June Thunder Roads Magazine of Iowa

MAGAZINE R

VOLUME 1 ISSUE 6 JUNE 2010

Also Inside This IssueNew and Improved!

New Owner/Editor Takes Over99 Counties on the Wall

Event CoverageCentral Iowa Biker Day

AMERICA’S FASTEST GROWING BIKER PUBLICATION

Established 1999

FREETAKE ONE

IOWA

Carroll Cycle Center Rock N’ RideJune 5th

Food, Bands, Demo Rides

It is official; Thunder Roads Magazine of Iowa has a new owner. My name is Tina Schwarte, aka “TT” and I have recently purchased Thunder Roads Magazine of Iowa. With the help of my wonderful husband and a team we have personally selected, we want to produce the magazine everyone wants to turn to for the latest events, pictures, after the event coverage, and about the motorcyclist of Iowa. We have many new ideas for the magazine and plan to build on the established format to make it even better for Iowa.

To tell you a little about myself; I was born and raised in Colorado, left home after graduating early and joined the United States Marine Corp. With time served for my country and an honorably discharged I moved to Iowa in the fall of 1992 to the Waterloo/Cedar Falls area. Then in 1997 found my home in Southwest Iowa. I have spent seventeen years of my adult life working in book keeping and for the last five years have been working as a Registered Nurse. The departments I work in are the emergency room and as a charge nurse on medical/surgical floor. Since coming to Southwest Iowa I have volunteered my time as an emer-gency medical technician, fire fighter, and numerous other community activities.

I have been involved with “bikes” (engine or not) since I was a child. Riding a dirt bike in my early teens on the community trails, I even got pulled over on the way home by the local police and had to walk the bike the rest of the way due to no license and registration. From then on I would ride on the back whenever the opportunity presented itself. In 2007 my spouse bought a new bike, and I would ride on the back with him going to the city and such. This is when I decided to take the rider safety class to be a better passen-ger. The class was so good that half way through we were out shopping for a bike for me. Starting with a Nightster I put over 5,500 miles on then was ready for something bigger. The 2008 Softail Deluxe was a perfect match and currently has about 32,000 miles. I love to be out on the open road and see the country side, catch the different scents of each area, and meet the people. I have traveled over much of the United States and keep coming back to Iowa. This state has heart.

As with any transition there have been glitches and if you have any questions, requests, or concerns that have not been previously addressed please contact Vernon or myself.

See you in the wind,TT ; )

Thunder Roads Magazine of Iowawww.thunderroadsiowa.com

P.O. Box 29Kimballton, Iowa 51543

(712) [email protected]

Owner/Editor

Tina (TT) Schwarte(712) 249-5582

[email protected]

EditorVernon Schwarte


Sunshine and Jason Kluver, Regional Sales Representatives

(Des Moines Metro)(515) 402-3021

[email protected]

Chris Vasquez Regional Sales Representative(Cedar Rapids Metro)


Josh and Pam Brown Regional Sales Representatives(SE Iowa Area)563-571-1617

[email protected]

Brenda Carney Regional Sales Representative(Boone and Surrounding Area)


Tim Gessert Regional Sale Representative(West Central Iowa Area)

[email protected]

Layout and DesignWarren Ells, Art Director

Thunder [email protected]

National FoundersToni McCoy Shearon & Brian Shearon

1528 Matlock DriveChapmansboro, TN 37035

Office: (615) 792-0040 Fax: (615) [email protected]

CONTENTS

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NO PART OF ITS CONTENT MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT WRIT-TEN PERMISSION. PUBLISHER ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY AND IS NOT TO BE HELD LI-ABLE FOR ERRORS BEYOND THE COST OF THE SPACE OCCUPIED BY THE ERROR, SLANDER OF ANY GROUP OR INDIVIDUAL, FAILURE TO PRODUCE ANY ISSUE AS SCHEDULED DUE TO REASONS BEYOND OUR CONTROL, ANY AND ALL SUITS FOR LIABLE, PLAGIARISM, COPY-RIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND UNAUTHORIZED USE OF A PERSON’S NAME OR PHOTOGRAPH. OPINIONS AND CLAIMS MADE BY ADVERTISERS AND AUTHORS ARE THEIR OWN, AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE POLICY OF THUNDER ROADS MAGAZINE OR THUNDER PUBLISHING. PUBLISHER DOES NOT PROMOTE THE ABUSE OF ALCOHOL OR OTHER DRUGS.

