Cyclerides.com Weekly Update
9/8/04
Greetings Riders,
For those of you that have been following our Canada/West Coast Ride, You can also check the
Archives
for past newsletters. I left you 2 weeks ago as we cut over from Bodega
Bay on the coast and made our way inland to Oakland to end Day 8 of the 10 day ride. Normally we would have
just continued on down the coast and crossed the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco for the bridge
photo op that we got last time we were there. But
this time we decided to pursue our love for motorcycles instead of our fascination with suspension bridges
and made our destination the new Arlen Ness Store in Dublin, California. And am I glad we did.
A friend of mine, Dana from Monterey, was due to meet us there at around 1:00pm
on Friday. But due to the 10 million twisties that
you will encounter on Hwy 1, keeping a schedule of any kind is next to impossible. In fact, we ended up wearing
down both sides of the tires so much that there is a flat spot in the middle of the tires. By taking on a
little more aggressive riding style we finally made it to the Ness dealership at about 4:30pm. One of my purposes
of stopping there was to see if the Ness crew might be interested in being a part of the Best of
the Southwest show in November. With my love for motorcycles in general and custom motorcycles in particular, the
stop at the Arlen Ness store was a major thrill
for me. I guess it would be compared to an art lover visiting Pablo Picasso's studio and seeing all of
his original works of art, or a NASCAR fan spending some time in the garage with Richard Petty, or a basketball
fan in the gym with Michael Jordan.
Just being able to view the Ness creations that I have read about in magazines for several
years was a thrill, but the prospects of being able to meet the man I
consider to be the Godfather of custom motorcycles and spend some time with him would have been a real thrill.
Dana introduced me to the General Manager, I explained to him my background and the purpose for my visit
and asked if we might have a few minutes with Arlen to see if he would be interested in joining us in
November. He returned with an invitation from Arlen for us to join him in his office upstairs. You never know what
you are going to get from the different personalities in this industry. I've experienced both sides of the spectrum.
Some are very private and standoffish and some love to talk with motorcycle enthusiasts and fans.
Arlen Ness is the latter. He graciously met us at the top of the stairs and invited
us into his office. Recognizing that we had obviously been riding for
a while, he offered us something to drink. He brought in his daughter that works as his assistant and we sat on
his couches talking about our Event, Biker Build Off's he had been involved in and the future build off he
has scheduled in October with Jim Nasi on Discovery Channel. After 20 minutes of casual conversation I respectfully
told him that we would let him get back to work. I asked if he would mind taking a picture with us and
he said sure, let's go over to the museum. The museum walls
are full of magazine articles, the room is full
of his own creations from over the last 30 years
and is a treat all by itself.
We took our picture and I once again started to thank him for his time and he said: "Would you like to see
the rest of the building?" I replied that we would stay there
as long as he would have us. We proceeded into the service area and the R&D areas that you have probably seen
on Discovery Channel. He showed us his new 280 frames and other future projects that they are working on.
He also showed us what Cory is working on for his next Biker Build Off. This one is impressive and you will be
surprised by what he is building. He also showed us the bike that he has ridden to Sturgis with the Hamsters for the last several years. He then showed us the storage for the other bikes he has
that are not on display and bikes that are being shipped out all over the world. This is where we ran
into Cory
Ness and was introduced to him. Once again, this apple
didn't fall far from the tree as he was very kind, friendly and willing to spend as much time as you wanted.
From there we took the elevator down to the lower level to tour the area where they polish their wheels, store
parts and then to the shipping area that sends out the massive amounts of parts for their catalog sales that account
for over 70% of his business.
It was now after 6:00pm and I was walking out the doors on cloud nine. Having spent and hour and a half with Arlen Ness, the man that brought motorcycle
customizing to the main stream, and having him take us on a personal tour of his new 60,000 sq.
ft. Ness Building was an absolute thrill. Arlen started with a set of custom handlebars over 30 years ago.
He has since turned it into a multi million dollar custom parts business known all over the world to motorcycle
enthusiasts. His popularity has taken another leap in the last couple of years due to the shows that
Discovery Channel has done on him. After all of his accomplishments, press and notoriety, it was an absolute inspiration
to listen to him talk, and experience the enthusiasm that he still has for the business and the industry.
