Motorcycle Riders from all over the Country will be converging on the mountain as the Big Bear Choppers annual "Ride the Mountain" Bike Show, Concert and Poker Run returns to Snow Summit Mountain resort in Beautiful Big Bear Lake California. This will be the 8th Annual show which visitors get to ride the San Bernardino Mountains to Snow Summit resort to enjoy music, vendors, entertainment, BBQ and a bike show at a premier southern California destination.inline_mediumwraptextrightRide the Mountain flyer28481914/events/1003_hbkp_big_bear_choppers_the_sons_of_anarchy_ride_the_mountain1003_hbkp_01_z+big_bear_choppers_get_ready_to_rumble_with_the_sons_of_anarchy_at_the_8th_annual_ride_the_mountain+flyer.jpgTrue

What:
Muskegon Bike Time is America's fastest growing bike event, with over 30,000 motorcycles and 80,000 spectators. The Muskegon County Convention and Visitor's Bureau says Bike Time is a "great event that has a huge economic impact on the county and city of Muskegon." Bike Time draws bikes from across the Nation, including California, Canada, New York, Florida and Texas. The word on the street is Muskegon Bike Time is a "Great Time!"....so, take a ride and join Bike Time this year!

Hedonism-devotion to pleasure as a way of life. This one word sums up Las Vegas. In its entirety. The dry desert air, the aural delights of winning slots, the clinking of glasses in victorious celebration, no concept of time, and the loud roars of motorcycle pipes on Las Vegas Boulevard. Debauchery. Carnage. Mayhem. With all-you-can-eat buffets, all-you-can-handle watering holes, and two-wheeled pirates venturing out for a four-day debacle, Las Vegas BikeFest is the place for bikers come fall time.inline_mediumwraptextright27642409/events/1003_hbkp_2009_las_vegas_bikefest1003_hbkp_02_z+2009_ninth_annual_las_vegas_bikefest_rally+.jpgTrue

Anamosa, Iowa is a quaint Midwest town that the mega-distributor and aftermarket motorcycle parts manufacturer, J&P Cycles, calls home. What started 30 years ago as a mail-order catalog, J&P Cycles' President John Parham and his wife and Vice President, Jill, grew the business into a thriving empire distributing and manufacturing aftermarket Harley-Davidson, vintage, and metric motorcycle parts. And every year J&P Cycles hosts an Open House to say thanks to its customers for their loyalty and support. For 2009, the two-day event brought over 22,000 people to Anamosa, and we were there to share in the festivities.

It could be said that there is a motorcycle run/rally for everyone; you just have to find it. What do I mean? Well, if you're a one-day rider or weekend warrior that wants to ride to a spot, hang out for the day, then head home, you could find that in almost any town across the country. But what if you are looking for a true traditional bike run where you ride your bike there, set up camp with only the stuff you carried on your bike, then make a beer and food run to last the duration of your stay? Where do you find the kind of run that feels more like a party; a private party where you can do what you want as long as you don't violate "community standards."

Road trip with a little bit of work mixed in" was the first thought that ran through my head as I heard the words "ride from Kentucky to Sturgis" from Rick Ball, owner of RC Components, over the phone. In the never-ending cycle of weekly/monthly deadlines as a magazine editor, it's hard to find time to cut away from the office for extended periods of time. But then again how many other careers can you jump on a bike for two weeks, ride across beautiful two-lane highways through hundreds of miles of rolling farmland to the 69th running of the mother of all motorcycle rallies, only to continue to ride on even more awe inspiring backroads through some of the most historical parts of our country's early history, and call it work? So yes, life is good.inline_mediumwraptextright25885145/events/1001_hbkp_sturgis_turns_691001_hbkp_01_z+sturgis_turns_69+one_way_sign.JPG.jpgTrue

In a time when some parts of the country are treating bikers like they carry the bubonic plague, it's nice to roll into a city that opens its roads, restaurants, hotels, and all business in between to the two-wheeled enthusiasts with open arms, a frosty beverage, and some good old western barbecue. Austin, Texas, is just that city and just as they say everything is bigger in Texas, well so is the hospitality. Where some city mayors are fighting tooth and nail to keep bikers out of their city, in a welcome letter for the various media attending the event, Texas Governor Rick Perry stated, "We welcome you to Austin. If this is your first time here, it won't be your last. This town has great food, world famous music, and scenery just made for riding. So kick up your boots and enjoy a big slice of Texas hospitality."