From The Woman’s Seat..............................................3

99 Counties On The Wall..............................................4

Bob Himes....................................................................6

Joker.............................................................................8

Military Riders...............................................................9

Biker Friendly .............................................................10

Girls Of Thunder.........................................................12

KISS.........................................................................13

Events........................................................................14

EMS Training To Help Bikers.......................................15

TNT........................................................................16

Thundercam........................................................20

Fix Salon.....................................................................21

NCOM News Bytes.....................................................22

Seats And Saddles....................................................24

Hawgstock Ride For Pink..........................................25

Geneva’s Puzzle Page...............................................26

Sturgis Directory.........................................................27

Tech Tips.....................................................................28

RJM Trucking..............................................................29

Chrome Divas............................................................30

Kickstand’s Korner......................................................32

Skin Art.......................................................................34

From the Woman’s SeatRiding your own motorcycle is not for everyone. It is not a must to be

a “biker” and should never be looked down upon if you run the controls or sit in the back. I personally ride but have the utmost respect for a women or a man that can be two up on a bike. It shows in the strength, trust, and respect of the relationship by allowing the other person to operate the motorcycle controls.

I was very unsure if I would even want to ride or if I was capable of being “good enough” to ride my own. So with a lot of support and/or en-couragement from my husband and my mother I took the rider education class with DMACC in Ankeny Iowa. This was just under the pretenses that I would be a better passenger. The knowledge I would gain would teach me how to operate a motorcycle, which I thought would be a great step to being a better passenger. Long story short half way through the rider education classes I decided operating my own bike was for me. It was time to go shopping!

I started out on a 1200 Sportster riding along side my spouse in a staggered formation. Being on my own, I was able to ride longer distances and enjoyed the ride more. What I noticed being on a smaller bike was feeling the wind a lot. There was one day we took off to enjoy the events in Soldier, Iowa for the Labor Day weekend activities; we took a roundabout into South Dakota a short jaunt before the activities began in Solider. The winds on the highway were so strong I literally felt like my bike was going to be lifted up and flipped over. We stopped on an over pass and he told me that he had not heard of anyone being picked up and flipped over by the wind. This helped me to keep going.

I have since moved to a Softail Deluxe and notice a great difference

in the handling and performance compared to a Sportster. The wind can still move you a bit on a bigger bike; just keep your wits about you and follow through. One of the many things that sticks with me is don’t hesitate, when you make a decision to turn, stop, move into traffic, or wait, be sure of your choice and stick with it. The few extra seconds you hesitate may cost you. The move to a bigger bike was tough again going through all the questions if I can handle it and all. What I would suggest to everyone is get out there, and sit on the bike, take many for a test ride, compare all the different brands to see which one fits best. The brand is not important as which one is an extension of you. I had seen my current bike in the fall and the salesman even brought it outside for me to see it in the sunlight. After much debate I ended up buying it in the spring.

I just want to leave you with this. Watch out for everyone else, we live in a “you can be first after me “society, something I grew up hear-ing from my father (Rest his soul); as we would travel down the road; has remained true to this very day. When coming to an intersection no matter if you make eye contact with the other driver (eye contact does not mean they see you) or they wave you ahead, always have another egress planned. Learning, practicing, and becoming a more proficient at riding of a motorcycle will improve all vehicle operations.

If you see me out and about I would love to meet you. Let me know what you think, what you want to see, and how this magazine can help you.