It was almost as if he had just started his business and was anxious to show off his new creation.
Another thing we noticed is that every single person that we came into contact
with in the dealership was extremely courteous and friendly. They made
you feel welcome from the moment you walked in the door, something that all dealerships should be built on. I want
to publicly thank Arlen for being so kind and gracious in spending this kind of time with people he didn't
even know. He is a testimony to the fact that the "good guys" are still around. This will be an
experience for me to draw from personally and will be a highpoint of our trip.
Click
Here for all of the photos from the visit to Arlen Ness.
In This Issue:
Hacienda Harley-Davidson
Chromecoming Celebration
This Week's Events
Wednesday
The Wild Hare Wednesday Bike Night. Looking for a Bike Night on the East side? Here is a bike night for the East side of town at a really nice location. Stop by and take a look, you will be impressed. It is called The Wild Hare located at 4910 W. Ray Rd. That is the NE Corner of Ray Rd. and Rural Rd. This is a really nice place with a very large outdoor patio. The inside has just been remodeled to double the seating along with adding a DJ, pool tables and games. The Wild Hare has a broad menu including 20 different appetizers, salads, wings, 17 different sandwiches, chicken, filet mignon, burgers and desserts including strawberry cheese cake. There will be food and drink specials that will run during bike night from 6 PM till close. Stop by and take a look, I'm sure you will like what you see. Info: 480-897-6200.
Thursday Night
Thursday Night features 4 Bike Nights all
over the Valley.
Hooters at Arrowhead Bike Night. Ride by and join in on the fun! Hooters will host a Bike Night every Thursday at the Hooters at Arrowhead located just 1 block S. of Bell on 83rd Ave. Stop by for some great food and Hooters Hospitality. There will be 20% off menu items (25% off with Cyclerides.com V.I.P. Card). $2.00 Corona Thursdays and plenty of parking next to the outdoor patio. Stop by for some giveaways and raffles from Hooters and Arrowhead Harley as well as great wings and fun at Hooters. Click Here to see Pictures and all the detailed information.
Casey Jones Grill Bike Night The evening riding weather is good. You
can always count on lots of bikes here. Ride in for what I
call the Best Cheesesteak Sandwich in town. This thing melts in your mouth. They have 3 new pool tables, darts
and foosball. Located in the Mervyns Shopping Center on the SE corner of 43rd Ave. and Thunderbird Rd. Casey Jones
is a great place for a bike night featuring a large outdoor seating and over 150 people inside. And for those of
you that want to watch a sporting event they have 50 TV's scattered throughout the restaurant connected to satellite
to get any game you can think of. They have a full menu for lunch, dinner and a Happy Hour from 11:00AM - 7:00PM
and a reverse happy hour from 10:00PM - 12:00 Midnight. $1.75 domestic bottles and $2.00 Jacks. There are always
a lot of bikes showing up for bike night at Casey Jones Thursday night. Join them for open mic night on Wednesdays.
Sunday.
Hooters
at Ahwatukee Thursday Bike Night. Continues
Giveaways and Raffles. The
riders in Ahwatukee were wanting a Bike Night of their own, so Hooters Ahwatukee stepped up to provide a great
place to come on your motorcycle on Thursday nights. Stop by for raffles, good times and good food at
Hooters in Ahwatukee located at 4804 E. Chandler Blvd. There will be raffles and giveaways from Chandler Harley
and Hooters as well as 20% off menu items (25% off with Cyclerides.com V.I.P. Card). $2.00 Corona Thursdays
and plenty of parking next to the outdoor patio. Click Here for
the pictures and all the details.
The Bike Night At The Billet Bar. Voted "BEST BIKER BAR IN PHOENIX" by New Times. There is no better place to watch all the Bikes ride down Scottsdale road than from The Billet Bar Patio. The Billet is ALWAYS packed with bikes Every Day. The new bars front and rear provide spacious seating, fresh air atmosphere, perfect temperature and courteous staff. The food is amazing and always the latest in cold libations await. You can sit at the back bar and watch your favorite TV on any of the seven big inch televisions. Play pool, listen to the latest music and socialize. The front patio seats over 75 people and is perfect for people watching on Scottsdale Rd. The Billet Bar is located right next to Genesis Custom Cycles on 3752 N. Scottsdale Rd. Check it out this Thursday night and all weekend long. Info: at 480-941-1876. Click Here for the New Billet Bar Page with pictures.
