It’s a special occurance in this business to get the opportunity to 1) meet a truly unique person you can respect 2) know your helping someone achieve a dream and 3) support our troops in a positive way. Well, the Guilty Gang is getting that opportunity by building a bike for “Ash”. Ash is currently deployed in Afghanistan and he’s an enlisted soldier with Special Op’s: Qualifications: Basic Army Airborne school, Army HALO/Military Freefall qualified, SCUBA qualified, JTAC qualified, Demolitions qualified. Here is his story, in his words.

I have been in the military for around 10 years under Special Operations Command. I have been on numerous deployments to the middle east, Afghanistan, central Europe, south east Asia, and a few other places. I grew up in the Santa Cruz, California area and have always been into that sort of vintage California style of life to include motorcycles and old school hot rods. The first bike I purchased after saving money from a deployment was a Harley Davidson Road King Classic which I had stripped down and painted to look like an old rockabilly bike. It turned out well and is still going strong today. Once again a few years later I was introduced to a company called Sucker Punch Sally’s who made me a true old school bobber. My first custom bike made just for me. Since I had two bikes that were similar in looks as far as old school, flat black, red rims, drag bars style, I wanted something different, but something still dependable, and more importantly as an Enlisted Military member, something affordable. One of my friends told me about a small company in Florida called Guilty Customs. I got their phone number off their website and called up and asked for “Carl” (aka Cj). Of course, he answered the phone and talked to me for about an hour. Not just about bikes or prices or business stuff, but about what I do and what I like, and what his tastes are, and what his brother does and other regular stuff. I felt as if it were not even a business call which is when I knew 100 percent this company is what it says on its website. I am still deployed as I write this but I still receive emails from Carl about parts and ideas for the bike I want when I return from overseas. That kind of business is something I always heard my father or Grandfather talk about. Not cookie cutter $45,000 dollar chopper orders online or like some assembly line, but actual one-on-one help. I have never even met the guys from Guilty Customs in person, but I can guarantee when I do, it will be like we have known each other for some time, and we will have by the time this build is over.

Ash, we’re stoked to have this opportunity to build your next cool motorcycle. We’re looking forward to finally meeting you and spending some seat time on your next cool bike build from Guilty Customs. We’ll be posting pic’s of the progress of Ash’s bike here on the blog. The bike we’re building for Ash is based off the Errant bike you’ve seen in various magazines, as well as a winner at The Rats Hole Show in 07′.

You’ve had it happen many many times if your a frequent rider at night-the glare of a motorist (cager or fellow rider) hits your mirror and temporarily blinds you. It’s a nuisance as well as dangerous. That is until now. AlphaMirror announces the release of its latest award-winning Auto-dimming Billet Mirror for Motorcycles. When high-intensity headlights hit these mirrors, the glare-reducing, auto-dimming feature protects the rider’s vision but maintains visibility behind. Available in a variety of finishes, colors and styles, the Auto-dimming Mirror for Motorcycles matches just about any bike—from street to cruiser, factory to custom. Seems like something we’d possibly use on an upcoming build called the Gatorz Bike. What do you think?

The Guilty Gang has a tender spot for those charities that either deal with children and/or health matters (and especially the hideous disease of Cancer). So, when we spoke with Jessi Sills (the founder of The Chrome Angels of Central Florida) we knew we had to participate in their upcoming event. Chrome Angels is an all ladies motorcycle association dedicated to raising money for and building awareness of charities that benefit women and children. Since their inception in 2003, their main focus has been to support breast cancer research and to help its victims.

On January 20, 2008, the group will hosting their 5th Annual Pink Ribbons for Life Event. Motorcycle riders and four-wheeled supporters will depart from Sanford, New Smyrna Beach and St. Cloud to meet at Cowboys Orlando for an afternoon of fun, music and fundraising. Last year, the event attracted close to 500 riders and they are expecting a larger crown this year with the addition of our friend Athena (Biker Chic from Vagabond Choppers) and Bubba Baker, (movie & TV star of “Monster,” “Bad Boys,” “Walker, Texas Ranger,” “Running Cool”).

All proceeds raised by the Pink Ribbons for Life Event will be contributed to the Florida Hospital Cancer Institute, MD Anderson Cancer Center and directly to the women afflicted with this dreaded disease. Funds are used to help pay for necessities such as mortgage payments, electricity bills and groceries, so the women battling breast cancer can focus on their recovery.

