The Sturgis.com Blog

BOB AND DEBRA…..A COUPLE OF RIDERS? OR RATHER, A RIDING COUPLE! Bob Johnston (owner of Badlandz Kustom) and his wife Debra are natives of South Carolina and live in the quaint little fishing village of Murrells Inlet, SC. Bob grew up around motorcyles-- his father owned the only area  Triumph dealership in the 60’s and 70’s. Bob’s better half Debra started riding in the mid 70’s where she and one other lady were the only women riding their own motorcycles in Myrtle Beach. Bob and Debra ...

BLACK IS STILL BEAUTIFUL, CHECK IT OUT… Nick Cramers Double Blackout Bagger didn’t stay on the show room floor long. Nick built the bagger with the intention of riding it at this years annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally…….but a cash-money carrying customer wanted to own it more than Nick….so out the door it went. And yes……that is a 26 inch wheel up front, and a boat-load of John Shope’s Sinister Industries composite bodywork components. Nick is starting a new project immediately, but I doubt he...

THIS IS THE BAGGER YOUR MOTHER WARNED YOU ABOUT! “FAST ORANGE”…RANDYS RAD ROADBURNER.....  A B.L.A.B.B. exclusive.....a sneak preview of Mr. Randy Cramers "FAST ORANGE" Custom Bagger from Dakota V-Twin....the best bike builders in the Black Hills!  Of course you're seeing the machine prior to painting. With a monster motor and flashy paint, Fast Orange is a real road burner in the truest sense of the word. Buck   

     CLASSIC GLENCOE CHOPPER GOLD IS WHERE YOU FIND IT!      As the old saying goes….gold is where you find it! Jason Simms media man at Glencoe Campground Dakota discovered this Classic Chopper at an undisclosed location in Rapid City South Dakota. He purchased it for a song, and he can’t even sing, I’ll vouch for that! These photos were taken at the Glencoe Camp Ground right afetr a little rain. For all you Johnny come lately chopper r...

WILL THE REAL RIKKI BATTISTINI PLEASE STAND UP! BART SAMUELSON LOVES BATISINI STUFF.....CHECK OUT HIS BAGGER!

     TOOF DOCTOR BAGGER      A couple of  preview photos of Bart Samuelsons Covington Cycles City Bagger. Bart is a Spearfish, South Dakota resident who loves riding the highway and byways of the world famous Black Hills of South Dakota. See the complete story in an upcoming issue of BAGGERS Magazine at your local newsstand.  

The COPY CAT PANHEAD  AFTER ALL… IMITATION IS THE MOST SINCERE FORM OF FLATTERY  Way back in the late 1960’s or early 1970’s an unknown builder produced the black Panhead Chopper shown here. This Black Panhead Chopper is typical example of the kind or style of custom motorcycle being created in that era by most bike builders be they a custom shop or a homebuilder. Few if any aftermarket parts or components were available for Harley-Davidson motorcycles at that time, so anythin...

A REALLY BIG WHEEL…..  The owner of this motorcycle has yet to contact me with all the technical details of this two wheeler. It does have a really big wheel. I wonder what the roll-out is on that wheel-tire assembly. Ed Sullivan, the “Really Big Shew” guy would probably have invited the owner and machine onto his show if he hadn’t died 50 years ago, but I digress. The tire on the rear is a semi-truck tire….no duh there! The tire size? It’s a Michelin brand XOne XDN2 455/50 R 22.5……LOL,...

   STATE FAIRGROUNDS RICHMOND VIRGINIA MAY 1930 Joe Petrali, Harley-Davidson factory sponsored racer and National Ten Mile Motorcycle Champion (30.50 Peashooters) is slated to defend his title Saturday May 30 at the State Fairground half mile oval. On the line waiting for the starter in the group photo are left to right; Joe Petrali, Harry Peizold, John Gustafson, Howard Ripple, Fred Toscani, and J.W. Young in this historical photos. And NO, the photos were not taken by me, Buck Lo...

A REAL CHOPPER FROM 1963..... WHO WAS THE ORIGINAL BUILDER? By Buck Lovell  photos by Buck Lovell  I photographed this absolutely genuine and magnificent example of an original real deal  chopper of the 1960’s at a small motorcycle shop in North Hollywood, California. The photos were made around 1990. The shop was owned and operated by an 81 motorcycle club member named NZ. NZ has since returned to New Zealand probably because he was burnt out with the mind numbing con...