January 2017 Jan. 6th 7th & 8th – The 41st Annual North American International Supershow
The Big One at The International Centre on Airport Road in Toronto. Friday Noon till 10pm, Saturday 10am till 9pm and Sunday 10am till 5pm. Canada’s Largest Motorcycle Show, Free Parking. For more information check out www.motorcyclesupershow.ca or call 1-888-661SHOW (7469)
Jan. 6th-8th - The Motorcycle Show Calgary
At the BMO Centre, Stampede Park, 20 Roundup Way S.E. Calgary, AB.Friday Noon – 9pm, Saturday 10am – 8pm and Sunday 10am – 5pm. For more information check out www.calgarymotorcycleshow.ca .
Jan 20th–22nd – The Motorcycle Show Vancouver
At the Tradex – Trade & Exhibition Centre, 1190 Cornell Street, Abbotsford, B.C. Friday 10am – 9pm, Saturday 10am – 8pm and Sunday 10am – 5pm. For more information check out www.vancouvermotorcycleshow.com.
Jan 29th – Bacchus MC Woodstock Swap Meet
At the Beachville Legion 39 Zorra Line (corner of Zorra Line and Queen) in Beachville. 10AM – 3PM, Tons of vendors, Admission is only a $5 Donation with kids 12 and under free! For more Information call Hutch 226-339-5184
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February Feb. 5th - Motorcycle Swap Meet London
At the I.B.E.W. Union Hall at 6688 Tempo Road, in London. At Col. Talbot Road and the 401. 10am – 4 pm, Admission $10 with lots of Free Parking. Vendor Spaces available. All Makes and Models are Welcome. For more information call 705-321-0334
Feb 5th - Greely Motorcycle Swap Meet
Greely Legion, 8021 Mitch Owens Dr., Ottawa Ont. Vendors wanted, More Info Call (613) 295 6934, or (613) 724 8140 or even (613) 822 2480
Feb. 10th–12th – The Motorcycle and ATV Show Moncton
At The Moncton Coliseum Complex, 377 Killam Drive, in Moncton, Friday Noon – 9pm, Saturday 10am – 8pm and Sunday 10am – 5pm. For more information check out www.monctonmotorcycleshow.ca
Feb. 26th - The Annual Big Al’s Swap Meet
At the Dundas Community Center, 10 Market St. in Dundas. 10am – 3pm, $5 Admission, Kids under 12 free. For table information call 905-746-7077.
March
Mar. 18th – 6th Annual ABATE Charity Pool Tournament
At Hustler Billiards, 1116 Dearness Dr., London. Registration starts at 10:30am Games Start at 12 Noon, $15 Entry fee. For more information Contact Joker: 519-671-0078, Deb: 226-456-1693 or Horse: 519-983-5324.
Mar. 25th – 26th – The 27th Annual Motorcycle Springshow Toronto
At the Internati onal Centre on Airport Rd. in Toronto, Saturday 9am – 9pm and Sunday 10am – 5pm. For more Informati on www.motorcyclespringshow.com
April
Apr. 2nd – The Spring Motorcycle Swap Meet Peterborough
At The Morrow Building, 151 Lansdowne St. West, in Peterborough. 9am to 3 pm. Get there early and get the deals, Admission only $10, over Tons of Vendors, North American & Metric, Park and Sell your Bike or become a Vendor. For more Informati on call 705-340-2130 or email ptboswapmeet@hotmail.com or check out their Facebook Page www.facebook.com/ptboswapmeet
Apr. 29th – Hamilton Bikers Church Spring Swap Meet
At Crown Point community Church, 92 Ott awa St. N., Hamilton. 10A.M. – 2 P.M. Admission $5 per person, Tables $10 each. For more info contact: Pastor Ken 905-870-8584 or email kenang@cogeco.ca www.hamiltonbikerschurch.com
May
May 7th - Fort Erie Motorcycle Swap Meet
West End Arena, Ridge Road, Fort Erie. 10am4pm For more info: Contact Sean 289-686-6797 or 905-246-1282 or email shawnmccooey@yahoo.com
June
June 3rd – The 3rd Annual All-Ways Apsley Motorcycle Rendezvous
At North Kawartha Community Centre, 340 McFadden Rd., Apsley. 9a.m. - 4p.m.Ride, Show & Shine, Games, Awards, Food, Vendors, and much more. Rain or Shine, for more informati on check www.all-waysapsley. ca or Twitt er/Facebook @AllWaysApsley
June 3rd –The 9th Annual Heroes Highway Ride
Starti ng at the Nati onal Air Force Museum, 220 RCAF Rd., CFB Trenton, Astra Ontario and fi nishing up at Memorial Park, Port Hope, Ontario. Come on out and Support those who Serve, Ride the Highway Of Heroes with Great Events to follow in Port Hope. Check it out at www.heroeshighwayride.ca or fi nd us on facebook � .com/Groups/heroeshighwayride
June 11th - Quinte Ride For Paws Poker Run
At Centennial Park Amphitheater, 236 Couch Crescent in Trenton. Ride starts at 11am, $10 per Bike , BBQ and Live Entertainment to follow the ride. For more info contact: 613-392-0759 or 613-847-7670
July
July 8th – Annual Lucan Baconfest
Everything Bacon and Bikes, The Big Summer Event in Lucan Ontario, A Whole day of Family Fun with something for everybody! Bike Show, Swap Meet, Poker Run, Kid’s Zone, Vendors, Bands, Beer Gardens, and More Bikes and of course BACON! Check out more details at htt p:// www.baconfestlucan.ca or see or follow us on Facebook June 4th – Birth Of A Nati on Ride/Nati onal Memorial � .com/LucanBaconfest or Twitt er @lucanbaconfest for Ride updates and ti mes. th
Celebrati ng the 150 Anniversary of Canadian ConAugust federati on and The 100th Anniversary of The Batt le Aug. 4th–6th - “Hogs For Hospice” of Vimy Ridge. The Ride starts at Historic Fort Henry Leamington’s 2nd Annual Motorcycle Rally in Kingston, and will connect up with The Nati onal Memorial Ride at The Nati onal War Museum in Ott awa. The Ride then conti nues through Ott awa past Parliament Hill and ending at Beechwood Cemetery. Come out to Hall 1 at the Internati onal SuperShow at the Airport in Toronto Jan. 6-8 for more informati on. Or check out www. heroeshighwayride.ca or fi nd us on facebook � .com/ Groups/heroeshighwayride
A very busy weekend of events in Downtown Leamington. Check out their website for the full list and ti mes of events. www.hogsforhospice.com
Aug. 27th - 6th Annual Quinte Ride For Paws Ride
At 7 Creswell Drive in Trenton (behind the Metro). Meet & Greet starts at 9:30am with the Ride starti ng at 11am, $15 per Bike , BBQ starti ng at Noon. For more info contact: 613-392-0759 or 613-847-7670
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Thanks for your support
We started this feature to thank our advertisers without whose support The Riders Mag would not exist. It is their advertising dollars that allow us to do this. A few Months ago I started writing small blurbs about different advertisers in my Cruising with Critt er column as their ads don’t always tell our readers exactly what they do, how they do it or for who they do it for, why they started doing it and why they continue to do it and so on. Rather than just sell them a bigger ad I thought it might be more helpful to give them a free plug. Apparently it got noticed and we’ve been getting more response and more requests. So in response to those requests we will randomly select several of our advertisers each Month and do a short write up on their business be it a new advertiser or someone who’s been with us a while. We can all use a hand along the way.
Task Performance
Ted has been doing exceptional performance work for years until he was plagued with various health issues and he was forced to slow down for a while. He has been a supporter of the Mag since the beginning and we like to give back where we can. Ted is now feeling better than ever and is back, building kick ass motors and doing the high performance work that made him famous. He can do full service on your Harley and can program the new bikes as well. He has also been working with Don Morely down in St. Catherines helping him get him established. Call Ted Catherwood – 905-945-5372 or drop by his shop 7616 Mud St. Grassie Ont. L0R-1M0 ted@ TASKPerformance.ca web site TASKPerformance.ca
Hasti ngs Starter and Alternator
This is a fairly recent advertiser who has been proudly doing excellent work in a business that is losing ground to inferior products. Today, too many riders are subscribing to the throwaway, cheap is better type of thinking. They choose buying cheaper, made in China, products using inferior metals and components. Then they find out that they not only don’t last but aren’t worth repairing when they break down or malfunction. They then figure out that buying quality once is better and cheaper in the long run than replacing the same part many times and being left on the side of the road or delayed in starting a trip. Then they go looking to find a shop like Peter’s which at one time used to be plentiful to discover that many have gone out of business. Peter has been doing has been doing “Old School” rebuilding Harley Generators, starters and such for over 30 years. He still rides and is determined to keep doing what he does for as long as he can do it. So we ask you to choose quality over cheap and support businesses like Hasti ngs Starter and Alternator. 19 King St E, Hagersville, ON N0A 1H0 Phone: (905) 768-7688
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Insta Isulati on and Insta Sheds
Managing Editor Al and I met Mike when he and a buddy rode in to Ride Night here in town past Summer and he started advertising his companies with us right after that and has continued with us since then. He has some really great products that I wish I’d known about earlier this year for a couple of projects of my own! To perhaps, over simplify things a bit he manufactures Shed Kits, built with Insta-Panels by Insta-Insulation which are
his companies which have a 25 year proven track record of providing insulation products for residential, construction, industrial and recreational uses. These structures are great for motorcycles, atvs, workshops, bunkhouses, rural school bus stops, pump houses, pool change rooms, construction sheds, animal or pet shelters, storage and just about anything else you can think of. They are 100% insulated including the floor and doors with double steel construction and triple steel roof construction. They can do custom sizes and types and options to fit your specific need and can be built on site or delivered within our Service Area. If you’ve seen TV shows such as Bryan Baeumler of Leave it to Bryan, House of Bryan and Bryan Inc. or Mike Holmes on Holmes on Homes, Make it Right, and Holmes Inspections, or another hit show; Love it or List it you’ve seen Mike’s products! They have been featured on these shows whenever they need a solution to insulation problems. For more information on these great products and services call Mike, Toll Free at 1-844-240-9734 or 416200-3562 or email info@instasheds.ca
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This has been a horrendous year for me and the last couple of Months have just put the frosting on the cake! I can hardly wait to see 2016 vanish into history although the after effects will be felt for some time to come. I’m finally going to have to retire from my job at Canada Cartage as the current condition of my shoulder makes it impossible for me to drive the larger trucks anymore or at least until after I get the replacement surgery but it will be too late by then. I had hoped that they could find something for me to do but it appears that they have nothing available. So I will call it a career after more than forty five years. It was always a great Company to work for and I was always proud to call myself an employee! That is one thing but all the damn funerals are just too much! During a simple phone call to Canada Cartage to check on a couple of things I learned that an old friend and fellow driver Bill Stewart, had died. I went down to pay my respects and while there I got the call informing me that my friend, Buff had passed on as well. Then while at Buff’s funeral we got word that The Black Diamond Riders Motorcycle Club President, Johnny Sombrero, had passed on! I don’t even get to finish writing about those gentlemen’s funerals and the word comes down that one of the founding members of The Vagabonds MC, Earl Chiasson had also passed on. Now as I write this I get notified that The Queensmen Motorcycle Club has lost two of their members Gord Epp and Lifetime Member Brian “Prick” Pickles! Check out the gone but not forgotten page which has been updated to include these last additions. Damn! It is enough to make your head spin and I checked myself to make sure that I still had a pulse and to see if I could find that expiration date that has to be stamped somewhere on this tired old carcass! On a happy note I got some good news from Dale who helped the Twins, Ernie and Charlie Sundal with the extremely popular event “The Western Town Smoke Out” that they used to run at their property in Claremont. Many of you knew that one of the twins, Charlie Sundal is down in Florida where we winter and on Friday night last week he did his first music jam and party just like the old days before his deal with lung cancer. He got his voice back which took over a year since last Nov. 2015 and was doing a great job of singing. I made it out to two of the three funerals and had intended to go to Earl’s Funeral as well but I had family obligations that I had to attend to and just couldn’t make it. I hear that he had a fine and fitting send off and that the funeral had a huge turnout and they used The Boothill Motorcycle Hearse to give him his last ride. Earl was a well-liked, highly respected individual and will be missed by his Club Brothers, his family, friends and all who knew him.
R.I.P. - Larry “Buff” Fowler Aug. 7, 1952 – Nov 2, 2016
The news that long-time friend, Buff had succumbed to the Cancer that has
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been torturing him over the past year stirred mixed emotions in me and all of those that I spoke to. Sadness from the realization that a true friend had passed on but relief in the knowledge that he was no longer in pain. There was still, a sense of melancholy, knowing that we will never again see that friendly, ever present crooked smile of his or the twinkle in his eye as he recounted one of the seemingly endless list of adventures that he’d experienced during his time on this planet. I tried many times to get him to come on board with us at the Riders Mag as his stories were always captivating and he had done so much, travelled down many different roads, and experienced so much along the way and I knew it would have been of interest to our readers. From hunting Alligators down in Florida and accounts of his many Road Trips and those people he met and things that he did along the way. Buff was never boring! Buff was a “Biker” in every true sense of the word from the first time he rode on the back of his father’s motorcycle until the moment he drew his last breath. Even though near the end, he was unable to physically get out on the road and ride his beloved Harleys, in his heart he was out there in the wind with the sound of the engine throbbing in his ears. I think each and every one of his many friends who came out to pay their final respects to him, knew this in their hearts.
