ETERNAL COMBUSTION

Post by Michael Lichter

So here it is - the 10th annual "Motorcycles as Art" exhibition I curate each year was announced at the V-Twin Expo in Cincinnati Sunday morning so I can tell you all about it. It will again be held at the 6,500 square foot Lichter Exhibition Hall built last summer on the grounds of the Legendary Buffalo Chip, and like last year, there is no admission fee.

Basically, the exhibit will focus on the explosion of interest and the passion for custom motorcycles seen over the last 30-years. I titled it “Eternal Combustion- 30 in the Wind”, and it poses the question, “How is this passion passed on through time?” by displaying 30 recently built custom motorcycles by 15 pairs of builders tied together by family, respect, friendship or apprenticeship. On the walls, I will display my work (the first time in a number of years) to celebrate my 30th anniversary of attending bike week in Sturgis. The builder teams highlighted within the show include: Arlen Ness & Paul Yaffe, Carl & Matt Olsen, Dave & Jody Perewitz, Donnie Smith & Brian Klock, Eddie Trotta & Todd Silicato, Kevin Baas & his Kennedy High School Chopper Class, Gard Hollinger & Satya Kraus, James & Dave Kaye, Jerry & David Covington, Kirk Taylor & Brian Schimke, Roland Sands & Drake McGillroy, Ron Finch & Gary Maurer, Ron & Hunter Simms, and Sugarbear & Counts Customs.

I hope you all get a chance to see it during bike week when it will be open from August 7th-13th. If you aren't familiar with the venue from last year's "Rebel Rousers - Motorcycle Icons that Inspire Us to Ride" exhibit, this is what is looked like -

2009 LACONIA, PART 3 OF 3

Post by Michael Lichter

Chica checking out the competition as Paul Cox puts the finishing touches on his Build-Off bike at the Broken Spoke.

Good times at the Broken Spoke.

"Mary, what's in there?" At the Broken Spoke

No wonder Jeff Clark is telling the crowd he can't here them at the Broken Spoke. Do you know how loud that Budweiser Burn-Out bike is?

Something about this hits me like "Classic Chica?" The gooseneck, the slicked back hair, the overall style...

Jen at Whisky Girls is awesome. She runs a great booth raising money for good causes as she sells some cool stuff. (like the shirt!)

Jody Perewitz carrying on the family tradition with her great smile, great bikes, and "The Look" from Perewitz!

Paul took me out for a quick tour of the lake on his sleep-aboard boat. Watch out when these weekend lake warriors start telling their party stories!

Shayla and Jeff getting familiar to the surprise of the neighbors!

2009 LACONIA, PART 2 OF 3

Post by Michael Lichter

A laugh at the Lobster Pound

Riding down the Weir's

Reflecting back at the Tattoo Parlor.

Charlie St. Clair, the rally director and my old friend (Sturgis City Park 1979,) sets off some great Fireworks from the beach every year on Wednesday night.

It was near midnight, and the Weirs gets very quiet by then, especially if its been raining or gets cold.

See what I mean about "in your face!" This was just a demonstration on correct New England expression.

Bill Gallo with a Sam

Checking out Chica's build-off bike at the Broken Spoke.

Greeting friends at the end of the POW / MIA vigil in Meredith's Hesky Park that follows the "Freedom Ride" from Laconia every year on the Thursday of Bike Week.

2009 LACONIA, PART 1 OF 3

Post by Michael Lichter

Laconia is one of my favorite events. It has a built in old school feel, partially because it is (according to rally officials) "the oldest bike rally in the world," and also because of the attitude. I think its a New England thing that, even though I left 36-years ago for the west, is still a part of me. It can get a bit "in your face" if you come from a more gentile part of the country, but if you allow yourself to accept it, you'll see pretty quick it is very honest.

He just got the old Shovelhead running with a little help from his friends.

This is the old Drive-In sign by the Weirs.

The guys in this tattoo parlor at the top of the road were much more quiet than in past years. Usually you here the buzz going all day long but the economy must be taking a toll. If you are in town and looking for work, be sure to pay them a visit.

View from the tower early in the week. There was a lot of rain, so it didn't look like this as much this year.

Dave Perewitz riding with Rene Brown on a very cool 45" 1937 Flathead Bobber that Dave built. Dave is loving this old school revival! He doesn't have to dig deep to know what to build.

Coming around a curve between Alton Bay and the Weirs.

The Hillclimb in Gunstock doesn't have quite the excitement when it was the steeper narrower hill that very few crested, but the snowmobiles get pretty wild!

What can you do when you're stuck in a traffic jam?

This guy took to a different kind of smoke!

SWEDEN, WEEK 1

Post by Michael Lichter

Written on May 28, 2008

What more can I say about the opportunity of a 3-week visit to Sweden. Catherine had been asking to go to Scandinavia for years, and here I'm invited to be a guest judge at the famous Twin Club Norrtelje custom bike show. Before I got to the club, we had an amazing 2-week tour of the country. Most of the time, we were typical tourists enjoying the amazing landscape and history of Stockholm, the interior area's of Värmland and Dalarna, and the island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea but motorcycles crept in. It was also an opportunity to take photos just for fun. We started out in Stockholm, based from an apartment I rented on the internet. We were taken out for a great dinner on our first night by Mark Wilhelm, the previous head of North American motorcycle tire sales at Metzeler, and now the head of Pirelli Tire sales for Scandanavia. By the end of the week, we met up with Sten and Jasmin Lundgren, the owners of a Hogtech custom Swedish chopper that was in my "One World Choppers" 2007 Sturgis exhibition. They hosted us for a weekend at their amazing home in Arboga and a great friendship was born. They took us to lunch at Carl Steimar's place where his Cala's High Performance custom shop is housed on the property of a several hundred year old castle in Eskilstuna. We also visited Peder and Visnja Johansson at Hogtech in Eskilstuna and toured the region around their home.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008, 17:05. On our first walk-about, a security detail reminds me of a Fellini film they wait for the King of Sweden, Carl XVI Gustaf, as he tours the Nobel Museum with visiting dignitaries. Stockholm, Sweden.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008, 20:42. We experience the beautiful light and colors of Stockholm as we walk back to our apartment after dinner in Gamla Stan. Stockholm, Sweden.

