No matter if you’re a long time veteran or a newbie still logging your first 500 miles, chances are right about this time (if not sooner) there’s been some discussion amongst you and your buds about the Sturgis rally. Surrounded by amazing roads, jaw-dropping scenery, and historic sites, as well as being part of the largest two-wheeled party in the world, Sturgis is the opportunity to make dreams come true and lasting memories. As you begin to plan your trip, one of the most important details to nail down is where you’re going to lay your weary head at the end of each night.

Every August, hundreds of thousands of bikers flock to the annual soiree, the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis, South Dakota, to blow off a little—maybe a lot of—steam. Folks save for months, even years, to make the pilgrimage to the Black Hills in search of fun, freedom, and good times thanks to the weeklong rally.

Born to ride!” is the credo Harley-Davidson Rider’s Edge instructor Leonard Applebum has his students declare on the first day of class. “Nothing could be further from the truth,” was my initial thought. Whereas all eight of my classmates introduced themselves with tales of childhood glory on dirt bikes, peer pressure from bike-inclined friends and acquaintances, even vintage bikes being passed from grandfathers to fathers, my story included no such mysticism. I’m just a nerdy English major who likes sports, video games, and happened to land a job proofreading motorcycle articles for HOT BIKE and Hot Rod Bikes nine years ago. No one in my family or circle of friends away from the office rides. Born to ride? More like, born not to ride.

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Online registration for the 1st Annual Vegas Poker Run closes on April 24. Register today so you don't miss out on the great prices ($10 more if you register the day of the ride) or the great ride!

While traveling through Michigan this past summer, we made it a point to spend the weekend of July 15-17 hanging around the Michigan Lakeshore community of Muskegon to attend what’s been billed as America’s Fastest Growing Bike Event, the Muskegon Bike Time Event. Even though it had only been about two weeks since the country celebrated the Fourth of July, thousands upon thousands of people were on had in the small downtown area of Muskegon and everyone still seemed to be in party mode.

Situated in the Black Hills of South Dakota lies a town rich in history, rich in beauty, rich in entertainment, and rich in gold-mining glory. Deadwood is best known as the place where Wild Bill Hickok was shot in the back of the head by Jack McCall’s revolver during a poker game at the Number Ten Saloon. After being gunned down in cold blood, Wild Bill is now celebrated as a legend, a gunfighter, and a poker player, among other things. It’s sort of apropos that bikers flock to Deadwood because of its Wild West roots and ideology. It’s almost as if they’re in search of their own inner outlaw come Sturgis Motorcycle Rally week. Rally-goers have a new place they can call home during bike week, the Deadwood Mountain Grand Resort and Casino (DMG), Deadwood’s new-old king of the hill.

Riding is therapeutic. Hence the adage: “You’ll never see a motorcycle parked outside a psychiatrist’s office.” Truer words have never been spoken. Sometimes getting away from it all when things get tense is the only plausible idea. And an extended two-wheeled adventure to rediscover “you” is definitely a great way to restore some much-needed sanity. I was in dire need of a vacation. My soul needed reviving, and one of my favorite quotes from The Shawshank Redemption kept popping into my mind: “Get busy livin’ or get busy dyin’.” Since this was around the time of the Republic of Texas (ROT) Rally in Texas’ capital city, Austin, I focused on getting there any way I could. The timing was perfect too; I’d just been introduced to a couple of gentlemen that were also looking to escape the grind. They, like I, needed to find solace in a good old-fashioned road trip.

(February 21, 2012--Daytona, FL) When event promoters Carrie Repp of R&R Promotions and Ken Conte of Rise Above Consulting first launched their 'Biker Fusion' fundraiser, they had no idea how much the motorcycle industry and other enthusiasts would take to the idea of coming together for a party during Daytona Beach Bike Week that would benefit a great cause. Five years later and over 60 thousand dollars raised, both Conte and Repp wouldn't have it any other way and are now organizing their 5th Annual Biker Fusion Party on Thursday, March 15, 2012 at 7:00 PM at the Doghouse Bar and Grill on Main Street in Daytona. The fundraiser will once again benefit Soldiers' Angels, a volunteer-led non-profit that provides aid and comfort to active servicemen and women of the U.S. military as well as veterans and their families. Soldiers' Angels go to great lengths to demonstrate care and concern for those who fight daily for our freedom and safety.

The AMD World Championship alums are unstoppable as last year’s second place finisher, Steven Lacona’s bike, Challenger, took first place in the Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show MOD Harley class. His bike is built off a 1996 XL and sports a Springer front end with Invader wheels front and back.

The winner of the MOD Harley class at the Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show in Dallas was two brothers, Jimmie Lee and JC Coen, owners of Three Two Choppers of Fort Worth, Texas. There bike, "AMFU," finished a wheel ahead of Joseph Russell's "Back in Red & Black" 2010 Harley-Davidson Road Glide for first place in Hot Bike's Modified Harley Class. The 1983 Harley FXE drop seat sled sports a HIPO Shovelhead mil. This hot rod has a lot of old-school touches like a Morris Magneto, Dennis Goodson air cleaner, Mooneyes spun aluminum oil tank and kick start. The brothers took home a $2,000 check for their effort.

