LA Calendar Motorcycle Show

2010/08/10 10:31 Filed in: Events and Rides
Living in Arizona has its advantages. Arizona is so close to the left coast that riding to California is much easier than making the two-day plus ride from Texas. Jammin’ to Northern California is a haul, 750 miles; So Cal is half the distance. Crossing the desert can be a challenge, especially when the long hot summers in Phoenix start to wear on you. Once across, riding the Pacific Coast Highway is a real treat.

My last trip to So Cal included a stop at the LA Calendar Motorcycle Show. The one-day event is held in Long Beach, within spitting distance of the Queen Mary … right on the ocean. Bikernet.com, who has been kind enough to publish several of my stories, is one of the sponsors of the show. Since I was already in El Lay, a friend and I spent a couple hours walking the show. I was able to visit my publisher, see some of the hot new builds that the locals are putting together and enjoy the sweet ocean breeze. Sometimes in life are better than others; this was one of the good times!

Old school definitely rules, at least at this year’s show. Custom bobbers and choppers (there is a definite difference), Harleys and British brands were the predominate species. There were a several sport bikes (Ducatis and Hayabusas) and a few slick hundred-grand customs that seem to be fading from popularity, probably because of the tough economy. Entertainment included continual live music from various chick-bands, a complimentary tour of the Queen Mary and the occasional calendar girl who always seemed willing to pose with a bike or an attendee. One of my favorite displays was a wheelie machine that tempted audience participation and attempted to teach you how to lift the front wheel of somebody else’s bike off the ground and keep it in the air.

A few vendors were hawking their wares at the show, one especially, caught my eye. Advanced Innovative Machinery (AIM) offers a really cool reverse gear kit called the “Mamba”. The manufacturer is in Japan and has been making reverse kits for over twenty years. The kit mounts just inside the transmission cover and has a little stick-shift the rider uses to select reverse. Installation looks pretty simple; just the thing for big bikes and old guys with bad legs.

The show was small and relaxed, much like the day. There were a couple hundred bikes on display and a steady stream of riders stopping
by to spend part of their Sunday enjoying the exhibits. I got to see my publisher and spend a little time talking to him about his latest custom build, the 5-Ball Factory Racer and the latest progress report on his Bonneville bikes. The 5-Ball Factory Racer is a hundred inch Indian (the new Indian) motor cradled in a Paughco board track style frame. The Bonneville project bikes include the World’s Fastest Panhead and a new Harley Peashooter that will both compete in this year’s Bub sponsored Motorcycle Speed Trials at the end of August.

Hit the link to Raoul’s World to see additional pics from the show.

Raoul