Sturgis Rider Daily
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OF 5 8 ZZ TOP WEDNESDAY FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE AUG. 6, 2014 JEREMIAH JAMES KORFE ® STURGIS RIDER DAILY Sturgis Local Weather Wednesday Thursday Friday 8/6 8/7 8/8 BIKES REVEALED AT THE CROSSROADS Don’t MISS HISTORY Biker Battleground at The Chip - History Channel CHANNEL FILMING Shooting Today Page 1 & 2 WINNER ON THE TORC Racing Rocks Page 8 Chip’S MAIN TODAy’S BIKE SHOW STAGE Cycle Source Grease & Gears Page 4 TODAy’S RIDE Trike Owner’s United Ride SEASON FINALE: BIKER Page 10 & 11 STURGIS BUFFALo Chip’S WOLFMAN JACK STAGE BATTLEGROUND PHOENIX TONIGHT Biker Battleground Phoenix, the reality and the opportunity to vote for their favorite. Dubbed The Legend, Paul’s role as the known 10:30pm .......... ZZ Top television series currently on the History Celebrity judges then move in to perform their leader the others are gunning for allows him 8:30pm ............ Florida Georgia Channel, pits five rival bike-builders from scrutiny, culminating in the announcement of to take the high road, but people who know Phoenix, Arizona, against each other to see the winner on the Chip’s main stage about 8:00 Paul Yaffe will tell you he’d do that anyway. Line who can design and build the best bagger and PM. As it happens, Paul is being inducted into the 7:00pm ............ Jeremiah put an end to their rivalry and smack talking. To keep Biker Battleground viewers engaged, Sturgis Museum’s Hall of Fame during Rally, an James Korfe If you’ve been watching, and who hasn’t, you’ll there’s plenty of drama pumped into the TV indication of his industry stature. “Normally I want to be at the CrossRoads today to see the episodes. The builders say that cameras are would never compete against these guys, but if TOMORROW builders unveil their bikes. Then tonight on the running all the time and they have no idea we don’t interact there’s no show,” he said. “And 10:30pm .......... Train Chip’s main stage celebrity judges convene to what bits are likely to turn up when programs the show is a great opportunity for the newer 8:30pm ............ Pop Evil announce the winner in the hotly contested air. That’s fine with Paul Yaffe, who’s been and younger guys to brand themselves.” 7:00pm ............ Pistol Day competition. down this path before with Discovery’s Biker Cameras roll at the CrossRoads this afternoon Build-off, and he credits the History Channel Parade Continued on Page 2 when fans gets a firsthand look at the bikes for top-notch production and promotion. PAGE 2 STURGIS RIDER DAILY WEDNESDAY, AUG. 6, 2014 Brash and unapologetic, Risk Taker John Shope is the hothead/cool dude. He’s been around a while and has made a name for himself, not always in a positive way, and he hasn’t yet put the pedal to the metal for solid industry traction. Maybe this time he will. Kody McNew, labeled The Young Gun, is fresh off a prestigious win in Sturgis last year. He has an opportunity here to prove himself, but does he actually have the chops or will he be a one hit wonder? Meanwhile, Canadian Len Edmondson, The Outsider, is known for his deep pockets and calculated business sense. He’s not afraid to take on anyone but he may need to learn: money can’t buy you love. Rounding out the Phoenix Five is Brian Jenkins, called The Rebel. Brian embodies the no-frills one-man operation, the underdog Paul Yaffe Kody McNew with plenty of talent but scant resources. “Brian is someone I’d go have a beer with, a person I really like,” said Yaffe. When we pointed out that Brian was seen in one of Yaffe’s Bagger Nation cap in at least one episode, Paul said, Think judging bike shows is easy? “If I had a Hatred Customs hat I’d wear it too.” Think again. It’s a job where you’re Biker Battleground episodes have unfolded guaranteed to make someone—in fact, through July and August and now the intensity probably a lot of people—unhappy. is ramping up. The final show of the season The best show judges are people with is being filmed during the Rally, including hands-on experience because they know announcement of the victor on the Buffalo what it takes to produce an exceptional Chip’s main stage tonight. All five builders custom motorcycle. Here’s the panel of will be there along with a panel of celebrity judges responsible for selecting the Biker judges (see sidebar) for the announcement Battleground Best Bagger