Back to Facebook. It was through Facebook that I met Ilias Ampelargas of Larisa City in central Greece. Greece! Chatting online with our readers is always fun, but when they’re from Europe and speak English and sign off with “kisses to you and everyone at Barnett’s!” I’m really impressed. We at Barnett’s in El Paso and Barnett’s in Las Cruces all love getting kisses from Europe. Actual touching? Not so much. In the U.S. we have this thing called personal space so we’re not big on touching. If you live outside the U.S. and plan on visiting, you should probably click on that link. Anyway. Ilias and I were chatting about his Sportster and he happened to mention he’s such a fan of Barnett’s Harley-Davidson and Barnett’s Magazine, he actually stopped in when he was here in Texas. [See photos for Ilias at Barnett Harley-Davidson in El Paso] One thing led to another, and here he is on our pages, or computer screen actually, talking about his dream of creating a touring bike.

“Well, the idea of making a Sportster into a touring bike was a dream for me,” Ilias said, “especially when a friend told me ‘Whatever you do with your bike it will always be a Sportster.’ That made me stubborn and I decided to turn my Sportster into a touring bike. George Daldas lives and works in my town is one of the best custom builders. He owns George’s Custom Garage. He’s let me mention that the engine guard was bought from Barnett Harley-Davidson in El Paso while I was there for studies in Fort Bliss. Other accessories such as luggage were bought from Mutazu.”

Ilias said he has no favorite aspect of the bike, except for the whole bike. “We were lucky enough not to have troubles…except the money I gave to built it,” he said. His favorite type of riding is “a cool, touring style ride.” The bike is his only bike, and also his wife has one. In building this one his goal was “To make a cheapest bike be a rich one,” he said. He added that he is particularly pleased with the engine guard. His advice to future bike builders? “If you don’t spend money, courage, bikelove, and personal time — never try it at home!”

Iliad also added, “Barnett, I send you my respect from Greece, I feel very proud I’ve visited your store! I hope I do it again.” We hope you do too, Ilias. Kisses from El Paso!

Be like Ilias and join Barnett’s Harley-Davidson on Facebook and Barnett’s Las Cruces, New Mexico Facebook and see other members’ bikes, burnout videos, babies, puppies named Harley, listen to songs people write about us (yeah, they really do), watch for our outrageous sales, and chat us up live (if we’re there). You just may end up right here as an Article of the Day.