Safe Travels, TT aka Tina Schwarte

Thunder Roads Magazine 2 Thunder Roads Magazine 3

99 Counties on the Wall99 Counties to tour on the bike, 99 counties to tour, take

one down, drive on around, 98 counties to tour on the bike. A few years back, a summer riding goal was to ride through each of Iowa’s counties, and what was found was a wealth of interest and beauty. Each month we will feature a differ-ent county, with new things to go see, and hopefully spark a little touring curiosity for our own State.

Adair County is located in SW Iowa and is intersected by highways 92 and 25. Interstate 80 runs along the northern border. As far as riding and scenery, Adair County has very good major highways that are relatively smooth, and the steep hills and curves make for an interesting putt through the countryside. Lush green vegetation from crops and pastures with an abundance of rivers and streams, farm ponds, and historic buildings make for a good day of seeing the sights. The county seat is located in Greenfield with a courthouse dead center in the middle of the downtown business area. Scattered in and on businesses in the area is artwork from Ray “Bubba” Sorenson. Murals of military scenes and others are painted on many walls throughout Greenfield.

On top of Bubba’s building murals, he has painted the “Freedom Rock” since 1999 with a military tribute theme. The rock is a very large boulder that was dug out of the nearby quarry, and used to be a home for kids to paint graf-fiti on. In 1999 Bubba changed that with his painting, and it has become known worldwide. The Freedom Rock sits just south of the 86 mile marker exit off Interstate 80. Memorial Day every year marks a gathering of bikers to pay tribute those that have given the ultimate sacrifice. If you are around that weekend, or any other time, it is worth a drive to see.

Some other items of interest in Adair County is the Shild-berg Antique Car collection. This is a private collection that is housed just east of the square in a large building and has many antique cars, and I would guess one of the largest Corvette collections in the State. It is by appointment only for visitation, and during special town events, so call ahead to Marlene 641-743-8444 or 515-327-9213 to make sure you can get in.

When you are done perusing the cool old cars and mem-orabilia, you can walk across the street and see some more of Bubba’s artwork on the inside walls of The Old Hotel Restaurant and Lounge. This historic building is interesting in itself, but then add the artwork, great food, and friendly staff, and you have a home run of a stop.

If a picnic is more up your alley, there are two lakes, basi-cally back to back just outside of Greenfield. They are both very well maintained and are very scenic and a good place to have a small get together with friends for a riding break.

In the town of Adair, the county namesake was the first site of a train robbery in the west, as well as the first robbery of a moving train. On July 21st, 1873, just west of Adair, Jesse James and his band of outlaws staged a robbery. What was to be a $75,000 shipment worth of gold was only a mere $3,000 value due to delayed trains up the tracks. Every year the third week of July, the City of Adair celebrates Jesse James days with a robbery reenactment, parade, and other festivities.

From Adair to Stuart, all the way down to Orient, Adair County has some nice sights, some cool stops, and is a great place to ride to and around. Next month: Adams County

Thunder Roads Magazine 4

Bob Himes It happens every year around the springtime.

Motorcyclist’s from all walks of life awaken and begin to see the pavement from beneath the snow. The motorcycles come out of their nylon cocoon’s resting within the residential caves from which they are stored, and the long, drawn-out winter that all Iowan’s share together has finally come to an end. For some of us this may be a seasonal ritual, but for the true hardcore biker’s like Bob Himes, it is part of everyday life.

Bob Himes is a native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa and a well respected businessman in the community. He has been in business ventures that range from Tattoo shops, Pub’s , and his current business Bob’s Wholesale Car’s, just to name a few. Going around to several businesses’ in the area for Thunder Roads Magazine, I hear his name mentioned all the time and how Bob is an “outstanding guy” and just “great to be around”. While a family man, he is also a current Officer in a long-standing and well respected motorcycle club which was founded in 1969. Just before patching in with his club, he found that he had a long-time struggle with alcohol. I had a chance to sit down and talk to Bob at his business in Cedar Rapids one afternoon about his life as a family man/businessman/biker and how he was able to find some balance in it all. After sitting down and introducing myself to Bob, I got right into the questions without really even knowing it. He was that easy to talk too. Thunder Roads: So what was the first bike you ever owned and how were you able to get it?Bob: My first bike was a 1979 Harley Davidson Iron Head Sportster. It was only about a year old when I got it. It was all stock and black when I actually bought her, but I put on some big-ass pipes on it when I got the chance. Thunder Roads: Did you know anything about fixing motors or swapping out parts at this time?Bob: Man, I didn’t know shit about it! All I knew was that I wanted the f**ker.Thunder Roads: So what shape was the bike in when you got it?Bob: There was some elbow-grease needed but I was able to put on the pipes myself. I had to call up the brother’s on the phone and have them walk me through some shit in order to get it started up. So after some phone calls and some minor adjustment’s here and there, I was on the phone one day and kicked her over and “VROOOM”!! Now keep in mind, I had not started the bike ever and threw on the big-ass pipes and man did it nearly knock me on my ass

