First Word - Indy Dealer Expo: Hot and Cold
The annual journey to Indianapolis each February is typically a dreadful excursion through the barren tundra that is America in mid-winter, and Indy seems to get colder each year. Though the copious amounts of booze ingested before, during and after the show helps to dull our nerves, it seems we all leave that frozen city with some nagging sickness.
Aside from the freezing weather, the show itself was warmer than ever and seemed to have its arms wide open for the sportbike community. Wading through the endless halls of chopper apparel and "next-big-thing" widgets is always a task in its own, but this year the custom sportbike scene had a heavy presence and knocked a lot of the riffraff out of the picture. Whether it was a race-inspired track killer or a straight-up bling king slammed and stretched for a mile-the custom sportbikes were everywhere.
There were more sportbike-oriented companies displaying than in previous years, and many of the big apparel companies were pushing sportbike street gear pretty heavily, too. This all can mean only one thing-the sportbike scene has taken over. Finally.
-Dave
Cannonball Bike Run
Wild Parties and Monumental Riding in StoreRiding hard and partying harder-that's pretty much the idea of the Cannonball Bike Run. The first-ever U.S. Cannonball Bike Run is slated for May 13-20 and sounds to be the stuff of legend. Starting in Los Angeles and ending in Las Vegas, there will be 2500 miles in between of secret back-road routes that are going to be announced on the morning of each stage.
Of course, it is a race, but it's also a way to see America while enjoying full-breakdown support and luxury accommodations. And there are some serious parties planned, too. From the sound of it, there'll be very little rest, a lot of riding and plenty of stories to tell afterward. For the full scoop and all the details, check out www.cannonballbikerun.com. You can bet SSB will be there in full effect.
We Have A Winner!
SSB offered a new Joe Rocket "Mad Scientist" helmet to the person with the most trashed-up helmet and worthy explanation. We're happy to announce that Casey Lackey of Dallas, Texas, will be receiving a new lid, so he can retire his crusty old piece.
"My roommate, Casey Lackey, crashed a few months ago going to a nearby EZ Check, and his helmet got, needless to say, a little scratched. A soccer mom on a cell phone pulled out in front of him, and he had to lay down his 1995 Kawasaki ZX-6R. He cracked the frame on his bike, demolished the plastics and tore up his exhaust. He has scars on his back from hip to hip, on both knees, right elbow and his face-where his glasses cut him. As if this weren't enough, his helmet wasn't tightly strapped on and came off his head, then rolled underneath a moving car. He is borrowing a friend's old helmet right now and needs a new one badly. He's the laughingstock of all of our riding buddies right now, and since I'm his roommate, I give him the most hell."
Matt "Twitch" Beard
 "Here's my lid. Luckily, the...  "Here's my lid. Luckily, the helmet law hasn't passed here yet." Robert |  "I'm a newbie rider and can't...  "I'm a newbie rider and can't wait to hit the streets, but this is the only lid at my disposal-and I don't think it's 100 percent safe." Lucero Lindemann |  "This is my best lid, and...  "This is my best lid, and I could use a new one. You don't get a lot of chicks with this one." Eric Neil |
Billet Grips
Do billet grips get your blood boiling or your mouth watering? We've had a lot of feedback both ways on the topic, and it seems that while the speed freaks typically hate 'em, the custom crowd lusts after the chrome jobbies. Shoot us over an email to SSBmail@primedia.com itled "HOT" or "NOT," and we'll get you the results next month.