Buff lived a full life and had so much life in him that is hard to imagine that he has passed! He was a stand-up guy and made many friends, to whom, in turn, he was a loyal and trusted friend. I have never heard anyone speak ill of him. From his days when he built and rode those stretched out Honda Choppers before evolving into a hard core Harley-Davidson rider he was rock solid and knowledgeable. He loved to wrench on those bikes that he loved and was always willing to help out a friend work on their bikes as well. His trailer hauled many a bike other than his own and I had borrowed it a few times myself to haul the Trike to the Motorcycle Shows before I got my own. We gathered at The Brothers of the Blade Clubhouse, then headed down to the Funeral Home in a pack of twenty or so motorcycles. We joined with the many other Bikers, some representing different Motorcycle Clubs and many Independent riders along with Buffs family who came out to see our friend off and support the family, especially his Mother, Doreen, and Step Father, Tony. They showed him unconditional love, cared for him and comforted him through the past very difficult, seven Months of his life. He had called his Mom after his surgery and asked if she could take him home. She did and now after Cremation she would take him home again, one more time. She made all of us who went to see him at her home feel welcome. Everyone shared Buff Stories and fond recollections of the great individual that had been taken from us. It was a day of some sadness but at the same time, uplifting, as all these people in attendance had been touched by this man and came out to say goodbye. There was a fine lunch provided after the service after which we lingered a while to visit with the many friends who had come out before heading off back to The Brothers of the Blade Clubhouse where they hosted a “Celebration of Life” for a man that we all loved and respected. My thanks go out to a friend of many years “Miss Kitty”, who has become part of our Friday Social Club where she had met Buff on many occasions. She came along to pay her respects and did a great job doing photography duty from the back of the Trike. I feel it worth mentioning that Miss Kitty was married to a great old friend of mine, “Crash” for many Years, who has since passed on. Crash had a tremendous impact on my life. All those many years ago, when I was young and foolish with more of a hairline and less of a waistline, he introduced me to Harley-Davidson Motorcycles, 1%er Motorcycle Clubs, taught me how
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unwavering in his beliefs and his Club right until the end. This was never more evident than on this day by the numbers of people who came out to say goodbye and pay tribute to the man. Johnny Sombrero As expected, there was a huge crowd milling around May 12, 1935 – Nov.5, 2016 RIP – GBNF It was a cool day but the sky was clear as I rode down outside of the funeral home as I rolled up and found a to Ward’s funeral home on Weston Rd. to pay my respects place to park the Trike among the many other bikes that to a larger than life individual who, in life, demanded much were crammed into the parking lot outside of the building respect and he was legendary as Supreme Commander of with more arriving all the time. Spots for anything other The Black Diamond Riders Motorcycle Club. Johnny Som- than a motorcycle were at a premium and extremely hard to find. Late comers would be doing some scrambling to brero aka Harry Paul Barnes. He Lorded over his Club for decades since its inception find parking spots anywhere near anything that could be back in the 50’s and there was absolutely no doubt that it described as close. There was space reserved out front for the hearse and was indeed “His Club” and even his death cannot change that fact. Because even after his passing, his influence on motorcycles belonging to BDR Members that lined the the Club and its members is obvious and the love and re- curb and there was a large gathering that filled the parking spect that they have for him will be forever strong and ever lots and spilled out across the sidewalks. I spotted many present. He definitely left his mark and even as the Club lives on it will be forever The Black Diamond Riders MC, the club that Johnny Sombrero built! There is a saying that I seem to recall reading on something that John gave me or I heard him say years ago but I definitely attribute it to John, and it has stuck with me; “By speaking of the dead and remembering them, they never die.” or words to that effect. I find comfort in those words and hold them as truth. In this case Johnny Sombrero was a legend and will live on forever as everyone from these parts and far beyond, who lived during this period of time, bikers and non-bikers alike, seem to have a Johnny Sombrero story. You could love him or hate him and he managed to raise those and many more emotions from the many who knew him or knew of him or had dealings with him. But you had to respect him for the man that he was and being true and
to drive tractor trailers and most importantly, introduced me to my cherished wife of all almost 50 Years; the ever lovely, “Godzilla”.
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familiar faces and wandered through the crowds exchanging greetings along the way before making my way inside. It was packed inside as well and I ran into many friends along the way and noted a great representation from many Motorcycle Clubs, like The Outlaws, MC, The Chosen Few MC, The Iron Hawgs MC, The Amigos MC, The Brothers of the Blade MC and The Highway Riders to name but a few, that had come from far and wide to pay their respects. I spotted Bernie Guindon and his lovely wife, Susanne and stopped to say hello. His presence stirred lots of attention as Bernie and John shared a history that could be described as somewhat less than amicable at times and it was said many times over the years that the only way that the two of them could be in the same room was if one of them were dead. But in “Our World” in death and a few other situations, differences and Club politics can be set aside and respect and honour is the rule of the day. I made my way to the viewing room/chapel and joined the long line of people who waited their turn to get to the back of the room where John lay “In State” among the many displays of flowers and the galleries of pictures. His family was gathered there as well and received the condolences and shared the sorrow and disbelief of his passing with the many guests. I found Pete Edge who has been Johnny’s constant companion and “Best Friend” through all the years and they had shared many adventures together, and I had a short conversation with him before moving along to talk briefly to his daughter, Sinceray who broke into tears and I could see and feel the pain in her soul from the look I got as I approached and we hugged briefly and she introduced me to her two sisters Myra and Sabrina her two brothers Shane and Spain were also there but I never got the opportunity to meet them. . I moved on and made my way through the other adjoining rooms that were filling up quickly as the crowds had now swelled to near capacity and visited with those who gathered there as we waited for the service to begin. I found a seat in the gallery that was set up in one of the rooms outside of the chapel to listen on the sound system and watch the proceedings on the closed circuit televisions that were set up. It was a good service and many tributes were made to the life and times of Johnny Sombrero. Jack Summers, a past Member and long-time friend did an excellent and heart-felt Eulogy and Sinceray fought through strong emotions as she spoke of her Dad and her ad her brothers and sisters growing up in his shadow and under his wing! Johnny’s casket, with the Union Jack proudly draped over it, was then taken out and placed in the hearse by his Club Brothers and we mounted up and began the long procession which moved arduously through the streets to the Beechwood Cemetery on Jane St. just south of the 407, where a huge crowd of family, friends and members of the Black Diamond Riders MC, both past and present, paid final respects and lay him to rest. I noted that he was not far from the highway where the sounds of passing motorcycles would be sweet music to his ears for eternity. I know I will be unable to drive past the area without him coming to mind from that point on! John lived a full and even�ul life and leaves behind Marie,
his wife if 58 years, His children Shane, Myra, Sabrina, Spain and Sinceray and Grandsons Devon, Scott, Connor, Darren, Danial, Lucas and Michael. There was a Celebration of life that was being held at The Royal Canadian Legion in Mississauga that evening and Deadly Doug who is a Member of The Black Diamond Riders MC and the lovely Flo offered to take me with them. This was a good thing because the day’s ride had not been particularly kind to my shoulder and upon getting home I promptly washed down a couple of Tylenol 3’s with a shot or two of rum and was no longer in any condition to drive, but my shoulder no longer hurt as bad and I could ride shotgun with ease! Some-
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Classy Chassis Christmas Open House 2016
It was a cold but clear day as Managing Editor Al and I headed east towards Classy Chassis’ fine shop out in Bridgenorth to check out their Annual Christmas open house. We had heard that they had changed things up quite a bit as they had plans for a new venture on their ever changing property and wanted to get some perspective on it so Al could better design ads for it.
Sure enough, things had indeed changed since my last trip out here for the Annual Motorcycle Auction Sale, as the building that used to house the used motorcycle sales area is being prepped for conversion to a Motorcycle Mal (see the ad on page 11) that at this point is a blank slate as they are looking for businesses that could be anything from Airbrushing, Tattoo artists, Jewelry, T Shirts, Parts Swap, a Micro-Brewery or any motorcycle related that would benefit from the tremendous Year round traffic that times the urge to numb the pain overrides my desire to go Classy Chassis generates with its events and promotions. someplace. But with a true friend stepping up to the plate They draw over 30,000 riders to their property each year to be Designated Driver, I was good to go and I knew they and those numbers are growing rapidly so anybody looking had 50 there! for a place with built in draw for that type of traffic would There were tributes to the man from friends and family really benefit from being part of this. There will be indiwho came to the microphone and spoke of what John had vidual units ranging in size from 1200 to 6000 Square Feet meant to them and their personal prized memory. At one on a first come, first served basis. For more info contact point Sinceray brought up the mystery of the “Sombrero info@usedhd.com. Family Christmas Trees” that would magically appear each Back to the event and the other buildings. year and the speculation it caused over the years, about The Used Bike Sales and showrooms are now where the where it came from and who brought it (I said Brought Motorcycle clothing and accessories were with those items not bought). At which time, one older member of the Club now down at the front of the Service area where they have came to the mike and solved the mystery once and for all. combined it with the lounge and parts counter. I will leave it at that! We got to talk a while to Josh and Charlene and mingled It was a proper send-off for John and he, his exploits amongst the large crowds of happy folks who came out and adventures were thoroughly discussed many times with many of them taking advantage of the good weather during the evening by the gathering of friends, family and to squeeze in another ride before the crappy white stuff the members of several puts an end to riding season 2016. Motorcycle Clubs who This is a friendly Shop and all customers receive a warm joined with BDR Mem- greeting as they enter. There is plenty to see and great bers to pay tribute to deals to be had on everything from motorcycles, clothing the man, the Myth and or parts and accessories making it an ideal place to find The Legend. Good times and bad times were recalled, relived and retold and cherished memories were shared and they will be shared again and again for years to come! There is indeed hope for future generations (I‘m not sure which one.) but one of John’s Grandsons drinks 50! Gone, But Never Forgotten!
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the perfect gift for that special biker on your Christmas list. Santa was out and about taking pictures with all the folks, young and old and some even brought their dogs and I’m a sucker for pretty girls and dogs of all kinds so I had my camera busy as well. Everybody was having a great time, shopping, visiting and enjoying the complimentary coffee and tasty treats that were tantalizingly displayed on trays in the lounge area. Or perhaps you’d prefer drooling over that bike of their dreams that had just been brought in and placed within the ever changing fleet of used bikes that are for sale here. You know the one! It caught your eye from the moment you walked through the door! It practically called your name with its Siren Call. Don’t worry they have great financing and warrantee programs available and can make your dream come true! I would imagine there will be a number of these bikes appearing in garages over Christmas with a tag that says “From me to me with Love!” It was a great time and it is always great to see the good people at Classy Chassis but it was time to go and we made our way back home.
is about the best tribute you could give in keeping alive something that meant so much to him for so long! If this party was any indication of the strength, spirit, character and determination of the Membership and what the future holds in store for the Black Diamond Riders MC it is positive! There was a great crowd out with many old friends like Tramp and his beauti ful bride Penny in att endance. There were some awesome door prizes, the food was amazing, the DJ played some excellent tunes throughout the night and they serve 50 here! Who could want for more? Thanks to all you guys and gals for making it such a great
Deadly Doug and Flo once again offered to pick me up at my place and take me with them to the Black Diamond Riders MC Annual Christmas party that was once again being held at The Royal Canadian Legion in Mississauga. This would be the first one without Johnny Sombrero and it was also a celebration of John’s Life and Times. The Club remains strong and they have a solid core of Members who will keep it alive after John’s passing which
It was cold and snowy morning as I left Newmarket and headed out towards Burlington where I was to pick up Bad Bob and dodged crazy people as they slipped and slid all over the road among the snowploughs and sanders were trying to make the roads safe and passable. I chose to take the more expensive route via Hwy 407 where there was less traffic and less opportunity for coming in contact with some white knuckled knucklehead there. As I got to Burlington I found myself on dry roads without a snowflake in sight. “WTF?” I asked myself as I made
Black Diamond Riders Christmas Party 2016
night! See you next year and for many years to come! L&R
Clare’s 2016 Annual Christmas Open House
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my way up to Bad Bob’s driveway and he hopped in scoffing at the snow that remained on the Black Bitches exterior. “Shitty up your way?” He asked sarcastically. I refused to answer pertly out of spite and partly because I couldn’t believe that it could change so drastically so quickly. I got over it and we continued on to the start of our mission Clare’s Harley-Davidson at Niagara on the Lake. It is an incredible store and they have a great staff who always go all out for their customers but this Christmas event here is always special. The Store is decorated to the hilt and they have fantastic deals and special discounts on everything. We wandered around taking it all in and visiting with the many familiar folks along the way and there were lots of them in here today as they always draw huge crowds to this event. They had brought in extra staff to deal with
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the anticipated, extra crowds and they made short work of the constantly long lines at the checkout counters and there was even a wrapping table where gifts could be professionally wrapped which is also free from the cursing that usually accompanies the self-wrapping method wherein the end result is unceremoniously dumping the gift in one of those gift bags from the Dollar Store. There was free coffee and treats at the snack bar for those who needed a break and time to socialize as you will meet a lot of your friends here because this is the place to be. I got to talk to Bruce Bissel, the man behind the very successful and relocated, renewed, rejuvenated, revitalised and reinvented “Biketoberfest” and got a picture with him and this year’s Raffle Bike. He was extremely happy with the event this past year and extremely excited about the plans that are in the works for Biketoberfest 2017. They know now that the move was the right one and they have all kinds of ideas to make the next one even better than the last. He wouldn’t really reveal all of the plans but they are pleased with the way things are shaping up! They have the full support of the Mayor and Town Counsel as they were really impressed with the event and are on board to help anyway they can. Bruce did tell me that they are going to be opening the Clubhouse as a museum and a tribute to the history of motorcycle racing and the history of motorcycling in the area. He also indicated that the race track could come into play in some way in future plans for the event. I got to talk to Lovely Lisa before we headed off to part two of our mission and wish her a Merry Christmas. Apparently we were just ahead of JR and Senior who were also out spreading Christmas Cheer as I was received an email from Neuf with some pictures of them. We were off and running heading for what John Clare affectionately refers to as “The Mother Ship” Clare’s Fenwick which is where it all began over 60 years ago. That is a long time and John is still totally active and as in love with the business as he was back then. We arrived to find a good sized crowd milling around both outside and inside the store which has seen many renovations, additions and expansions over the years as the business grew in order to keep pace with the growth. This Store does sales and service for Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, both motorcycles and a full line of power equipment ATV’s and other off-road vehicles and massive parts and service departments with fully trained and experienced staff to support it all. They also have a
huge inventory of new and used motorcycles, helmets, gloves and other riding gear which are all priced to sell. John and his deligh�ul wife Donna are always a treat to talk to and John always has a story to tell and I always look forward to seeing them. I could have gotten one of the other writers who live nearby to come here and cover this for me but then I would miss seeing them again and can’t see why I would deprive myself. They also had a lovely young lady in charge of the table full of tasty pastries and doughnuts and was on photography detail and she was doing a fantastic job keeping up with the appetites and getting pictures of the many who make a point of coming here for this event. Santa was making his rounds and making things merry and bright as Bob and I headed for the door and made the trip home. John Clare wishes everyone; “A very Merry Christmas and a Happy Healthy New Year!”
