Diamond Posse at Arizona Bike Week 2011

The Diamond Posse, a veteran outreach program from Milwaukee, Wisconsin is at Arizona Bike Week on a fundraising mission. They hope to raise at least $20,000 in 2011 in order to provide a trained service dog at no cost to a disabled combat veteran.

Members of the Diamond Posse will be at the Team Diva Booth all weekend (March 31 to April 3rd) at WestWorld, where you can also meet this year's celebrity rider, Sturgis Hall of Fame member Betsy "Gypsy" Lister. WestWorld is at 16601 N. Pima Road in Scotsdale, Arizona.

"The women riders in the Diamond Posse have a deep heart-felt gratitude for combat veterans, who have made our freedom possible by way of their sacrifices," said Gypsy.

The public is invited to stop by to say hello to these women, check out their bikes and learn more about the Diamond Posse and the non-profit program, NEARDS that trains service dogs.

The Diamond Posse rode every day to honor veturans during National Armed Forces Week in 2010. They hope to share their passion for riding with everyone, while also raising awareness and support for disabled veterans who have proudly served the United States of America.

Women are also invited to join the Diamond Posse's Ride to this year's 9-11 rally in September in Kansas City. Members of the Diamond Possee will ride from Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Park City, Utah; Dallas, Texas and Boston, Massachusetts, arriving in four separate waves on Saturday, September 10th with each group saying Thank You for their privilege to Ride Free. To register to ride, visit www.diamondposse.us/

The Diamond Posse is a non-profit veteran outreach program that consists of Vicki "Spitfire" Sanfelipo, "Diva" Amy Skaling, and Cat Hammes RN, their "One Legged Blonde". The Diamond Posse was formed in 2010 to honor veterans by giving hope and encouragement to veterans who are facing challenges as a result of their service to the United States of America.

NEADS is a non-profit program established in 1976 in Princeton, Mass. to train and provide independence to people who are deaf or physically disabled through the use of canine assistance. These assistance dogs become an extension of their owners and bring security, freedom, independence and relief from social isolation to their human partners. Details at www.neads.org/

Nationwide Ride for Kids® Raised $4.5 Million in 2010

For 25 years and counting, the Ride for Kids® has raised millions of dollars every year for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. The title sponsor is Honda Riders Club of America, but all brands of motorcycles are welcome to join the rides.

Riders across the USA continued to give generously to charity in 2010, defying the economic downturn by donating $4.5 million in 2010 via the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation’s Ride for Kids® program.

The 2011 season kicked off with a ride on April 3rd in South Florida and closes with a ride and annual ceremony in Tampa, Florida in November. Ride for kids expanded to 40 cities in 2010 and those cities are on the 2011 Ride For Kids Calendar.

A few changes are in store this year: The South Florida and Philadelphia rides will have new start points; and the Houston, Kansas City, Knoxville and Los Angeles rides have moved weekend dates.

The PBTF is the official charity of the Honda Riders Club of America (HRCA), which has been the presenting sponsor of Ride for Kids® since 1991. Thanks to the significant support of American Honda Motor Company's motorcycle division, Honda dealers and other motorcycle industry companies, the program has raised millions of dollars for pediatric brain tumor research.

Belt Drive Betty's Cross-Canada Ride Lit A Fire

"I am back ....and a F.I.R.R.E. WAS LIT!"  - Belt Drive Betty, Sept. 20, 2010. 

If you would like to start a chapter of F.I.R.R.E., contact our Canadian National Chairman  - Scott Paulin at: firre@bikerider.com 

Renee “Belt Drive Betty” Charbonneau traveled 34 days and spoke to more than 2,000 riders and community leaders in eight Canadian provinces on her Congo of F.I.R.R.E. en route from Alberta to the Wharf Rat Rally in Nova Scotia. 

This is her final account of the ride across 8 Canadian provinces that included the opportunity to meet Chelsea and Paul - students at Canada's only high school chopper building class - The Bike Klub in New Brunswick, where she sat on "Betty Bobber."

The bike named after her won the Donny Smith Invitational High School Chopper Challenge.... This is Rene, Belt Drive Betty's story:

The trip was gruelling and satisfying all at the same time. My husband and I crossed most of Canada - 8 provinces inluding 3 territorie - round trip in the same time it took the Motorcycle Ride of Dad 10th Anniversary Tour to cross Canada one way.

We visited about the same number of cities as they did too. It was challenging as we had to travel on average 500 KM per day plus meet people, and for me - meeting with the press and blogging about the trip.

The next time I do something of this magnitude I at least understand more about the time requirements and sponsorship needs to make this happen the way I would like it to.

 

Pacrim Hospitality along with Choice Hotels supplied rooms for our Awareness Conga and they also supplied special rates for riders who joined us along the way.

