The New Harleys Are Here, The New Harleys Are Here!

Yes sir the 2009 models have been introduced and they are already on the floor in some shops. Just like the automobile companies the new Harleys seem to arrive earlier and earlier every year. It used to be that the company waited until September to introduce the new models, now it’s July. You can see some of the models in this months issue of IronWorks magazine.

Of course there are new variations of certain models and new colors and combinations in each family of bike. The touring bikes get a new frame. The frame is more like the frames of years ago, using castings and forgings, only more comfortable. It also is able to carry a bigger payload (they must have heard about me).

Clifton “Click” Baldwin

On July 29th the well known owner of Carolina Harley-Davidson in Gastonia, North Carolina was killed in a car/motorcycle crash in Montana. Baldwin was riding with a group of fellow HAMSTERS Motorcycle Club to the annual Sturgis Rally in South Dakota when the accident occurred on Tuesday morning. He was life flighted to a Missoula, Montana hospital where he succumbed to his injuries that night.

Mr. Baldwin helped the charities of the Carolinas by holding numerous events. He had participated in all of the Kyle Petty Charity Rides for the Victory Junction Gang Camp for chronically ill children.

Our condolences go out to his family and friends.

IronWorks magazine and SuperTrapp announce that they will be co-sponsoring a “Virtual” Bike Show. The focus of the show will be bikes based on the XL motor platform that are equipped with either SuperTrapp or Kerker exhaust systems. If you’ve built a custom bike, a cafe racer or a street tracker around an H-D or S&S XL style motor send IronWorks a photo of your ride. There’s a chance your bike could be seen in IronWorks magazine! The top ten entries will be shown in the May/June 2009 issue of IronWorks and the winning bike will be shown in the July 2009 issue.

If you’re Baby Boomer Biker heading to Sturgis this year there’s a great treat in store for you out at The Buffalo Chip Campground. Cranking out the tunes you used to cruise to will be Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels. Yes sir “Jenny Take a Ride”, “Devil in the Blue Dress”, “Little Latin Lupe Lu”, “Sock It To Me” and “Too Many Fish in the Sea” will fill the night air on Saturday August 9th from the stage at The Buffalo Chip. Mitch Ryder is referred to as “The Godfather of Detroit Rock”. He was out there before Nugent, Seger and Kid Rock.

It was hot, it was crowded and it was a blast! It was BIKE FEST at Carlisle! The 7th edition of this event was bigger, badder, noisier and smokier than the previous ones. Looking out into the parking lots you could tell that bikers weren’t going to let the bad economy and high gas prices stop them from having a good time. For three days riders took in the sensory menagerie that events of this size emit.

A Friend Indeed

I’ve been without a bike to ride for most of the summer due to the twenty year makeover that my bike is currently undergoing. My friends R.W. and Jodie always said that if I needed a bike to let them know and I could borrow theirs. Sure enough when I asked they said to go ahead and take it. It’d been sitting in storage awhile so it needed a little work. I figured I’d pay for whatever it needed because I knew they wouldn’t let me give them anything for using it. They were just happy to see me riding again, now that’s what I call friends

This weekends annual Bike Fest at Carlisle is one of my favorite events of the year. There’s always lots of hot eye candy throughout the grounds. Some of the famous bike builders and celebrities have their bikes on hand. Believe me the rich and famous aren’t the only ones with neat looking rides at Carlisle. Just walking through the parking lots you can see show quality bikes.