We know our readers as well as friends and business partners will serious consider participating in this worthy event! Right?!?! Yeah, i thought you would! Guilty Customs will be there as well as the Biker+ID and we look forward to seeing everyone at this great event! Ride with pride and help save a life! Here is their flier.pinkribbonfliercmyk.pdf

Imagine this: Background music, Steppenwolf “Born to be Wild“. Interrupted by guys voice saying “Guys, got to stop. Out of gas and need to take a leak“. Nothing new, right? New scene. Same Music; Interrupted by “Guy’s, no need to stop, my diaper isn’t full yet, let’s keep rolling!”
Ok, i’ll be the first to say it…”i’d never use this product, regardless of how old or weak my kidneys get, or how much they’d pay me“! The theory is sound though if your wanting to ride without limitations (other than gas necessities) to your destination. But lets get real here….who really wants to ride around with this “super absorbent and nasty odor killer” diaper for men? Regardless of age there has to be a certain level of pride we maintain when riding our favorite machine. Now, what you do off your machine is your business and we’re not going to pass judgement in that arena. But when riding, it should only be “butts and bikes”. So, when you’ve got to “walk the dog” or “see a man about a dog” or “drain a vain” do it like a man and stop on the side of the road or at the nearest pit stop and keep your riding pride in tact. Otherwise keep those diapers at home! BTW, the ad is in French, but the product is American….The headline says “It’s not a mechanical problem that is going to stop you…” Yeah, right. Next.

If your a regular viewer of TV shows dealing with motorcycles, you’ve probably heard the name Jay Barbieri. He’s the producer of “American Thunder,” the longest-running motorcycle magazine show on television. Recently Susan Carpenter, staff writer for the LA Times’ column, Throttle Jockey, did an interview with Barbieri regarding his new book titled “Biker’s Handbook: Becoming Part of the Motorcycle Culture“. It’s target market is anyone who rides whether your a road weary rider or a RUB. Here is a sample of her interview:

Q: Who is “that guy” in your book?

A: The guy who buys the leather jacket with a huge logo on the back. The guy who buys the pseudo-Nazi helmet with a big spike. The guy who rides up next to the minivan that says “Baby on Board” and revs his bike looking all bad trying to scare everyone inside.

Q: Does that mean this book is for rich urban bikers, or RUBs?

A: It’s not really for RUBs. It’s for three different categories. A guy who went out and bought a bike and isn’t quite sure what to do now that he’s got it; it’s all the things he wants to know but is too afraid to ask. It’s for guys who are new riders. And it’s for guys who’ve been on the road forever to have a laugh and say, “I remember when I got into this.”

Q: You’ve been riding 27 years. Why would you want to give a RUB insider information?

A: Because they have bikes and they’re not going away.

Q: What makes a biker real?

A: Knowledge. Knowing what you’re getting into and what you’re doing and kind of enjoying the road for what it is and the culture for what it is and not trying to be Billy Bad Ass all the time. It’s not about your image. It’s about going to an event, and riding in the rain, and having a good time, and enjoying that same camaraderie with other guys on the road. It’s the best T-shirt ever: If I had to explain, you wouldn’t understand.

For more information on Susan’s interview go to HERE:
For purchasing go to Amazon.

You’ve seen the “bulge” whenever your around bikers. That distinctive ‘bulge” from a guys back pocket (or front) that shows where the guy (or gal) keeps their stuff. They seem to be some mutant version of the character George Costanza from “Seinfeld” who had a wallet so overstuffed with junk that the term “Costanza wallet” became a way to describe a wallet ready to explode with receipts, cards, and other bits of personal trash.

As motorcyclists, most of us tend to travel light, and most of us can’t stand to haul a “Costanza” around. Motorcycling by nature requires serious space management, and unless you’re riding with saddlebags or a backpack, it’s almost impossible to keep bulky items on your person. Thick wallets in back pockets can be uncomfortable, and because you ought to ride with your license, proof of insurance, and at least enough cash for a tank of gas, products like the Jimi wallet offer an efficient way to carry the bare essentials.

