Author Archives: Road Captain

Best Description on a 4 Sales Bike Ever!

November 25, 2013 by Road Captain

Not only is this a very original bagger, but it had just about the coolest and most amusing description we have ever seen on eBay. Please see below (Many pictures to follow) From the Seller: Was originally built for someone in the family of the M&M Mars candy company. This is a total custom one of a kind and 9 different people included in building this bike!!!! The bike is 11 foot long . *It has 124 cubic inch delcron […]

Categories: eBay bike of the week

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Video: The Throttle in My Hand

November 24, 2013 by Road Captain

If it’s too cold for you to ride, at least live vicariously through this blast! Enjoy this ride through some beautiful rural roads in frigid New England November weather. View from a Road King’s Carlini Pissed Apes! Turn the volume UPPPPP! If you like this video – click here to view other Beantown Baggers riding videos. Thanks for looking at this and our other videos of motorcycle tours in New England including Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont.

Categories: Videos: Riding & Event

Playin’ in a traveling band – Video

November 18, 2013 by Road Captain

Turn up the volume! The music makes this ride. Great video montage of Utah, Montana, West Virginia and Wyoming Riding! If you like this video – click here to view other Beantown Baggers riding videos.

Categories: Rides & Destinations, Videos: Riding & Event

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Crashing sucks – helmets might help

November 17, 2013 by Road Captain

We all know that crashing sucks and as the pessimistic adage says: “there are two types of bikers, those who have been down and those who will go down”. After 20 flawless years of riding, last Sunday I graduated to the elite group of the scrapped and bruised but still riding. At Beantown Baggers we aren’t proponents of helmet laws. This piece won’t recommend what you do with your head in any way. If we were going to put any […]

Categories: Parts you Need, Upgrade Everything

Central MA Riding Video

November 16, 2013 by Road Captain

Look forward to the snow lined roads in central MA for some great riding in the “off season”. Turn the volume up and enjoy!

Categories: Rides & Destinations, Videos: Riding & Event

The Heart and Soul of Motorcycling – Ron Boyd

November 15, 2013 by Road Captain

As part of our interview series, we proudly introduce Boyd’s Cycles. This past Sunday I had a chance to visit [Ron] Boyd’s Cycles in Peabody, MA to check out the new shop (as of July) and understand what drives this local bike builder and business owner. We discussed his preference on brands including saddlebags, bars, suspension and tires. He also has some interesting predictions for the future of baggers and motorcycles overall. The shop is conveniently located just a mile and […]

Categories: Amazing Bikes, Interviews & Anecdotes

Video: I wanna see the people in the back

November 9, 2013 by Road Captain

3 minutes of serious BIG group riding and some hairy corners to Linkin Park and Straylight Run. Big Shot…Put ya hands in the air! Volume…UP! Sorry if we ruined your plans – guess you’ve gotta ride now and Home Depot can wait until Sunday! Special thanks to Southie Johnny for capturing the great footage.

Categories: Videos: Riding & Event

Moving Art

November 8, 2013 by Road Captain

Categories: Art in Motion, Rides & Destinations

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Where ya going to run to.. Where ya going to hide! – Video

November 6, 2013 by Road Captain

If this video doesn’t get you fired up, ride directly to the doctor and get your pulse checked – something’s wrong with you! Make sure the sound is ON. This video was taken in Vermont by Southie Johnny – just a minute of what was a 10 minute stretch of RT112 in VT. If you like this, you should check out the White Knuckle 300 Shirts!