The trip itself was impressive and amazing - seeing our country by motorcycle has been rewarding. I have been across by car and train but this was my first time across the country on a motorcycle.

Th Go-Pher Run - A southern Alberta treat!

The road between North Bay & Sault Ste Marie in Ontario offer up some incredible sights along te shores of Lake Superior.

If you want to see more, visit my Travel Blogs - the links to them are located on the home page of beltdrivebetty.com/.

It was so rewarding meeting so many that until now I have only known by email or letters, including the Ontario Chrome Divas, Crystal, Danni & Members of the Kawartha's Bikers Church, Pastor Dave & his wife Karen.


It was equally rewarding to have interest for starting new chapters of F.I.R.R.E. - it looks like we will have new chapters in Saskatchewan before long - the paper work has just gone out to Terry Hartshorn and Dave Adrian (Preacher) of the Saskatchewan Lone Wolves. If you are interested in joining F.I.R.R.E. or finding out more about who we are and what we are doing please visit: www.firre.ca/

There will be a SPECIAL F.I.R.R.E Annual General Meeting for October 3, 2010 at the Carstairs Community Hall - 1100 Lackner Way in Carstairs Alberta. The meeting will begin at 2 pm - come find out what is on the go!

We are growing and for a group that is only 5 months old we are doing really well at helping our fellow riders and are working hard to get our three committees up to speed. Those committees are: Rider Down - for rider and family assistance and support, Riders Rights, lobbying and support and Education for both the rider and the general public....F.I.R.R.E. stands for the Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights and Education.

We are in the process of looking hard at how we can work with the Downed Rider Society in Nova Scotia - after a great discussion in Nova Scotia there appears to be great interest in the two groups working together to serve riders and their families...

I hope to see a ton of you get on board because if you read the news feeds at all on http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/ you will see that we need to start working together as a family, a community again. We have to start working on the issues that affect all of us motorcyclists from safety to discriminatory bylaws...if we don't those who are working together - the anti motorcyclists will mow us over and there will be little left of our way of life.

 United we ride, divided we ride stock or bicycles...

Indian Larry Motorcycles Grease Monkey Block Party Today!

BROOKLYN, New York - The Indian Larry Motorcycles Grease Monkey Block Pary is happening Today at 400 Union Avenue in Brooklyn. An opportunity to see again Larry’s bikes and original shop memorabilia, including his famous custom King Of Choppers throne.

The event includes 7 bands, well known builders, Sword Swallower “Fredini” of Coney Island Fame, live ice sculpting and food. The party is an annual reunion of Indian Larry's friends and fans.

Details:  IndianLarry.com

Cannonball Run 2010 from Kitty Hawk to Santa Montica

Cannon Ball Run 2010 is underway from Kitty Hawk, NC to Santa Monica, CA. (Sept. 10 - 26) ...3,300 miles in 16 days, running bikes built before 1916. Photos: Cannon Ball 2010.

Buzz Kanter with a fan, next to Selma, his 1915 Harley at Wheels Through Time Museum on Sunday in Maggie Valley, North Carolina.

Buzz Kanter reports: Day three of the Motorcycle Cannonball is in the history book. Most of us made it over the mountain and the number of riders with a perfect score has dropped to 17 of the 45 that started. I feel honored that my partner in this Dave Fusiak and I are among them. Spent some time at Wheels Through Time which I always enjoy.

Wheels Through Time Museum curator and founder, Dale Walksler, is also competing in the run aboard his 1915 Harley-Davidson, with teammate Wayne Stanfield of Tustin, CA. "We've done all we can to prepare each machine for the cross-country trek, but realize that its going to be an enormous challenge, regardless of how much effort has gone into getting these machines ready for the road," said Walksler. "There are very few that have ridden motorcycles for such a long distance," said Walksler. "And there are even fewer who've done it on a 95 year old machine. Completing this run will be a true test of endurance, stamina, and grit, but it will also take an experienced hand when it comes to the mechanics of a motorcycle this old!"

Day Four - The rouged mountain ride out of North Carolina into Tennessee was one of only two parts of the trip, where vintage riders/crew could choose to "opt out" and not be penalized. 

The steep mountain roads "tax the bike incredibly going up, and are, well, scarey coming down," reported Laura Klock of Team Effie. "Remember, these bikes didn't even have a front brake stock, and the rear brake leaves alot to be desired, compared to what we are used to with our modern bikes. It's hard on the clutch and the motor, and we decided not to push old Effie too hard."

Team Effie decided to play it safe coming over the mountains in order to "stay strong" for California.