Saturday and Sunday
Pioneer Restaurant and Saloon. Now opening at 6:00AM for Breakfast on Saturday and Sunday. All of us are looking for that quick getaway out of town for an early morning breakfast on
the weekends, or a good stop on our way up North. The Pioneer Restaurant and Saloon is the perfect place for that and they are inviting
all motorcycle riders to stop by for a good old fashioned breakfast on the patio or a cool drink on the way home.
Sundays feature a $6.99 all you can eat breakfast including drinks and any day you can get my personal favorite
1/2 order of biscuits and gravy for $1.95. This is a great dish. Breakfast starts at 7:00am. Pioneer is also open
for lunch and dinner until 9:00 pm. On Saturday nights Canyon Walls plays from 7pm - 11pm. Pioneer is
also a great place to get your group together for a sunset dinner ride. Sit out on the patio or the air conditioned
dining room. Click Here for the complete menu. If you are organizing a ride, it is the perfect place for a ride end. Pioneer
is located just 1 mile North of the Carefree Highway exit on I-17 at Pioneer Rd. exit 225. For private parties
call Joey at 602-696-5245 or 623-465-1821.
Hungry Bear Roadhouse In Mayer. Many of you remember Hailey's Grill in Mayer, AZ. Hailey's went out of business last
fall and the building was purchased by the owners of Grand Canyon Harley and has re-opened as The Hungry Bear Roadhouse.
The Roadhouse has been completely remodeled to provide meeting rooms for motorcycle
groups or any special events. The usable space has now been expanded to the front patio. You can now sit out
on the huge patio and eat your breakfast or lunch and watch the bikes roll in for a weekend ride. There
will be tables and chairs as well as stools next to the railing to relax and enjoy your favorite beverages.
Roadhouse hours are 8:00am - 10:00pm. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner will be served. Stop by the Hungry
Bear on your rides to Prescott. More Info at: 928-632-4211.
Sunday
Cocomo Joe's Sunday Bike Day. Many of you have been to Cocomo Joe's in North Phoenix. There is now a day just for riders. Cocomo Joe's is a very open and comfortable place to hang out that is decorated in a Jamaican theme. They have a new large outdoor patio as well as 2 smaller ones around the side. There is a large dining area with TV's all around to keep up on all NFL football on Sundays. See the pictures here. After football season they will be bringing in live entertainment on Sunday afternoons. There is also 3 pool tables and games for your enjoyment. There will be food and drink specials for ride days starting at 10:30am as well as blocked off preferred parking for motorcycles. The day starts at 10:30am with breakfast foods available. Bike day is from Noon - 6pm. Cocomo Joe's is located on the NW corner of Tatum and Dynamite Rd. So if you are riding to or from Cave Creek, or want to take a ride up North and not have to run the DB gauntlet, stop by Cocomo Joe's. 28244 N. Tatum Blvd. 480-538-8008. Stop by this Sunday for opening day. Click Here for all the details.
Sugar Daddy's Blues Biker Sunday Brunch.
Now is the perfect weather to be sitting out on the Sugar Daddy's patio, listening
to Live Music while dining from the Brunch Menu. And Sunday Brunch Just Got Better! You now have 3 options to choose from. Option #1: Eggs Benedict – Grilled English muffins, smoked ham, poached eggs and hollandaise
sauce.
Served with your chose of fresh fruit or crispy potatoes. ($8) or Sugar’s Pancakes – You won’t eat pancakes anywhere else. Buttermilk pancakes served
with butter and syrup. ($5)
Option #2: Can’t decide what to eat? How about an All-You-Can-Eat buffet for
ONLY $12.
Option #3: Order off our regular menu.
