carolina they transplanted to Melbourne, Florida 10 years ago. Both worked in construction for their living, but tinkered aggressively on boats, cars and bikes for their personal recreation and enjoyment. A friend posted some of their creations on the internet and the rest is quite a story. Both brothers were totally “caught off guard” by the thunderstorm that has followed. Hollywood contacted them to build for a movie and they had to explain they didn’t even have a business yet. But the Parker brothers quickly formed one under the name of Parker Brothers Concepts and built the “Shredder” an alien vehicle that appears in the movie Battleship. This year they built an 800hp all wheel drive race car which won the Gum Ball Rally, a 3,000 mile race across Europe. They also had a TV series which aired last year on the Sci-Fi channel. The series aired against “The Deadliest Catch” so if you wonder why you may not have seen it last year that is probably the reason. The first series they built a trike, car and spacecraft. When asked about the equipment they create these unique and impressive vehicles with, Marc laughed and said they started with your basic hand grinders and backyard welding equipment. He admits they have started gathering more sophisticated tools of the trade with their success. The Parkers are in negotiations with a new network for their second series and have 12-13 more movie projects in negotiations also. One of their next in house builds they intend to tackle is a submarine. Shanon is the design genius that comes up with these crazy and amazing ideas. And Marc brings them to life! Both brothers inherited their love of motorcycles from their father who was also in construction. Marc has a Yamaha R1 and a chopper that is an ongoing project in his garage and Shanon rides a FXR. Marc made me laugh when I asked him about their love life. Marc explained, “Shanon has three children with the girl he has loved since he was 13; and I can’t keep the same girl for 13 days!” These two brothers seem totally unaffected by their sudden celebrity status. They smiled and signed autographs for hours and just seem like smart, pleasant, AND extremely talented young men. Their shop is at 2335 Aurora Rd in Melbourne and they have been in that location for two years. Their website is ParkerBrothersConcepts.com. Read the rest of this entry »

By Ron Cox

In concert with the Cape Coral Community Foundation, the Special Forces M/C Chapter 1 organized a fund raising ride to raise money for the establishment and maintenance of the Iraq War Monument at Eco Park in Cape Coral. A unique feature of the event was the prize for the most patriotically decorated motor vehicle. Riding away with first place was Dan Bartley from the Gold Wing Road Riders, FL 2-G. Pitching in to show support was Anthony's On The Boulevard which hosted a Pig Roast Fundraiser from noon to midnight. Anthony's is well known in the community for supporting worthwhile events. The Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 594 provided the color guard for opening ceremonies. By coincidence, Navy CPO Blaine Elmer literally stepped off an airplane at SW Regional Airport and jumped on his Harley which had been brought there by some friends. The ride's departure was delayed so CPO Elmer could take his position at the front, just behind the color guard. Elmer has served five overseas tours including duty in Iraq, the Balkans and this most recent assignment in Afghanistan. Needless to say, Elmer received a standing ovation and many handshakes from the Veterans in attendance.

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Donations for the Monument can be sent to: Cape Coral Community Foundation, The IRAQ Monument, 4729 Vincennes Boulevard, Cape Coral, Florida 33904.

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Pony Tales header By Lulu With the insanity that has been splashed all over every news channel concerning the crotch rocket “gang” in New York I have a request of the “REAL” bikers. Please post any video footage you have of bikers as I know them on You Tube and Facebook. I want videos to go viral of bikers with bicycles strapped to their bikes on Toy Runs, bags of food being carried to food drives, Patriot Guard Riders escorting our lost soldiers to their final resting place, the REAL bikers of Rolling Thunder making their pilgrimage to the Wall…I don’t want a posse of idiots in New York to be viewed as what we in the biker community are about. Sure all of us have had episodes of cages scaring the crap out of us from time to time, and we may have even witnessed a biker kick the side of a car that veered to close, BUT the insanity of what happened in New York was that there were hundreds of reports to the police about their behavior on two wheels over the weekend! What the hell took so long to get them off the road! In Palm Coast my friend Sherry parked illegally in a fire zone while I ran inside to make a copy and before I could walk in and out a cop had his blue lights on her!!! If there truly had been over a hundred calls to the police over the weekend when this incident took place someone should have intervened before this family was terrified and someone horribly injured. As a note to those of you who ride a crotch rocket, BEWARE! This behavior will certainly adversely affect how you are perceived by all of us. Had I been in a car with my grandchildren and those lunatics terrified me I would have ended up in jail because the safety of my family comes first. Ride with care in the aftermath of this news coverage, be courteous to those who are frightened by what they witnessed on TV and don’t forget your sunscreen. Read the rest of this entry »

By Lulu

Community involvement is something the folks at Gator and Stormy Hill Harley-Davidson pride themselves on and one of my favorite events there is this month on November 2nd to honor Veterans. In September they hosted a chili cook off and the parking lot was full of tasty treats. Each year they have two categories, one for professionals and one for cooks trying to impress us all with their culinary skills. I would not have been able to pick a winner all were tasty treats! The money raised goes to the Lake County Professional Firefighters, and as we all know these guys and girls are heroes everyday! Thank you Gator Harley-Davidson for caring for your heroes in your community! Read the rest of this entry »

By Raven Van Pelt

Despite the on again, off again rain on September 22nd, Hwy 17 Roadhouse Tavern, on Hwy 17 in Yulee held a charity concert for the Veterans Farm located in Jacksonville. The events started at 2 PM with 4 bands, such as Circle of Influence, Black Creek Rizin, Shell Game and Blister. Between band changes, there were raffle drawings, including a 50/50 raffle and a POW/MIA Ceremony.  Auction Items, donations by Budweiser and Twisted Tea, as well as many vendor booths & exhibits, and plenty of food catered by Murray's Grill completed the day.  All in all there was a great turn out, all to help support the Veterans Farm. A special thank you must be said to the owners and staff of Highway 17 Roadhouse Tavern who put this on to honor family members who served in the armed forces…over $3500 was raised and donated!! The Veterans Farm mission is to help disabled combat veterans reintegrate back into society through the use of horticulture therapy, while working together in a relaxed, open environment. Veterans work as a team to develop solutions that will enable them to overcome physical and mental barriers. Their goal is to help fill this gap by partnering with organizations like Farmers Veterans Coalition to assist disabled veterans in obtaining the resources to start their own farm or to work with larger farming organizations. Veterans Farm makes a connection between our veterans and the civilian community at large. The way they do this is by having disabled veterans grow and sell fruits and vegetables at farmers markets, U-pick and commercial markets. This will help them to become more comfortable socializing with the public. Their other goals are to show the public that veterans and disabled veterans can be successful working in the civilian world, to educate the community about the health benefits of eating organic food and to collaborate and work with local farmers. For more information on Veterans Farm please write or call: 9526 Argyle Forest Blvd., Ste. B2 #321, Jacksonville, Fl 32222. Phone: 904-535-4129 Fax: 877-390-8852 Read the rest of this entry »