Michael's Blog

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

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

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.

Young Couple on Dresser, City Park, Sturgis, South Dakota, 1980. Photo ©1980 Michael Lichter.

“Young Couple, Sturgis. 1980” was taken in City Park. It’s a simple title, and that’s all I know about them. Maybe you can fill me in on the details like who they actually are and where they come from. In 1980, most came from surrounding states, and usually just for a couple of nights (just like me!) I like the image for a number of reasons, not least of which is I like the couple (or at least what they represent), the soft light and great tonalities of the black and white, and of course, the setting with all those pup tents in the background as well as the cool bikes scattered about City Park.

“What the Hey?” Bill Dodge after a pass at the Baker Burnouts at the Sturgis Buffalo Chip in 2009. Photo ©2009 Michael Lichter

Bill Dodge after a pass at the Baker Burnouts at the Sturgis Buffalo Chip in 2009. He sure doesn’t look happy as he says (or I imagine him to be saying), “What the Hey?” I’m guessing there was a rematch in this 1st to 5th gear competition from Baker Drivetrain, but regardless, Bill is always a gentleman and the best of sports, so I’m sure it was solved amicably with no blows dealt.

City Streets, New York City, 1981. Photo ©1981 Michael Lichter

City Streets, New York City, 1981 and a terrible omission on my part today - I can’t find the negative of this image! I have a small file big enough to post today, but for all my organizational efforts and skills, the negative for this particular shot and one other (Wall of Death, Egypt 1978) that I would really like to find and make prints from are eluding me! What stands out for me is both the sense of “Time” and “Place”. It is so “New York City” and so “1970s”.

Grudge Racing Near Bear Butte, Sturgis, SD. 1980. Photo ©1980 Michael Lichter. Burning rubber racing Highway 79 by Bear Butte. Happy Smith watching, Crazy John on his Honda. No center line. A blown piston ends the fun and I survive a high speed wobble racing back to town. Maybe the 7th Cavalry made up games here 100 years earlier?

Grudge Racing Near Bear Butte. Sturgis, SD. 1980. Can you imagine?

Exactly 40 years ago, stopping in a gas station with the Tribe MC in New York City. Photo ©1980 Michael Lichter.

Exactly 40 years ago, stopping in a gas station with the Tribe MC in New York City. 

Russell Mitchell gets a hard time from a cop on Main Street during Daytona Beach Bike Week. Photo ©2007 Michael Lichter

Here is an image from 2007 of Russell Mitchell of Excile Cycles having a little fun, and a simultaneous run-in with the powers that be during Daytona Bike Week. These were the times of the Discovery Channel Biker Build-Offs...