Our 5,000 sq. ft. temperature controlled patio has six air conditioning units, misters, and plenty of shade. Sugar
Daddy's patio, food and entertainment is becoming a regular Sunday stop. If you haven't tried it yet, give
them a try. Complimentary coffee is now served. Make Sugar Daddy's Blues your stop on your ride down Scottsdale
Rd. for Brunch or Lunch from 10am - 4pm. Enjoy live music from 10am - 2pm Or maybe just relax on the patio with your favorite beverage and enjoy
the beautiful weather and watch the bikes roll down Scottsdale Rd. Click here to see the awesome pictures and details of Sugar Daddy's located at 3102 N. Scottsdale Rd. between Indian
School and Thomas on the West side of the road. Stop by and check it out. A great place to hang out. Plenty of
Bike Parking. If you have suggestions, email them at sugardaddysaz@aol.com . 480-970-6556.
This Week
September is the beginning of the Harley Dealerships new model year introduction
Open Houses. The week of September 11th kicks off a month of open houses and parties with raffles, free food and
entertainment. Check the calendar on www.cyclerides.com to find the one near you.
Saturday, September 11th
Hacienda Harley-Davidson
Chromecoming Celebration. As The New 2005 Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Roar
Into Town Hacienda Harley-Davidson & Buell Hosts The Party Of The Year. Hacienda
Harley-Davidson & Buell is celebrating the H-D Chromecoming by the unveiling of the 2005 bikes, the latest
MotorClothes, and genuine motor parts & Accessories. Harley-Davidson® Chromecoming kicks off Saturday,
September 11th at 9:00am with Live Entertainment, Great Food, Fashion Shows, In Store Poker Run, Bikini Bike
Wash And The Famous Basement Sale. "You can always find the best buys at the basement sale, customers are
always talking about how much they got for such a great price" said Andreanne DePage of Hacienda Harley-Davidson
Inc. In memory of September 11th Hacienda will be honoring our local emergency personnel with a presentation ceremony
Saturday September 11th at 12:30. Local fire fighters, police officers, and armed forces will be in attendance
as Hacienda strives for keeping America strong.
Saturday, September 11th
Grand Canyon Harley-Davidson
Shop in Mayer. The Grand Canyon HD shop in Mayer is kicking off their
Chromecoming Open House and new model year open house with a big party.
11am - 2pm: Stop by for a BBQ with the Hungry Bear Road House.
11am - 3pm: Enjoy the great music
of Rondavous.
3:30pm: We will Honor Law Enforcement Officers, Military and Firefighters.
4:30pm: The drawing of the 50/50
raffle.
There will be door prize drawings throughout the day. And don't forget the
Wheel of Fortune! Spin the wheel to determine your discount from 10% - 30%. GCHD is located at 10434 Hwy. 69 just
8 miles West of I-17 in Mayer. For more information call 928-632-4009.
Saturday, September 11th
W. Steven Martin's
9-11 Patriot Ride. W. has changed up this ride this year. Instead of riding
to the asphalt jungle of downtown, he has decided to ride to the water. Join
W. Steven Martin's 3rd Annual Patriot Ride and Parade to show our country and troops that WE WILL NOT FORGET our
9-11 victims and military heroes. Come enjoy a day of fun on wheels and on the water. This year the ride will start
at Bell Ford at 2104 W. Bell Rd. and be escorted by DPS to Bartlett Lake where the Marina will host a 50 boat Honor
Guard carrying 100 flags. Patriotic music will greet the riders as the watercraft proudly display the Stars and
Stripes. After the water parade, ride participants will enjoy live music played from the top of a houseboat. So
bring your swimsuit and dive in. Restrooms, Food and a limited number of shaded tables are available. Check in
from 8am - 10am, ride at 10am. Click Here for all the information.
Saturday and Sunday, September 11th and 12th
Arrowhead Harley-Davidson
2nd Anniversary Bash. Come celebrate as we kick start our 3rd year AND preview
the new Harley-Davidson arrivals for 2005! The New Bikes, The latest
Motorclothes Apparel and the New Genuine Motor Parts and Accessories. There will be a free collectible gift to
the first 75 purchases each day and the famous tier discounts up to 20% on motor parts and accessories. Don't
miss the Fashion Show at Noon on Saturday. Take advantage
of the following activities on both Saturday and Sunday:
10-12pm Free Coffee & Donuts
11-3pm Hooters Free Bikini Wash
Noon - 4pm Free Food from Wet Willy's, Drinks and Maggie Moo's Ice Cream.
