Monthly Archives: March 2011

The Machine

Hot Leathers bringing you savings to kick off the season, Hurry up This Weekend!

Hot Leathers New England stores are having an End of Winter Sale this weekend, March 19 & 20. Receive 25% Off your entire purchase.*
Join the Sale-A-Bration at Hot Leathers!
Weekend hours: SAT 10am – 8pm;  SUN 10am – 5pm
Hot Leathers CT: 1017 Sullivan Avenue, South Windsor, CT
Hot Leathers MA: 79 Swansea Mall Drive, Swansea, MA
Hot Leathers RI: 90 Newport Avenue, East Providence, RI
Speaking off kicking off the season Hot Leathers is just wrapping up it’s first stop of the 2011 Rally season, Daytona. As a presenting sponsor at this year’s fourth annual Seminole Hard Rock Roadhouse Biker Fusion event. One of the most attended charity events during Daytona Beach Bike Week, the fourth installment proved to be a colossal success. Motorcycle builders, industry elite and enthusiasts congregated at the Doghouse Bar and Grill on Main Street Daytona where they raised over $11,000 for 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 daily fight for our freedom and safety.
In addition to acting as presenting sponsor for the event, Hot Leathers also took the stage at one point to unveil the 2011 Motorcycles as Art exhibition theme and logo. Together with the Legendary Buffalo Chip and celebrated motorcycle artist and photographer, Michael Lichter, this year’s internationally renowned exhibit is entitled, “Slant Artist-An Eccentric View of Motorcycles as Art” and will focus on the works of artist, Jeff Decker. Also unveiled was the new exhibit logo, created by the innovative minds at Hot Leathers.
Hot Leathers also chose Daytona Beach Bike Week as the culmination to their online model search. Having virtually combed the nation for models that depict the spirit of Hot Leathers, the lucky winners got to experience their very own photo shoot on the beaches of Daytona during Bike Week.
We would have to say it looks like we can expect to see lots more from Hot Leathers this Rally Season and hats off to them for their great work with Soldiers Angels.  Now if your in the New England area get over to one of their retail locations to take advantage of those great savings!
Cruisin' Companions

PUNKY

6 year old Domestic Longhair
Hi! My name is Punky. I’m a friendly and loving girl who loves adults and children alike. My desire in life is very simple: I want to find the perfect forever home with a family who can shower me with love and affection! 

I used to live with another cat, but it didn’t bring out the best in me. So, I would really love to go to a home where I can be the only cat. I want to be the center of your attention! I may get along with dogs. If you have one, we can talk about it and see if it would work out.

I’m sure you’ll be smitten with my beautiful orange coat and my purr-fect personality. So what are you waiting for? Come to Animal Friends and ask to meet me!
The Machine

Garage-Girls Profile, Kara Bowman; One Fast Gal!

This time around we feature one heck of a speedy Garage-Girl, growing up in the garage led her to fall right into her fathers footsteps, smashing the gas pedal to the floor at the drag strip!  Kara is really living the garage lifestyle and she took a few minutes to share her life with us!
GG. Tell us about you, where are you from, what are you into and what do you like to do with your free time?
KB. From a small town called Mamont, near Murrysville PA.  I am into anything automotive related. I have a love for Mopars and my passion is drag racing. What free time? Between my normal job of 50+ hours a week, night classes for continuing education, managing my father’s custom engine building shop bowmanperformance.com, corresponding for Mopar Collectors Guide TV series called Mopr TV moprtv.com, and maintaining all the racing stuff somehow I manage to hang with friends, tinker in the garage, target shoot and do some fishing! haha.
GG. How did you find your passion for your Drag Racing? How long have you been doing it?
KB. I guess you can say I was “born” into racing.  My father and both Uncles all are drag racers. I grew up at the track.  My father calls my brother and I “Track Brats”.  We spent 75% of our time at the track.  I had Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars, not Barbie Dolls as a kid.  As soon as I received my license I have been racing, unbeknownst to my father at the time, I took my 89 Chrysler New Yorker to the track and raced in the Highschool and Trophy classes.  Then when I won, I had to break the news.  He then accepted the fact that this wasn’t just a phase, I lived for it.
GG. What do you love most about racing?
KB. What isn’t there to love? Honestly, the burnout! It’s the start of unleashing raw horsepower, then you approach the line, you look at your opponent, then the race is on!
GG. Do you have a sweet car or a motorcycle besides the one you race?
KB. I do not own a motorcycle yet…I would like Santa to bring me a Harley Sportster Nightrider! I have a 1964 Plymouth Sport Fury that is still undergoing construction.  It will more than likely be a Max Wedge NSS racer but I am considering a HEMI.
GG. What are you most passionate about in life?
KB. Wow, lots of things.  I try to be a very positive person, many times things will not go the right way but you must keep pushing forward and look ahead. I will go to my favorite quotes for this one, I read these daily! “Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently”; “Life isn’t about how you survived the storm, it’s about how you danced in the rain”; “Be kind to others. Everyone you know is fighting their own battle.”
GG. Is there anything you would love to learn to do?
KB. Speak another language
GG. Where would you most like to visit?
KB. New England Coast or a major National Park
GG. What is your idea of relaxing?
KB. A car show, park the shined up car, grab your beverage of choice and bench race all day long while getting a tan!
GG. What type of music do you normally listen to?
KB. Everything, I listen to it all, more country and rock than anything.  I love 80’s music and even Motown. haha
GG. Do you collect anything?
KB. I love to collect vintage automotive magazines, decals and signs.
Thanks Kara for taking the time to share a little of your super awesome Garage Lifestyle with us, be sure to drop us a line and keep us up-to-date with your racing!
The Body