The “Jimi” wallet is a compact, water resistant and colorful alternative to that stodgy, old wallet that attracts old receipts and out of date library cards like a paper magnet. Jimi™ wallet holds just the essentials: five cards, a few bills, and even has a detachable money clip if you need to go super slim. Jimi™ wallet actually fits in your front pocket, but you can also carry it the slimmest of bags, or around your neck on a lanyard. Whether you’re looking for an everyday wallet, a travel wallet, or just made a New Years resolution to get more organized, Jimi™ wallet’s translucent shell helps you move quickly through airports, or into your favorite club with ease. It’s already a hit with the cycling and snow sport community, so Jimi’s water resistant shell makes it ideal for a huge swathe of outdoor activities. And to top it all, Jimi™ wallet is manufactured in the US from 100% recycled materials, (and 1% of its sales revenue is invested in the environment). The Jimi is priced at $14.95, and the JimiX runs $15.95.

Art Friedman at Motorcycle Cruiser has a great post on Motorcycling Myths. Granted they aren’t as fun as some we’ve heard, (such as riding can give you colon, kidney etc cancer! see HERE.), but they definitely can save a life. Take a “click” over to their site and get the more detailed scoop.
1. Other Drivers Don’t Care About Motorcyclists
2. Loud Pipes Save Lives
3. Motorcycle Helmets Break Necks
4. Helmets Block Your Ability to See or Hear Danger
5. A Helmet Won’t Help in Most Crashes
6. A Helmet Will Leave You Brain Damaged in an Crash When You Would Have Simply Died
7. A Skilled Rider Should Be Able to Handle Almost Any Situation
8. If You Are Going to Crash, Lay It Down
9. One Beer Won’t Hurt
10. It’s Better to Stay in Your Lane than Split Lanes
11. I’m Safer on the Street than on an Interstate
12. A Skilled Rider Can Stop Better with Conventional Brakes than with Anti-Lock Brakes

Minneapolis, MN – (November 11, 2007) –The 2nd Annual Builders Breakfast is scheduled to take place TUESDAY, MARCH 4th, 2008 at Bruce Rossmeyer’s Destination Daytona.

With dozens of builders already confirmed, the 2nd Annual Builders Breakfast is sure to be the biggest yet. Again in 2008 the Daytona event will benefit Boggy Creek Camp for Seriously Ill Children. Join the most recognized Builders for a casual breakfast and lively auction. Like 2007, the auction will feature one of a kind items donated or hand made by the Builders on site. This is your chance to grab a piece of collector’s history and do it for a terrific cause.

“The Builders Breakfast events have surpassed my expectations. When I planned the first event, I was thinking it would be awesome if 50 people came. Honestly, I figured people wouldn’t get up early to attend, especially the Builders!” joked Darcy Betlach event founder. “Luckily I was wrong, not only do the events sell out n advance, but the Builders line up to attend and help me pull this all together” finished Betlach.

The Daytona event will be the one to beat to date. So far, over 20 Builders have confirmed their attendance including; Russell Mitchell, Kendall Johnson, Eddie Trotta, Russell Marlowe, Brian Klock just to name a few. Get your seat reserved today for the best event in Daytona. Tickets are $25 and benefit Boggy Creek Camp for Seriously Ill Children located in Eustice, FL. New for 2008, tickets are available online at: www.brucerossmeyer.com Choose Daytona Harley-Davidson button to be connected to site. Buy early, they go fast!

The all star Builders Breakfast events have been held in Sturgis and Daytona raising nearly $100,000 to date. “2008 will be the year the Breakfast events break the $100,000 mark” said Russell Mitchell of Exile Cycles. “We are proud to participate and plan to do all we can to raise more funds next year”.

The 2nd Annual Builders Breakfast Daytona will take place during bike week Tuesday, March 4th 2008 at Destination Daytona. Tickets are for sale online at: www.brucerossmeyer.com. Auction items are already rolling in including prints by Sara Liberty, custom, one of a kind, Builder Breakfast hand crafted seat by Adam Croft just to get us started. The 3rd Annual Builders Breakfast Sturgis date is already set: Tuesday, August 5, 2008 watch for Sturgis ticket sales information soon.