Builder: that cinches the title: Best Bagger Builder in Keith “Bandit” Ball was executive Phoenix. Then stick around for concert with editor of Easy Rider magazine twice and Florida Georgia Line and headliner ZZ Top at is the main man behind Bikernet, the the best party anywhere®. largest on-line biker information site. He Led Edmondson Brian Jenkins currently manages a Bonneville racing effort and authors biker fiction. Scott Hakins, a.k.a. The Count, is the man on the road for S&S Cycle. Scott uses his uncanny diagnostic skills to service dealers across the country and now turns his technical prowess toward the Phoenix Five. Pat Jansen has been involved with custom bikes for decades, helping establish Titan Motorcycles and completing many of his own builds. Today Pat travels the country as spokesperson for Progressive Motorcycle Insurance. Ron Harris is a renowned motorcycle painter, builder, parts designer and owner of Chop Docs in Michigan. Ron is often on the road as a co-founder of the Chop- in Block traveling road show and builders co-op. New breed builder Pat Patterson has redefined old school customs, earning a reputation for fabricating cool custom Sportsters at his shop Led Sled. The company’s parts and bikes are built to ride, and ride hard. John Shope WEDNESDAY, AUG. 6, 2014 STURGIS RIDER DAILY PAGE 3 5 MINUTES WITH AMERICAN PICKERS’ FRANK FRITZ When were you last at the Sturgis Rally? made a lot of them and people are making café racers and Well, this is my 31st year at Sturgis. I come out here to see choppers out of them. That’s one of the reasons I like to go the bands and enjoy myself for a few days. I work 20 days to Sturgis, to see the new models and new stuff. a month between 12 and 17 hours a day, so I gotta have a little break now and then. I like seeing the new products What’s America’s fascination with picking? and it’s nice to be around other enthusiasts. It hits home with a lot of different people. There’s a little bit of the collector in everyone. And we don’t throw around So I hear you have a new book. F-bombs on the show, we’re not confrontational—I think Yeah, How To Pick Vintage Motorcycles with Frank Fritz. people enjoy that. It’s got a picture in it of my first Harley that I bought when I was 15 and I still own, and talks about what motorcycles It looks like you and your partner Mike have fun. What impacted me back in the day. I’ve had bikes all through my are the challenging aspects viewers don’t see? life. I started out as a little kid on mini bikes, then I went to For me the most challenging thing is keeping well. There’s dirt bikes, then street bikes. I like all brands. I’ve definitely a lot of climbing and physical stuff. The snakes and rats made bikes a way of life. I don’t have Kawasaki tattooed on don’t bother me; it’s the little things like fleas, chiggers, my arm but I do have Harley-Davidson. mosquitoes and no-see-ums. Getting 50 or 60 bites all over your legs can be annoying. I’m very susceptible to Tell us about some of your bikes. catching poison ivy, poison oak. People don’t see any of I’ve always been into all types of motorcycles, I never that. pigeonholed myself to one brand. If you ride motorcycles you’ve got something in common with me. I have a big What’s the weirdest thing you ever found picking? variety of bikes, from Triumphs to Hondas to Indians, to What might seem weird to me might not seem weird to Harleys, a little bit of everything. I even have a Ninja sport somebody else. Probably some of it I wouldn’t be able to bike and dirt bikes. I’ve been a motorcyclist my entire life. talk about, cultural stuff that’s not politically correct but is still part of our history and part of America. If you get a break at home, what bike do you ride on a whim? Do you ever feel like the “other” Picker guy, or that Mike I like the Heritage Softail. It’s low to ground and I’m a short gets more attention? guy so it’s easy for me to handle. I’ve always liked sport Yeah, but that’s the way we are, we have different bikes but a lot of them today are so tall. We all gotta work personalities. One person needs to be in the limelight all with what we got and I don’t got much! I have a Kawasaki of the time, look at me, me, me. Then there’s the guy who’s Ninja and a Triumph, I’ve had a lot of different sportbikes happy with not as much limelight and doesn’t need to be over the years and I appreciate that style of riding.