Put a little “Bristol” in your Spring Step

So long to our wintry rest, soon the naked earth will burst with color and we will wander about enjoying the suns golden kiss of warmth and dread the winds chilling touch. Springtime is upon us and we found the perfect boot to trek outdoors in this time of the year.  No doubt the grounds are soaked, muddy and brown and what is worse than wet cold feet? Blech…. Well for this spring season our mission was a boot  that wasn’t too bulky, had good flex and movement so we could trek around the wet hillsides,  but at the same time be sturdy enough to ride a moto-bike, and above all else be comfortable.

Eureka! The Bristol Boot by Harley-Davidson Footwear meets our above criteria to a “T”.  The Full grain leather upper is not too thick and plenty soft enough to be flexible.  The cushion sole is key to keeping the “footsies” happy and the Goodyear welt construction rubber outsole provides that solid footing you need this time of the year.  We are so happy with this boot that we want to share a pair with you. Thats right you have a chance to win a pair for yourself!  Head on over to our facebook page and “like” the post about the Bristol Boot. You’ll be entered into our random pick contest where one name will be randomly picked as the winner!  Hurry deadline to “like” the post is March 20th (first day of Spring) 5pm EST. (thats this Sunday, so get a move on!) Winner will be announced Monday the 21st on our facebook page.

The Machine

Get your Charge On!

Inspecting the battery
Well finally most of us are defrosting and starting to see signs of spring, and we all know what that means…. Time to clear a path to our toys in the garage and pull ’em out!  The biggest problem you will see with spring time initial start up is the battery. If you were smart and kept your battery connected to a battery tender you should be 100% ready to roll, if not here is some info on battery’s and what to do next!
When you make your way to your battery the top  should be clean from dirt and residue.  If the cables and terminals have any oxidation or corrosion you will need to clean them with a wire brush or a piece of sandpaper. Check all the fasteners for tightness and any breakage. Look at the battery posts to make sure they haven’t been warped from overheating. Basically look the whole battery over for cracks or warps etc.   If your bike won’t start and it seems the battery is dead this is when having a volt meter comes in handy as this is what you’ll use to test the voltage of the battery. More often than not you’ll find that checking the cables for loose terminals, corrosion, frayed ends or worn insulation leading to a short is more than likely the culprit of the dead battery. If you don’t have a volt meter, call your local shop to get your bike in for an appointment and have the shop do a voltage test for you. A great safe and easy way to maintain the life of your battery is with a battery tender. This will charge the battery for you and keep your battery fully charged, prolonging the life of your battery.   When you hook the battery charger to the battery, red is for positive and black is for negative. Your tender will tell you when the battery is fully charged.  I recommend you take the battery off the bike to charge it, if the battery would happen to overcharge it can overflow and the acid would do things to your bike that won’t be pretty or safe to parts on your bike. (most batteries these days are a sealed type where they can’t overflow, so that might not be an issue for you) If you’re using a motorcycle Battery Tender you won’t have to worry about overcharging. The battery Tender will shut off automatically. Make sure the charger is turned off before you hook the battery up to it. Same thing when disconnecting, Have the charger turned off before removing the connectors.  If you do take the battery out of the bike the positive gets disconnected last when removing, and connected first when re-installing. Make sure you refer to your service manual before attempting battery removal.  NOTE. Always disconnect the negative cable first when removing, and connect the negative cable last when re-installing.  If when testing you find your battery is dead, then it’s time for a new battery. Head over to your local shop and get hooked up.
The Machine

Michael Lichter’s Eleventh Annual Motorcycles as Art Exhibit: Slant Artist-An Eccentric View on Motorcycles and Art