A very special thanks goes to those who go above and beyond to help the Builders Breakfast make history; Baker Drivetrain, Marilyn Stemp, Paisano Publications, Iron Works, Heel Guard, McDonald’s Sturgis, Arby’s Ormond Beach, Michael Lichter, Paul Yaffe Originals, Sara Liberte, Chrome Marketing, Jim Betlach, Bikers InCite, Broken Spoke Saloon, Bikernet, Ron Segal, ChopperBuild, Beachcruiser.com, Suzy, Cheryl and Kathy (you know who you are) and numerous other generous people and companies.

Not to mention a big special thanks to attending Builders; Paul Yaffe, Eddie Trotta, Aaron Greene, Paul Cox, Keino, Russell Mitchell, Kendall Johnson, Russell Marlowe, Kim Suter, Jerry Covington, Donnie Smith, Dave Perewitz, Billy Lane, Arlin Fatland, Rick Fairless, Brian Klock, Chica, AMD World Champion Chicara, Scott Webster, Roland Sands, Michael Prugh, Jesse Rooke, Arlen and Cory Ness, Brian Klock, Randy Simpson, Roger Goldammer, Matt Hotch and Jim Nasi.

BAKER is internationally known for its premium drivetrain innovations for American-made motorcycles. The much awaited BAKER F6R reverse modifies the original Harley-Davidson(R) six-speed transmission which has been jointly tested by Lehman and BAKER and is exclusive to the two companies. Lehman trikes powered by Harley-Davidson’s(R) 2006-2008 Dyna and 2007-2008 FL and Softail are the only trikes which will be available with Baker reverse at this time. The reverse gear will be available for shipment to dealers and factory conversions during the first week of December 2007.

BAKER Drivetrain(TM) designed and created the BAKER OD6 (6-Speed Overdrive) transmission for the American V-Twin industry which revolutionized the drivetrain industry. BAKER strives to retain the integrity of their design technologies, methods and products. They believe that their innovative products continue to make significant contributions to the development of the American motorcycle industry.

Lehman and BAKER state that the new reverse complements the Harley-Davidson(R) factory 6-speed like a true Original Equipment option. The BAKER reverse is selected with the foot shift lever and a safety switch. Dealer installation of the reverse is relatively straightforward for those familiar with the Harley-Davidson(R) six-speed transmission. Dealers who prefer factory conversions can depend on quality installations by BAKER trained technicians at the Lehman assembly plant. Additionally, BAKER Drivetrain(TM) directly supports a limited three (3) year/unlimited mileage warranty.

Dan Patterson, President of Lehman stated, “The agreement between BAKER and Lehman has been in the works for some time. The agreement has come to fruition and we could not be more delighted. For months, BAKER and Lehman have diligently worked on the reverse gear, including extensive testing by both companies. BAKER is an outstanding company, possessing both integrity and first-rate individuals in their ranks. We feel that the addition of BAKER Drivetrain(TM) to our growing list of strategic partners is good for both companies, as well as the industry. Once again, as `the trike company’ and `Leader of the Three World,’ we have added yet another `first’ to our ever-expanding list of cutting edge innovations, products and programs.”

Source: Press Release

Our friend Cyril Huze first posted the letter from a past employee of BWDC who had some alligations on safety and the company who makes the “360-Brake”. This post is a follow up from the President of BWDC regarding these and other allegations.

“My name is Dale Needleman and I am the “new” President of Baldwin Wilson Development Corporation, home of the “360 Brake”. In the past few days an entry to your blog was made by Mr. Chet Burozski. While it is true that Chet was the Senior Salesperson at BWDC, he no longer works for the company and has not for many months. Thankfully, Chet took our call this week, and we were able to address his concerns, answer some questions and provide him with information that he previously did not have. I am writing this blog entry to help answer some of the questions and concerns posted by your readers, and provide additional information as well. The facts - free from salesmanship are this:

Lastly, I would like to thank everyone, past and future customers, for the opportunity to answer some of your questions, address some of your concerns, and clear up some of the confusion. I stand proud of the “360 Brake” and look forward to an exciting future for the company and all customers who support and love our product”. Best Regards. Dale E. Needleman. President BWDC

Hey, we just got word from our friends at “The Horse” on whether or not they were having another East Coast SmokeOut event, and if so where it would be held. Here is what they say about next years event!