tion and parking for all of their members and supporters who like to go down there. Then there is the drinking and driving thing that you have to be aware of and they solved it too by chartering the party bus that picks us up at the Blades CH and drops us at the door then picks us up and gets us back to the CH at the end safe and sound. The party begins when we hit the Blades CH continues all the way down and all the way back and ends whenever you want to go home and you can arrange transportation from there and your vehicle is safe and secure when you come back
Paradice Riders MC Christmas Party 2016 This event has been a standing tradition for me for a number of years now and I really look forward to attending. It is popular with many clubs as well like The Brothers of the Blade MC who maybe five years ago came up with a solution to the problem of transporta-
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out from there. It was a cruddy day weather-wise as we had been blessed with a snowstorm but we still made decent time and arrived within minutes of the ETA I had given. We were given a tour of the place and I got a sense of what and where I would shoot. Kim changed and we got down to it. My buddy Ian was in and working on a Panhead project for a customer and everybody else was busy but extremely helpful and co-operative as I came in to shoot in the work area. I was disappointed that Sis wasn’t in that day as he was vacationing. We moved from bike to bike shooting right in the spacious, well-lit showroom while Al got information from Bob and Little Bob on the technical aspects of certain projects until Ian decided to take him next door and introduce him to the owners of the Micro-Brewery next door in the unit that Eagle Eye had moved out of. I got shots of the unique Urns that Ian makes out of the jugs of Harley Engines. Everything from Flatheads and Knuckleheads to Evo’s and Twin Cams. A number of mutual old friends like Sonny and Kenny Kerr have their ashes encased in one of these pieces. I believe they got Panhead and Shovelhead models respectively. They are available at Eagle Eye and would be a fine and fitting tribute for a biker to end up in one of these great looking units that would truly represent his or her true passion. It would work for me if I didn’t already have my future urn hanging on the wall above my desk waiting for me. It is a peanut gas tank that was painted by James back in the 60’s that has a Labatt ’s 50 label theme. It hung above Kenny Kerr’s desk for years and I fell in love with it and tried unsuccessfully to
for it. This was the case again this year and it was a great time once again, with tons of fantastic food, good music performed by Eye for an Eye and a room full of great people and yes, they do serve 50.
Eagle Eye Custom Motorcycles Calendar Shoot
I had been waiting for Bob to get moved and settled into his new shop to do this feature as he always has such great builds, does some great work and he’s just great guy. He has moved a few times over the last while but never very far as the building remains the same but the unit changes as he simply moves to a larger unit as workload dictates and the space becomes available. I think the current one is the largest in the complex so who knows what any further expansion will bring. Anyhow Managing Editor Al came along this time, as his Doctor is in Oshawa and he was due for an appointment. Our Model for the shoot was a lovely young lady with great hair and a gorgeous smile named Kim, who I met the week before at Johnny Sombrero’s Funeral and she drove in from her home in Guelph to my place and the three of us headed
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buy it from Ken. He said he would think about it. When he died Ian expressed my wishes to buy it to the family and they got it to me. I expect to occupy it one day and be hung on the wall at The Brothers of the Blade Clubhouse. There were so many great bikes to choose from, but the reality is we can only use one shot of one bike for the Calendar and one for the cover and it makes the choice extremely difficult, when truth be told there are enough top calibre motorcycles here to fill the calendar and the cover every month for a year and beyond right there in the showroom now and when the projects on the benches are complete, there would be even more.
I WANT TO WISH YOU ALL A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS A HAPPY NEW YEAR! SEE YOU ALL AT THE MOTORCYCLE SUPERSHOW, IN HALL 5, JAN. 6TH 7TH AND 8TH.
then and now…with cheyenne highway 61 revisited I am always looking for adventure bit faster than the other traffic. We came
with my Harley. One day I discovered this book on the world’s most interesting highways, byways and paths. My mind started racing. There were only two in U.S. featured: Route 66 and Highway 61, the “Blues Highway” which follow the Mississippi River. That one really intrigued me! It did sound familiar so I got out my old City Service maps showing routes I had done in my youth. I found I had gone from New Orleans to Memphis on Route 61 in 1962. Would have been cool to have done it in ’61. 61 runs from New Orleans north all the way to Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. It is the only highway crossing the Canadian border with the same number. Called the Kings Highway in Canada. I wanted to go this year but all of my rider friends backed out. Barb said “no way are you going alone”, so she jumped on the back and away we went. Our starting point was to be Thunder Bay, Ontario. To get there, we had to head north from Detroit, through Michigan, over the Mackinac Bridge and over the top of Lake Superior. Because of our convenient home location, we made it to the Ambassador Bridge in just 5 minutes. But, the bridge was backed up and of course,
we just happened to pick the “wrong” lane. The Custom’s officer in our lane searched every vehicle. He even made a woman in a van get out to open up a locked bag in the back of her van. Barb said it looked like some kind of musical instrument case. Standing back from the woman, he pulled his gun and put it to his side, and then ordered the woman back into her vehicle. “Oh Shit, I hope he does not shoot my tires out looking for the coke!” I thought. Once we got to the booth it was smooth sailing for us. Wow. And, we only spent 55 minutes in line. I-75 north is smooth and fast; much better than 401. I somehow lost my rain suit on the cruise. It appears to have jumped out from under the bungee cord on top of the tour box while cruising at 140K…a tiny
over a rise and had a wonderful clear view ahead of us. Hit 163k (160.9Ks = 100 mph); my goal for every trip! I really love riding in Michigan! Reached the Mackinac Bridge. Middle lane is mesh steel. You can see lake freighters and more under the bridge! Mackinac is the longest suspension bridge between anchorages in the western hemisphere. Through customs, and now on Highway 17, the Trans Canada Highway, one of the longest and slowest highways in the world…only 90 kph. Camped the first night at Pancake Bay Provincial Park, a full service park with flush toilets, showers, and laundry facilities. We had travelled 650k the first day! The next day, morning weather was okay. Headed to Timmy’s (Tim Horton’s) for breakfast. The rain started and Barb loaned me her rain pants. I like getting in her pants but this just wasn’t the same. Did keep my powder dry though! Stopped at roadside old-fashioned motel (cheap but comfortable) in Terrace Bay. We had only travelled 360ks that day because of rain. Met another riding couple. The woman had
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a new Harley Davidson Sport Trike. They were doing the Lake Superior Circle Route. A map’s been made just for that trip-- www.ridelakesuperior.com. We found a good restaurant. I had pickerel. The QMC has fish fries in the off season riding months. One of our members is a commercial fisherman. The fish in Terrace Bay was bigger and almost as good as ours back home. Rode on to Nipigon. Barb needed her second morning coffee. Unfortunately, it was the dirtiest Tim Horton’ we had ever seen. Barb complained to the management about the mouse-sized dust bunnies under the tables. She also wrote to Tim Horton’s head office on our return home. On to Thunder Bay. #11 Highway joined #17 near TB. At that point, it also becomes #61. We stopped at Thunder Bay Harley shop. Bought a great T-shirt with all 3 highways on the back. Just had to have it! We stayed overnight at Grand Marais Best Western over-looking Lake Michigan. Every room faced the lake. Our room was on the third floor—what a view. Ran into the same couple from Terrace Bay. Apparently we had passed them near the Terry Fox Memorial in TB. That is a real “must see”! Had Walleye for
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dinner. The name of the fish changes from pickerel when they swim across the border. Had put on about 300ks that day. It was a great scenic ride along the edge of Lake Superior to Duluth. - #61 then becomes I-35/#61. 156 miles to St. Paul and now back on Old 61 which is now called the “Great River Road”. Stayed at Red Wing. Indoor/outdoor pool open year round. “Come Swim in the Snow”. Next day, #61 Old Road becomes two lanes, some fourlane, with a good amount of concrete. Much cooler than black top and the ride is better. In Burlington, Iowa, all major motels were full so on to Fort Madison. Three hundred miles in total. Next day, we had 140ks to get to Hannibal, Mark Twain’s boyhood home. Arrived there early and stayed at the Best Western. The hotel had room for four bikes in front under the archway, out of the weather! Later that day we took a ride on the Mark Twain Riverboat, an imitation stern wheeler…it was great! Hannibal has a berm fifteen feet high protecting the town from flooding. It really is a great place to stay and play! At that point, #61 is called the “Avenue of Saints” because most cities along the way begin with “Saint” ie St. Louis, St. Peters, St. Charles, etc. Although, in Saint Louis, it is still called the Kings Highway. I realized then just how old this highway is! The highway follows the great Mississippi and runs alongside I-55. On to Memphis where we visited B.B. King’s Blues Bar. Great place! An eleven-piece band was playing, very loud, but fantastic. All the members were university and college students aged 19 and 20 with a guitarist who was only 16. King’s bar is on Beal Street which is closed off for pedestrians only. Lots of street entertainers, patios, more bars and music venues. Tourist Information Centre featured a large statue of their native son, Elvis and an even bigger one of B.B. King! TIC were very helpful and even booked us in to the hotel. Just south of Memphis was Southern Thunder Harley Davidson. T-shirt there had a big 61 on it. Had to have that one too! We met a few bikers outside in the vast parking lot. They suggested that we should have travelled in the spring when the weather was more comfortable and cooler. I told them that would have been great however, there likely would have been snow in Thunder Bay where we started our journey! Opted not to take Business #61 at Clarksdale. As a result, we missed the famous crossroads where Robert Johnson made a deal with the devil to play guitar. However, we did see the water
tower featuring him playing his guitar. Morgan Freeman has a bar there called “Ground Zero Blues Bar”. Next time we won’t be in such a hurry. Felt like we missed a lot in Clarksdale. Next stop was Vicksburg. Uneven�ul for us due to time but it is an important Civil War site. So next time we will definitely spend some time there. Continuing on #61, we arrived at Natchez. Stopped for a couple of brews at the “Under the Hill Saloon” right on the edge of the Mississippi River. A couple of bikers (regulars) invited us to stay and watch the 4th of July fireworks display taking place that night. Also tried to convince us to stay for the party later. They were serving ca�ish, frog legs and walleye. Bikers are great! Near Baton Rouge, we were almost hit by a car. Driver was on the phone. Didn’t even glance our way; just pulled out. We dodged him. In general, the drivers there were pretty bad. Now off to New Orleans. Once there, riding around, Barb spotted a Drury Inn. These hotels are great. Happy hour from 6 to 7 with pasta, meatballs, hotdogs, chilli, and more, plus everyone gets a ticket for 3 alcoholic beverages. Free! Beer on tap, glasses of wine, cocktails, etc. plus breakfast. I like staying there with my friend Billy Boy; he is a diabetic and doesn’t drink, so I get to polish off his free drinks! Had a bit of excitement while walking around N.O. Heard a crash and saw a scooter sliding by us and flipping. The guy had swerved to miss a bicyclist. Rider was wearing flip flops and nearly tore off two of his toes. I ran over and helped pick up the scooter to get it out of the roadway. Weather was hot. Over 100 degrees. Enjoyed the sites walking around. By this point, we had already put on 4200kms in 10 days. You really need more time to enjoy this trip. Two weeks just wasn’t enough. Leaving New Orleans, heading north, we stopped at a traffic light. On the other side of the road was a guy casually driving by with his hood up! He was peering through the gap. Strange! Then all of a sudden, three state troopers came chasing after him. On the way home, we rode the Interstate to Baton Rouge and then back on #61 to the start of the Natchez Trace (trail) Parkway. It was 440 miles to Nashville. No stop signs, no traffic lights, no motels or gas stations. The highway is owned by the U.S. government. Smooth but only 50 mph…..slow (80K). We spent one night in Jackson, Mississippi then back on the Parkway to end in Nashville. A must ride! Ride home was challenging in Knoxville. Traffic was very heavy. It was hot. Tack and speedo shut off; just too hot! I lost track of kilometers for awhile. I-75 had massive construction through most of Ohio. No problem back on the Ambassador Bridge. It’s been a great trip! Thunder Road HD fixed the tack and speedo. Bike is still under warranty. If I had to do it over again, I would have taken more time!
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Twenty-sixteen came and quickly whimpered away – renewing a lingering, sincere hope that 2017 will stand tall in our quest for an end to biker discrimination, Eh Ollie. That said, it must be pointed out that ALL COPS ARE BASTARDS!
