Bikers make waves in the Western Caribbean

Hogs On The High Seas
Bikers make waves in the Western Caribbean
story and photos by M. Stemp
F
or the second time in as many
years, Harley riders have gone
to sea. That’s right, the second
annual Hogs On The High Seas
(HOHS) 7-Day Caribbean Rally
Cruise is officially over, though
echoes of a fine time can still be
heard ringing from Margaritaville in
Ocho Rios, Jamaica, to Carlos ‘n
Charlie’s in Cozumel, Mexico.
The idea was hatched two years
ago by Dean and Debbie Anderson,
a couple of riders like us who were
tired of attending the same old motorcycle rallies. The first HOHS rally
took place in November 2003, (see
IronWorks, May/June ’04) doubled
in size for 2004, and already has
bookings for 2005. One change for
the 2005 Caribbean Rally is a new
embarkation point at Port Canaveral, FL, rather than Miami, a welcome change to many because of
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IronWorks March 2005
better access. The Andersons have
are relaxed for HOHS cruisers so
also scheduled a second itinerthat no dressing up is required—a
ary—a June 2005 HOHS rally to
clear case of less is more. This fact
Alaska that departs from Vancoualone accounted for not only the
ver, B.C., Canada.
comfort but the actual presence of
These rallies provide everything
many men we spoke with.
you’d expect from a top-of-theTo account for the absence of atline cruise ship—Royal Caribbean,
tendees’ motorcycles at this rally,
in this case—plus biker-themed
IronWorks tested the water this
events such as poker walks and
year with a virtual bike show.
vendor displays, not to forget the
Cruisers were encouraged to
exclusive on-shore parties at
bring along a photo of the bike
ports-of-call. As one cruiser put it,
they left behind, to be displayed
“I’ve come to party with 1,400 of
in the ship’s photo gallery. A
my best friends.” Each day, thoupanel of judges comprised of insands of dollars in prizes are
dustry figures chose the winners
given away, compliments of the
in various classes. The competivendors on board, and the grand
tion was stiff; in fact, we ended up
prize is a custom motorcycle. If
with two winners in the Twin
you’re on the cruise with the
Cam class, one built from parts
HOHS group—and only if you’re
that included a Twin Cam engine,
with the group—you’re entered to
and another that traces its roots
win any and all of the goodies.
right to the H-D factory, modified
Like most biker events, this one Happy new owner George Faria tries out his
at its owner’s whim. We plan to
prize, backed by John Franco of Wicked Bros.
raises money for a charity, too.
show some of the other great
George's wife, Jeannie, gets a hug from
HOHS benefits a dialysis fund
bikes that joined the competition
Redneck Engineering's Vince Doll whose
crew in Liberty, SC built the bike.
that allows otherwise homein our Readers’ Rides section as
bound dialysis patients a chance
the year goes on.
to go on vacation. Over $31,000 was raised on the 2004
To see more photos of the cruise plus get full details on
cruise, enough to provide care, medical staff contracted
the bike show winners, go to www.ironworksmag.com.
with Dialysis-at-Sea, and ship facilities for up to 14 paYou also can find additional shots of the Redneck Engitients on the upcoming Alaska trip.
neering-built giveaway bike there.
What’s missing from these events is likely the most atNow, without further ado, here are the winners of the
tractive aspect to many bikers; dining room dress codes
inaugural IronWorks HOHS Virtual Bike Show.
continued
Organizers Debbie and Dean Anderson (far left and third from right) enjoy a brief calm moment with friends in the midst of a
very busy week. Like the ship, cruisers hop from island to island to soak up maximum fun.
IronWorks March 2005
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Class: Big Twin/Twin Cam
Winner: Robert Kantor
Coral Springs, FL
Robert Kantor’s 2004 Thunder Mountain Custom took
top honors in the Twin Cam class. Robert’s bike made the
cut by virtue of its Twin Cam “B” engine, the same one
used to power all Thunder Mountain Customs. And
though the bike wasn’t hatched at Juneau Avenue, the
majority of its components were made by Harley-Davidson, and assembled at Thunder Mountain’s Loveland,
CO, facility. It has a 35-degree raked frame made especially for Thunder Mountain, a 5-speed H-D transmission,
and Metzeler tires. And that paint job is just striking.