Categories: Videos: Riding & Event

Battistini Floorboards – “Jewelry” for the bagger

November 1, 2013 by Road Captain

A friend working at one of the local shops has a particular passion for well made bike parts. When he gets really excited about a floorboard or set of bars he refers to the company’s offspring as “Jewelry”. There are two brand’s that have received these honors from this guy and one of them is Battistini. Battistini makes some of the best looking floorboards, grips and controls on the market. The fit is perfect and the finish is… well, like […]

Categories: Parts you Need

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Wachusett Mountain Barbecue Festival

October 27, 2013 by Road Captain

What is it about motorcycles and barbecue that go so well together? Maybe it’s the fact that so many great BBQ spots are on lonely curving stretches of pavement free of traffic. Maybe it is that barbecue hails primarily from southern states where the climate is more conducive to riding. Or maybe it’s just that bikers have better taste in general and food is no exception to this theory! Wachusett Ski Resort hosted a barbecue festival this weekend featuring dozens […]

Categories: Rides & Destinations, West of Boston

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Windchill and riding speeds

October 27, 2013 by Road Captain

Windchill and Bike speeds: Do you ever wonder what the wind chill is when you’re riding? This chart shows how cold it feels at a given air temperatures when you’re at different speeds on your bike. Right now it’s 45 in Boston. If you’re going 65 MPH, you’ll be dealing with a 32 degree windchill. Let’s you know that you’re alive!

Categories: Letters from the Editors, Ride Preparation

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Two Days in Vermont – 7.75 Rated Map

October 26, 2013 by Road Captain

If you have ever taken a ride through Vermont in any season except winter, you can definitely appreciate the amazing views, spectacular roads and inexplicable calm that covers the entire state. On the way up to (and ultimately back from) Canada, we covered some beautiful terrain starting at Quechee Vermont and making our way up to Burlington. Clearly this ride took us much further north but for the sake of a digestible route, we’ll focus on the Quechee to Burlington […]

Categories: Rated Maps, Rides & Destinations, Trip Journals, West of Boston

Toughen up and Ride – It’s not snowing yet!

October 21, 2013 by Road Captain

Winter riding is upon us and every year it seems that more of us New Englanders push the riding season a few weeks later than the previous year. It could be that we’re getting tougher. Potentially it is due to the amount we spend on our sleds and desire to extract as much value as possible. It’s also likely that we’re just better prepared for cold weather riding than in past years. [Much more below] Long gone are the days […]

Categories: Riding Gear

Only the Strong Survive!

October 17, 2013 by Road Captain

I am able bodied, and fearful looking (6-‘3″ 265 pounds) and able to put a hurt on most people! This was the headline from a 62 year old reader’s email – we were wondering who we pissed off this time. The reality was that this came from Doug Fayle, a Massachusetts Local asking about details of the White Knuckle 300 Ride (http://on.fb.me/GM0PHD) . Doug, you got our attention and I hope we answered your questions. [Much more below] This led […]

Categories: Interviews & Anecdotes, Rides & Destinations, Sturgis

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Show me your best McGyver!

October 15, 2013 by Road Captain

It was a chilly Sunday afternoon ride on April 4, 2010. The ride took a handful of us to the Cape and back and resulted in one of the oddest impromptu fixes I’ve ever had to do roadside! After a day of riding and then stopping by some Fenway bars to grab a post ride beer, three of us were headed back to Eastie via Storrow Drive. I was in the lead and as usual, kept an eye out to […]

Categories: Parts you Need

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Montreal to Tremblant and Saint Donat

October 11, 2013 by Road Captain

This fall a group of us went from Boston to Montreal (Click here to view) and then up to MT. Tremblant for some late fall riding. The roads were in amazing condition with one or two exceptions and the scenery was spectacular! The pictures can be found on Flickr Here: http://btbaggers.com/1iMWYYH and the map of the Montreal to Tremblant and Saint Domain ride is below. Mt Tremblant is a skiing village with a number of bars, restaurants and stores. Saint Donat is […]

Categories: Rides & Destinations, Trip Journals

Packing the necessities

October 11, 2013 by Road Captain

Often we are asked about packing for a long motorcycle ride and though we have written articles on the topic in the past (Packing for a motorcycle trip), we have never gone through the trouble of photographing all of the contents prior to a ride. Some of the Beantown Baggers staff is going on a ride to Montreal on Friday and have been spending this week getting prepared for the ride. Below are pictures of the contents of my bags […]

