Here's a Sampling of the
Spring Issue's Features:

The 2012 Wide Open
Motorcycle Show Kansas City
Well, maybe once in a while the grass is greener on the other side of the fence or, in this case, on the other side of the state line. Actually, it just needs to be barely across the state line. I am referring to our change of venue for the Wide Open Motorcycle Show, Kansas City edition. This year's festivities were held Saturday and Sunday January 14 and 15. The Overland Park International Trade Center, in my opinion, was a huge upgrade over our previous location. This convention center seemed friendlier, and for lack of a better description, more inviting. The lighting was much more photographer friendly than in the past, and the acoustics did away with the feeling you were in a large cave. Apparently you all liked it as well. Once the doors opened Saturday, folks started rolling in big time. And you folks kept arriving in bunches all damned weekend! . . . . Page 7

2nd Place Best of Show Kansas City
Our second place best of show bike at our Kansas City show was built by a name you should all remember from the Discovery Channel Biker Build-Offs of a few years back. That builder is none other than Eddie Trotta of Thunder Cycle Design. This bike was Eddie's personal ride until it was purchased by present owner Steve Malley. Steve was already the proud owner of a Thunder Cycle Design scooter, so when word reached him the bike aptly named the "Tattoo Bike" was up for grabs, he had to have it.. . ..Page 18

3rd Place Best of Show Kansas City
How many times have you heard a story of a rider losing their prized scooter due to a change in their personal life? Whether it is due to marriage, divorce, job loss, the birth of a child, or even a death in the family, the loss of a bike generally sucks. Divorce is one of the worst reasons to lose a bike. I'd venture to bet everyone who reads this knows of someone who lost a bike in a divorce. In the case of this fine Ironhead chopper, divorce was not the cause of its loss, but instead its creation.. . .20

The 2012 Wide Open
Motorcycle Show St. Louis
Just as it always does, it seems we no more than close the doors on our Kansas City bike show, when it's time to make the trek east on I-70 to St. Charles. Our St. Louis show this year was held on the weekend of February 11 and 12. When we got to St. Louis we were greeted by a big time drop in temperatures, lows back into the 20's. I know I shouldn't whine over normal temperatures for a winter month on the Midwest Coast, but we had enjoyed unseasonably warm temperatures in Kansas City, so the arctic blast seemed twice as cold as it truly was. .. .Page 23

1st Place Best of Show St. Louis
Nick Rodina's award-winning bagger started out as a 2000 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide updated with a long Arlen Ness fender and LED lighting frenched into the fairing and saddle bags. Over the years, the bike was further modified with additional chrome and custom paint. While the bike looked good, it had suffered from a rear-end sway at 70 mph that never seemed quite right to Nick. . . . Page 31

2nd Place Best of Show St. Louis
?The 2nd Place Best of Show winner at our St. Louis show should look familiar to some of you, especially if you were a fan of the Discovery Channel's Biker Build-off series. This machine is none other than the creation that defeated Kansas City's own Kim Suter. The bike was billed as being built by Gypsy Charro, the first woman "builder" to compete on the show. I guess if turning a bolt a two for the camera makes you a "builder," my definition of builder has been way off for a long time. But that is a story for another time. . .Page 34

3rd Place Best of Show St. Louis
Some bikes that win our shows have a basically straight forward background story. Guy imagines bike, guy finds builder, builder builds bike, and everybody lives happily ever after. There is nothing wrong with that story, hell; I would be tickled to death if it happened to me. On the other hand, sometimes when digging into the background on a feature bike I find a very interesting bit of history. John Donahue's bobber is just such a bike. . .Page 36

Santa Fe Trail
On Super Bowl Sunday, February 5th, 2012, the Santa Fe Chapter of the AMCA (Antique Motorcycle Club of America) held their 3rd Annual Vintage Motorcycle Show and Swap Meet and it was AMAZING! Held in building 21 at the Douglas County Fairgrounds in Lawrence, Kansas, the quality and quantity of vintage motorcycles in this show was truly beyond belief. The Sante Fe Trail group is made up of people who really know their stuff and they have LOTS of cool vintage motorcycles. Every person in attendance should be very thankful for the participant's willingness to show off their bikes... . .Page 43

Gail's World of Wheels MC Show
It was another winning weekend at Gail's Harley-Davidson All-American Invitational Motorcycle Show, in the 52nd Annual O'Reilly Auto Parts World of Wheels show at Bartle Hall in Kansas City, Missouri, February 10-12, 2012.. . . Page 44

From Camper to Trike
Mark and Bobbi Dunfield are, without a doubt, two of the most understanding people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. This story begins February 14, 2010. .. . . Page 52

For Sale: 1000 Antique Motorcycles
Las Vegas
If that headline wasn't enough to get your attention then let's cram all those motorcycles into three Las Vegas Casinos during the same week the porn stars are coming to town for the Adult Video Awards. . . Page 60

Destination Daytona 2012
Rolling thunder of bikers come into Florida during the month of March 2012 . You may have guessed it. . . Daytona Bike Week. But wait there is even more. . . . Page 64

Buckner Mayor Runs a Green Victory—Literally
In the current state of world affairs, multitudes of organizations and individuals are pushing the concept of 'going green'. Last year after being officially elected as Mayor of Buckner, Missouri, Dan Hickson took the phrase 'going green' to a cold hard steel reality—a 'Synergy Green' Austin Limited Edition 2011 Victory Cross Country motorcycle. . . . Page 68

Teaching Yourself How to Pinstripe
To start, all you need is some 1Shot or Ronan Lettering Enamel, some High Temp Reducer #6002 from 1Shot and a striping brush. The striping brush I recommend for beginners is the Mack #000 Blue Wired Sword Striper. The only spot you need to trim on this brush is its tip. To do this, use a single edge razor blade and nip off a tiny portion of the tip while the brush is full of paint. This eliminates the very fine point when starting a stripe. Using a magazine as a pallet to mix your paint, dip the brush into the paint first and apply it to the magazine. Next dip the brush into a separate container of reducer and mix the two together on the magazine's surface . . . Page 82

The St. Joseph Harley-Davidson Classic Rock and Chrome Rally 2012
Ok ladies and gentlemen, stop reading. Mark June 16 on your calendar, then come back. OK, did you get the date down? If you didn't, don't come whining to me when you realize on the 17th that you just missed this year's edition of the St. Joseph Harley-Davidson Classic Rock and Chrome Rally. I've been telling you for years now not to miss this event. I don't know what else I can do to make you aware of one of the best summer parties on the Midwest Coast. I can only haul one person on my bike, and according to Steph, you ain't it! So you better get your own scooter out and make your way to St. Joseph, Missouri. . . . Page 84

Ladies on Wheels
The Pink Bitch
I love living in the Four States Area. It has Route 66, lots of beautiful roads to ride, lots of bikers (without helmets) riding those roads, and at cafes, macaroni and cheese is a vegetable. Life is good here! . . . Page 85

Bike Nights Section...86

Plus a whole lot more...