when I heard it!! This was my first bike and it was a Harley. Thunder Roads: So did you have to work a long-time to get the money up for the bike?Bob: No man, I was riding on my buddy’s Honda one day and I got hit by a car! So the next thing I knew I was given a check for $4,000, bought the bike, and never looked back again!Thunder Roads: Tell me about the club and family life. How do you tie it all in?Bob: Well, I have been patched-in with the club now for about 2 years. I had been riding with them for many years though before now. I had to get some things straightened out within that time.Thunder Roads: What kind of things…if you don’t mind me asking?Bob: Well, I had a bit of a problem with alcohol and with that came problems within my family. One day I just decided that this shit is getting me nowhere and checked myself into a 6 mo. Rehab program. Twenty-plus years later and sober, I never looked back again. I have kids and a wife that need me, not to mention my brother’s in the club.Thunder Roads: How many active members are there in the club?Bob: About 40-50 in Cedar Rapids alone.Thunder Roads: Any new members recently?Bob: We just patched in two as a matter of fact.Thunder Roads: What events does the club like to go to? Are there any special runs that you guys make every year?Bob: Bloody Run Park is a mandatory run for the brother’s as well as our initiation run for the new prospecting members. I would like to tell you more about it, but that is for “Club Ears and Eyes only!”Thunder Roads: Sounds like good times man!Bob: What else could you expect but a lot of laughs and good times with all of your brother’s?

As important as his family is to him, so is his brotherhood with the club. So important in fact, that his club sponsors his son’s motorcycle racing every year and all of his kid’s know each and every brother’s name in the club like uncle’s. “There is a true sense of family and trust in the club. We even take our kid’s on a couple of runs a year with us.” When asked about the younger generation coming up through the club these days or what he feels has changed in the general attitude of the new-comer’s, he replied “Some of the youngster’s try to re-create what the club is all about. Truth of the matter is, we already have that going on and we have never really lost it!” The “IT” to this rider, is something different to all of us. The “IT” may be the reason why we ride, who we ride with, or what we ride on. But to Bob and all other’s out there, that is for them and their clubs to know.

When Bob Himes is not busy with running his dealership or handling club business and all is calm on the home-front, he likes to get away and ride the Iowa open roads. “Some of my favorite spots are when I am heading out towards Wisconsin. Going through Clinton, Anamosa, and then reaching Poopy’s on the border.” After twelve years of being in business for himself, Bob is looking for new horizon’s to set out for. “I am thinking of getting out of the automotive dealership business and see what else is out there for me.” Bob would be content with finding and buying cars at auction and supplying dealerships with them. Or maybe kick back and see what happens too? Whatever road he decides to go down, you can find Bob Himes down at Bob’s Wholesale Car’s located on 1st Avenue in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Stop in and check out the great deals and tell him Chris from Thunder Roads sent you!