The major bike rallies on the East Coast have always been a bit of a wild spring break action for grown-ups who ride. Doing things we'd never do at home - from riding the mechanical bulls to creamed corn wrestling. And what happened at Bike Week never stayed at Bike Week - it always followed you home, with incriminating photos ending up on Myspace or worse...in full video form on YouTube. But it was all in fun and that's what bike rallies are suppose to be about-that full vacation from work, kids, and life in general. But all of a sudden, the party-atmosphere has had the life sucked out of it with new ordinances within the city limits of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, aimed at harassing the biker community.

We all go to Sturgis for different reasons, but of course the primary reason is motorcycles. And as anyone who has ever been to Sturgis knows, there are some great bike shows that go on throughout the week; however, only one offers the crown of "World Champion," the American Motorcycle Dealer (AMD) World Championships of Custom Bike Building (WCCBB). This August 2-5 during the 69th annual Sturgis rally marks the 6th WCCBB event, and once again the worlds best custom bikes can all be found under the big tent at Champions Park on Lazelle Street.

The riding season has officially started with this year's 68th annual Daytona Bike Week. The streets of Daytona Beach, Florida were packed with motorcycles and enthusiasts from February 27 until March 7, 2009. One thing that was different this year was the weather; it was colder than years past with temps around 75 degrees with the sun out and dropping into the 40s and 50s once the moon was in the night sky. No matter what days you were there Bike Week had something for everyone. As always Main Street was a top attraction with cold drinks and rockin' live music. The hot spots were The Boot Hill Saloon, Wise Guys, the Bank, and Froggy's. Out North on A1A the Broken Spoke Saloon and Iron Horse Saloon were also popular stops.

25 years ago Oliver Shokouh, owner of Glendale Harley-Davidson decided to find a way to raise some money to benefit the MDA (Muscular Dystrophy Association). He found that the best way to get bikers to toss a few bucks in a bucket for the cause was to put together a charity ride. That ride would later become known as the Love Ride.

Unfortunately due to our wacky production schedule, this article may not seem as timely as it really is, but believe me when I tell you this is absolutely the soonest we could get this article into the magazine-it's been less than a week since we got back from the V-Twin Expo in Cincinnati, Ohio. For those of you who might not know, "Cinci" as it's commonly referred to in the industry is the one time a year when all the manufacturers, dealers, and distributors head out into the cold to show off their new widgets and gadgets to the V-Twin industry.

We all know baggers are the big deal right now, right? Well, nowhere was this more evident than at the Half Way Run in Fresno, California, this past October. I had heard about the run from some people I had recently met in my neighborhood, DeShawn and his aunt and uncle, Teri and Duane. Initially, I kind of shrugged off going on the run, as my wife was going to be out of town that same weekend and I had a long list of home maintenance chores I needed to burn up; most importantly, re-establishing the relationship between my lawnmower and backyard.

The realization that I was the sole editor on HOT BIKE covering Harley-Davidson's 105th Anniversary Celebration didn't hit me until I was on the plane. Since this was my first time in Milwaukee for an H-D birthday, I was excited and fortunate with the opportunity. Celebrating in true Harley style, with four days of non-stop activities, concerts, and exhibitions, I knew I had to be on top of my game.

Sturgis is a home away from home for thousands of bikers every year. It's the quintessential bike rally with so much going on your head will spin. Every year we make the trip and every year we have a blast. Although this was my first year attending the rally, it's as if I'd attended for years because of the great tales I'd heard from the staff and other friends I've made in the industry.

It's no secret that J&P Cycles is one of the largest aftermarket motorcycle parts suppliers in the country. And because many motorcycle enthusiasts have probably purchased one item or another from its massive catalog, J&P likes to show its appreciation every year by saying thank you to its customers and dealers by hosting a little soiree, Iowa style.

FOO FIGHTERS AND ZZ TOP CO-HEADLINE REVVED-UP CONCERT FOR THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY LOVE RIDE, TAKING PLACE OCTOBER 26, WITH JAY LENO RETURNING AS THE CHARITY EVENT'S GRAND MARSHALL