Categories: Ride Preparation

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We flock by the droves to watch things die – Rated Ride – West (7.625/10)

October 6, 2013 by Road Captain

New England in autumn is a favorite destination for travelers the world round. They come for the foliage, the cool air, small town charm and a slice of home baked apple pie. We decided to add a new twist to this Norman Rockwell scene, infusing some horsepower and the rumbling of a handful of big twin motors. There is no better addition to a beautiful landscape than glossy paint and sparkling chrome blowing up leaf piles on the side of […]

Categories: Rated Maps, Rides & Destinations, West of Boston

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Rated Day Ride to BBQ and the Rock (Plymouth) (6.25/10)

October 5, 2013 by Road Captain

After last week’s Bagger Show at Boston Harley Davidson, a dozen of us had two forms of hunger: we had to fill our bellies and feed our souls. Spending a few hours looking at 45 spectacular bikes was exciting and even better to talk with 300 locals who came out for the festivities but all of this conversing created quite an appetite. Furthermore, we had only ridden a few miles that day and needed more to truly feel fulfilled. Food […]

Categories: Rated Maps, Rides & Destinations, South of Boston

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The Mighty 300

October 3, 2013 by Road Captain

In the “most loved bagger” class from last week’s show, three bikes showed up to compete! With nearly 300,000 miles among them, it’s clear that these tins have some stories to tell. Bikes on this site feature hours and hours of painstaking commitment to reach perfection (in the eyes of the owner). This is no exception but the definition of “perfect” can be seen through many different lenses. Perfect to these owners means worn, tested and loyal. These bikes have […]

Categories: Live Events

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A Call to Arms – Congress has shut down our best riding roads!

October 2, 2013 by Road Captain

This organization never brings politics into a conversation…it’s just not our place. We would prefer to stick with what we know, bikes, rides, destinations, cigars and whisky. That’s why our readers visit this site so that’s what we write. Unfortunately the government shutdown hits us where it hurts – our roads. We’re sympathetic to all of the government workers who are going to have a difficult October (or beyond) without pay checks. This isn’t something any motivated person should experience. […]

Categories: Rides & Destinations

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Great Motorcycle Runs

September 23, 2013 by Road Captain

We have all been on some great motorcycle runs and some runs where we it would have been better if we had skipped. This weekend a few of us from Beantown Baggers went on a run from Medford to Seabrook, NH. The run was created by a group of people who wanted to honor Krystle Campbell, a woman tragically lost in the Marathon Bombings. Proceeds went to the One Fund and the Krystle Campbell Scholarship fund. This was an example […]

Categories: Letters from the Editors, Rides & Destinations

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One piece at a time

September 18, 2013 by Road Captain

Johnny Cash’s song “one piece at a time” comes to mind when reflecting on a recent bike trip and a builder we met down south. Johnny Cash’s song was about a car tech who took one part home from a GM factory every day for a few years. Eventually he built an automobile that was completely one of a kind. A few months back we were riding in Tennessee and happened upon a crew from NC. One of the guys […]

Categories: Amazing Bikes, Parts you Need

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An honorable retirement from distinguished service

September 7, 2013 by Road Captain

When one of our readers thought about his next Bagger, he thought about the three options: Buy a new stock bike and add some customization Buy an already custom built bagger Buy something that has lived a great life and give it a new one It became clear that not only was #3 the right option but reviving a former Harley Davidson Police Road King would be the only suitable path. So the search started. He found a bone-stock 2008 […]

Categories: Amazing Bikes

Sleet Storms suck!