“Everyone has been asking where Smoke Out is going to be next year. . . Clemmons, NC at the Farmington Dragway
June 20-22, 2008. We will post more information as it comes. If you are wanting to book hotel space, please be sure to mention Smoke Out when you call the hotels. For more information, you can always check out Back Talk at www.ironcross.net“

We’re stoked that The Horse worked around the whole fiasco with Salisbury City Council and didn’t let the narrow minded powers-to-be stand in the way of bringing us this incredible event. We’ll be there you can be sure as it’s an event you shouldn’t miss. Great job Horse!

If your like most people your home garage does double and even triple duty….storing the family cars along with yard equipment, tools and general household goods like christmas ornaments etc. Well, of course if your a rider, your not about to leave your bike outside so you squeeze it in between the two cars and lawnmower and hope no one hits it. Well, here is a rather simple solution that can not only save your some space but time and your back. Plus the price isn’t bad! It’s called the Cycle Dolly. The Cycle Dolly makes it easy to move motorcycles up to 1500 lbs. in any direction. No more jockeying to get the bike as close to the wall as possible, Rolls easily on 10 large 2″ diameter by 1-3/4″ wide composite ball bearing swivel casters prevent damage to painted floors. Just push it against the wall when you need to get to the lawn mower or tools! Walk your motorcycle on and position virtually anywhere in your garage with the push of your hand! Made in USA.

Our friend Cyril Huze recently featured a disturbing letter on his BLOG from a former 360-Brake employee disclosing some disturbing findings and making some alligations that should be looked into further by both the print media and authorities. We’ve posted the employees letter here. But for the whole story go to Cyrils BLOG.

“Cyril, My name is Chet Burozski. I was the sales rep for 360-Brake. Recently the company has gone through a take over by the minority stock holders and one of the partners. Prior to this the company had some Greening Lab. Tests done on the brake. The results were a complete and total failure. The prior management team didn’t want to admit they had a problem so they just ignored it. I was hoping, with the new team in place, they would have at least some dignity and responsibility, both to the company and to the customers riding and trusting these brakes to work. I was disappointed again when I received the following letter, basically blaming the industry, the magazines and the TV media for misinformation. Most of the information the media has was written by me and all of the information I had was given to me by the President, the Vice President, the General Manager or the Engineers who were doing the designs. Cyril, I was forced to sign a confidentiality agreement with the company but feel it is way more important to possibly save the life of a fellow biker than line the pockets of a few posers who could care less about a human life and are just worrying about being liable. If you have any other questions feel free to give me a call or drop me a line. Chet Burozski (317)370-0920 cell chetandadam@tds.net”

When you start out with a product idea (whatever it is) and then it comes to reality, your hopes are that the community you serve, (in our case the biker community) will embrace it. It’s something that makes the difference between success or failure. Simple basic business. Most of you know that we’d launched a new product a few months ago, called “the Biker+ID”. A simple product mind you. We won’t shamelessely plug the product, so just go HERE for news on it.
Well, we are proud to admit, the response from the biker community has OVERWHELMED us…. but unfortunately success has it’s price. That price is that we have a 5+ week response period for fulfilling our current orders. Granted, this isn’t our ideal situation and we hope those of you that have ordered or contemplating ordering will understand. The results of success, sometimes means delays. For those of you that have ordered thanks for supporting Biker+ID. For those contemplating purchasing, it’s worth the wait.

Recently we were informed that one of our bikes, “Errant”, is featured on the cover of Florida Bikers Digest and featuring a new friend of Guilty Customs, Sasha Mullins. We’d forgotten about the photo’s taken at the Horse’s SmokeOut, but not the person and we were quite excited to find out all this awesome stuff about Sasha. She’s a popular freelance journalist for several motorcycle publications including Easyriders, American Iron, Cycle World, V-Twin, American Rider, Thunder Press and HD-s HOG Tales. She’s also written for Forbes Magazine and has been featured in motorcycle documentaries for Discovery Channel’s Motorcycle Women, TLC’s Biker Girls: Born to be Wild, and the BBC TV, and is CEO of Bikerlady, Inc. Her fiancee’ is Pat Lassiter, who is the bass player for Tracy Lawrence who is a country music artist with 18 number one hits. Her most recent writing adventure is a book, called “Bikerlady-Living & Riding Free!” which is available now at most book stores or online at Amazon. So, next time your out and meeting new people, don’t be suprised who they may turn out to be. Sasha, thanks for spending time with us and we look forward to seeing you again someday.