Michael's Blog

Stop at Kermitts Bar and Grill during the Flatirons Harley-Davidson Memorial Day MDA run out of Boulder, CO. Photo ©1983 Michael Lichter.

Kermitts was a great way-point where we'd stop for a cold one and some chile while riding a mountain loop in the Rockies NW of Denver.

Dean Bordigioni riding his 1-cylinder 1-speed 1914 Harley-Davidson on the Motorcycle Cannonball. Stage 7 (274 miles) from Cedar Rapids to Spirit Lake, IA. Friday September 14, 2018. Photo ©2018 Michael Lichter.

This image of Dean Bordigioni in the Motorcycle Cannonball shows the determination that went into riding coast to coast on a single-cylinder ~7hp single-speed 1914 Harley-Davidson without missing a single mile, and taking the first place trophy home at the end.

Sugar Bear leads the way on the Lichter / Sugar Bear ride from the Broken Spoke County Line during the annual Sturgis Black Hills Motorcycle Rally. Sturgis, SD, USA. August 2, 2009. Photo ©2009 Michael Lichter.

Sugar Bear, the legend who has said, "If it ain’t long, it’s wrong" has a very fitting logo of a big red heart with wings.

Harass the Police, Sturgis, SD 1980. Photo ©1980 Michael Lichter

Flag Bike. Milwaukee, WI. 2008. Photo ©2008 Michael Lichter

Cracked Cases. Shinya on the Road. Lawton, OK. 2010

Cracked Cases. Shinya on the Road. Lawton, OK. 2010

Choppers at Junction and Main, Sturgis, SD, 1979. Photo ©1979 Michael Lichter. Where is everybody? The busiest corner in Sturgis on the busiest day of the rally. Rossini went on to create his famous tattoo parlor in the barber shop. While Rossini died in 2003 and the building was eventually scraped, but it’s still the best corner to watch the scene. Enough time has passed that the look has come back - the long front ends, metal flake, pull back bars, maybe just not the Honda chopper.

I've made some positive changes to the upcoming Sturgis Motorcycles as Art Exhibition! We had a great Cycle Source Shoptalk podcast last night with 4 of the 38 builders in this year's Sturgis “Heavy Mettle - Motorcycles and Art with Moxie” exhibition at the Buffalo Chip. It now has the qualifier "UNLOCKED EDITION"

Like a Rolling Stone. Lusk, WY. 1982. Photo ©1982 Michael Lichter. "How does it feel, To be on your own, With no direction home, Like a complete unknown, Like a rolling stone?"

Like a Rolling Stone. Lusk, WY. 1982. Anyone know the story behind this bike?

Labor Day Run. Lake Perry, KS. September, 1984. Photo ©1984 Michael Lichter.

They conquered, then they fell. Typical morning scene after a big party night at Lake Perry, KS 1984

Sebastien Lorentz of Lucky Cats Garage in Chartres, France piloting Belgian custom bike builder Brice Hennebert’s 2018 Indian Scout Bobber LSR racer repurposed for ice racing at the Baikal Mile Ice Speed Festival. Maksimiha, Siberia, Russia. Friday, February 28, 2020. Photography ©2020 Michael Lichter.

With summer in full swing, let’s cool down a bit. I hope this image makes you feel like you’re standing in front of an air conditioner on full blast. That’s what it was like in Siberia at the Baikal Mile

Bean’re pushes Timo Richard for miles back to base at the Wharf Rat Rally. Digby, Nova Scotia. Canada. August 30, 2012. Photography ©2012 Michael Lichter.

This is how you do it when you breakdown. WOW - is Beanre' really still in Vietnam? After 8-months riding all over the country (and missing our COVID lock-down), is he really coming home as he says he is?

Labor Day Run. Lake Perry, KS. September, 1984. Photo ©1984 Michael Lichter.

I have to do some digging, but I believe this was shot at Lake Perry in 1985. Maybe you recognize the scene and can confirm, but in the meantime, it makes me think of summer, and then my mind wanders to music like “Summertime, and the livin' is easy, Fish are jumpin' and the cotton is high” by George Gershwin/DuBose Heyward (covered by Janis Joplin with Big Brother, Billie Holliday, Ella Fitzgerald and basically everybody.) 

Riding Into the Weir's, Laconia, NH, 1999. Photo ©1999 Michael Lichter. It builds all week. By late afternoon Thursday, bikes are overheating and backed up over a mile waiting to get into the Weir’s. They turn their engines off and coast down the long hill beside the Lobster Pound. They tell stories and jokes. Visitors and locals line the gauntlet as they cheer, heckle and taunt. Occasionally their cries are answered with a burnout or dropped top. It's all part of the week and part of the fun.

Riding Into the Weir's, Laconia, NH, 1999. And a Happy Father's Day to all you fathers out there. In an unusual twist, with more than 30 years of Father’s Days in Laconia for Motorcycle Week, not today. Instead, I’m looking forward to dinner in the yard with my kids this year. Looking back, this image was made during the peak years. 

Late Night at Rudy's. Sturgis. SD. 1981. Photo ©1981 Michael Lichter.

Sturgis is on, even if it's not what it was 40 years ago (or even 2-years ago!) Who knows, maybe it will be more like 40-years ago than 2-years ago! Anyone out there remember "Chef Rudy’s,” the truck stop at exit 30 we used to eat at? I titled this one "Late Night at Rudy's. Sturgis. SD. 1981". #sturgis, @sturgisrally, #sturgisrally, @sturgisrallysd, @harleydavidson, #harleydavidson #harleydavidsonmotorcycles, #nikonlove, #nikonlife, #nikonnofilter, @nikonusA

Ryan Allen of NM takes a break from riding his 1916 Indian at the Mesa Trading Post in Arizona during the Motorcycle Cannonball Race of the Century. Stage-11 ride from Durango, CO to Page, AZ. USA. Wednesday September 21, 2016. Photo ©2016 Michael Lichter.

This photo of Cannonballer Ryan Allen of NM with his 1916 Indian Powerplus keeps growing on me. It was taken on a break from the 2016 Cannonball Centennial Run (all 100-year-old bikes) at the Mesa Trading Post in Earp, AZ (I got the town name from one listener, and then Ryan posted that it has since been demolished and replaced by a modern gas station). We were riding from Durango, CO to Page, AZ and it was plenty hot. This was the photo I talked about last week with Jason Sims, Ron Nussbaum, and Chris Callen during my “Thousand Words” segment of the Wednesday night weekly Cannonball Chronicles podcast.