August 21, 2013 by Road Captain

Today is Tuesday August 6, 2013: We are spending two days in Sturgis and have a little work to do. First things first – Jimmy and I have to get to the Victory store and check on parts for Josh’s bike (See August 5 here for details). That was a 35 mile ride from Sturgis to Rapid City but would give us a chance to motivate earlier than the rest of our crew. I was going for moral support as […]

Categories: Rides & Destinations, Sturgis, Sturgis 2013 • Tags: maps

Fresh Paved and Sweet Lobstah Rolls – Score: 6.875/10

August 18, 2013 by Road Captain

Saturday’s ride included heading north from Boston up to a land that most of us “Flat-landers” (name for Massholes in Maine) never see. The ride up 95 is not bad for a highway but when you get 86 miles up in to Maine, you find some of the greatest roads, best food and ridonkulous views existing in the northeast! Take Exit 86 into Maine (off 95N) and then look for Rt 126W When are on 126 you’ll go by a […]

Categories: North of Boston, Rated Maps, Rides & Destinations, Trip Journals

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2012 Victory Hardball – contest entry

August 16, 2013 by Road Captain

Vote on Facebook Page 2012 Victory Hard Ball – Posted on 8/15 at 10:00 PM Name: Bob Da, Bagger Motor is 106 1700cc Custom matt black pipes with tips custom red seat with French stitching and pleats Witchdoctors 2″ lowering link Witchdoctor gunner style pegs Vicbaggers bag fillers Avon red grips Vote on Facebook page

Categories: BestFN Bagger Contest

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Stranded, Roadside in the middle of Wyoming – 276 from Sturgis

August 12, 2013 by Road Captain

After a great dinner at the Local in Jackson full of raw elk meat and Black Maple Hill Bourbon followed up by a few drinks at the Million Dollar Cowboy bar the 5 AM wakeup time was not welcomed by anyone. We had agreed to get on the bikes at 6 AM but when 6 AM came only three of the six of us were out by the bikes. Saddle time would be 6:45 today as we headed toward the […]

Categories: Rides & Destinations, Sturgis 2013, Trip Journals, Whiskey and Cigars

90 miles an hour, girl, that’s the speed I drive! Utah and WY

August 11, 2013 by Road Captain

Today is Sunday 8/4/2013. We arrived Salt Lake City last night around 2 AM and had planned on saddling up around 9 AM today for our trip to Red Lodge. This would be 550 miles including some of the hardest miles on the trip – Yellowstone and Beartooth pass. And then there were 8: Two of my friends with whom I had rode last year met us at 9 AM for our ride. Salt Lake City natives Bert and Jamie […]

Categories: Performance & Repairs, Sturgis 2013, Trip Journals

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An old, worn but nowhere near dried up rocker

August 8, 2013 by Road Captain

Last night I had a chance to see one of my all time favorite bands, Mötley Crüe play the full throttle saloon and they killed it. I anticipated a painful show with a haggard Vince Neil and some band members who couldn’t hold a candle to the original four who I saw at the Worcester Centrum in 1989 when they toured with Warrant. This was one of my fondest childhood memories – it was my first time seeing a hair […]

Categories: Letters from the Editors, Sturgis 2013, Videos: Riding & Event

That Place is really in the United States! Holy Crap!

August 6, 2013 by Road Captain

After a 300 mile ride that got us into Vegas around 2 AM, a few drinks,some food and more time than we needed at the blackjack tables, we would call it a night around 4:30 AM. Not bad for Vegas unless you have to be on the road early the next day. Sunrise came around and 3 of the 6 of us were awake. A few hours later the rest of us threw down some greasy breakfast sandwiches and guzzled […]

Categories: Sturgis 2013, Trip Journals • Tags: maps

A desert at night is still a freekin’ desert

August 3, 2013 by Road Captain

We left Malibu today at 7PM PST for our first leg to Sturgis. The first 100 of our 300 mile day was jam packed with traffic but still great to get on a bike in the 75 degree California sun. The comfortable climate wasn’t there to stay as we found out later. From the moment we pulled out of Malibu and passed through the canyons on the way to Rt 15 the scenery was spectacular. The ride to Vegas from […]

Categories: Rides & Destinations, Sturgis 2013

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“The Trip of a Lifetime”

