THE REDNECK RUMBLE 2017
The 2017 edition of the Redneck Rumble took place on September 16th in Lebanon, Tennessee. Here’s a few pics for those who could not make it.
CLASSIC AUTOMOBILES AND VINTAGE MOTORCYCLES!
Two of my favorite things in the world are classic automobiles and vintage motorcycles. And when you combine them both into one event… well, that’s a pretty good day. Today I made my way to The Factory in Franklin, Tennessee for the 27th Annual Antique & Classic Car Show, sponsored by the Battlefield Region of the Antique Automobile Club of America. But it get’s better… this years show was held in conjunction with the Music City Chapter of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America. That’s right… a beautiful day filled with classic automobiles and vintage motorcycles…. all in the same place. I could go on about how heavenly that is, but I’ll just shut up and let you enjoy some of my photos.
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BRAGGIN’ ON NASHVILLE AND GUSHER CYCLES
Please allow me to brag on my hometown for just a minute. Widely known for county music, Nashville is much more than most people think and among other things, has a rich history in the hotrod and motorcycle culture. Those traditions continue today and there are a host of talented builders (of both the 4-wheeled and two-wheeled kind) that currently call The Music City home.
One of those talented individuals is J Ryan of Gusher Cycles. I first met J Ryan about 8 years ago at a local bike show and since then have seen him out and about once or twice a year. It’s to the point now that I look for him at any show I think he might be at… just because I know he will have something stellar on display.
Last weekend I attended a show at the Nashville Fairgrounds and sure enough, J Ryan was there with another one of his smokin’ hot creations. You’re going to have to believe me when I tell you that these photos don’t come close to accurately reproducing the gorgeous paint job on this bike (show lighting is always so awesome!) but even so, you can see that J Ryan has perfected his painting and fabrication skills to a level that most will never reach.
Take a look and then jump on over to gushercycles.com to see more of J Ryans creations. I’m jonesin’ hard to have him paint my Sporty project bike for me and if you’re looking for custom work yourself (paint, fabrication, bars, etc.) you should definitely check out what Gusher Cycles has to offer.
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OUTSIDE LOOKING IN…
I love car and bike shows… probably a little too much since they seem to take up way more of my time than any normal person should allow. They are my obsession I suppose, but I just can’t help it. I love to see classic vehicles and all the things that their owners have done to preserve them. It’s educational, giving me a lot of ideas for my own projects. It’s nostalgic, reminding me of simpler times and the historical significance of the US auto and bike industries over the years. It’s therapeutic, captivating my thoughts for a few hours and allowing me to forget real-world issues and pressures that we all face in adult life. And it brings up fond memories of my youth that includes vehicles I’ve owned in years past and great times I’ve had working on them with my dad. IT’S FUN!!!
Yes… I’ve been known to wander a car or bike show from open to close many times, looking at the same vehicles over and over… but eventually the doors have to close and they kick me out for the night. Sometimes that’s when the fun starts though. I’ve noticed over the years that a lot of the best cars and bikes you will see at a show are not on the show floor but rather in the parking lot. All of the photos in this post were taken in the parking lot of shows I’ve been to. I hope you enjoy them and I also hope that the next time you’re leaving a show, you’ll keep your eyes open on the way back to the car. You might just see some of the best rides all day on the outside looking in.
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AN AWESOME 1977 BMW R100/7
I spotted this way-cool 1977 BMW R100/7 at a local show this weekend. The bike was modded into a cafe’ style by a chap named Bob Long in Sevierville, Tennessee. Here’s what he did:
- Completely disassembled the frame and cleared all unnecessary mounting lugs
- Painted frame and components with PPG PR4 Red.
- Painted side covers, tank and rear fairing in PPG WA600R Black and PPG GAN Silver
- Rebuilt forks and stiffened with 8mm bushings.
- Replaced rear shocks with Hagon SA adjustable coil-overs.
- Added Burley Cafe’ rear tail section and custom seat cover.
- Added Cat Eye tail light and BR sport mini turn signals (front and back).
- Added European spec “low bars.”
- Added “Pea-Shooters” slip on mufflers and header wrap.