During the past decade, I have been hard pressed to meet a street cop who wasn’t programmed to believe that ALL BIKERS ARE CRIMINALS! A few years ago, the OCC Political Action Committee had to intervene with a local school board because a teacher was using the Hells Angels MC as an example of the comparison between motorcycle clubs and cults. During the interaction, I suggested that the teacher should use her local police services as a far superior definition of a cult. For some time now, I have labored under the premise that law enforcement was singling out the biker lifestyle and black citizens as the only visible minorities worthy of their intrusive style of discrimination. But . . . all that was before the siege at Standing Rock. In an emotional moment, my activist side was enraged by the savagery but also buoyed by the determination of the protesters. Spellbound, I watched with interest from the outset of the protest. My curiosity quickly morphed into shock
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and awe as the brutality of the officers increased on a daily basis. Keepers of the peace? Not freakin’ likely. More like an occupying military presence cruelly forcing its will on a peaceful demonstration. The tragic scenes, which included the use of military grade hardware, were reminiscent of an attack on Aleppo. Towards the end, the dogs of the establishment took on the appearance of robot terminators barely displaying any semblance of human emotion. It took a contingent of Veterans to back them off and bring order to a chaotic situation. No doubt that scattered throughout the ranks of the bullying force perpetrating the discrimination and assault, were veterans. But they were now a mere shell of their, once proud, glory. In my humble opinion, all common sense and caring had been snuffed from their conscience - suffocated by the cult-like indoctrination methods of 21st Century policing tactics. Thank God there are abundant ex-military personnel that have not lost their balls, or the ability to rationalize and sympathize with the plight of ordinary citizen concerns. Think this only relates to the USA? That same mindset is also prevalent in Canada – the Federal Minister of Natural Resources, Jim Carr, speaking to reporters regarding the approval of the Kinder Morgan pipeline commented . . . in case of violent protests the government would keep people safe “through its defense forces, through its police forces” (Source BNN). He has since apologized for his language but it clearly demonstrates a dictatorial impatience with all forms of criticism and civil disobedience. Note to the Minister – a majority government is NOT a dictatorship regardless of how much you secretly lust for it! This month’s OCC Member Club is Brethren M.C. - Founded in 2008, the club is a small, one-piece M.C. located in the
Kawartha Lakes region of Ontario. One of the operating philosophies of the club is a predetermination that quality, not quantity, is paramount to the membership selection. Families play an important part in the social aspect of the club. All members and their immediate families become extended family members of the Brethren brotherhood. The club is proud to boast that they are gypsies with no specific location - an old school club believing in old school values. Brethren M.C. is friendly with many clubs both in Canada and the USA. Interested in Brethren M.C.? Go to www.brethrenmc.webstarts. com where you can gain more information concerning this northern motorcycle club. The OCC made a monumental effort in 2016 to place our concerns front and center before the current Ontario government. One of our longstanding issues has been the Liberal’s reluctance to allow single-rider access to Ontario’s HOV lanes. Fast forward and now the HOV lanes are under a pilot toll lane program i.e. HOT lanes, which would allow motorcycles - but only those lucky enough to win the HOT sticker lottery. Now it appears that Ontarians will be subjected to a cap and trade carbon tax. Questions abound concerning this HOT potato topic. No pun intended, Eh Ollie? I’m sure that even a biased Liberal politico can fathom and agree that motorcycles produce far less carbon than your average commuter conveyance? Soooo, why the reluctance to grant this concession? Can this situation get any more fucked up? Does power corrupt? Absolutely! Surely, at some stage of building a political career, most candidates sincerely intended to create some benefits for ordinary Ontarians? Perhaps it was in the shitty diaper stage of their evolution? We unfortunately meet them after the metamorphosis is completed ‘cuz I believe, once in long pants or in a pantsuit, they succumb to the heady onslaught of A.D.D., which is my personal political acronym for Avarice – Discrimination – Dictatorship.
ooster Rider R www.occ4u.org
OCC Treasurer
Ro o s t e r R i d e r
@roostahrider
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27th Ontario Regional HOG® Rally
27th Ontario Regional HOG® Rally, Sudbury “RIDE THE ROCK”
by Manon Kellman Hello everyone! It has been a long time since I have submitted an article; lots has happened in the past two years…many roads and many new friends across Canada and the USA. This year, I participated in three HOG® rallies: Anderson, in South Carolina, Memphis, in Tennessee and the last one in Sudbury, Ontario from July 28th to the 31st. I personally enjoy the US rallies because the weather, going down and coming back, is mainly perfect, the roads to get to destinations are great and I like being on the bike for days enjoying life, my solitude, the smells and all that
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needs to be discovered along the way. The ride to Sudbury was perfect. Sunny, warm and I had the pleasure of being with my friend from Lexington, North Carolina (whom I met last year at a rally in North Carolina) for his first Canadian Rally. As usual, I arrived on site the day before to relax and have a good night’s sleep…when the rally gets going, you stay up late (parking lot parties) and get up early to participate in rides, poker runs, etc. The rally started on the 18th with registration for a selfguided poker run and a meet and greet at the Rock HarleyDavidson. I always enjoy the meet and greet, this is where you get to see friends that sometimes you only see once a year during a rally. Participants to this rally were from all over Ontario, Quebec and North Carolina, to name a few. Friday, the day started early for many. They had various led rides and one to Manitoulin Island that lasted all day. I did not participate in any rides, but did go see the bike games held that same afternoon at the Caruso Club. Since there were so many rides, the participants were few, but those that did participate, did enjoy their time and knew how to make us cheer them on. The day ended at the same Club with dinner, followed by a comedian /ventriloquist, Mark Crocker. Over 600 people attended the rally, so you do have to be patient when its time to eat…and we had chosen table number 13!
I am not superstitious, but we did get called out last table AND for our patience we got free drink tickets. In all the rallies I have attended in the past 12 years, it was the first time that this was done. A very good idea and much appreciated by all at table 13. Saturday was one of my favourites. We started with the parade, which was flawless and at a good speed. We ended at Bell Park for an afternoon of entertainment, silent auction, Show N Shine and BBQ dinner (chicken & ribs). As usual, I had to spend money and started biding on a HD bracelet and finally won it at $115. The entertainment started at noon and went on all afternoon and evening. Just to name a few of the bands: Bluez Brothers, Naked Soul, JW Stevens, etc. For those that wanted to take a boat ride, they had the Ramsey Lake Cruise or you could just walk the board walk or go swimming at the beach. Sunday morning the Rock HarleyDavidson hosted a pancake breakfast for all the participants. This was a great rally, with shuttle buses for every evening‌a must at all rallies! For those that have always wanted to attend, but never did, give it a try. You will make friends for life.
M a y b e I will meet some of you at next year’s rallies: Quebec City in July, Ottawa in July and Cookeville, TN in July. Yes, a very busy July 2017. Cheers!
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As I sat at my computer to start this months report, a story came onto the T.V. stating that the Hells Angels “GANG” has set up shop in Charlottetown PEI. Chuckling out load, I wondered if Hells Angels M.C. knew about this “gang” using their name! Anyway, best of luck Brothers in this new endeavour. Not much is happening around here with a foot of snow on the roads. All of my bikes are put to bed for the winter only to be replaced with the s n ow b l owe r
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and a shovel! As I said in the last article, a bud from P.E.I. sent me this bit of his adventure this year on his machine. Hopefully it will help some of us get rid over the winter blues! Here it is: “Somewhere around 1965 I received a promoti onal excerpt from Cycle or Cycle World magazine testi ng a Bridgestone175 and I knew then I wanted to ride motorcycles. In high school I rode a couple of friends’ bikes. In the summer of 1968 I had fi nished high school and had been accepted to university, but I had a plan to take a take a year off to work, then buy a bike in the summer and ride to California to meet my family who were planning a vacati on to Pasadena,CA. But, I met a girl so no bike or bike trip. Finally in 2013 I bought a 2009 Suzuki S40.
I decided to make my trip in 2016 for my 65th birthday. May.12 I le� Borden, PEI and headed west. Aug.6 I pulled back into my driveway a� er travelling 22,875 kms. I crossed Canada to Tofi no on Vancouver Island then headed south as far as Oceanside, CA, riding on PCH1 and a bit on Mulholland Canyon Road and headed to Vegas for a few days then Bonneville and Sturgis then down to Colorado to climb Pike’s Peak and on to Texas to see The Alamo in San Antonio. Next came New Orleans where I toured the cemetery used in Easy Rider then down to Key West. Heading back home I went through Daytona to ride on the beach, tour the Speedway, and remembered my hero Gary Nixon. I then went on to the Carolinas and Tennessee riding on some of the Blue Ridge Parkway and doing the Tail of the Dragon. On to DC for some sightseeing then to Maine to reunite with some of my family and spend a week not riding. I saw a bear near Sault Ste Marie and had a moose cross our route north of Thunder Bay. I saw the Terry Fox memorial a� er seeing him run somewhere along the highway to Sudbury. I killed almost every bug in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, or so it seemed.
There’s beauti ful scenery across Canada and back through the States. I met many friendly people, parti cularly in the States. All in all, a great experience and glad I fi nally made the trip. Thanks for listening. Brian Hogg, Brian from PEI, peace down low. PS. I might have a picture which I will forward later.” Thanks Brian…Be well! Also Brian sent another text saying check out “Brian Hogg-vacation” on YouTube. This will show more of his trip! In closing I must apologize to Danny’s Bar And Grill for the late deliveries of The Rider’s Mag, but someone stole the bridge on the 116’ and with my limited knowledge of the back roads I got lost! Gerrie (the Boss) and I want to wish all a Merry Christmas and a great New Year , See you at the Moncton M o t o r c y c l e Show in Feb. Atlanti c Jeff signing off .
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Larry “Buff ” Fowler
Aug. 7, 1952 – Nov. 2, 2016
Loved and respected and will be missed by his family, friends and all who knew him!
Johnny Sombrero
aka Harry Paul Barnes May 12, 1935 – Nov. 5, 2016 Supreme Commander of The Black Diamond Motorcycle Club
The man who was larger than life who walked to the beat of his own drum…in silver toed boots!
Earl Chiasson
June 21, 1943 – November 28, 2016 One of the Founding Members of The Vagabonds Motorcycle Club
Loved and respected and will be missed by all who knew him.
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Queensmen Motorcycle Club
Gord Epp
Sept. 19, 1957 – Dec 12, 2016
Leaves behind his wife, Heather and daughter Brook many relati ves and extended family, Members of the Queensmen Motorcycle Club. He was loved and respected and will be missed by all who knew him.
Brian “Prick” Pickles
Feb. 22, 1955 – Dec. 17, 2016
Suff ered a sudden major heart att ack. He leaves his wife Nancy. He was a much loved and respected lifeti me Member of The Queensmen MC. who was sti ll very acti ve with the Club and will be missed by all who knew him.
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One for the road
Peterborough Swap Meet For the last couple of years now, Mike and I have made it a point to get to the Peterborough swap meet. And if you’re looking for specific parts for your ride, or for an entirely new ride (previously loved) or even some muchneeded riding gear, you needn to hit this place up! This year was their fourth year, and they certainly did not disappoint. It was a cooler day than it had been as of late, so we didn’t ride up. Besides, we usually leave these events with stuff larger than our rides can carry. But as we arrive at the front doors, we noticed that a few bikers had ridden to the event -- nothing like making me feel like a pansy-ass! As we made our way in, I had noticed that it looked bigger than last year. So, I trucked it over to the man who runs it, Mr. Larry Pooler and his lady love, Nancy. In speaking with Larry, I asked how the day had been. He was only too happy to say that it’d been a great day so far. It was busy, and from what I was seeing, there was still lots to see and pilfer through. Loving all things motorcycle, I took some pictures of Larry and the lovely Nancy, and made my way to the next booth. Now if you’re a true fan of the Mag, you will only know the next table all too well. It was Pastor Dave, and I gotta say, I didn’t recognize him! He was sporting quite the hat, and I felt like a tool being literally three feet from the man and not recognizing him. But I’d never seen him in a hat! He looked
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…..with Lil Red fantastic! We chatted about their upcoming Christmas event, and in no time he had two more people vying for his time. (By the way, they hold a great Show ‘n Shine/BBQ event in the summer. It’s one I look forward to as a lot of our friends make it there every year.) I noticed a couple of gentlemen with their vests on, checking out a table. I’m pretty nosy when it’s a vest patch that I’ve never seen, so I made my way over and shook their hands; they were from Redrum First Nations. Smokey was the gentleman that I was speaking with was, and the poor bugger had an armcast on. Like a true rider, that wasn’t going to keep him home. We chatted a bit, but you could tell that both them and I wanted to get to buying stuff. It is a swap meet after all. Now let me paint a picture of a writers life for the Mag. A lot of these events consist of folks flagging me down, just to ask me to say hi to Critter for them. And a gentleman at a booth called me over to tell me that he found an original 57 Panhead horn that an associate of Critters was looking for, so let em’ know. Now to me, that’s a vague request but I’ve also learned that in most cases, that’s all the info the sender wants to provide, and generally Critter knows who I’m referring to. How he does it, I’ll never know. I suppose that’s what makes him Critter! Bob, from Eagle Eye Custom Cycles, was there with a larger table than most. Being a fan of chrome -- have you seen my bike? -- I made my way over. Not only do they have chrome accessories from Harley Davidson, Parts Canada, Kuryakyn and Drag Specialties, but they can also make any custom parts that you’d need. I’d already lost Mike and our friends
Kate and Rod that we travelled with. They were doing what I should’ve been doing -- shopping! In catching up with them, I noticed Harold from Make it Roar, in Trenton, was there. (If you’ve not been, it is definitely a destination you should have in mind.) He had lots of goodies, but I’ll be shameless to say, what I ended up buying was a bracelet made from
a small bike chain. I mean, for a chick not fond of jewelry, this was a big step. After exchanging pleasantries, I wandered over to the HA boys table to see what goodies they had -- been waiting on their calendar! What I really noticed different from the year before, there were more bikes for sale. There were metric vendors which a lot of people are in search of. So keep that in mind for next year. And yes, there’s even FOOD! Now I missed telling this story months back, so I’m gonna share it with ya’ now. Long weekends usually mean hanging with friends and family, maybe camping, drinking by the fire pit, making memories and having some pretty wild times that you can later tell stories of. (Well, stories of which you can remember anyway!) Our May 2-4 long weekend was just that, an adventure. By mid-point of the ride, we decided to call it ‘Glenn’s Magical Mystery Tour’. Allow me to explain. A couple of friends of ours were doing a trek to Lake George, NY, with another friend of ours (Doug) for the long weekend. So we decided to join them. The couple (Glenn and Wendy -- I’ve talked about them before)
made the plans -- booked the rooms etc. We decided to have fun with it and follow Glenn and his directions to Lake George…Newyork… Five hours away….near wild life…no weapons…do you should see the terror in my words?? haha Mike’s group of friends have referred to Glenn in the past as GPS, merely because this guy can get lost on an on ramp. Glenn’s a good sport about the ribbing, so let’s
get started. We left Friday afternoon and headed to Gananoque to stop for the night. We had a nice little motel room
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reserve, and found a great local pub called ‘The Old English Pub.’ It carried your traditional pub fare, with some live music to go with the ambiance. Plans were made to hit the casino to try our luck. And sure as shit, Mike and I weren’t there ten minutes on the 2 cent slots, when he won around $100 and I won about $70. Not being avid gamblers, we cut and left --we were probably there 40 minutes at most. I’ll be honest, it was my first long distance ride and I was tired. So, after a drink at the motel bar, we hit the sheets as the next day would be a long one. And we go. Mr. GSP took us on a ride that’s for sure.
