WITW invades Big Bear Big Bear, Calif., June 8–10—Ladies started arriving in Big Bear, California, on every kind of two- and three-wheeled motorcycle to the 5th annual Ride California event. Ride California is a regional event of Women in the Wind (WITW) that includes members from California, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Oregon and Canada. The event was hosted by the Riverside ...

December 12, 1955–February 13, 2018 Most of the V-twin-riding girls today will tell you they more than likely caught the Discovery Channel show Motorcycle Women and were inspired to straddle a motorcycle and take charge of their lives. One of my best friends was on that show and I got to stand by and watch her shine and graciously talk ...

Party on the Panhandle Panama City Beach, Fla., May 2–6—It had been several years since I’d been Panama City’s Thunder Beach Spring Rally and I wasn’t prepared for all the growth that had taken place in that area. The Panhandle has always been one of my favorite places in Florida with its beautiful beaches and scenic views of the Gulf ...

Desert extravaganza Laughlin, Nev., April 25–28—Laughlin is an inviting little boomtown clinging to the banks of the Colorado River that serves as a natural border dividing the states of Nevada and Arizona. There’s a variety of gambling casinos along the less than one mile stretch of Casino Drive’s hotels and resorts on the Nevada side and it’s a fun place ...

Pirate ships and hidden treasures Crescent City, Calif., Apr. 7—When it comes to sweet roads for riding motorcycles, southern Oregon is a treasure trove of riches. Fifteen minutes from home I can be on a delightful ribbon of asphalt cutting through an avenue of pines and madrones on my way to Hellgate Canyon, whose rugged scenery along the Rogue River ...

Engineered for success The motorcycle industry is a fluid business, constantly changing and evolving due to current trends in styling, slick marketing ploys and even riders’ self-perception—stock bikes being modified to stretched choppers giving way to big-wheel production models, with baggers being the current rage. Keeping abreast of these changes in riders’ impulses is a monumental task requiring quick adaptability ...

A bike for all seasons Harley-Davidson has a long history of manufacturing bikes that can be converted from around-town motorcycles into touring models. The FXRT was likely the first iteration of this concept, adding saddlebags and a full fairing. During the Dyna years, there was the Dyna Convertible, a typical Dyna platform but with the addition of bags that could ...

Faith Ahlers and the Grizzly Race Team to circumnavigate the globe St. Michael, Minn., May 5–6—There doesn’t seem to be any better way to celebrate International Female Ride Day than Saturday’s launch party for Faith Ahlers, sponsored by Kuryakyn and Camacho and hosted by Bison Thunder Motorcycle located in St. Michael, Minnesota. Faith, riding an Indian Chieftain Dark Horse, is ...

Photos courtesy of Roland Sands Design The great equalizer Most forms of racing in the U.S. are seeing a decline in participation and with fans—grids are shrinking and stands are not filling up. The exception to this recent trend can be found on dirt tracks and small paved ovals all across the country. Flat track motorcycle racing is making a ...

Setting records in Sin City Las Vegas, Nev., Jan. 23–27—As bidders, sellers, tire kickers and gawkers prepared for the onslaught of an impressive 1,324 motorcycles to be sent across the stage at the South Point Hotel & Casino’s equestrian center, Mecum Auctions employees were busily preparing for what would prove to be their biggest motorcycle auction ever. With a record ...