Cycle Connections

The 3rd Annual Mike’s Ride began on July 18 at The Bar in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, with registration and breakfast. Ride fees were $25 per rider and $10 per passenger with proceeds going to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Raffle tickets were sold for a chance to win a beautiful customized 1999 Harley-Davidson Sportster. Poker run prizes were $100 for the best hand and $50 for the worst. There were also some nice raffle prizes.

Check out this year's photos of Sturgis bikers Photos by Stripe and Doc Lonnie Blum

Check out our photos of babes at the 75th Annual Sturgis Rally. Photos by Stripe and Doc Lonnie Blum

Every year the art works of motorcycling's Rembrandts and Picassos on canvases of metal are on display in the streets and vendor spaces of Sturgis.  Check out some that got our attention. Photos by Stripe and Doc Lonnie Blum

Check out some of our favorite antiques, customs, choppers, rats, and trikes seen at the 75th Annual Sturgis Rally. Photos by Stripe and Doc Lonnie Blum

On September 4, 2014 it became official: The KRAVE Group, led by three-time 500cc World Champion Wayne Rainey, had taken over the promotional and management rights for AMA Road Racing in North America, through it’s newly formed MotoAmerica Series. Then, just over seven months later, the series made its debut at Circuit of the Americas in conjunction with the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas. Now it readies for its fifth round at Barbers Motorsports Park in Leeds, Alabama.

Every year, the Bikers with a Mission Ride raises funds for the City Union Mission. The contributions are used to assist Mission clients with needs over and above what the Mission typically budgets for, including utility assistance, bus tokens, baby formula, prescriptions, dental, medical care, eyeglasses and much more. Saturday, July 11, was the date for this year’s ride which began at Worth Harley-Davidson. Registration began at noon with participants contributing $35 per rider and $30 per passenger. Those who registered on line got a $5 discount. Nearly 200 riders registered. Kurzweils’ Country Meats served a delicious barbeque lunch while…

  There are so many contests and so many awards that I am sure I missed photographing a few of the presentations. Congrats to all the winners and apologies to those omitted here.  

For a week every summer Sparks America Campground near the tiny town of Sparks hosts Bike Week Oklahoma. The dates for this year’s event were June 18 through 28. Bike Week always features live music on stage every night, bike shows and Woody’s auction of chainsaw artworks and furniture for charity on both Saturdays, and lots of bike games and people games. Various nights during the week have themes such as Super Hero, Cowboys & Indians, Honor the Troops, ‘50s Sock Hop, Roaring ‘20s, College Teams, and Naughty School Girls.

May 30, 2015 was a cold and cloudy morning for the end of May, but the organizers and models were on a mission. The mission was to bring bikers and beauties together for a good cause. Although they had a bit of a late start, there was no shortage of excitement and enthusiasm as they were working together for the families that depend on St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

  The morning of Saturday, June 6 got off to a rainy start at St. Joseph Missouri. Many riders were wearing their rain gear when they arrived at St. Joseph Harley-Davidson, the starting point for the 13th Annual Ride for Ryan. Fortunately, the rain moved on in time for the opening ceremony. The event is held each year to honor the memory of Ryan Consolver whose life was cut short at the age of 24 in a motorcycle accident on August 11, 2002. Money raised by the event goes to a scholarship fund dedicated to students who, as Ryan did,…

Back in March, my good friend Stan contacted me to let me know that he and his long time ridding buddy Jeff were planning a motorcycle trip out to Washington, DC, down the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Tail of the Dragon, and back through Nashville and Memphis. Since they would be riding through Kansas City, I invited him and Jeff to stay with us like they did last year, when heading they were heading to the Natchez Trace Parkway.

The 2nd Annual Radar's Run for Fallen Friends took place on Sunday May 3, 2015. This annual memorial ride and poker run is a celebration of life in memory of our friend Carl Brent “Radar” Estep, as well as other friends who have passed, with all proceeds going to St Jude’s Research Hospital.

On Friday, May 15 and Saturday, May 16, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Indian Motorcycle Kansas City hosted their 2nd annual Indian demo rides, which enabled Indian motorcycle enthusiast and wannabe Indian riders the opportunity to demo their 2015 line-up.

A lot of Cycle Connections readers are veterans, and know that the U.S. loses 22 service members per day to suicide. Sadly, there are more statistics of note for mid-coast riders and veterans: Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in Kansas and Missouri On average, one person dies by suicide every 10.23 hours in Missouri On average, one person dies by suicide every 21.84 hours in Kansas

Despite the rain and thunderstorms on May 16, 2015, which is Armed Forces Day, the 2015 Camp Valor Outdoors Patriot Ride was a huge success. Although the rain kept most of our riders from participating, we still had nearly 100 bikers complete the nearly 120 mile journey, which ended up at the Holden Community Activity Center for the remainder of the scheduled activities.

Earlier this year, I found out about a Biker Sunday that was going to be held at 2 p.m. at White Oak United Pentecostal Church in Thomson, Georgia. Mike Maddox and Pastor John D. Biggs got together to put on the first Biker Sunday at White Oak Church, which was held six days before the 13th Annual Kelsi Long Memorial Ride. Mike Maddox’s name is well known for organizing the ride for the Children’s Hospital of Georgia.

For many years, volunteers from Harley Owners Group’s Greater Kansas City Chapter have assisted Special Olympics in putting on their KC Metro Area Spring Games. This year’s event was held at Lee’s Summit North High School on April 25. Road Captain Bob Hyer led a 12-mile ride from Blue Springs Harley-Davidson to the school. Some of the volunteers met the group at North High bringing the count to eleven adults and one youngster.

The 7th Annual John Paul Magao Memorial Ride was held on March 1, 2015 at Plaza Park in Visalia, California. John was tragically killed in a motorcycle accident in 2007, and his father, James Wilfong established a scholarship fund for students at Redwood High School and College of the Sequoias, which are both located in Visalia, California. This annual memorial ride helps raise funds for the awarded scholarships.

During the weekend of February 13 through 15, Kansas City’s Bartle Hall was the venue for the 55th Annual O’Reilly Auto Parts World of Wheels presented by Weld Engineering Performance. Tickets to the show sold for $18 for adults and $6 for children aged 6 to 12. Discount tickets were available at O’Reilly Auto Parts stores. As usual, the exhibition hall was packed with high-dollar sports cars, classic cars, street rods, race cars, rat rods, and vendor booths. There were show classes for motorcycles as well as cars, but the bike count was down considerably due to the fact that,…