Class: Big Twin/Twin Cam
Winner: Phil Seeley and
Jackie Piercy
Seattle, WA
To please those purists among us who say that a custom built bike—even one with a Harley-Davidson TC88
engine—shouldn’t win the Twin Cam class, we settled on
this stealthy 1999 Dyna Wide Glide from the great Northwest as an additional pick. Assembled by Dan Brousard
and painted by Gary Ebert, it’s been customized with
Vance & Hines pipes, Paughco fenders, LaPera seat, and
Forcewinder air cleaner along with some goodies from
Ness and Kuryakyn. And though our judges almost insisted we get Phil to ditch the sissybar and passenger
backrest from a styling standpoint, we appreciate the fact
that this bike is a rider, not a profiler.
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Class: Big Twin/Evo
Owner: Catherine Grabowski
Medford, NY
In the EVO class, honors go to Catherine “Cat”
Grabowski’s ’98 FXDL Lowrider. This bike culled a substantial number of votes in the People’s Choice category,
too, showing the power of presentation. Along with a
healthy dose of chrome, plus paint by Cycledelics on
Long Island, NY, for looks, Cat added a Hale Bob air
cleaner, Yost carb and slash-cut H-D exhaust to address
performance. Components from PM and GMA handle
stopping duties, including the drive-side rear brake so
there’s no rotor on the exhaust side. Not bad for a former nun of 20 years, huh? (Yes, you read that right.)
You go, girl.
Class: Big Twin/Pre-Evo
Owner: Bernie Ehrman
York, PA
In a fun coincidence, Bernie Ehrman tells us that his
bike appeared in the Seasoned Citizens section of IronWorks a few years back. None of us around here can
hardly recall what we did last week, let alone a few
years ago, so we’ll take Bernie’s word for it. He says it
was before he added the sidecar; that’s probably why we
don’t remember. Anyway, the 1936 VHS is a classic with
its 80-cu.-in. engine rebuilt by Andy Guard, with paint
handled by Rick Bowman at Covered Bridge Customs.
Isn’t she a beaut?
IronWorks March 2005
A Pirate’s
Treasure
V
Class: Sportster
Owner: Debbie Kelley
Billerica, MA
Now here’s a good story for you: Bean Town Choppers built this custom
Sporty using an ’04 1200cc H-D engine, factory transmission, Buell front
end—and the Redneck frame that Debbie (the bike’s owner) won during last
year’s Hogs on the High Seas cruise. And as the company’s first custom
build, it essentially put Bean Town Choppers in business, too (978-663-6374,
www.beantownchoppers.com). Other Redneck components feature in the
build, along with some Ness parts and one-offs by Bean Town. Now that’s
taking the ball—or in this case, the frame—and running with it.
Class: Special Build
Owner: Jeff Hunter
Hayes, VA
The fine, flowing lines of this 2003 Big Dog Bull Dog caught the collective
eye of our judges right away. Major components include an S&S 107-cu.-in.
powerplant, Daytec Softail frame and Stealth swingarm, Baker 6-speed transmission with right-side drive, and inverted forks. Jeff added the BDL open
primary drive, a Wicked Bros. exhaust system and a few detail items like the
Joker mirrors. Through careful research and comparison-shopping, Jeff got a
top-of-the-line custom for what he felt was a good price. “Of course, I put another $5,000 into it,” he added. “But it’s an awesome bike,” he said. “So wellbalanced and the ride is excellent.”
IronWorks March 2005
endor space is at a premium
on a ship at sea, meaning
that only a few select companies
were asked to attend HOHS. Of
course those companies provided the bulk of the door prizes, so
their presence was quite welcome. Several of those folks also
donated items that were auctioned during the cruise to benefit the designated charity, Dialysis-at-Sea. Notable among the
auction items was a set of four,
framed H-D 100th Anniversary
prints given by Segal Fine Art
that netted $4,700.
Primary vendors included
Luster Lace, Power-Tye, Hallcraft’s, On The Fringe Leather,
Mustang Seats, Red Wing Shoes,
Wicked Bros., Ego Tripp,
Kuryakyn, Segal Fine Art,
Franklin Mint, Coastline Motorcycle Adventure Tours, Windvest, Milwaukee Iron, Bikers
Atlas, Tex Efx and Redneck Engineering. Secondary vendors
were Sumax, Wimmer Machine,
Widder Electric Clothing, Ol’
Koots Motor Scoots, American
Road Collection, Doc Bailey’s,
MC-Tunes, Wiley-X, Avon Tyres
and Performance Machine.
