re you ready? The 67th annual Sturgis Rally is just a few weeks away! Yes, there’s Daytona, Laughlin, Myrtle Beach and many other great rallies, but how do you top the atmosphere of summer in the Black Hills of South Dakota, the great riding, plus the huge amount of things going on? There’s a whole month’s worth of things to do there, but the rally is only about ten days long, so plan carefully. Most of the event schedules were still in development at press time, but here’s an overview of some key activities going on that we’re aware of this year:



Win this show and you will soon be on the map in the custom building business. Don Emde Photo

kay, trophies are nice to set on the mantle at home, but what most new amateur custom builders are looking for are exposure and respect. To take home any of the prizes is great, but especially the Best of Show winner at the Metzeler Custom Bike Contest at Sturgis means both. The Pirelli/Metzeler Tire Company practically adopts the winner of this award. You’re soon jetting your way on an all-expenses paid trip to Italy and Germany to visit the company’s different tire factories of Europe, and before long there are Metzeler posters with the winner’s machine featured prominently. Included also is a photo shoot with you and your bike with renowned photographer Michael Lichter, and more. Respect? Top designers like Eddie Trotta make up the contest selection group. You’re now in the club!
     There are many classes and many others prizes and awards. Thunderdome at Thunder Road is located three miles east of downtown Sturgis on Hwy 34. For more info, log onto: www.metzelermoto.com.


Michael Ballew took top honors at the 2006 Metzeler Custom Bike Show. Photo courtesy of Metzeler.

ichael Lichter has announced that the theme of his 7th annual Sturgis exhibit at Thunder Road will be “One World Choppers.” The theme was inspired by the “British Invasion” of music from 1964 to 1966. “One World Choppers” is limited to 24 foreign-born builder-artists, including some that live and work in the USA and others that will ship their bikes and art from overseas.


Some of the displays at the Michael Lichter Art Exhibit are in metallic form and others are on paper. It’s all art. Don Emde photo.


This customized 1950s Vincent was one of the more stunning machines on display there in 2006. Don Emde photo.



he Top 50 Custom Bike Show returns to the Top 50 Rally Park this year. Last year’s show categories included Hardlife, Lowlife,Open/Custom and the Old School. This year the show has expanded to provide more classes of bikes, including Harley Baggers and Softails as well as Metric Cruisers and Sportbikes…plus an international class. Note: While the Top 50 Custom Bike Show is the highlight of August 9th, there are activities going on there most of the week, including vendors, displays and more. For a complete event schedule log onto www.top50rallypark.com.


The Top 50 Rally Park shows and exhibits are about both Hot Rods and Custom motorcycles. Like two shows in one! Don Emde photo.


Competition is tough at the Top 50 Custom Show. These bikes are the “real deal. Photo courtesy of Top 50 Rally Park.



n all-star roster of the nation’s top custom builders and athletes are changing the face of motorcycling events, by producing a ground-breaking entertainment package called The Black List Tour. The Black List Tour is a hard-core fusion of skateboarding, Moto X, Hot Rods, Custom bikes, music and art, designed to redefine and revolutionize rally entertainment, and provide the ultimate platform for cross generational expression. Participants will include: Baker Drivetrain, Twisted Choppers, Sucker Punch Sally’s, Leroy-Thompson Choppers, Led Sled Customs and more. The Full Throttle Saloon is located on Hwy 34 east of Sturgis. Check out their website at: www.fullthrottlesaloon.com.


Motorcycle parking is right inside the Full Throttle Saloon compound. Get there late and you might need to go to the overflow lot, but it’s close. Don Emde photo.


The great upper level viewing area is a relaxing place to cool your heels for a few hours and watch the world pass by. Don Emde photo.



     Drag Specialties and its key vendors will be “anywhere and everywhere” during the rally. Look for displays as far away as Black Hills Harley-Davidson in Rapid City to right in the heart of Sturgis on Lazelle Street. Drag Specialties, Icon, Z1R, Arlen Ness, Performance Machine, Baker Drivetrain. Kuryakyn, and Vance & Hines, among others…they’ll all be there.