The Legendary Buffalo Chip is proud to announce this year’s distinctive yet unconventional theme for Michael Lichter’s 2011 Motorcycle as Art exhibition. Sure to be a spectacle of a masterpiece, this year’s exhibition, “Slant Artist-An Eccentric View on Motorcycles and Art” will focus on avant-garde artist, Jeff Decker.  If you are not familiar with Jeff and his work, well now is your chance to get the full on deal of Decker!
In addition to Jeff’s ten beautiful bronze sculptures, there will be a large and eclectic display of motorcycles and wall art culled from his personal collection, friends and other artists filling the 7,000 square foot gallery. Jeff will also be working on a new sculpture in the gallery for several hours each day during which time visitors can chat and ask questions from the basics of “lost wax” bronze casting process to motorcycle history or how “Slant Artists”, the incredible motorcycle racers who climb steep inclines against the clock and each other, have impressed him. Each person will be challenged to come away with their own understanding of Jeff’s inspirations, aspirations and what makes this eccentric tick, and perhaps what inspires artists in general.
Bikes from Decker’s own collection include historic pieces such as his 1914 Harley-Davidson Twin (that he rode across the United States in the Motorcycle Cannonball race) to unusual bikes like his 1930 H-D DAH hillclimber or a 1949 H-D WR racer.  He has personally customized machines that were previously considered off-limits, like his 1941 Crocker and his 1952 Vincent.  Add to the mix his respect for bikes like ex-pro-boarder Jason Jessee’s 1949 Black Tibetan Panhead and many of Cole Foster’s bikes and you can see how diverse this artist really is.
Decker’s interests lie not only with motorcycle related sculpture, but all aspects of motorcycling.  With his fascination for motorcycling history and with the aid of the impressive library on the subject he has built, Decker’s understanding is thorough and deep. He could easily fill a position for historian or archivist if one were posted, and if he were looking. Of course, Decker is much too busy and happy doing what he does, which in addition to sculpting has him collaborating with Langlitz Leather, reviving great motorcycle history and many such endeavors throughout Italy and Japan.
The passion for motorcycling and art that you sense in Decker’s presence can be traced back to his childhood, when his father took him along on visits to Steve McQueen, Ed Roth and Von Dutch.  As a young aspiring artist, he worked with well-known sculptor Stanley Wanless.  Today, Decker’s own sculptures (the only sculptures to be licensed by Harley-Davidson) are collected and exhibited around the world. His commissions have grown in scale to the point that a 16’ 5,000 pound bronze now graces the entrance to the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee.
Regarding his involvement with the Motorcycles as Art Exhibition, Jeff Decker states “Since the inception of Michael Lichter’s museum quality exhibits in Sturgis, I’ve been able to participate in them often and am extremely honored to be the focal point this year.”
“These yearly exhibitions are not only a labor of love but a chance for me to openly express my creativity and introduce friends and colleagues to a venue and audience that have been incredibly loyal and generous,” explains Lichter.
Visit www.motorcyclesasart.com for more information.
The Body

Kale is King

Usually this time of year everyone starts to get focused again on eating healthier, fresher and lighter. We have been hearing lots about Kale so we decided to do some digging around and find out more on why we should be eating more of this green stuff!
For a green, kale is unusually high in fiber. This helps create the bulk you need to fill you up and to keep you full for a good amount of time. Kale is also an excellent source of nutrients, especially vitamin A and calcium along With a combination of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients.
Health Benefits of Kale
Though greens in general are nutritious foods, kale stands a head above the rest. Not only is it one of your best sources of beta-carotene, one of the antioxidants believed by many nutrition experts to be a major player in the battle against cancer, heart disease, and certain age-related chronic diseases, it also provides other important nutrients.
In addition to beta-carotene, kale posses other important carotenoids: lutein and zeaxathin. These carotenoids help keep UV rays from damaging the eyes and causing cataracts.
According to recent research results, kale is an incredible source of well-absorbed calcium, which is one of the many factors that may help prevent osteoporosis. It also provides decent amounts of vitamin C, folic acid, vitamin B6, manganese, and potassium.
The manganese in kale helps your body’s own antioxidant defense system, superoxide dismutase, protecting you from damaging free radicals. Its folate and B6 team up to keep homocysteine levels down, which may help prevent heart disease, dementia, and osteoporosis bone fractures.  Here is a great recipe shared by Karen.  Go get some Kale!

Kale Parmesan Salad

Adapted from Plate Magazine (May/June 2010)    Serves 4

1/2 pound kale (one bunch)

3 tablespoons olive oil

Juice of one large lemon

1/2 cup dried currants

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

1/2 cup pine nuts

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced

Wash and dry kale thoroughly. Remove the tough stem from the center of each leaf using a very sharp knife. Roll the leaves up like a cigar and cut into chiffonade. Place the kale into a large bowl. Add olive oil and work through leaves with clean hands, massaging gently to soften the leaves and distribute the oil evenly. Add the lemon juice and continue tossing with your hands. Add currants, Parmesan, pine nuts and sun-dried tomatoes. Toss again, then serve.

Quick Tips

1. Tossing kale with your hands may seem like a messy task, but working through the leaves in this way really softens them up. The salad should be soft by the time you are ready to serve.

2. I have tried drizzling a little balsamic reduction syrup on this and it’s delicious! Try it if you have some on hand.

3. I use sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil for this recipe. In this photo, I used shredded Parmesan but I think freshly grated Parmesan gives a better end result.