appy New Year! For Drag Specialties Magazine and its sister publication, Parts Magazine, this is the start of year 14. This magazine started as an idea back in 1994 about creating a publication with a different format than the traditional trade magazines and a 100% focus on the accessory side of the motorcycle business. I presented the concept to LeMans’ Chairman Fred Fox, proposing that as the leading motorcycle distributing company in the world, it made a lot of sense to me to put their name on the front cover. He agreed and we were off and running. It keeps getting bigger and better and we look forward to 2007 and many years to follow.
     Another thing that goes along with the start of a new year is the next edition of the Drag Specialties FatBook catalog. This year it’s fatter than ever and the front cover features a bike built by one of the hottest young custom builders in the business, Roland Sands. This issue of Drag Specialties Magazine honors that with a behind-the-scenes look at both the bike and the builder. As we always do, we have great photos of the bike taken from every angle and the all-important parts list. Check it out. Many bikes we have featured in the past are so specialized, we know that only a few might actually build a replica. But Rolands’ creation maintains a stock frame and is a really practical custom machine. It looks great, and it’s affordable.
     A third significance of the turning of the calendar pages to 2007 is that the V-Twin Expo by Easyriders is just around the corner. The first weekend of February we’ll be in Cincinnati for the 7th annual show and you should be too. As we have done for a few years now, this issue features a Special Preview Section on the show and you have a chance to check out the schedule of events, floor plan and an overview of what Drag Specialties and its many great vendors will be showing there. And be sure to get to the Drag booth early and get registered. You need to do that to qualify for the many show specials and you’ll then be eligible for passes to the great VIP dealer Superbowl party on Sunday night.
     Don’t miss the story on page 16 about the other bike on our front cover. The Red one. Ferrari Red to be exact. Yoshi Kosaka, one of my old friends here in the L.A. area, got an offer a few months ago that he couldn’t turn down; build a special bike for a Ferrari club that would be given as a retirement gift to Formula One driver Michael Schumacher. Yoshi only had three weeks to convert an old Harley Shovelhead into something worthy of a gift for arguably the greatest racing driver in the history of F1 auto racing. He pulled out his Drag Specialties FatBook and got it done.
     Of course there is a lot more in this issue. Some great product features, of course; a last look at events of 2006, Biketoberfest especially; as well as profiles on some important Drag Specialties vendors. Read about the guys at Alloy Art, Chopper Guys, NYC Choppers and RC Components. These are great American business success stories and proof what a great country this is, and what a great industry we make our living in.
Hope to see you in Cincinnati.