What was supposed to be a five hour ride, turned up to be at least an extra hour in travel, with some full circles involved. But I will say, the roads and scenery were magnificent, so none of us seemed to mind. The winding roads were definitely something I would suggest you ride at least once in your life. And no worrie, because GPS has your map!!!! There’s a dare for ya. We made a brief lunch stop on our way to Lake George at McDonalds. I’m only mentioning this because the funny part about it is that four outta five of us ADULTS ordered ourselves a happy meal for lunch. I literally laughed. Oh, and we made sure we got the toy (it was angry birds in case you’re asking). We finally reached our hotel, the Georgian Lakeside Resort, and the rooms were excellent. We all agreed that the beds were super comfy and the bathrooms were larger than expected. We spent a lot of time walking the tourist hill by the hotel where there were t-shirt shops, novelty stores and ice cream shops and of course, food. Plus, DILLIGAF was there and we all bought ourselves a shirt and sweater, maybe two. There was a restaurant on the corner called Duffy’s Tav-
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ern, with the best open faced turkey sandwich and clubhouse sandwiches we’ve ever had. The two restaurants also had live bands. Apparently during the Americade Bike week it’s packed every night! We were about two weeks early for that bike event. Damn! We did ride around a bit on our bikes, but we knew that Monday was going to be huge for riding back home and with GPS navigating, it could only be an adventure. We ended up taking the ferry back over the border, which was very cool. Heading home was a great ride. GPS and Mike found some different roads back and it was enjoyable until we hit Kingston and their traffic. Our friends lived further than we did, and were not impressed with the extra two hours it took them in cottage traffic. With the experience that I had with this ride, I asked Mike if we could plan one again, either with friends or alone ‘cause it was way too much fun. Here’s your call out!! Are you a big, burly, bad-ass biker? I’m not talking scare the children type of look, nor the look that would frighten the elderly (wait, that might help actually), but one that looks the image of a bad-ass Biker. Tam and Derek are creating a calendar for their numerous animal charities and they need models, so lets put those fuzzy faces, leather-clad, meat paws of yours to work! All
you gotta do is pose with a kitty or a puppy. Now, I realize that I have some filthy minded folks, so when I refer to kitty, I mean the four-legged meowing one ya dirty animals. If you’re interested in modeling for this calendar for a really great cause, please contact me. Oh, and if you’re a burly, bad-ass female rider, they’ll take you too! Hell, I’ve seen some female riders that I wouldn’t want to piss off! Our summers fill up with events so quickly that it’s hard to keep track. I now have a Facebook page for you to peak at and possibly like. If you want to be informed of rides and events in Central and Eastern Ontario, you should probably follow. L’il Red’s “One for the Road” is up and running. There’s also giveaways of the motorcycle kind, so check it out. As always, you can reach me at lilred@theridersmag.com, or on my Instagram at @lilredbikerchick. Don’t be shy, if you have an event or want to adverti se, drop me a line.
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Bob Hewitt has been around motorcycles for most of his life and is the proud owner of what he considers to be, one of the best motorcycle shops around! That is not just an unsubstantiated, boast or an overinflated Ego that lets him make a bold statement like that. He has a solid reputation built on years of experience and knowledge gained over time that can substantiate his claim. Bob personally can lay claim to over fifty years of riding working on motorcycles. He has assembled a handpicked crew of fully trained, Warrantee Certified and licensed technicians who, between them have well over 200 years of experience working on and riding motorcycles.
almost a lost art these days because it is often considered, by many shops to be too tedious and time consuming in today’s throwaway society. They have pride in their abilities and knowledge. The front shop and showroom is the domain of General Manager and parts specialist “Little Bob” and parts man extraordinaire, JP along with Bob’s Grandson, Riley who is learning the ropes and following in the footsteps of his Grandfather. We have to mention the talent and attention to detail that is provided by Cindy, “Eagle Eye’s prized Detailer”, who makes all the bikes in the shop gleam and glisten. Bob’s wife Margaret and their entire
Ian and Sis, who are both well respected in the motorcycle community on their own merits and are on board as special project builders and consultants, especially on the earlier makes and models. They know all the quirks, intricacies, nuances and peccadilloes that are common with some of these classic gems which have been known to confound confuse and infuriate some of the newer techs who don’t have the experience of these two gentlemen. These aren’t the type of kind of machines that you can plug into a computer and run a diagnostics check on and many dealerships won’t even look at them. Brandon and Jason round out the mechanical staff and bring their own hard earned credentials and experience to the team with their ability to work on both and newer models. All four are fluent on all models of Harley-Davidson from 1903 to present. The diversity in the age, experience and knowledge in this crew was not accidental but by design, as Bob wanted to provide their customers with a full spectrum of service. There is nothing that you can throw at this crew that they cannot diagnose and fix, from the newest models to the oldest. This is a full service, one stop, shop where they can work on any make and model of motorcycle and provide anything from a simple, quick, oil change, tires, batteries to complete rebuilds, ground up, custom builds and everything and anything in between. They can even do some of the old school stuff like lacing wheels which is
family has been very supportive and lend a hand when it is needed, without which the shop wouldn’t be what it is today. Eagle Eye has a very friendly vibe to it and everyone seems to thoroughly enjoy the time they spend here. It is more than just a workplace and co-workers here as they are more like a family, and that great atmosphere extends itself in how they treat their customers more like friends. Along with being able to supply OE parts they stock and have quick access to aftermarket parts supplied direct from Klock Werks, Renegade Wheels, Heartland USA, Hoppe, Performance Machine, Danny Gray, Diamond Heads, and many more. They have new stock arriving daily with Chrome Accessories from Harley-Davidson, Arlen Ness, Parts Canada, Kuryakyn and Drag Specialties to keep abreast of changes in trends of what todays riders want. Through their vast network of suppliers and specialists, they can source out anything and feel confident in making the claim; “IF WE CAN’T FIND IT, IT DOESN’T EXIST.” They can also make any custom parts you may need or want for your bike to make it totally unique. Eagle Eye prides itself on going the extra mile to assure customer satisfaction and all work revolves around four principals; 1) Safety 2) Comfort 3) Bling 4) Performance. Most of the work can be done in house but they have an enormous network of machinists, specialists and highly skilled artisans who can provide whatever is needed to satisfy any need or give your bike that little ex-
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tra something that can be the difference between a good job and an excellent job, a Show winner or an also ran! They can custom design and build one of a kind parts and provide custom paint by “Wizard”, who is a true genius painter and airbrush artist who has been doing astounding, award winning work for many years that will sate even the wildest imaginations! Eagle Eye has a reputation for diversity in concept and design and producing some of the best motorcycles around that can be substantiated by the fact that in the five years that they have competed at The Annual Supershow in Toronto, they have entered seventeen motorcycles and won seventeen trophies and awards. Those bikes spanned a wide selection of makes, models and styles all with different themes ranging from mild to wild, company themed bikes, sports themes, military themes, full custom choppers, bobbers or transforming an ordinary stock bike into an extraordinary, unique, personalized customized work of art. If you have been thinking of getting any work done
such as: custom paint job, big inch motor kits, Hogtunes, wide tire kits, chrome wheels, extended hard bags and wider rear fenders, new exhaust, Hoppe fairings or just a bunch of chrome accessories they can look after you! Bob didn’t just get into the Motorcycle business recently or on a whim. He got bitten by the “Motorcycle Bug” when he got his first bike at the age of thirteen, a 1953 Army Triumph and he’s been hooked ever since. He started an apprenticeship with a Toronto Triumph Dealership, Rodon Sports in 1968 before taking a real, solid, interest in Harley-Davidson and worked at a number of different shops until he and his Son, Mike opened Eagle Eye Custom Cycles in Markham working out of his house, until his growing family reprioritized his life and he had to put motorcycles on the back burner for a time but kept his hand in the game. But the Motorcycle industry wasn’t through with Bob just yet. He was brought in to work at a local Harley-Da-
vidson dealership as a Performance and Chrome Design Specialist for three years before the opportunity to reopen Eagle Eye Custom Cycle presented itself and he and his son moved into the back of a commercial unit which he shared with a small billiards company and a computer shop who were in the front. This was fine for a while but soon Bob’s reputation rapidly drew in the customers and the workload demanded more space he expanded to take over the whole unit. This helped for a time but it wasn`t long before they again found themselves cramped and another expansion was necessary. However, they soon outgrew that and expanded to yet another larger unit which served them well for a while. When an even larger adjoining unit became available and they again, made the move. The current setup affords them much more space and they are very happy with the way the shop and bright, spacious, showroom laid out and it serves them well for now but Bob doesn`t rule out further expansion as business needs dictate.
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Riding Europe: the Balti c States Part I: Norway Arrival
I found a new, better way to get to Northern Europe. Flying into smaller cities like Bergen, Norway, the flight from Toronto involves 3 legs. Frankfurt, Germany is usually the first, then change planes to a city like Oslo, Norway, change planes again to Bergen. Furthermore, Frankfurt is a huge airport where a flight transfer can involve a complicated jetlag fogged, 30 minute walk through a maze of terminals. These flights can be mind numbing, taking about 16 hours with 10 or 11 of it in the air; not good if you’re leaving for a fast ride through the Norwegian mountains soon after arrival. So, I found Icelandair. It is a nice airline, less expensive and cuts 4 hours off flying time and one leg of the trip. I boarded in Toronto and we landed in Reykavik, Iceland 5 hours later to a nice, clean, small uncomplicated airport. Then I boarded the transfer flight, direct to beautiful Bergen. Lovely Bergen, Norway from This trip, we will the air and the sun is shining. ride over, around, and through the ever present mountains, around and over �ords and the thousands of pristine blue and green lakes. We will stay with the boys in Drammen Norway, Eskilstuna Sweden, visit Stockholm, take an overnight ferry across the Baltic Sea to Tallin, Estonia, visit with the guys, then ride onto Tartu, Estonia clubhouse for the next night. From there we will ride to the Riga, Latvia clubhouse, next day to the Kaunas, Lithuania clubhouse, and then to our big party near Warsaw, Poland. The return trip will take us to one of the Berlin clubhouses, to Odense, Denmark to stay with our “Few But Loco” guys.
Me covering Egil’s face and Andre, who will ensure I am safe. THE RIDERS MAG ----- PAGE 38
Some of Egil’s 9 kids.
Then we ride north through Denamrk to Hirtshals and take a ship back to Bergen. If any of you have kids that are aspiring to lead my lifestyle, enroll them in geography. They will need advanced studies to find their way around my world. Egil and Andre meet me at the airport. Andre will be my shadow. Andre is a 6‘ 2” Viking who currently works a fishing boat in the violent North Sea -- a tough and dangerous job like you see on TV. He is recently back from 3 active tours in Afghanistan with the Norweigian Armed Forces. We arrive at my home away from home, the cooler than cool clubhouses I have been in around the world. Originally, a Cold War military bunker; it is built inside a mountain. There are bedrooms for everyone, party rooms, full size bike shop, bars, full kitchen, and on it goes. We pick up my 2016 Street Glide Special from the good people at Bergen Harley-Davidson. Like my 2016 Victory Magnum, the paint is stealth. I cannot say that one paint job is nicer than the other. Both are cool. The Street Glide’s stealth paint has some nice features like sedate pin-striping and a bold, gloss black inner fairing.
Having a beer with Egil and Jorn in Bergen before the run
Egil now owns the 2015 Road Glide that I rode from Norway to Greece and back last summer. It was the nicest and best Harley I have ridden. The Street Glide feels faster. The clutch is grabby allowing for powerful initial take off speed. I have ridden Street Glides more than any other Harley. Sometimes I feel like I was born on a Harley. The Street Glide looks good… real good. The alarm is simplified, which is about time. H-D alarms have been overly complicated forever. This one is totally functional and Don (idiot) proof. Victory does not have an alarm, which is fine by me but maybe not others. I sit on the new Harley and fire her up. I feel scrunched up. The floorboards are limiting, built for the average rider, which none of us are. This is a main difference between Victory and Harley. I stretch out on my Victory. There is more room. The floorboards are Ness-long, which allows for many foot positions. They accommodate riders of all sizes. Furthermore, Victory floorboards are adjustable (3-positions). My ass does not get sore on a Victory because I can move my feet around. Long trips on a Harley can make my rear end very uncomfortable. I have parked my Victory beside my friend’s Road Glide in his garage. The Victory is bigger, longer and wider but about 70 pounds lighter. The center of gravity feels lower and thus seemingly makes the Victory easier to control. The Street Glide front end feels annoyingly loose. I know it is supposed to be this way but have grown fond of the Victory tightness and oneness. The H-D forks feel separate and independent. Adapting on Bergen mountainous roads that are either turning or going up-and-down will be a good test ride for the 25 kilometer trip back to the clubhouse. There are no flat, straight highways here. There are also many roundabouts instead of left and right turns. These are more efficient but when from North America, it is necessary to adapt. By the time, we reach the clubhouse, I feel good on the Street Glide. It does not take long to get used to but I do not yet feel at one with the bike. I am sure that I will with some more challenging mountain riding (and challenging it is at first!). So far, the Street Glide feels faster than Egil’s Road Glide and my Victory. I thought this last year also with the Road Glide and my Victory but the Dyno proved my feeling wrong with the 106 cubic inch Victory edging out the 103 cubic inch Road Glide. Three cubic inches is a factor but I think the 70 pound weight differential a bigger one. These are first impressions only. After riding through Norway to Sweden, to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and back a different route
My Ride, 2016 Street Glide
will tell the tale. Then I will ride the Victory again when getting back to Toronto for a comprehensive comparison. Last year’s comparison pissed off some riders because of blind product loyalty. Others thought that I said (barring the price difference) that either bike would be a good choice made me a suckhole to both manufacturers. Trust me, I do not know how to suckhole and have no desire to learn. Fast forward to this years evaluation. In my opinion, my Victory Magnum is superior to the 2016 Street Glide. The 2015 Road Glide that I rode last year is far superior to the 2016 Street Glide. Egil bought this bike after watching me ride it across Europe to Greece and back last year. If requiring and alarm or
My Ride, outside Bergen Harley-Davidson THE RIDERS MAG ----- PAGE 39
Shovel ge� ng ready for our ride.