August 3, 2013 by Road Captain

As the snow piled up in a brutal New England winter, one late December morning greeted five friends with that email subject line: “The Trip of a Lifetime”! The note would go on to call out the crossroads of our lives where we all currently sit. Between ages 30 and 50, live, work, family etc all normally get the best of us. As a result, of the group, only one of us has been to Sturgis though we have all […]

Categories: Rides & Destinations, Sturgis 2013

Ride July 28 Leominster to Amherst to Rutland and BBQ

July 29, 2013 by Road Captain

Incredible Ride today starting with meeting some buddies at the Starbucks in Leominster at 14 Commercial RD. After a cup of coffee and bottle of water we were off toward Amherst and Bub’s BBQ. We decided to take all backroads and made our way toward RT 12 N to RT 101 N to Rt 119 W and then ultimately RT 32 S. The beginning of 12 N was pretty rough but smoothed out. 119 was a mess and really needs work. […]

Categories: Rides & Destinations • Tags: amherst, Athol, Holden, Leominster, Petersham, Rutland

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Ride planning Tool

July 25, 2013 by Road Captain

I’ve used a number of tools to plan rides in the past and some are better than others. The elements for a good ride planning application are: ability to upload images from mobile collaboration tools to receive contributions from other riders in my group check lists to keep track of packing items and destinations ability to import maps public and private switch. Some things I’ll share with the world and others should just be for my group to see potential […]

Categories: Ride Preparation, Riding Gear, Sturgis 2013

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4 wheels move the body but 2 wheels move the soul

July 23, 2013 by Road Captain

Often I forget a couple things including how rough 95 degrees can be on a bike, especially when you’re simply trying to get somewhere and conversely how great 75 degrees feels in the same scenario. Moreover, when life gets the best of me and a week or two passes without the need to refuel my tank, I forget how important it is to escape and think. This past week offered some challenges on the personal front. I lost a close […]

Categories: Letters from the Editors

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Countdown to Sturgis – 13 days out

July 20, 2013 by Road Captain

Right now we are 13 days from Sturgis. I’ve been in touch with a lot of people I met along the road last year and look forward to riding a few miles with old friends. The bikes just arrived to LA where we will depart as a group toward Sturgis. Again, I would rather ride everywhere but part of the fun is going with your crew. Maps are done Major stuff is packed Only need to pack my clothes and […]

Categories: Sturgis 2013

Countdown to Sturgis: Maps are complete – old school style. 19 Days out

July 15, 2013 by Road Captain

In 19 days I head out to the 2013 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally with five other buddies. We are taking an unconventional route (for East Coasters) as we’re starting in Malibu and heading to Sturgis from there. The route maps have been finalized (http://sprng.me/ihsh7) and I have even gone through the task of highlighting the routes on some Rand McNally paper maps. I prefer riding this way rather than using GPS as you can really see the big picture of the […]

Categories: Ride Preparation, Sturgis 2013

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Countdown to Sturgis Motorcycle Week – 24 days out

July 9, 2013 by Road Captain

7 months ago I put out a call to action for 5 of my closest riding compadres titled “A Trip of a Lifetime”. I would ask them to join me on a 10 day ride to Sturgis this year leaving August 2 and returning the following Sunday. Taking time off work is never easy nor is fund allocation for such a trip. To my surprise they all said they were in! It would happen – 6 of us would ride […]

Categories: Letters from the Editors, Ride Preparation, Sturgis 2013

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1,050 miles in 20 hours – Ironbutt 1000

June 1, 2013 by Road Captain

We met at a local coffee shop at daybreak around 5:30 AM on the Thursday before Memorial day (6/23/13). After a half café (I have been off of coffee for almost three weeks so this will be more than enough to get started) we would fire up the Road King and Glides respectively and set out for our first of 1,050 miles. The route we choose was specific to get us past the 1,000 mile mark, use enough highways to […]