Joe Cooper of Copper Smithing Co. brought GunBaby to the Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show. The bike he brought to Seattle came back to him from a build nearly 3 years ago. The bike was sold off as a project and Joe hadn't seen it since. Low and behold it found its way back to Copper Smithing Co. virtually unchanged from where the firm had left it. Initially Joe was excited, but he soon found that 3 additional years of fabricating experience left him unsatisfied with a few parts previously built. Some of the updates to the bike include the tail section, rear sprocket and timing cover.

The old engine whirred along through the Outback heat, its slight mechanical clatter mixing with the sweet exhaust-note staccato that only a 1940s Harley-Davidson V-twin can make. A faint aroma of heavyweight mineral oil wafted up to the rider, who was settled in a comfortable slouch on his tractor-like seat. The rider looked over his shoulder to confirm the exact position of his fellow riders. Their presence was already apparent by the rising and falling of the exhaust resonance that occurs when motorcycles run in close formation. The sound was like a group of World War I biplanes, out on a mission. This was a mission, too. It was an attempt to ride a group of hand-shift, foot-clutch Harleys on a six-week circuit of the continent of Australia.

There’s one really good thing about Mexico: its grittiness weeds out the weak. With all the news about corruption, drug wars, and mayhem, most people are scared shitless to venture south of the border these days. Much of the news is true—Mexico can be a dangerous place; but so can Detroit, Los Angeles, and Baltimore. It’s all about self-awareness, self-reliance, and strength in numbers. Greasy guys on old motorcycles are hard targets for banditos. A big pack of greasy dudes hauling ass in broad daylight is even tougher to pin down. Even though a little danger is part of the deal, so far, no one on the El Diablo Run has been kidnapped or died in a firefight. Mainstream media always makes a big stink about the dangers of Mexico, and that’s just the way we like it.

After a rash of motorcycle deaths happened (due to inattentive motorists) in central Illinois, I decided to start an event on Facebook at 8 am calling it "Rainman's Can You See Me Now" parade. The last death had been Willie Wiker who was hit by a lady running a red light. By noon of the day I made the Facebook, I had more than 700 people confirming to attend the event.

Art is an expression of inner beauty and emotion in so many forms. Whether it’s oil on canvas, music, performance art, two-wheeled sculpture, or lifestyle photography, all represent and evoke emotion, and more importantly showcase that inner self in the creator’s work. Michael Lichter’s Motorcycles as Art: Eternal Combustion exhibit at the 70th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally illustrates what humanity is capable of producing.

HOT BIKE is heading east this coming September to be on hand for the 10th anniversary memorial event of the September 11th tragedies. We will be flying out to Pennsylvania to pay our respects to those that lost their lives on Flight 93. There are several events taking place leading up to and around this event. Two major rides are the Ride With the 40 and the Let's Roll Ride. The Ride with the 40 event starts in California and is a 10-day ride across the country ending at the crash site in Shanksville, PA. The goal of the Ride With the 40 event is to raise $250,000 for the Flight 93 National Memorial with 100-percent of all donations going directly to building the Memorial and to help bring remembrance of the heroic deeds of the 40 passengers that lost their lives on Flight 93. For more information on Ride With the 40 visit ridewiththe40.org.

KANSAS CITY, Mo., August 15, 2011 - The Station Rally, a family event that will include music by area bands, food and beverages and the opportunity to experience Art of the Chopper, will be held at Union Station Saturday, August 27, from noon to 10 p.m. Free parking for thousands of motorcycles will be provided.

When you go to an AMA event and the Superbikes are on the track, or the Super Sports, or the Daytona Sportbikes are on the track, nobody knows which is which because they all sound the same! When the Harleys are on the track, everybody in the place, everybody, says, ‘The Harleys are out there!’ explains Terry Vance, president of Vance & Hines regarding the AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Racing Series. ‘We can’t go to an event without people knowing we are out there.’”

Ever dreamed of taking a hot lap on a prestigious racecourse aboard a Harley-Davidson XR1200? Check out this video of Kyle Wyman (#33) as he takes a practice lap on the Road America course in preparation for last week's AMA Pro Vance and Hines XR1200 race at the Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin track.

The Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) from Southern California to Northern California is one of the most scenic stretches in the US. When taking it on a proper rig like a ’10 Victory Cross Roads, it’s substantially better than driving in a stuffy car.

Don’t worry riders, there are plenty of bike-centric goings on, such as loud pipe, Baker Drivetrain Smoke-down Showdown, and S&S Smokeout burnout contests.

It's funny how things work sometimes. For example, in the latest issue I wrote about, Harley-Davidson's private media launch of its new model, the Black Line, held at Don Hills in Manhattan, New York. In that article I mentioned another mid-year launch I was invited to by H-D in West Hollywood, California, at the Viper Room, for the Cross Bones. Being that both models were sort of stripped down and blacked out, the venues for the very informal parties made perfect sense; seedy and gritty bars where uncle Jack and his sidekick Mr. Pabst reigned supreme. Both events were nearly perfect evenings, except for one thing, no live music!