Drag Specialties will have a rig in downtown Sturgis. Don Emde photo


Be sure to stop by Black Hills Harley-Davidson in Rapid City. Don Emde photo.



     Kids & Chrome, a benefit for Children’s Home Society and the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame, has announced that Nick Gendender of New York City Choppers and Independent Cycle Inc. have joined forces on a project and with support from many industry leaders, including Bert Baker of Baker Drivetrain, to create a custom motorcycle for the 2007 Kids & Chrome raffle. Valued at over $50,000, this one-of-a-kind motorcycle is sure to draw attention. There will be 999 raffle tickets available, selling for $100 each or six for $500. Tickets can be bought during the rally at Black Hills Harley-Davidson, Top 50 Rally Park, Buffalo Chip or on the Kids & Chrome website www.kidsandchrome.com.

     For more information about the 2007 Sturgis Rally, checkout: www.sturgismotorcyclerally.com and/or www.Sturgis-rally.com.



(left) A ride out to Mt. Rushmore is considered to be pretty much a mandatory item on the schedule for the rally. Don Emde photo.

(right) A ride from Rapid City to Devil’s Tower over in Wyoming makes a great one-day activity.
Don Emde photo.

adly, hardly a day goes by here in the United States that we don’t hear about some of our soldiers being injured or killed in Iraq or Afghanistan. It’s a similar story up north in Canada and the plight of one injured Canadian soldier recently spread throughout the motorcycle industry up north of the border. The response was pretty amazing and uplifting.
     Turns out Master Corporal Jody Mitic had left a phone message in January for Glenn Roberts of Motorcycle Mojo Magazine regarding some contact information he desired about two custom Buells he had seen in their magazine. The call had come in via a satellite phone from Mitic from Afghanistan, so Roberts was unable to return it.
     Then a few weeks later, Mitic sent an email to Roberts informing him that he had “run into a bit of bad luck” as he put it, and was back in Canada recovering from losing both feet after stepping on an anti personnel mine. But he reported that he still intended to ride motorcycles again and was still interested in knowing more about the custom Buells in hopes to purchase a custom bike, if he could in fact afford one.
     The staff at Motorcycle Mojo were so amazed at Master Corporal Mitic’s spirit that they contacted the owners of the two Buells, Keith Whipp and Cory Wickham, with news about their communications with him. Whipp and Wickham both work at Barrie Harley-Davidson and convinced the store’s owners to embark on an “Adopt a Soldier” program with the goal of building Jody a “mutant” Buell much like theirs. They reportedly raised $5,000 the first day and the project took off from there. Before they knew it they had commitments from numerous Canadian companies, including Parts Canada/Drag Specialties and vendors such as Hogtunes, SuperTrapp, Pingel and XENA Security. With the assistance of Motorcycle Mojo, donations were raised by advertisers in the magazine, local businesses as well as many private individuals and businesses. They ultimately collected $51,000 to get the machine built.
     Starting with a used 1999 Buell Thunderbolt S3T, the Buellseye project began. Some key features that went into the machine were a Pingel electric shifter that would allow Mitic to shift gears with a thumb control, and also a very kind extra effort from SuperTrapp to build a special order of discontinued XR style exhausts like were on Whipp’s Buell.
     The project was completed in early April and a special presentation was planned at Barrie Harley-Davidson to surprise Jody with the bike. Approximately 300 friends, family members and donors were on hand for a very touching and emotional evening for all. Following numerous speeches, handshakes and well-wishing, the moment arrived and the Buellseye was given to a totally surprised soldier who had, himself, given so much.

     Our thanks to Jonathan Bielaski of Light Imaging for use of the lead photo, Glenn Roberts and the staff at Motorcycle Mojo Magazine for providing remaining photos and background information and also to Pez from HogTunes for his assistance with this story.


The staff from Barrie HD. Keith Whipp and Cory Wickham, whose mutant Buells inspired the Buellseye project, are behind Jody’s left shoulder. Glenn Roberts photo.


Cory Wickham (left) and Mitic hold a flag that was signed for Jody by attendees to the presentation. Glenn Roberts photo.


A young attendee to the presentation offers her best wishes to Jody. Glenn Roberts photo.


Parts Magazine
Volume 14 #7

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