their choppers hardcore but over here, they do. There were Scandinavian (Denmark, Norway, Sweden) choppers (rigid frames, hand bangers, loonnnggg springer forks) ridden many thousands of miles to the big party in Greece last summer. One brother riding a rigid frame from Denmark was even nice enough to strap a pillow to the frame for his old lady. Next morning morning we begin the adventure. We will be riding over, around, and through the mountains; traversing ocean �ords and riding around pristine lakes. Our first stop for the night will be in Drammen, Norway at the clubNo Fucking Evos house. Donny Petersen The Ironhead Sportster: No 1957 to 1985 (1036 pages) is fi nally available. www.iUniverse.com, Amazon, online everywhere
GPS, both Harleys are better since Victory does not have these features. The Victory is still as fast as the Milwaukee 8, 107. However, the Milwaukee Eights are a huge step forward. I am only speculating but I do not think these guys (Shovelhead and an Evolution) like my riding a Victory very much. The one cannot stand Evos. Check out the metal saddlebag…The Scandinavians ride what they like from old to new and choppers to baggers and no one gets left behind. All bikes make it to their destinations. Any repairs are on the road including making parts in machine shops. Run trucks not required. The Danes and Norwegians like their choppers and some are radical. We will be in extreme chopper country (Sweden) in two days. Their frames are wilder, their front ends longer, and handlebars can approach the bizarre. We have grown soft in North America. Most Americans and Canadians pretend they ride Leaving clubhouse on the ride
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Every year as I start my article for the January Issue I find myself going over some of the highlights for the year, the good the bad and the ugly. In February we lost Denis Renaud, who I considered a personal friend a biker and the founder of the 2804 Dice Run held in Casselman but he was a member of S.O.A.R. (Society of Ottawa Area Riders) with several members of TCB. I always covered this ride because of Denis and when it took place this past year the town of Casselman dedicated it to him. This was the year that saw the Ottawa International Motorcycle Show try and become a part of the OttawaGatineau Car Show at the Shaw Center but apparently it didn’t work out too well and it would appear the Ottawa International Motorcycle Show will not be taking place in 2017. In April The Celtic Brotherhood took part in the Spring Motorcycle Show in Toronto to promote traumatic brain injury awareness and all thanks to the support of Pace Law Motorcycle Division’s Ray Bonner & James Taylor. The reception that TCB received from not only riders who were brain injury survivors but from people who were family members or friends of survivors who dropped by to show their support for the club was overwhelming and left the boys humbled at their reception. Another plus to participating in the show was the opportunity for us to get a visit from good friend Andrew “ Cowboy” Kruschel who we are in contact with on the internet for any number of biker-related things from politics to biker rights and it was great to finally meet him and Allen “Red Man” Barnes personally. In late April we took part in the Annual Motorcycle Awareness Month ceremony at Ottawa’s City Hall and again this year The Riders Mag was more than willing to help promote the event because thanks to efforts of S.O.A.R the Province has declared the month of May is Officially Motorcycle Awareness Month across the whole province. Ray Bonner from Pace Law came down to take part in the ceremony as well. 2016 was a year of many firsts, the 601 MC had their first annual ride in Spencerville and the Ride for Autism seems to have found a new permanent home which worked out just fine for the nearly 200 riders who were kind enough to take part and the crowd not only enjoyed the hundreds of hamburgers & hotdogs that Mike Bossio aka Bozz cooked up for everyone they were impressed by the prizes and the items for the auction the autism ride had acquired. The Ride also allowed TCB to try out their new p.a. system and picnic tables and display one of the new edition chopper trikes they fabricated for the Busted Bucket Challenge
Project.
Shawn Dawson, owner of Fatboys Southern Smokehouse accompanied by his lovely lady Cherie Cole, were two of the first riders to try the trikes out and Shawn has to be one of the most community minded people I know and is always involved in all sorts of fundraiser and in 2017 this Harley rider will be leading a team to
climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. 2016 saw the Simple Men MC make their Snake River Rodeo even more of a fun time by moving the site across the road from the old one onto some of the finest layouts ever and they had their largest crowd ever as well. The Celtic Brotherhood put together a free breakfast to show their support for the Simple Men MC and thank all the riders who came up to take part in the rodeo especially some of the groups like the Eyes of Odin MC, Veterans MC and a large group of Outlaws MC who have been supportive of upper valley rides and events and I thank all the clubs for coming out. Please keep this event in mind for 2017 and
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pencil it in on your calendar. Throughout 2016 I attended dozens of event and rides and I enjoy our Eastern Ontario biker community but there are always a few that are special just because of the chemistry and they both came at the year’s end. The first one was Ride for Ayden and it was brought to my attention by a good friend Preston Paul who is the parts manager for Kingston Harley Davidson/MotorsportsPlus asking me to help get the word out. I did but as I rave about how amazing all those who participated in were and how proud I was of TCB for assisting by doing the free breakfast and the lunch thing we are known for, this all took place the day before my birthday and I couldn’t have asked for a better present than see bikers do what they do best, support their community and help out those who need help! The second event came at the end of 2016. What would the year be if I didn’t mention a good Xmas Party and while I attended a few these season, the one that I came away truly feeling the Spirit of the Season was the one I attended at the Capital City Bikers Church in Ottawa. Imagine sharing an amazing Xmas dinner complete with all the fixings with 300 plus members of the local motorcycle community including several clubs and knowing that everyone in the place had as good as time as you did. Hillbilly, Nelia & all the crew at CCBC have always been 1st class hosts at any event they put on including their
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Annual Motorcycle Spring Swap Meet every May but this year’s Xmas Party was over the wall and I am grateful along with Bozz & our lovely wives we decided at the last minute to attend. We were afraid the event was sold out but I called Hillbilly and he told us to come down because there would always be room for us. We thank him and CCBC because they succeeded in making everyone there feel like one big family that had came together to celebrate Xmas and played nice. Nelia & the ladies outshone themselves in seeing to it that the food was not only warm, delicious and plentiful but they organized the crowd in sections and had them line up. In no time everyone was sitting back at their tables happily enjoying the food while throughout the church the sounds of Blair Gardiner & the Indelible Shameless Blues Band entertained them. During the evening as I wandered through the church taking pictures and in between getting hundreds of hugs, handshakes and Merry Xmases I found myself actually getting in the mood for the holiday season. Trust me I haven’t felt that much over the last few years and while we remember friends who have passed this evening reminded me we need to enjoy friends in the present and those we make in the future. Many area clubs came to show their support for both the Bikers Church and the community in general and as I strolled around during the evening I made an effort to try and stop by just about everybody’s table to say hello and to wish them all the very best of the Yuletide season from myself, The Riders Mag & TCB.
Whenever I could I tried to take as many pictures as possible but the lighting in the hall wasn’t very co-operative. There was a great turnout of members of the B.A.C.A (bikers against child abuse) Ottawa chapter & I stopped several times to chat and to commend them on all the work they have been doing to protect and take away the fears of children that have been abused or bullied. Just by being there for them and providing many of these children with their own vests with patches including their names. Later in the evening when Hillbilly was addressing the crowd, he called B.A.C.A up on the stage and presented the club with $1500.00 that the CCBC had collected to give back to the community.
& Jim Poulin, two of the three local riders who are the promoters of the Greely Swap Meet that takes place this coming Feb 5th 2017 and it just keeps getting more popular with each year to where they now have another one in the Fall. So be sure and get there early and look for their ad near my column for the show information. I had a chance to chat with Lucie Guilbeault, who used to be with Freedom Harley & MariePaule Phillion who just finished launching her second year of “Ride Women Ride” Calendar in support of MS Rehab programs and it features area women who ride including Babette Tasse, who was at the dinner and also my model for the B.A. Machine Performance Cycles “Shop of the Month” photo shoot & article in October. If you have the opportunity I hope everyone will pick up one of these calendars, it’s a good cause and also honors and supports the women who ride in our community. Copies are available at B.A. Machine. I talked with Dave “Snake” Smith who brought his Dad to the dinner and not too far away from their table I had the chance to chat with Merlin, Jim Sharp & Johnny Racine who among many of his talents had started a motorcycle repair business and I wish him the best of luck in his venture and can’t wait for that first ad. There are dozens of people at the church I would love Pretty nice gift and it reflected the church’s commitment to mention but this would look more like a phone directory to the biker community. than an article but always keep in mind that we are The Some of the folks from the club that I spent some time with were Thor and his lovely wife Nathalie, Taz, Titan, Germ and Big Bird and of course, the lovely Bling aka Kim Eisenberg. My apologies for all the members I didn’t mention because you all are doing such a great service to our community. Another club very supportive of the bikers church and over the last several years been active in supporting rides and events put on by other area clubs is the Outlaws MC. Along with their family members, they took part in the dinner, and nearby there was a table of the Black Pistons MC. Some other clubs in attendance were A.R.M (association of recovering motorcyclists) members of the Soldiers for Jesus MC, G.O.C (guardians of the children) and of course last but not least, Bikers Church. In one of my walks I met up with Al Carmichael
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Riders Mag, we are all about the people who ride the motorcycles not the bikes and we want you to be proud that you are Bikers because you can’t be get any better than that! As always I remind you to please support the events & rides that are created by riders in your area and their clubs because they are the same people that come to your events and rides! Please remember to spend your money with businesses such as those that advertise in our Mag or who have proven they are truly Biker Friendly because they have shown their support for our lifestyle and they deserve our support back. Also if you have an event or ride or you are a business that
deals with either motorcycles or the people who ride them, you might like to advertise or even become a distributor of “The Riders Mag” and if so please contact me by email or phone As always I want you to please remember that we make our motorcycle communities stronger ..by making them better! Email: the ridersmag.beau@gmail.com Twitt er: Riders Mag East @ Motorcyco_ Beau Read us online: www.theridersmag. com/online Brotherhood! Motorcyco Beau!
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PD Restoration Open House 2016 The 10th Annual Open House 0n Nov. 25th, at PD Restoration, got underway at 4pm and quickly became a full house of familiar faces, as customers and friends of Phil Dickson and Family, filled the shop. Krystle Dickson greeted me at the door, looking smokin’ hot and as always and made me feel welcome. The showroom was fully stocked with an Impressive array of parts and accessories, as well as a sweet 05 Anniversary Fat Boy and a pristine 07 Dyna. I shared a few laughs with Krystle and her sister Sharon, who I had never met before but were clearly the life of the party! Sharon hooked me up with a door prize ticket and a few raffle tickets for a framed, autographed and numbered, limited edition print called “Two For The Road”. I said hello to Phil and his wife Linda and was handed a beer by Krystle’s niece, Amanda. Making my way over to check out the table of door prizes, took me about half an hour to travel the 10 feet, as I was greeted by several friends and people that I felt like I hadn’t seen in ages. Sharon Drew a few tickets for the impressive collection of door prizes that were provided by CarQuest, Glen Truelove, Parts Canada, Midwest, Snap-on, V-Twin Manufacturing, Preston Cycle and of course, PD Restoration. I mingled for a while and was introduced to Amanda’s
Dad, Don and Krystle’s Uncle Rick, who were also helping out. I was commenting on the mouthwatering smell coming from the back of the shop and was told that Phil was an avid fisherman and had caught Salmon and Lake Trout for the party. I felt like my stomach was eating itself as I grabbed a plate. The fish was excellent and all of the food was prepared and served by PDR Mechanic, Keith Zuefelt, Phil’s son Philip and Chad McTavish, aka “The Mad Painter.” My Mom and Dad had arrived and I knew they wouldn’t miss the open house, as they have been bringing their bikes to Phil for service for years. I checked out a few of the bikes that were for sale in the shop and went over to admire PDR’s recently restored and featured in the last issue of The Rider’s Mag, 1942 BSA WM20, as well as an impressive and very rare, 1955 AJS. There were a couple of vendors on hand as well and it was good to see John Mcfarlan from Parts Canada, who
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then Krystle pulled out a ticket and called my number! Needless to say, I was thrilled to win it and it has become an awesome addition to my “Queen Cave.” By the time I was ready to leave, my face was sore from laughing and I had noticed that people had been staring at my ass a lot, so I was feeling pretty good about myself. This was until it was brought to my attention that I had developed a small hole in the ass of my pants! Ha-ha A good time was had by all and the night was a testament to how much Phil and his team at PD Restoration, are liked, appreciated and respected in the rider community. had a table of Hog Tunes audio upgrades and various goodies from Parts Canada and Drag Specialties. Joe Pagana of MidWest Motorcycle Supply, was also set up with some performance upgrades, chrome parts and accessories and I shared a few laughs with him and his wife Tracey while I autographed a copy of The Rider’s Mag for my biggest fan, Tim Curtis. Doug “Dougie” Hollingsworth, arrived with his wife Joeslyn, daughter Margaret and her boyfriend Walter. They were in great spirits in anticipation of the fundraiser, being held the following night in support of a new electric wheelchair for Doug. On a side note, The Hollingsworth Family have also recently welcomed a new addition. Margaret had a baby girl the following Wednesday Nov, 30th. Congratulations! As Krystle drew tickets for a few more door prizes I went up to the mezzanine to get a bird’s eye view, take a few photos and get the crowd fired up, which happens to be my specialty! I came back down the stairs as Krystle was about to do the draw for the “Two for the Road” Limited edition print as I wanted to get a picture of the winner. I waited in anticipation to see who would take home this awesome prize,
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Heather Ireland “Road Queen”
Black Hawks MC Show and Shine 2016 This has long been a favourite event for me and I look forward to covering it each year as they are great people and the atmosphere here is always relaxed and easy going. I rolled into Bobbies Restaurant which has been the venue for this event for as long as I can remember and the lot was already filling up with some fantastic looking bikes. Big Bill was there and his shiny blue bike is as noticeable as he and his new Companion, Willie G. Dog. Bad Bob rolled in as well and we got to talk awhile over some of Bobbie’s great food and…….did I ever mention that they serve 50 here? The Black Hawks seem to know my preference in beer and were kind enough to buy me one or two. We wandered out checking out some of the great bikes that were now filling the parking lot to capacity and they were still rolling in. There is always someone to talk to here so the afternoon just slides by and we get onto the awards presentations and draws. They always have some great prizes as they have known the sponsors for years and the pool table is literally overflowing with all kinds of good items.
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Now HERE’S THE LIST OF WINNERS: Off Shore Stock : 1st Wayne W 2nd Rick G Off Shore Custom : 1st Linda P 2nd John D Big Twin Stock : 1st Bill 2nd John M Big Twin Custom : 1st Eldorado Rob 2nd Gary K Trike : 1st Bud J Antique : 1st Ernie S Best paint 1st Larry C Anyhow, another great day with some great people. Thanks Guys! See you next year!
