Gophers and Cheese

The latest issue of DicE Magazine arrived last week along with a free beer coozie!!! I love cool free stuff.

What a weekend for motorcycle shows in the Twin Cities!!! Minneapolis hosted the 2011 Bearded Lady Motorcycle Freak Show on Saturday and St. Paul hosted the Full Tilt Chopper Show on Sunday.  I stopped by both but couldn't stay very long at either.  For those of you that could, it's no doubt that you had a great time (unless you were caught in the heavy downpours Saturday night).  The weather was awesome on Sunday! If you didn't go to either, what's wrong with you?  You obviously hate motorcycles, music, beer, and fun. I need to sort through the 200 or so photos I took to find a few gems to post. For now, here's a photo of a kid's mind being completely blown at the Bearded Lady.  I think the expression sums up both days pretty well. Come back for lots of pics over the next few days!

There are two local bike shows this weekend to check out... I went to the Bearded Lady last year and it was fantastic.  Check out my " Guide to Local Events " page for links to blog posts about it.  I took a ton of pics. 2011 Bearded Lady Motorcycle Freak Show Saturday, near the 331 Club in Northeast Mpls. Full Tilt Chopper Show Sunday, near Tavern on the Avenue in St. Paul Go!!!!!!!

More motorcycle pics from Ma Rad's 16th Annual Rumble On The Deck Bike Show in Stillwater... Here's a fantastic pair of knuckleheads (1946 & 1947).  Check out the exhaust. Here's a good example of hiding wiring and making switches as tiny as possible: One of the coolest things I witnessed at the show was this 1922 Harley JD's motor running.  The owner fired it up a few times.  Awesome! Here's a really classy Triumph chop: As has been the case many times before at other events, some of my favorite bikes at the show were from the Heavy crew. Overall, it was a good show so check it out next year!

Ma Rad's 16th Annual Rumble On The Deck Chopper Show presented by Rad Paint was this past Thursday in Stillwater at the Freight House .  The weather was cloudy with a threat of rain but it stayed pretty dry.  There was a very good turnout in spite of the forecast. I rode the Sportster.  Given the ominous weather, riding with no front fender, a minimal rear fender, and rain gear consisting of two ziploc bags and a bandana, I definitely took a risk.  Luckily. it paid off. Before showing you some of the bikes on the deck, here are a bunch of interesting bikes I found in the parking lot. A pink Sporty with oversized tank. An over-the-top high-dollar custom: A cool shovelhead: A beautiful Electra-Glide with sidecar: This bike has been ridden a lot more than it's been polished: Nice Sportster with a really tiny seat: Here's a hardtailed Sportster that I really liked: More pics to come!

Forget newspaper classifieds, eBay, Craigslist, Cycle Trader, and everything else you think you know about selling a motorcycle.  Go to your local biker bar (in this case The Joint ) and post a sign.  Photo?  Photos are for sissies.  Draw your bike like a real man!  Digital cameras and computers are for nerds and nerds don't ride FXRs from the '80s. I actually think this is pretty awesome and I'd bet he sold it.  I spotted this last month and forgot to post it.  Out of respect to "Potatohead", I blurred his phone number.

Here's the last set of pics from my trip to the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum in Ohio... If you think this is a root beer Biltwell helmet, guess again. It belonged to a flat track racer in the 1950s. 1959 Harley KR750.  The paint is cool. You're allowed to touch and even sit on (or in) this Duo Glide with sidecar. I don't know much about this very strange looking bike other than it's a Velocette. A rare (less than 50 made) Vetter Winged Wheels of America fairing from 1997. A Whizzer motorbike: A very cool Indian: To finish it off, here's a Sportster that's not from the XR family.  Check out this awesome 1968 XLH Chopper. Overall, I had a good time and would recommend checking it out if you're in the area.  It was cool to see a lot of old purpose-built race bikes and I was pleasantly surprised to see a nice representation of Harleys.

Here are some more photos from the trip to the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum in Pickerton Ohio... I liked this sculpture ("Glory Days"): Yet another XR750.  This one was sponsored by F&S Harley Davidson.  I've been the F&S Harley Dealership in Dayton but they were just recently sold.  They are now Buckeye Harley Davidson .  Check out the chopped cam cover. Here's another XR750... ... and another... ... and another: Here's a Harley racer that's not an XR750.  It's a 1969 KR750.  Check out the massive air cleaner! Come back for one more post from the day...