Categories: Ride Preparation, Rides & Destinations

Preparing for the Saddlesore 1000 – The Ironbutt

May 22, 2013 by Road Captain

The longest riding day I’ve ever owned was a 750 mile stretch through South Dakota on my way across the country last year. The entire trip logged me 5,200 miles (clearly not the most direct route from east to west) over two weeks. That trip was done solo but this one I’ll have a wingman for the 1,000 miles down south and then whatever miles we decide to tack on after the first destination. The trip: Head down South from […]

Categories: Ride Preparation, Rides & Destinations

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2013 Road Glide CVO versus Building it yourself

April 5, 2013 by Road Captain

A true first world dilemma is trying to make a decision between dropping $34,000 on a 2013 Harley Davidson CVO Road Glide or taking that same $34,000 to build your own bike. This is truly a problem that not many of us have to wrestle with on a daily basis. Here we’ll break down the parts and value your $34k would afford versus the options you could use should you build it yourself from a stock Road Glide Custom. Let’s […]

Categories: Amazing Bikes

March Ridin’ Video

April 3, 2013 by Road Captain

Early in the season is a great time to start riding – even if the weather is around 32 degrees and snow surrounds the small town roads you are hitting. Here is a little clip of some small town riding to a Jimi Hendrix classic!

Categories: Videos: Riding & Event

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The First Ride of 2013

March 18, 2013 by Road Captain

It’s mid-March and for the past four months I’ve been excited to get on the horse and log some miles. Unlike last winter where most New England riders were able to put a few thousand miles on their vtwins, this year’s winter has been slightly more unforgiving. Snow has been a constant and we expect more on the day after tomorrow. There was no way I could wait for another dumping with the added benefit of more salt/sand to get […]

Categories: Rides & Destinations, Riding Gear, Videos: Riding & Event

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Jvc Adixxion Camera

March 18, 2013 by Road Captain

No, we’re not changing to become a tech review or gadget site but since this camera is built for action sports, it seems appropriate to do a review for other bikers. I have used the Go Pro Hero 2 in the past and only decided to change because the memory card in the Go Pro shit the bed on a Sturgis ride last year. Maybe I should’ve picked up a new card (and maybe I will) but there were three […]

Categories: Riding Gear, Upgrade Everything

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…

March 11, 2013 by Road Captain

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times… Last night I went to my local cigar shop to have a glass of Highland Park 18 and smoke some cigars that I hadn’t in the past. I started with a Perdomo Habana (5 Inch 52 gauge) cigar. I have smoked Perdomos in the past and remember them as packing a serious kick. I went with a punch cut to avoid too big of a draw from such […]

Categories: Whiskey and Cigars

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The Harley Paradox

March 11, 2013 by Road Captain

The biker culture has always been one of freedom with an attitude of – “screw it, lets just ride!” Historically, there has been no room for judgment and your value was based in three things: 1. Can you keep up 2. Can you help fix my hog when I’m stuck roadside 3. Are you the type of person with whom I can have a drink after a great day of riding? Nowhere in the biker by laws does anybody mention […]

Categories: Letters from the Editors

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A slippery slope

March 10, 2013 by Road Captain

Taking a stock motorcycle and customizing it has become a right of passage for bikers. We put our own stamp on the machine. It becomes unique – personalized – ours. The options are endless and ideas provided by other bikers, magazines and ebay. It’s no longer a question of “if” you’re going to customize your bike but what you’re going to do first and how long you’re going to take it. Where do you start? Most people like much of […]

Categories: Parts you Need, Riding Gear

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eBay bike of the week – Road King 120

March 3, 2013 by Road Captain

http://bit.ly/YCMcqS 2012 Misfit King Rage complete one-off custom bagger! You are looking at the Sickest Road King on the market. I built this bike for myself but now I got new ideas for the next one. Time for a new home. This Bike will be featured on the cover of Hot Bike May issue of 2013. Your chance to own a cover bike like this! Misfit Baggers 2012 Single Down Tube Pro-Street frame (2009-2013 Harley OEM Replacement frame) Harley Davidson […]

Categories: eBay bike of the week

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