A gynecologist had become fed up with malpractice insur-ance and HMO paperwork, and was burned out. Hoping to try another career where skillful hands would be beneficial, he decided to become a mechanic. He went to the local technical college, signed up for evening classes, attended diligently, and learned all he could.When the time of the prac-tical exam approached, the gynecologist prepared carefully for weeks, and completed the exam with tremendous skill. When the results came back, he was surprised to find that he had obtained a score of 150%. Fearing an error, he called the Instructor, saying, “I don’t want to appear ungrateful for such an outstanding result, but I wonder if there is an error in the grade?” “The instructor said, “During the exam, you took the engine apart perfectly, which was worth 50% of the total mark. You put the engine back together again perfectly, which is also worth 50% of the mark.” After a pause, the instructor added, “I gave you an extra 50% because you did it all through the muffler, which I’ve never seen done in my entire career”.

A little old lady from Wisconsin had worked in and around her family dairy farm since she was old enough to walk, with hours of hard work and little compensation. When canned Carnation Milk became available in grocery stores in ap-proximately the 1940s, she read an advertisement offering $5,000 for the best slogan. The producers wanted a rhyme beginning with ‘Carnation Milk’ is best of all. She thought to herself, I know all about milk and dairy farms, I can do this! She sent in her entry, and several weeks later, a black limo pulled up in front of her house. A man got out and said, ‘Carnation LOVED your entry so much, we are here to award you $2,500. even though we will not be able to print it, it was a purely genius marketing slogan”. “Carnation milk is best of all, no tits to pull, no hay to haul, no buckets to wash, no shit to pitch, just poke a hole in the little son-of-a-bitch.”

A 3-year-old boy examined his testicles while taking a bath. ‘Mom’, he asked, ‘Are these my brains?’ She quietly replied, ‘Not yet!’

Business Slogan of The Year: If our service is not up to your standards - Please lower your standards.

A woman and a man are involved in a car accident on a snowy, cold Monday morning; it’s a bad one. Both of their cars are totally demolished, but amazingly neither of them is hurt. God works in mysterious ways. After they crawl out of their cars, the man is yelling about women drivers.The woman says, ‘So, you’re a man. That’s interesting. I’m a woman. Wow, just look at our cars! There’s nothing left, but we’re unhurt. This must be a sign from God that we should be friends and live in peace for the rest of our days.’Flattered, the man replies, ‘Oh yes, I agree completely, this must be a sign from God! But you’re still at fault...women shouldn’t be allowed to drive.’ The woman continues, ‘And look at this, here’s another miracle. My car is completely demolished but this bottle of wine didn’t break. Surely God wants us to drink this wine and celebrate our good fortune. She hands the bottle to the man. The man nods his head in agreement, opens it and drinks half the bottle and then hands it back to the woman. The woman takes the bottle, puts the cap back on and hands it back to the man.The man asks, ‘Aren’t you having any?’ The woman replies, ‘No. I think I’ll just wait for the police...’

Celibacy can be a choice in life, or a condition imposed by unforeseen circumstances. While attending a Marriage Weekend, my wife and I listened to the instructor declare, ‘It is essential that husbands and wives know the things that are important to each other..” He then addressed the men,‘Can you name and describe your wife’s favorite flower?’I leaned over, touched my wife gently, and whispered,‘Gold Medal-All-Purpose, isn’t it?’ And thus began my life of celibacy....

Two young boys; R.J. and M.B. walked into a pharmacy one day, picked out a box of tampons and proceeded to the checkout counter. Mr. Empson, the owner & Pharmacist, asked the older boy, “Son, how old are you?” “Eight,” R.J. proudly replied. Mr. Empson continued, “Do you know what these are used for?” R.J. replied, “not exactly, but they aren’t for me. They’re for him. He’s my brother, M.B., he’s four. We saw on TV that if you use these you would be able to swim and ride a bike. Right now, he can’t do either one.”

Military ridersDavid “Chump” Truitt is a Harley Rider, a Vietnam era

Veteran, and a retired pipefitter. His military service started at Fort Benning, Georgia. He was a member of the 82nd Airborne, and is very proud of his service to the Country in the Army.