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Moto
For those of us who didn’t attend mechanics school or were born with an innate sense of the inner workings of a motorcycle, even considering doing your own repairs can induce nightmares. Everyone who has ever worked on his or her own bike has screwed up something, one way or another. Now hundreds of riders in Toronto can thank the god of their choice that two courageous entrepreneurs opened a garage where you can avoid the mistakes that all the rest of us had to learn the hard way. This summer Peter Redford and Andrea Lothrop just opened up Motor Revere, Toronto’s first DIY garage in downtown Toronto on 1250 Dupont Street with the vision of embracing and advancing the custom motorcycle scene in the area. They wanted to open up a shop that was accessible and welcoming to everyone whether you’re customizing a bike to the nines or learning to do your first oil change. “We want to make sure people feel comfortable” says co-owner Andrea, who vows to manage the place to make sure that “no one will give you shit if you don’t know how to change your own oil”. We all started from somewhere, right? The shop has plenty of space, some hoists, a tire changer and a full arsenal of hand tools. They run regular workshops on maintenance, performance, electrical and just about everything else to get in the game of DIY repairs. To top if off, it’s likely the cleanest and most organized shop you will ever
Revere
see on this side of heaven. With the prices of housing in major cities, the lack of access to garages, and the price of maintaining a motorcycle, one would think every metropolis in Canada would be loaded with co-operative style garages. You’d be wrong. While there are many co-operative bicycle garages, loaded with members and doing quite well, there are few for motorcycles. In their research, Andrea and Peter had to look to the USA for information, advice and guidance on what pi�alls to avoid and the best way to establish their own. Judging by their turnout at their grand opening and workshops, things are looking up. At their first workshop
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on motorcycle maintenance, nearly 20 people showed up to learn pre-season inspections. At their opening, there were over 50 people throughout the night with bikes lining the road and drawing attention from everyone that passed. The crowd is diverse, from Harleys to cafe racers to custom built mopeds that can clear 100km/hr (yes, they exist, and a guy name Jesse proved it to me). Everyone was stoked to be there and just hang out with people who loved to ride, no matter the make or model of their bike. No judgment, no posturing and no attitude; just people
who loved to ride slamming beers, eating hot dogs, learning from each other and sharing stories. In a male-dominated activity, it should also be duly noted that there was 50/50 split of men and women present. In the co-operative spirit, they are always open to customer input to improve and there is always help available and offer affordable monthly rates for membership. Considering the cost of tools and equipment, riders can save hundreds of dollars a year, meet other riders and be part of the many social events they have planned out throughout
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the year. It’s truly a business with a love for riding at the core of it. The idea is really not anything new though. Bikers have been gathering in smoky garages stacked with empties, sharing knowledge, parts, labour and ideas for decades. The co-operative spirit is a core component to the motorcycle scene and always has been. But few turn it into a business. From what I know about them, Peter and Andrea seem to be the right people to run it. They have a passion for motorcycles, the city and the scene that is apparent when you hear them talk about any of these subjects. Although their interest is coaxed by bikes older than them, they’re looking into the future of the bike scene. There is an entire generation of riders who are interested in buying old bikes, busting them into pieces and rebuilding it into something different and something they can call their own. This scene is growing and they are noticing. Chad is one of the members who I spotted working on his CB/CL 175 hybrid. Peter was there offering advice on how to set up cables and the front fender. Chad admitted this was “over his head” and it was a project that he has been sitting on for years until Moto Revere opened its doors, offering and opportunity to jump in both feet first and finish his dream bike. Ask anyone riding a motorcycle if they would ever love to learn about maintaining, customizing, or building their own bike and the answer will likely be an enthusiastic “YES”. It will probably be followed by excuses, the majority of which Moto Revere will debunk. As diverse and different the motorcycle scene is, Moto Revere embraces it and brings all kinds of different people, different bikes and attitudes together under one roof. After writing this, I’ll cross my fingers for Moto Revere, in hopes that they unite a diverse motorcycle scene and glue together the missing pieces that we need.
“Happy New Year!” but in order to start a new year, I must first put last year behind and to do this. I have a couple of corrections on my part. First of all, in the Nov/Dec 2016 issue of the Mag, in my article under the sub-title “Ride for a Friend”, I mentioned that the Bacchus M/C were present at this event while in fact there were no members there. This was a mistake on my part. As well as under the “Cross Piston Saloon” subtitle I misspelled Kris’s name with a “C” instead of a “K”. My apologies to both errors and I can assure you that no disrespect was intended in any of the two incidents. Being that winter is the off season for most motorcycle enthusiasts, some of us are still very active in the lifestyle by attending and supporting the various bike shows as well as participating in many “Friends & Family” functions. Up in Sudbury during the past few months, there was a film crew present working with local bikers/actors to which many local individuals have made the cut for the parts of extras and found themselves with an interesting experience to all who were involved. I, for one, am looking forward to seeing the end results and will be on the lookout for you guys in the film. Other activities that lots of us participate in winter to pass the time is to get our ink (tattoos) freshened up or added to. Although most people have their preferred artists already, never be afraid to try out someone new because, who knows, you might end up with a whole new look. The best way to find an artist if by talking to them as well as checking out their por�olio of their previous work. Like any great artist, everyone has a “forte”. A specialty that they excel in. Yes, most of the time they can do it all but there is always one type of tattoos that they prefer doing and usually it shows in the end results. We are fortunate to have a great number of awesome artists up here in Northern Ontario. Go out and check into it! Review your local shop or better yet, look up the ads in The Rider’s Mag new section under biker friendly places and support a shop that supports the Mag! If you’re a shop owner and would like
to advertise in Canada’s finest Biker Magazine, in my opinion, or would like to be added to this biker friendly list, simply give me or the editors a call and we’ll set you up properly for maximum exposure. Something different for the Northern Guy this year is going to be my attempt at another section in the Mag called Bike Shop of the Month. This is where I get together with a local private or corporate bike builder and together in his shop create a personal interview with picture and ad for a full two page segment profiling their masterpieces as well as their talents. What a great
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promotional tool and advantage to have in your corner, think of the possibilities. Just contact The Rider’s Mag to advertise this spot. There are some great bikes in Northern Ontario and I for one would like to see more. For example, in the past year, I had the pleasure of checking out the
Green Machine, the Jack Daniel’s bike as well as Guy Tremblay’s Custom built Softail just to name a few proving that there is great talent when it comes to motorcycle building in the north and we need to let people know about it. What better way to accomplish this than to have them featured in this great publication called the Rider’s Mag! Some other ways that Northern Ontario bikers socialize
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and spend away the long cold days of the winter season is to gather up with brothers or buddies at a local establishment for a great time. One important thing to keep in mind when doing this is to support biker friendly establishments so that you don’t attract any unwanted attention as many bars and restaurants as well as some Hotels/Motels in Northern Ontario here do stereotype and discriminate against motorcycle enthusiasts in many different ways. It’s very sad to say but yes, it has come around here too! Some of the time, they won’t even try to understand instead they let themselves be coerced by law enforcers/makers even if they don’t understand the whole story. Who gives them the right to judge a human being by the clothes one wears or by the lifestyle one chooses to be part of? You might sat “oh, this doesn’t apply to me, just to those guys”. Well let me tell you, you ride two wheels, you are part of the motorcycle community and it does apply to you. In the eyes of a conventionalizing society, we are all the same so there’s only one way to go. Together we stand, Divided we fall. Only by doing this are we going to abolish all the misconceptions of the everyday biker that society has labelled without taking time to understand or even tried to understand. Do not take our freedom of expression or just being ourselves away. So, I got off the subject of the biker friendly places a bit…rant over. One location in Sudbury that I recently had the opportunity to frequent and chat up the owner is Tutti Fruitti Breakfast and Lunch on Barrydowne road. Tom, one of the owners there is an avid biker himself and went the extra mile to make certain that when you’re a patron in his restaurant, you can park your bike right at the window and literally be sitting two feet away from it in order to keep an eye on it. In the north, many business owners don’t understand what this means but again it’s up to us to explain to them that a small gesture such as this gives us a piece of mind that no one is messing around with our rides while we’re frequenting your establishment and we can enjoy ourselves even more. They don’t understand that a simple push over of a bike can cause thousands of dollars of damage and that most insurance companies will not cover this type of accident since it happened on private property. (Check your policies and give them a call, you’ll be surprised!). There is actually two Tutti Fruitty locations in Sudbury that are both owned by the same great individuals and both have designated ‘Motorcycle Parking Only’ spots which are well used in the summertime here. We should strive to have more businesses in Northern Ontario take this course of action and designate safe areas for our rides. Thanks Tom for being there in support of all of us that enjoy this great sport of motorcycling. North Ontario Biker Friendly White List is still looking for nominations to be added on a monthly occasion just to simply give a pat on the back of those businesses that do go the extra mile to help out those who enjoy the sport without the fear
of stereotyping or being harassed. If you know of any of these businesses, a simple text or call or even an email or Facebook message to let me know, would be appreciated. This month’s nominations without a doubt would be Tutti Fruitti both locations in Sudbury, Buzzy Brown’s Brasserie in Sudbury’s south end who if you check the Mag, has been included in that special section. Thirdly but certainly not last would have to be Leatherworks Plus as Ben and Roger with the rest of the friendliest staff you’ll ever meet and do exactly what you need and right on time. Facebook issues. For those of you that follow the Rider’s Mag Northern Ontario Facebook page, you certainly have noticed some changes in the recent months. This all happened when Facebook asked me to prove that that page belonged to me and after I sent in the proper information, and requested to categorize the page the way it should be, well they ended up sending me the link to change the page’s name instead of the status. This is still under repairs and more changes will be happening in the near future but the page itself and the great content and posts that people share will remain the same. Please note that I do not endorse any sales pitch or negative comments on this page and it is monitored regularly. As for the charity events, well we all do excellent work for many charities and where I stand on this is if you advertise in the Mag, then I will advertise for you on my page as I support those who support us. There might be one or two posts that escape the eye of the page moderators but eventually they all get caught and
taken care of. Just a friendly notice to keep it happy and joyful for all to enjoy. Thank you. On a personal note, I would like to extend a word of thanks to Redneck, Willy, Will and Kris for the helping hand in my time of need. Due to a recent surgery, I had found myself unable to accomplish certain tasks and these guys without hesitation came to my rescue. Much Love Honor and Respect to all of you and a hear�elt Thank You for your help. The time has come for me to end my long winded column and cut you guys short. As due to the lack of events in the past couple of months, article material is scarce. I’m thankful for the help received from Rebar, Northern Ontario’s most recent addition to The Rider’s Mag staff, for the words of inspiration to help me fill the column.
Thanks bro. “Stay strong my friends, spring is coming.”
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Scotty’s Cycle Shoppe
NCK Cycle Salvage
133 Head Street South Strathroy Ont. scottyscycleshoppe.ca 519-245-4205
PD Restoration
Len’s Automotive
Action Trailers
Hastings Starter Alternator
125 Main St. Woodstock,Ont. nckcycle.com 519-533-5177
A.M.P. Cycle
1221 Sundowner Rd. Midland Ont. L4R 4K4 ampcycle.ca 705-526-7500
Hawg Worx
9 Ferndale Dr. North Barrie Ont. L4N 9V3 705-503-5343
Tar’d and Feather’d Bar 358 Bay St. Beaverton, Ont tardandfeatherd.ca 705-426-9464
Fred Hale Motors & Strictly V-Twin Inc. 29945 Highway 48 Pefferlaw, Ont. strictlyvtwin.com 705-437-2291
Sprucedale Hotel
2502 On-518 Sprucedale Ont. P0A 1Y0 sprucedalehotel.com 705-685-1260
S&A Motorcycle Dyno Stonewall, MB 204-513-0561
Classy Chassis
1399 8th Line of Smith Lakefield. Ont. usedhd.ca 888-292-8305
Recycled Gear
16 Pigeon Lake Rd. Lindsay Ont. K9V 4R6 recycledgear.ca 705-320-7777
4192 Perkins Road, London, Ont. pdrestoration.ca 519-652-6200 4728 Egremont Dr. Strathroy, Ont. actiontrailers.ca 519-245-8802
Hog Town Cycles 164 Main Street, Lucan, Ont. hogtowncycles.ca 519-227-1331
DG Custom Cycle Leather Works Plus
149 Lorne St. Sudbury, Ont. leatherworksplus.com 705-674-5757
Signatures Restaurant
3702 Hwy 144 Chelmsford, Ont signaturesrestaurant.ca 705-855-9021
Buzzy Browns Brasserie
1984 Regent St. Sudbury Ont. buzzybrowns.com 705-522-6284
The Beausejour Inn & Restaurant 1527 On-64 #1, Alban Ont. thebeauinn.com 705-857-2193
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51999 College Line Aylmer Ont. dgcustomcycle.com 519-773-3735
Wighty’s Repairs Inc.
Hwy 8, 122 Huron Rd. Mitchell Ont. wightysrepairs.com 519-384-0404
Whip’s Performance Cycle
535 Vidal St. S, #3 Sarnia Ont. whipsperformancecycle. ca 519-339-0003
Tiny’s Ltd.
184 Carnegie St. Ingersoll Ont. tinysingersoll.com 519-425-0033
2002 Main St Jarvis, Ont. N0A 1J0 lensauto.ca 519-587-5041
19 King St E Hagersville, Ont. N0A 1H0 hastingsstarter.ca 905-768-7688
The Back 40
7 Cayuga St N Cayuga, Ont. N0A 1E0 theback40cayuga.ca 905-772-7275
On The Fringe Leather Destination 13 225 Main St Port Dover Ont. N0A 1N0 519-583-0023
Kreative Khaos Tattoo 300 Colbourne St Brantford, Ont. N3S 3M9 kreativekhaos.com 519-758-8242
Meetz Small Engines 427 Albert St. Waterloo, Ont meetz.ca 519-885-3860
RNR Custom Cycle
108 Beaumont Cres. Guelph, Ont. rnrcustomcycle.com 519-821-8666
Authentic Custom Cycle
Aviation Motorcycle Company
310 Main St., North 848 Lakeshore Road East Markham, Ont. L3P 1Z1 Mississauga, Ont. authenticltd.com L5E 1E1 905-471-3021 aviationmotorcycle.com 416-477-7089
Eagle Eye Custom Cycles
1501 Hopkins St. Whitby Ont. L1N 2C2 eagleeyecustomcycles. com 905-665-7400
Spoiled Sports Motorcycles
1898 Baseline Rd. W. Bowmanville Ont. L1C 3K3 spoiledsports.com 905-436-6487
Malicious Cycle and Clothing
3595 St. Clair Ave. East Scarborough, Ont. M1K 1L8 maliciouscycleshop.com 416-666-5827
Leather Unlimited
1981 Boylen Rd. #10 Mississauga, Ont. 905-671-0037
Lord’s Ink
9699 Jane Street #18 Vaughan Ont. L6A 3X5 lordsinktattoo.com 416-855-2600
Wildside Motorcycles
59 Carson St. Etobicoke Ont. M8W 3S1 wildsidemotorcycles.ca 416-503-2121
Thunder Alley Sales 1696 Bloor Street (Courtice Flea Market) Oshawa Ont.