Service Specials: 15% discount on Genuine Motor Parts and Accessories installed Sat. and Sun.
Saturday Only:
LIVE Music, Triad 10-2pm. Fashion Show at Noon.
Sunday Only:
Caricature Artist drawing YOU and Your Bike. 10:30-2:30pm.
Free 9 Ball Pool Tournament 2-6pm, $200 gift card prize. Click Here for
ALL of the information.
AHD is located at 16130 N. Arrowhead Fountain Center Dr. in Peoria. 623-247-5542.
Next Week
September 17th - 19th
Mountain Madness XI. This event is presented by the Arizona Confederation of Motorcycle Clubs. The event is held on private land on the Mogollon Rim 22 miles East of Show Low on Hwy
60. Camping and RV spots are available. $15 per person, $20 per couple includes dinner on Saturday and run pins
to the first 1000. Live Music, Field Events, Bike Games, Vendors, 50/50 and more. Click here for all the details or
call 602-789-9702.
Saturday, September 18th
Chosa's Harley-Davidson
Chromecoming. Polish your sunglasses, oil those boots, don’t forget your
hair glove and come on down! Its time for Chromecoming at Chosa’s Harley-Davidson,
the Harley-Davidson® Model Year 2005 Open House. We’ll have the '05s lined up for you. We’ll also hook you
up with the latest in MotorClothes® and Genuine Motor Parts and Accessories. So bring a friend, enjoy the Free
Chosa’s Biker barbecue — served by the fabulous Hooters Girls — check out that bike you’ve had your eye on, and
take a shot at winning a 2005 Harley-Davidson® motorcycle or one of many awesome door prizes. When we celebrate
the latest from Harley-Davidson®, its one event you don’t want to miss!
From 8am to 5pm on September 18th there will be:
Hourly Door Prizes! Registration to win your own 2005 Softail® Deluxe. Great values throughout the dealership.
Plus enjoy FREE refreshments & Chosa's Biker BBQ from 11am - 2pm served up by the HOOTERS Girls! Chosa's is
located at 922 S. Country Club Dr. in Mesa, AZ. 480-894-0404.
Saturday, September 18th
Grand
Canyon Harley-Davidson Chromecoming Open House in Bellemont. For those of you in the North part of Arizona, this is your chance to see the new
2005 Harley-Davidson and Buells. Not only that, you can see the new Motorclothes and register to win a 2005 Harley-Davidson
Softail Deluxe Motorcycle. You can also enjoy a free BBQ meal from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. Cool weather is coming,
so if it is Leather Jackets or any other Motorclothes in stock, you can PRINT THIS FLYER and receive
20% off of in stock items on this day. Grand Canyon HD in Bellemont is located 8 miles West of I-17 on I-40 at
Exit 185. For more information call 928-774-3896.
Extras
Readers Rides:
There are now over 150 entries in the Readers Rides section with more to add right now.
If you have a good picture of you next to a Sign, a well known part
of Americana or a Famous Landscape of where you have ridden, email it to me at info@cyclerides.com to be included
in the pictorial. Take a look.
This is a repeat from last week. If you didn't see it have a listen. Here is a motorcycle
song that a reader in Louisiana sent me. It is by Tim Wilson and called
"Learned To Ride". Listen to the words, it is a pretty funny song with a Southern Rock style. I'll bet
you can't listen to it just once. Click Here to listen.
As for me this week, I will take in a couple of Thursday Bike Nights this week and
then will be going on the Patriot Ride on Saturday. There is plenty to do starting this weekend with all of the
HD open houses and parties. It's time to get out and start enjoying the weather that is right around the corner.
Until Next Week,
Blessings and Safe Riding To All,
Barry Caraway
"The Road Is Yours - Take The Ride"
www.cyclerides.com
info@cyclerides.com
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