Take this lovely little Sporty that Barnett’s Magazine Online’s expert eye for the photo prize, Jack Cofano, shot at last year’s Smoke Out. It’s possibly one of Bill’s most conservative customs I’ve ever seen with nary a knobby tire in sight, but it’s shockingly striking in its cleanliness and simplicity. This is a perfect case of where the builder focused on the lines and...

    Barnett’s Magazine Online has already featured Bryan’s outside the box approach to customs with his take on a Buell-powered Super Motard called Mindy that looked ready to take on all comers. Now, he’s been busy totally fabricating a hardcore hooligan bike for the street he calls Mabel. I say it’s a hooligan bike because I know just looking at it that I’d really, really love to...

  It seems that most projects based on a LOWLIFE frame feature graceful, swooping bodywork and a cool slammed lead sled look. That’s how this bike started until Brad walked into his shop one day as he was half-way through building it for Brian Kocelansky and chose to head in a new direction. “I decided I’m not doing the same old Legend bike that everybody else builds,” said Brad....

     These days Harley-Davidson dealers do all kinds of things to try and pull in customers and that’s all well and good, but I’m a sucker for small independent shops and the lack of a corporate identity. I like a little more nitty with my gritty and finding that perfect blend is not easy. But, next time I’m in the L.A. area, I’ve absolutely got to check out South Bay Customs in El...

I hope everyone has enjoyed the sixty-plus photos of all the show bikes on www.barnettsmagazine.com.      Custom bikes were not the only entertainment at the show. As you may have seen in the last few years in Charlotte there is also a car show, celebrities such as Full Throttle Saloon’s Michael and Angie Ballard, Mark Boone aka Bobby from Sons of Anarchy, and, of course, the...

  For more information on Ironhorse Trailers call 888-793-6184 or 931-668-8860. You can also check out their website and Facebook page at www.ironhorsetrailers.com and www.facebook.com/IronhorseMotorcycleTrailers. Penny Osiecki

    Now at first you might just be mistaken into thinking this was a 1972 Norton Commando with a couple of cosmetic changes, but there’s a lot more going on here than just that. The frame is not Norton’s famed Isolastic rubber-mount frame, but a rare Redline (of later BMX fame) oil-tank-in spine chromoly frame. If you don’t believe me, check out the oil filler between the steering...

   Maybe, just maybe, it’s because they are now vintage bikes and that automatically adds a cool factor to start with or maybe they give an undiluted feel of what being a biker back in the glory days was like. Or, maybe it’s the sound as Shovels just make a sound that is totally their own as far as I’m concerned. Or, maybe it’s the ancient engine architecture that looks so...

Maybe this isn’t your idea of what touring is all about and you’re probably right about taking the time to smell the roses and all that blather, but it sure gets my palms sweaty. I’m sure it’s possible to wick this bike down and sniff those flowers, but having Hoover Dam absolute power like this at the mere twist of a throttle would be too corrupting for me to ignore. Apparently...

 Unfortunately I didn’t have an alternative (pride will do that) so this sidewalk/street garage of mine stayed randomly open as necessary for five years until I had enough and moved back to the country. Today there are some alternatives in big cities I would have killed for like the unpretentiously cool Lowside Garage in Baltimore, Maryland. There are so many things right about...