This photo was taken from the window of my hotel in Daytona Beach the morning that Hurrricane Wilma was passing over Florida. About 6 inches of rain fell that day where I was at, and that was 250 miles north of the storm!

s you read this, you're likely getting ready to head out to Cincinnati for the 6th annual V-Twin Expo by Easyriders. I really look forward to that show every year. It's turned out to be everything that Jim Betlach and the folks at Easyriders said it would be when they created it...an event specifically for, and about, V-Twin motorcycles. All the top builders, manufacturers and dealers will be there. Drag Specialties will be there, of course, and so will we. Check out our Special Show Section starting on page 18.
     Normally when you hear the word "fat," you expect something negative to follow. Except when it's about the Drag Specialties FatBook catalog, or the many great FatBook project bikes that we get to feature in this magazine. In those cases, "fat" is a good thing and we can't get enough of it. For 2006, Drag included two great looking bikes on the cover of the FatBook catalog, so we're right on that with reports in this issue about them both. Brian and Tank each did what they do best with the results being very different. Yet each bike is something that anyone would surely love to have.
     Once we get past Cincinnati, it will be time to get ready for Bike Week in Daytona. Many of you, and me, were just there recently for Biketoberfest. The atmosphere was a little "iffy" there, caused by a huge hurricane called Wilma that was hanging out in the Caribbean all weekend. It was quite unnerving to know that if Wilma proved the weathermen wrong and swept farther north, it could come right through Daytona Beach. Reports were that the attendance was a little down this year for the Fall event, but considering Wilma's threat it's a wonder anyone was there at all. But that's the motorcycle crowd for you, always a hearty bunch.
     As it turned out Wilma dragged her heels and didn't come across Florida until early Monday morning, and she decided to follow the projected course and was down in the Miami area about 250 miles south of where I was staying. I had some business in Daytona that day and got a little sampling of wind and rain. It was nothing, though, compared to those that took a direct hit. LetÕs hope that we get some nice Spring weather there in March.
     In December it was time to look back at 2005 and recall the great (and maybe some not-so-great) moments of the year. But now it's January and it's all about looking ahead. So - Happy New Year! 2006 is off and running. The shows, the events, the rides. Buckle up: here we go again!