Cris Sommer-Simmons, Pilot

Laura Klock, Crew

Toast Boyd, Crew/video/photos

Athena Ransom, Crew/Mechanic

Cris Sommer-Simmons' ride pays tribute to Effie Hotchkiss, a woman who road cross-country with her mother in the sidecar on a new 3-speed V-Twin Harley-Davidson in 1915 from Brooklyn, NY to the World's Fair in San Francisco.

Pre-race - video, entrant Shinya Kimura does a final check on his 1915 Indian Motorcycle. In 1914, Erwin “Cannonball” Baker made the ride in 11 days riding an Indian motorcycle.

Belt Drive Betty Homeward Bound From Wharf Rat Rally

Renee “Belt Drive Betty” Charbonneau traveled 19 days, covering more than 6,300 KM on "Black Betty" and spoke to more than 400 riders and community leaders in eight Canadian provinces on her Congo of F.I.R.R.E. en route from Alberta to the Wharf Rat Rally in Nova Scotia.

She arrived Sept. 1st in Digby to attend Atlantic Canada's largest outdoor motorcycle event. And she is now en route home.

The outspoken editor of the Busted Knuckle Chronicles newspaper is most known throughout the world as the author of the Belt Drive Betty Blog and editor of the Canadian travel-events website BeltDriveBetty.com.

Riding across Canada on her motorcycle, Belt Drive Betty met with dozens of motorcycle clubs and talked to many non-riders, spreading awareness of F.I.R.R.E - Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education. En route to Nova Scotia, she attended The National Motorcycle Ride for Dad 10th Anniversary Run in Kenora, ON and The Mother Daughter Ride for the SOS Villages in Butler, ON. She visited The Biker's Church and Biker Coffee Company in Ottawa; Chrome Divas in Ottawa and Montreal; and the high school bike builders in Bike Klub in NB.

She left Moncton New Brunswick at 6 am on September 1st - destination - St John New Brunswick and the Bay Ferry to Digby, where she met up with Bean'r and his crew from Florida, New York and Boston and made the 3-hr crossing. 

Betty is a woman who tells it like it is and she had things to say about the St John's ferry route to Digby.

 "I must tell you folks - St John is disgusting. It is official - in my books anyway - that the roads in St John NB are the worst in all of Canada - worse than any place. I mean that from the bottom of my heart. And the Bay Ferry - what a money grab - disgustingly filthy bathrooms at the terminal - worn out carpets on the floor on the Ferry and the cleanliness left lots to be desired there too and the same price for a motorcycle to cross as a car or pick up. $90 one way fare - 3 hour crossing. RIP OFF - complete and TOTAL!

"Shameful - had I known that's what it was going to be I would have ridden from Moncton to Truro and into Digby - seen some fabulous country and saved myself $40 and still been in Digby before the ferry," Betty reported. On her way home, that's exactly what she did.

On Tuesday, Sept. 7th she was riding from Digby to Truro - the back way with two members of the Canadian Lone Wolves,  Sea Dog the Magic Man and his lovely wife, Jocelyn.

 "The roads are not in the greatest shape so caution should be exercised," said Betty.


But from the Look Off in Blomindon you can see almost all of the Annapolis Valley - breath taking and stunningly beautiful!

Hurricane Earl may have kept some rally-goers at home this year because attendence at the Wharf Rat Rally in Digby was down from previous years. 

But Bean're made his own Fun... riding a go-cart around the Wall of Death.

For details about F.I.R.R.E. visit: beltdrivebetty.com/firre

The Bean're Bailout Ride To Wharf Rat Rally - Nova Scotia

DAY THREE - Yesterday on the Ferry to Nova Scotia with Bean're & crew. 3 hour ride, docked, and off to rally headquarters - photographer Jack Mcintyre, Thurs., Sept. 2, 2010 on "The Bean're Bailout Ride" to the Wharf Rat Rally in Digby.

All photos used by permission (c) Jack Mcintyre, bikerpics.org

where you can view a complete set of the ride and 2010 Wharf Rat Rally.

"Day one, we rode from our meeting place in Staten Island to Shorty's in Boston. Day two, we rode 400 miles to St. John, Canada, where we will catch the ferry today for Nova Scotia and the Wharf Rat Rally," said photographer, Jack Mcintyre.    

 CLICK TO ENLARGE ANY OF THE PHOTOS

DAY TWO - "We rode 400 miles yesterday after our stop in Boston at Shorty's, great people, great food!," said photographer, Jack Mcintyre. "Today is the day I'm really gonna start shootin while the sun is strong before the hurricane hits this Saturday."

Bean're and crew, on the road to Nova Scotia. "We rode thanks to Spectro Oil, serious riding, ass flatening riding," said photographer, Jack Mcintyre.

