All the cool things Silverado, Calif., June 23–24—Nestled in the Santa Ana mountains in a remote area of Orange County is Oak Canyon Ranch. Oak Canyon, approximately 20 acres of lush grass, complete with a lake, and perfectly framed with huge oak trees throughout, is home of the Born Free Motorcycle Show. Born Free was founded 10 years ago by ...

Ridin’ and rockin’ the Granite State Laconia, N.H., June 9–17—My first time attending Laconia Motorcycle Week was an amazing experience! It was the first time I had ridden east of Indiana. It was my first trip to the New England area and I have to say the area is absolutely beautiful. I am not sure what I expected, but the ...

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 ...