Many shops and dealers sent
company logo gear, keeping wait
staff and bartenders in do-rags
and biker Ts all week long,
adding to the casual, comfortable
atmosphere.
In all, giveaways provided by
these companies totaled over
$130,000. An additional $50,000 in
cash was also given out over the
week, not to mention a hand-built
motorcycle worth over $40,000.
Avast, me hearties! Raise a cup of
grog in salute to all of these salty
dogs.
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Class: Buell
Owner: Steve Mann
Powhatan, VA
Like any good racer,
Steve Mann and his racing Buell S-3 are covered
in sponsor decals. It’s
that kind of support that
gets Steve to the drag
strip on weekends, and
bodes well for success.
He was ranked #7 nationally in 2004 and
named East Coast
Champ in the AHDRA
for 2003—no small feat.
The mostly stock machine sports carbon fiber
body parts and minimal
frills. After all, this is a
purpose-driven motorcycle. Steve is grateful for the support of Departure Bike Works, Colonial H-D/Buell, Roberts Funai Insurance
Agency, Central Virginia Bank and Chesapeake Bay Cabinet Co.
Class: People’s Choice
Owner: Michael C. Hudgins
Hayes, VA
Here’s what we liked about this bike: It not only looks like a
Pro Street race bike but—as it houses the last engine that drag
race legend Jim McClure built before he passed away—it also
likely acts like a race bike, too. HOHS cruisers apparently agreed,
picking it as their favorite of the show. Technically, it’s a 2002
American Thunder Pro Street V-Twin that incorporates a 150-cu.in. S&S engine, Baker 6-speed tranny, Wicked Bros. exhaust and
BDL primary. Wheels, brakes and controls are from Performance
Machine and Scott Dale at Scott’s Custom Graphics splashed on
the race-inspired paint. Take a good look at this bike while it’s
standing still, because with its rider in place, it’s gone.
Resource
Hogs On The High Seas
1-800-444-8795 ● www.hogsonthehighseas.com
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North, to Alaska!
C
ruises often bring to mind sunny beaches
and tropical locales. But for those looking
for different venues to sail to, consider the
next Hogs on the High Seas Rally Cruise to
Alaska, June 26-July 3, 2005. It features all the
biker-themed fun of the Caribbean trip—
along with hefty prize giveaways, too—but
the ship departs from Vancouver, B.C., Canada, for a seven-day inside passage cruise.
Hubbard Glacier, Juneau, and Misty Fjords
are several of the stops.
We’ve heard that British Columbia and the
Pacific Northwest offer some of the most
breathtaking riding you’ll ever experience.
With that in mind, you might add a few days
at the beginning or end of the Alaska rally,
and contact an area touring company for an
up-close look.
Ol’ Koots Motor Scoots offers 1-, 3-, 5- and
7-day tours in Western Canada, on your bike
or theirs. Custom trips tailored to your specifications can also be arranged. Tours originate in southeastern B.C., about two and a
half hours north of Spokane, WA. Sights include glacier-fed lakes, incredible vistas,
Banff and Jasper National Parks, gold-rush
towns, waterfalls, hot springs and wildlife.
Your guide knows these roads inside out,
along with the most memorable and unique
stops for meals and accommodations. Ol’
Koots promises zero stress and 100% fun.
Coastline Motorcycle Adventure Tours offer
7- and 8-day guided tours for specific dates in
July, August and September. They also design
custom tours for groups of six or more, and
rent motorcycles. Tours usually originate in
B.C.’s capitol city, Victoria, and incorporate
such sites as Bow Glacier, Columbia Ice Fields
and Lake Louise. But just for HOHS rallygoers, they’ve planned two specific trips, both
before and after the cruise—starting and ending in Vancouver. Rally attendees are even extended a discount if they book early.
Our advice? Check out what these companies have to offer and start planning the adventure of a lifetime.
Resource
Ol’ Koots Motor Scoots
250-357-9233 ● www.olkoots.com
Coastline Motorcycle Adventure Tours
1-866-338-0344 ● www.coastlinemc.com
IronWorks March 2005