Thursday, May 22, 2008, 14:47. Catherine walks up to the entrance of the Kungliga Slottet (Royal Palace) & Museum. Gamla Stan, Stockholm, Sweden.

Thursday, May 22, 2008, 22:10. After dinner at Lena's apartment across the river, we were struck not only by the spectacular view of the city but how light the sky was after 10pm. Stockholm, Sweden.

Friday, May 23, 2008, 13:33. Carl Steimar' gave us a tour of the castle that his Cala's High Performance shop is on the property of. This could be the "Blue Room." Eskilstuna, Sweden.

Friday, May 23, 2008, 15:24. Inside of Cala's High Performance shop. The first bike shop I've ever visited at a "castle!" Eskilstuna, Sweden.

Saturday, May 24, 2008, 16:54. Sten & Jasmin with their Hogtech "New-Stalgia" chopper and one of his hotrods. Arboga, Sweden.

Sunday, May 25, 2008, 12:07. Peder Johansson puts the finishing touches on his Hogtech S&S 50th Anniversary Panhead that he will show in Wisconsin. Eskilstuna, Sweden.

Sunday, May 25, 2008, 21:38. I had to stop on this empty road as we made our way back to our hotel after dinner, between Grythyttan and Loka Brunn, Sweden.

Monday, May 26, 2008, 08:54. Swedish hospitality! Catherine helps herself to breakfast in Loka Brunn. It is early in the season so we were two of the five guests staying at this resort, yet look how they put out a spread of fresh breads, pastry, meats, seafood, cheeses, fruits, fresh juices, eggs.... And candles to boot!!!

WILEY-X SUNGLASSES & THE NIKON D3x

Post by Michael Lichter

Written on December 10, 2008

I had a great day scouting and visiting with Jay Allen and Claudia in Bisbee prior to the shoot. Jay showed me around and had plenty of suggestions for the shoot. While scouting and before flying down to join me, Steve surprised me with a call and asked "So what piece of equipment do you want me to bring more than any other?" I told him all I really need are my cameras but he responded with "how about a D3x?" WOW! I've been asking Nikon for this beast for years and just recently, they told me about it and booked me for a shoot a couple of weeks out. Then Nikon decided I could try it out to get familiar with it before the shoot I would be doing for them. With our busy schedule and the holidays coming up, Steve and I agreed we couldn't make a total change without the time in advance to test the camera and process images in our workflow, and we only had one body, so the plan was to shoot with my D3's, and run the D3x through its paces in the real world as we could. Just for fun, I'll just include the D3x images below.

We met up at Caren's Big Sky Motorcycles a bit earlier than originally planned since the weather forecast for Sunday wasn't great. Today was the day to make hay. Caren organized a great group of riders for me that included a good mix of solo riders, and a couple of 2-up's. I reviewed the shoot with everyone, and told them how they would all know each other real well by the time they returned on Sunday. The plan was to beat it down the highway to Mountain View and head south on 83 where we would start shooting. I sat behind Ray, a motor-officer on the Phoenix force. Ray was a rock and the other riders caught on quick. By the time we stopped in Sonoita, it was old hat. Too many great places to stop but we used the bulk of our time in Tombstone where we met up with Jay Allen. It was dusk by the time we pulled into Bisbee, with plenty of shots in the can. Hanging out with Jay on the roof of his incredible place before dinner was a blast. Then off to Santiago's where they had a single long table reserved for 14. They took great care of us (especially when they personally topped off each of our margs with Grand Marnier!) After dinner, we just crawled across the street to listen and/or dance at The Stock Exchange Saloon. It was late but what a fun night. Don't forget, we were working hard!

Saturday, December 6, 2008, 12:57. Jerod hoisted Danielle onto his back during a stop in Whetstone on our ride from Tucson to Bisbee, AZ for Wiley X sunglasses. (The glasses were there!)

Saturday, December 6, 2008, 13:25. Alana and John at a pull-off before getting to Bisbee, AZ.

Saturday, December 6, 2008, 15:12. Jay Allen on the main street. Is that Doc Holiday down the center? Tombstone, AZ.

Saturday, December 6, 2008, 15:31. Lance and Caren together on the main street, although this was the bike Caren was riding solo. (She is quite the rider!) Tombstone, AZ.

Saturday, December 6, 2008, 15:54. Jay Allen riding Highway 84 south of Tombstone, AZ.

Saturday, December 6, 2008, 16:07. The crew riding the hills just north of Bisbee, AZ

Saturday, December 6, 2008, 23:15. Caren and Danielle dancing to live music at The Stock Exchange Saloon, Bisbee, AZ

Sunday, December 7, 2008, 12:28. Jerod and Danielle in Jay's garage before riding into Bisbee, and on to Tucson.

Sunday, December 7, 2008, 14:28. Danielle looks back as we get near Tucson.

Monday, December 8, 2008, 11:34. Michael directing Caren and her son Dan in old town Tucson.