Franks Magic Crops 480 Guelph Line Burlington, Ont 905-333-3282
Motorcycle Enhancements
427 Speers Rd., Unit 9 Oakville, Ont 905-842-2123
Quinns Custom Motorcycles 22 Hellems Ave Welland, Ont. 289-820-7954
Triple K Upholstry 432 Pearson Rd Welland, Ont. triplekupholstery.com 905-735-7216
The S-Bend Family Restaurant 5801 Hwy. 3 Sherkston, Ont. sbend.ca 905-894-4072
Kosmic Arts
20 Riordon St #2. St. Catharines, Ont 905-684-6790
76 Ridley Rd. Unit #2 St Catharines, Ont. 905-688-1386
Reeb House
2481 On.-3 Port Colborne Ont. 905-834-5401
1119 Main St. E. Hamilton, Ont alchoppers.com 905-545-5139
189 KING ST E Hamilton, Ont. metal-n-ink.ca 905-524-1745
10 River Rd. Port Robinson, Ont 905-384-1967
D.A.M. Enterprises
A.L. Choppers
Metal N Ink Tattoo Studio
Bridge 12 Pub & Eatery
Jack’s Oasis
447 King George Hwy. Miramichi N.B. G1V 1L8 506-836-2845
Paysan Family Restaurant
4520 Rue Principale, Saint-Antoine NB, E4V 1R1 506-525-2464
Carter’s Customs
219 Sweeney Lane Miramichi, N.B. E1V 3A6 506-251-0291
Task Performance
7616 Mud Street Grassie Ont. taskperformance.ca 905-945-5372
The Dam Pub
53 Bruce St. S Thornbury Ont. N0H 2P0 thedampub.ca 519-599-2110
I’m Sooooooo Bad
110 Main st. Mount Forest Ont. 519-323-9969
Smiley &Co.
2549 6th Concession Ripley Ont. N0G 2R0 519-832-7232
Tiny’s Cycle Shop 5026 Hwy. 21 RR#1 Port Elgin Ont. tinyscycleshop.com 519-832-1612
Black Gold Leather 12278 Gorham St #2 Newmarket, Ont. 416-804-2292
Mario’s Bake Shop 13305 Hwy 27 Nobelton, Ont. mariosbakeshop.ca 905-859-2253
K&P Auto & Marine Electric
160 Pony Dr. #8 Newmarket Ont. kpautoelectric.com 905-895-5832
Duke’s Harley-Davidson®
Tons of Bike Gear
5 Classic Car Drive Blenheim, Ont N0P 1A0 dukeshd.com 519-354-0650
Thirsty Cactus
2822 Howard Rd. Windsor, Ont. N8X 3Y2 leatherking.ca 519-254-8331
4179 RR.20 Saint Anns Ont. tonsofbikegear.com 905-386-0377 2 King St. East Dundas Ont. thirstycactus.ca 905-627-8488
Leather King
Colchester Bar & Grill
67 County Rd. 50 W. Harrow Ont. N0R 1G0 519-738-6198
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Top fi ve ways to beat the Winter blues: Co-sponsored by the Anti Vegan organizati on known as P.E.T.A. (People Eati ng Tasty Animals). My daughter is going to slap me for this one... Well, we did it. Made it through another wonderful Christmas season, had time and cheer with family and friends. So why would we buck the trend of friendship in January, when we most need some time with friends? In fact, some of us had a few crummy scrapes with a brother or sister in law who is absolutely nuts! Now that we are short of our iron supplement due to snow, you know what I mean... So here’s a few practical ways to keep it together this winter so we can emerge from our garage on our iron horses real soon. I’ll do it Letterman style, top five a little outgoing and call a friend and go do something this best ways: season. You have friends who care about you. #5. Hug your motorcycle regularly! Really, go Pray with me now: Father in Heaven, please increase do it now. You changed your oil before the big my faith in you and in my friends because I know that freeze, added gas stabilizer, plugged in the trickle you and they both care deeply for me. I know that Jesus charger, waxed her up for winter so now give her a is your Son and wants the best for us. Thank you for hug. It’ll remind you of what’s to come soon. that! Amen. #4. Visit your local bike dealer and dream. Pastor Ken Williams 905 870 8584 It’s always fun to take a buddy, maybe even your kenang@cogeco.ca hamiltonbikerschurch.com chick and go look at chrome. You might notice a new ride that’s waiting for you when this white stuff melts...and they usually treat you like a long lost friend in the winter, right? #3. Get some exercise. This will seriously give you some extra energy in the dark, cold months and you’ll be ready to face the world come hell or high water when the spring melt arrives. This is a scientifically proven fact. #2. Feel free to eat the Easter Bunny! No, really. There’s nothing tastier than roast rabbit in the winter...lifts your spirits and it’s easy to roast just like you’d roast some beef in the oven. That smell of something roasting in the oven is bona fide aromatherapy. Okay, if you don’t like that or you’re actually a vegetarian, look at pictures of puppies, kittens, or other baby animals...so soft and cuddly...But do treat yourself to some good food! #1. Get out to the bike shows, swap meets, parti es and club events! This is wisdom right from the Bible! It tells us in Hebrews 10:24-25 to “stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together... but encouraging one another!” Don’t be a hermit because that leads to depression. Isaiah 41:10 says, “Do not be afraid, for I am with you.” You have to do your part and be
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West Coast
These pictures are Port Alberni’s Toy Run, they raised enough money for the sick children so a doctor from Vancouver will come to our small town. This has been going 32years now also a toy run for children that otherwise won’t have anything, in 2015 we had 1600 bikes and we also have another run for the Homeless called Tsunami which is going into its 3 year. l will be att ending that Ride as well so keep your eyes open for some more picturesand stories from B.C. I hope you like the pictures for l would love to support the Island and B.C. Thanks for Le� ng me share a bit of the Lifestyle out here on the West Coast. Angela Young Your West Coast Corrospondent.
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Happenings
by Angela Young
There are important questions to be answered about this LGBT bathroom legislation and transgenders being able to use a restroom of the gender that they “identify” with. Will public restrooms be required to have a Genital Inspection Station posted at the entrance to all public restrooms? Who will have to pay these Pecker Checkers and Vaginal Badgers, the people using the restroom, or the entity that owns the restroom? And how much money will a Pecker Checker be paid to check peckers? Or, do we pay a Pecker Checker by the number of peckers checked by each Pecker Checker? How many peckers can a Pecker Checker check if a Pecker Checker could check peckers?
And will women be able to wear a Vaginal Badge that certifies their gender so they may bypass repeated inspections by the Vaginal Badgers? What has this country come to when the U.S. Department of Labor has to create a new job description of Politically Correct Restroom Service Inspectors? Want to guess their motto...........??? “If you gotta pee - We gotta see!” My neighbor was working in his yard when he was startled by a late-model car that came crashing through his hedge and ended up in his front lawn.
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long forgotten the art of capital letters. For those of you who fall into this category, please take note of the following statement: “Capitalization is the difference between helping your Uncle Jack off a horse, and helping your uncle jack off a horse.”
He rushed to help an elderly lady driver out of the car and sat her down on a lawn chair. He said with excitement, “You appear quite elderly to be driving.” “Well, yes, I am,” she replied proudly. “I’ll be 97 next month, and I am now old enough, that I don’t even need a driver’s license anymore.” He asked “How do you know that?” “The last time I went to my doctor, he examined me and asked if I had a driver’s license. I told him, yes and handed it to him.” He took out his scissors out of the drawer, cut the license into pieces, and threw them in the waste basket, saying, ‘You won’t need this anymore.’ So I thanked him and left! Capital Letters? Who uses them anymore? ..... A teacher’s explanation. In the world of hi-tech gadgetry, I’ve noticed that more and more people who send text messages and e-mails have
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Are we clear? You Might Be A Yuppie Biker If… You drink cappuccino instead of beer. You can’t figure out why the battery on your new bike won’t stay charged. Your trailer has more miles on it than your bike. Your leathers still have creases. You don’t ride your bike to work because it scuffs your penny loafers. You move your bike and the grass is brown under the wheels. Your tattoos wash off. You have doubled the weight of your bike with bolt on chrome. You have never kick started a bike before. You buy bikes as investments. You refer to your bike as your “toy”. You really believe that there are bikes that come customized from the factory. You went to the Harley dealer and you came home with gol�alls and a toilet seat. If it’s not fun to ride unless someone sees you. You don’t ride in the rain. You can’t find your oil filter. Your ponytail comes off with your cap. You leave your garage door open just so people can see
your bike. You need a biker lingo book. You think a wrench is a bitchy woman. You started calling everyone “bro” after you bought your bike. You stop 30 miles from Sturgis to unload your bike so you can ride in. You worry about what bikers are suppose to look like. You read GQ and not The Rider’s Mag. You paid for your new FXSTC in 24 months or less. You complained about the “smell and fumes” near the back of your last group ride. You won’t ride unless it’s a group ride. You said “Isn’t it too cold/wet/hot/dry/dark to ride?” If your saddlebags have a special pocket for your cell phone. You read this page and say “Hey I do that”! Your Ride is a Knucklehead and you don’t even know what that is. You put newspaper under your Bike to catch the drippings. Bikers check out your Ride and say “Man that boys got way too much money!” If your jeans have a crease. If your jeans are clean, in fact, every spot on you is clean. You think fringe is mandatory on your leathers. You try to look and act like a biker. You stopped at a red light and forgot to put a foot down. When other Riders say “Hey let’s go here” you have to call home to check first. You belly up to the bar and ask for a Heineken. Your leathers shine. Your boots cost more than you spend on gas in two months. You think a chain is something you wear around your neck. You think a missing link is a human race thing. You think a wristpin is a bracelet. If bikers give you a nickname something like PUD and you think it’s cool. The two most important items in your toolkit are gojo and a manicure kit. You think that’s actually a ‘Suntan’ that makes real bikers so dark-skinned. When your Bike doesn’t start, your first thought is “how do I get it to a shop?” You ride a Harley and drive a Toyota, BMW, Lexus, etc. You do the biker wave to every bike that goes by including bicycles. You don’t know what zip ties and duct tape are for You only have photos of your bike and none that others have taken with you on it Everything you wear has ‘Harley Davidson’ somewhere on it, even your socks and underwear. You might be a yuppie biker if you’re reading this page and taking notes on how to be more like a real biker. Three Contractors are called in to bid on a broken fence at Rideau Hall. One is from Carelton Place, another from Merrickville and the third from Gatineau. All three meet with a Government Official to examine the fence. The Carleton Place Contractor takes out his tape measure and does some measuring, then he works out some figures on a scratch pad. “Well,” he says, ”I figure the job will run about $900, $400 for materials, $400 for my crew and $100 for me.”
The Merrickville contractor also sets about measuring and figuring and says, “I can do that job for $700. That’s $300 for materials, $300 for my crew and $100 profit for me.” The Gatineau Contractor doesn’t measure anything or write down any figures he just leans over to the Government Official and whispers, “$2,700.” The Official asks him, “How could you come up with such a high figure if you haven’t measured anything ?” “Well,” the Gatineau Contractor whispers into his ear, “It’s $1,000 for Me, $1,000 for You, and we hire the Merrickville guy to fix the fence.” “Done!” Replies the Government Official. And that Fellow Taxpayers is how any Government Plan works! This is truly amazing! This is the best, most interesting English lesson I have had to date. Did you know “listen” and “silent” use the same letters? Do you know that the word “racecar” spelled backwards still spells “racecar”? And that “eat” is the only word that if you take the first letter and move it to the last, it spells its past tense “ate”? Have you noticed that if you rearrange the letters in “illegal immigrants,” and add just a few more letters, it spells: “Go home you fucking free-loading, benefitgrabbing, resourcesucking, non-Englishspeaking pricks and take those other hairyfaced, sandal-wearing, bomb-making, camelriding, goat-shagging, raggedy-ass islamics with you.” How weird is that? Who says building a border wall won’t work? The Chinese built one over 2,000 years ago and they still don’t have any Mexicans. Paddy had been drinking at his local pub all day and most of the
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night, celebrating St Patrick’s Day. Mick, the bartender says, ‘You’ll not be drinking any more tonight, Paddy’. Paddy replies, ‘OK Mick, I’ll be on my way then’. Paddy spins around on his stool and steps off. He falls flat on his face. ‘Damn’ he says and pulls himself up by the stool and dusts himself off. He takes a step towards the door and falls flat on his face, ‘oh damn!’ He looks to the doorway and thinks to himself that if he can just get to the door and some fresh air he’ll be fine. He belly crawls to the door and shimmies up to the door frame. He sticks his head outside and takes a deep breath of fresh air, feels much better and takes a step out onto the side-
walk and falls flat on his face. ‘B’ -Jesus... I’m in trouble,’ he says. He can see his house just a few doors down, and crawls to the door, hauls himself up the door frame, opens the door and shimmies inside. He takes a look up the stairs and says ‘No way....’ He crawls up the stairs to his bedroom door and says ‘I can make it to the bed’. He takes a step into the room and falls flat on his face. He says ‘damn it’ and falls into bed. The next morning, his wife, Jess, comes into the room carrying a cup of coffee and says, ‘Get up Paddy. Did you have a bit to drink last night ?’ Paddy says, ‘I did, Jess. I was really drunk. But how did you know?’ ‘Mick phoned .. . . You left your wheelchair at the pub.’ “The old farmer saw the puzzled look on the doctor’s face so he continued to explain. “You know he didn’t get up there by himself, he doesn’t belong up there, he doesn’t know what to do while he’s up there, he’s elevated beyond his ability to function, and you just wonder what kind of dumb ass put him up there to begin with.”
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An Arab Sheik was admitted to Hospital for heart surgery, but prior to the surgery, the doctors needed to have some of his blood type stored
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