I bought my first Harley-Davidson in 2003, a 1997 H-D Custom. In 2008, I decided I wanted to get it custom painted in Steelers colors. Unfortunately I knew I had to wait to do it as I was a single mom and my priority was my son. In 2010 I bought a 2005 Fat Boy. My son was grown up now, although still living at home. I started thinking more and more about the Steelers theme for my ‘97 H-D. I saw a motorcycle someone else had with some Steelers stuff on it. There was a helmet with a skull inside it and I really liked that.

I finally decided I had waited long enough and wanted my Steelers bike. I figured if I kept putting it off until later, I might never get it done. I drew up the design I wanted in August 2011 and took the motorcycle to Red Ember Cycles in Daytona Beach and showed them my design. They said it would take a couple of months, but they could do what I wanted and promised I’d have the motorcycle back in time for Biketoberfest.

They had my motorcycle for about two months and I got it back the day before Biketoberfest started. Imagine my surprise when I saw it had turned out even better than I had ever imagined it would. They used their own imagination on the seat and made it from real footballs. Pretty kool!

During Biketoberfest there are several bike shows going on. I didn’t know much about bike shows and I was kind of nervous, but decided to put the motorcycle in the Daytona Beach Boardwalk Custom Bike show. Boy was I excited when they called my name to receive a trophy for third-place Peoples’ Choice. The next day I put it in the Rat’s Hole Custom Bike Show. After seeing the other motorcycles I was up against, I didn’t think I would get a trophy. Once again, I was excited as hell when they called my name and I got a sixth- place trophy in the over-1000cc Custom category. Woo-hoo, my bike got a Rat’s Hole trophy for my Steelers! Everyone who sees the motorcycle really loves it. They all want pictures taken with it to post on Facebook and send to all their friends. Everywhere I go people are stopping me to talk about the motorcycle. I can’t help but feel a real sense of pride watching and listening to others comment on the bike. It’s become quite the conversation piece. I love it.

Now I have this insatiable hunger for anything Steelers. I have a tattoo, purses, socks, shirts, valve stem covers, license plate screw covers, blankets, razor, toothbrush, earrings, bracelets, necklace, shoes, seat covers, floor mats, magnetic car decals, and a whole lot more. I just can’t get enough! I’m always on the computer seeing what else I can find. I bought a 12 x 24 shed to put the motorcycle in and I’m going to fix that up to be my Steelers Fan Cave. My boyfriend got me a Steelers cue stick for my birthday and my sister made me a Troy Polamalu doll out of a sweat suit and socks her grand-daughter outgrew. When the game’s on, me and Troy sit together and watch the best team in the NFL kick butt! Woo-hoo! Go Steelers! I can’t wait to add another Super Bowl win to my front fender.