- Deleted rear fender and shortened front fender.
I think the results are fantastic… I love this bike!
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GREASE MONKEY ISSUE #13
Issue #13 of Grease Monkey Magazine is in the stores now. Be sure to grab a copy and check out my photos of the DoMaCo Norton, as well as re-cap photos of the 2013 Spring Thaw bike and Rat Show. You can view the entire magazine here.
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IT’S THE REAL DEAL
Here’s another bike that caught my eye at the Spring Thaw. The cool thing about it is… this bike was actually built in the ’70s. It’s the real-deal with a ’74 Santee frame and KZ1000 motor.
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THEY CALL IT THE SPRING THAW
I made my way to a local bike show today. They call it the Spring Thaw and it represents the end of winter and the beginning of riding season for many of us here in Middle Tennessee. The show includes a huge swap meet as well, and for $30 bucks I scored what you see above. A low-profile mirror, a set of “coke bottle” grips, LED license plate bolts and a super-cool, old-school helmet! Of course the main draw of the Spring Thaw is the bikes… and here is one of my favorites on the day. Enjoy!
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TOOTIN’ MY OWN HORN A LITTLE
Just thought I would share some of my recent design projects with you. I did the layout on these show posters for my friends over at Both Barrels Promotions. They are GOOD people and know how to put on a great show. If you are anywhere near the Middle Tennessee area, you should attend all three of these upcoming events. (FYI: The illustration in the second poster below was hand drawn by Gary Mizar. He’s the best! Check him out at garymizar.com)
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ANOTHER SPORTY BOB
Call them Baby Harley’s, Girls Bikes… whatever you want… I don’t care. I am an unashamed fan of the Motor Company’s low-end two-wheeler and am convinced that the Sportster is the perfect bike for mods. As a result, I am always on the lookout for new and interesting work by those who feel the same as I do. I spotted this particular example at the 2011 “Spring Thaw” bike show in Shelbyville, Tennessee. The minimalist approach is smokin’ hot and I love that bobbed rear fender. Not sure if I have the CO JONES to cut my frame like that but I think the end look is killer! What do you think?
And… speaking of the “Spring Thaw”… 2012 marks the 10th Anniversary of the show. Anybody close to the Nashvegas area on March 24 should come out and celebrate the end of the “Dark Months” with me. My friends Scooter and Dorris over at Both Barrels Promotions do a great job of making this one of the best shows in the region and I wouldn’t miss it. Below is the show poster which I designed. Hope to see you there!
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TONUP VINTAGE BIKE SHOW
I had a great time at the 10th Annual TonUp Vintage Bike Show in Nashville today. This show is put on each year by the local British Motorcycle Club and features some cool Brit bikes, some awesome Cafe Racers and some rockin’ bands. Here’s few pics and a short video.
JUST A FEW BIKE SHOW PICS
After an awesome group ride with 18 friends this morning… some of us made our way to a local Bike Show. It was the first bike show of the year for me and I had a blast. Here are just a few pics.
SPRING THAW PICTURES
I had a great time at the 2009 Spring Thaw Bike Show and Swap Meet in Shelbyville, Tennessee today. I took the Canon SD1000 point-and-shoot with me and got a few shots and as usual I was drawn to the “old-school” and “low-buck-chopper” bikes. As a matter of fact, I was one of the judges in the “Low-Buck-Chopper” class.
Follow the link at the bottom of this RANT to see a ton more pics. Congrats to Both Barrels Promotions for another great event this year.
2009 MUSIC CITY BIKE SHOW
One of the only things I like about January… is the annual Music City Bike Show held here in Nashville. The 2009 show is this weekend and today I made my way to the Tennessee State Fairgrounds to check it out. All I can say is…. Aghhhhhhhh! It was just what I needed to help beat some of these “Dark Month” blues I’ve been suffering from. Wall to wall bikes, lots of Bikers and tons of fun! Of course, I took the Canon point-and-shoot and got some pics. A couple are posted in this RANT (along with a video) but if you want to see a lot more… CLICK HERE NOW!
CLICK HERE TO SEE A TON MORE PICS
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