"And through all the record hot tempatures, my Spectro oil still looks and smells brand new! It really is the best!" said Kevin Bean're, pictured here leading the crew out of Boston to St. John, Canada.

DAY ONE - The Bean're Bailout crew, sponsored by Cycle Source Magazine, rolled into Shorty's in upper Boston on Monday night.

And there were some tired bikers.

DAY ONE - Photographer Jack Mcintyre's ride to the Wharf Rat Rally with "The Bean're Bailout" crew got underway Monday,  Aug. 30th 2010. The crew rode from this house in Staten Island to Shorty's in upper Boston.

European Bike Week Faaker See 2010 - Austria Sept. 7th

The 13th European Bike Week, Sept. 7 to 12 at Faaker See, Austria is expcted to live up to its reputation as the biggest free motorcycle rally in Europe. 

Once again, the Austrian region of Carinthia will come alive with the sound of V-Twins rumbling through its veins. There is a full music line-up on the main stage from Tuesday to Saturday, free demo rides and an even bigger customizer area.

Over 100,000 people will roll up to the shores of Lake Faak in Austria.

A Harley Davidson Europe run event, bike week attracts top Harley custom builders and parts manufacturers from across Europe.

This years line-up includes Zodiac, Walz Hardcore, Big Bear Wrecking Crew and Thunderbike alongside the official Harley range of bikes and merchandise.

There's also a smattering of AMD World Championship winners on display, including the stunning Garage 68 that won the freestyle class at the 2010 Sturgis AMD final.

CLICK HERE  to watch a great video of  the European Bike Week 2009 that took place in Faaker See, Austria on the 8th - 13th September 2009.

The Harley-Davidson Hospitality Bar moves to the main plaza alongside the Expo Area and the infamous dealer mile. Hot Dot Cafe and Choppers Bar return to keep the party alive into the early hours! Details: europeanbikeweek.com.

Perewitz, Michele Smith & Others Join Sturgis of Asia Tour

The Next Dave Perewitz Bike Night in Bridgewater, MA,Wed. Sept 8th will be the last of the season for 2010!

"Jody & I are leaving in 2 weeks for Sturgis of Asia in South Korea!," Dave told friends a few hours ago.  "The bikes are on their way."

People in Japan, South Korea and China will soon have a taste of the Sturgis rally without having to travel to the United States, courtesy of a new company, SturgisAsia. The first tour of SturgisAsia is Sept. 17 to 21.

The company is headed by Tom Bandy of Rochester, Minn., who has been a rally licensee for a dozen years and has been attending the rally for nearly 40 years. It has been Bandy's dream for a few years to bring Sturgis to the rest of the world. SturgisAsia will fly participants and their motorcycles to South Korea.

VIPs signed up for the first trip include custom builders Arlen Ness, Cory Ness, Eddie Trotta, Dave Perewitz and Donnie Smith, along with Harley-Davidson artist Scott Jacobs.

Also signed for the first trip is Michele Smith, who co-hosted “American Thunder” on the Speed Channel and recently co-hosted "Two Wheel Thunder" on Discovery's HD Theater.

Next year, SturgisAsia will take a group of bikers to South Korea and Japan. In 2012, it plans to visit South Korea, Japan and China. And in 2013, it will add Australia to the tour.

The program in South Korea will include a hill climb, a mini moto cross, a rock concert, a traditional Korean performance, a custom bike show and a biker fashion show, plus plenty of riding through the South Korean countryside. The tour is expected to attract tens of thousands of South Koreans, eager to catch a glimpse of American culture.

SturgisAsia will also tour a US military base in Seoul, Korea. The tour will present a Support the Troops Day for American and South Korean military. Then, accompanied by American service personnel, the tour group will ride up to the demilitarized zone.

The tour costs about $3,500 for two people, depending on travel packages. For more information, go to Sturgisasia.com

Ride To Nova Scotia Wharf Rat Rally

A while back, Cycle Source Magazine announced a contest to "Win A Trip" to the Wharf Rat Rally in Nova Scotia as a riding partner with Bean're aka The Mayor of Fun.

My photographer friend, Jack Mcintyre saw that as a call to action!

"The moment I heard that I emailed Chris Callen of Cycle Source Magazine and stated that I would like to go along on motorcycle with Bean’re as a Photo Journalist."

Now it's one week before the rally and Jack will be heading out with Bean're to capture the action. "If I can get on the net in the evenings, I will post as many pics as I can because knowing this crew, it’s gonna be a blast," said Jack.

You will find hundreds of photos of Sturgis 2010 Rally, and look for photos of the Wharf Rat Rally at his photography website: BikerPICS.ORG.

Read More: Wharf Rat Rally - Sept. 1 to 6 in Digby, Nova Scotia.