David has owned quite a few bikes in his day including some Hondas, BSAs, and Harleys. He is unaffiliated as far as motorcycling goes, but is a member of the American Legion in Muscatine. He has many of his friends that ride, including yours truly. His previous bike was a 1977 Iron-head Sportster, which currently rests in my caring hands. His current bike is a 1998 Ultra Classic Harley Davidson that he bought from the House of Atlas bike shop in Mus-catine. He says that he got a really good deal on this one, and has no plans to replace it unless another great deal comes along. He wants to have the top end redone this winter, as the bike has about 75,000 miles on it, and maybe even have it lowered.

He plans on doing poker runs and riding with friends throughout the year, and for being 67 years old, is still pretty spry. If you see him out on his Ultra, give him a nice Vet-eran’s wave, and if you get a chance, shake his hand and thank him for his service.

StampedeThunder Roads Iowa SE Iowa Sales Representative


Biker Friendly DirectoryIt’s important for you to know who your friends are out there when you hit the road! Welcome to our Biker Friendly Direc-tory. The following is a list of our establishments throughout Iowa and Minnesota that want you to know that they’re here for YOU. Whether it’s a bike dealer, service shop, restaurant, bar or any other type of business that welcomes our biking community through their doors, you can count on our fam-ily of friends to always welcome you in. ALL of our regular advertisers can be found, in bold, throughout this listing. All of our friends listed are “Biker Friendly” & most of them ride too, so they know exactly what you want and need. The staff here at Thunder Roads greatly appreciates our advertiser’s support each month- they are the sole financial supporters of this magazine.WE WOULD NOT EXIST WITHOUT THEM! So please give them the support that they truly deserve for being with us & drop by to see them for a visit. Let them know that you saw them here in Thunder Roads. If you know a business that would like to join our Thunder Roads family of Biker Friendly Places, please give us a call TT at 712-249-5582 or email TT at [email protected] or Vernon at [email protected] “Where there’s Bikes...There’s Going To Be Thunder- Thun-der Roads”

Dealers and Services

Overdrive AutoAuto Repair, Motorcycle Sales/Consignment

1021 Gilbert CourtIowa city, Iowa 52240

319-354-7503Owner Shawn Harris

Iowa Bail Bonds200 4th Street

Des Moines, IA 50309(515) 243-4411

Struthers Brothers5191 NW 2nd Ave

Des Moines, IA

Zylstra1930 E 13th

Ames, Iowa 50010(515) 232-6223

Carroll Cycle Center1327 Plaza DrCarroll, Iowa

(712) 792-1610

Revolution Cycle120 Main

Baxter, Iowa 50028(641) 507-9250

Thunder Roads Cycle4106 Rockingham RdDavenport, IA 52802

(563) 323-3172

Anytime Glass and Body2111 HWY 6 Trail

Marengo, IA (319) 936-3451

Mustaine’s Towing and Recovery401 1st Ave

State Center, IA 50247(641) 691-8869

RJM TruckingCedar Rapids, Iowa

319-360-5433

Bars, Restaurants, Lounges & Clubs

Goat Ranch Saloon 105 South Main Street

Baxter, IA (641) 227-3502

O’Kelly’s 106 North Main Street

Baxter, IA 50028 (641) 227-3013

RJ’s Lounge 109 North Main Street

Conrad, IA(641) 366-2687

Hours: Mon-Sat 10am-2am Sunday 12pm-12am

Hugh’s Jungle Room5715 Douglas Ave

Des Moines, IA(515) 254-3080

www.hughsjungleroom.com

Roadhog’s Bar 104 East Main Street

State Center, IA (641) 483-2126

Tracey and John Abate- Owners

Biker Friendly DirectoryRumours Sports Bar & Grill 309 South 12th Ave. Place

Marshalltown, IA (641) 752-5477

Steve Priske-Owner

Corner Tap 35 North Center Street

Marshalltown, IA (641) 753-9925


14th Street Tavern 3418 East 14th Street

Des Moines, IA (515) 266-3446

Open Weekdays 8am-2pm Sat 10am-2pm and Sun 11am-2pm

Morgan’s Famous Main Street Bar321 Main StreetColo, IA 50056(641) 377-2662

Owner: Morgan PatrickMon and Thurs 3p-12a, Fri 3p-2a,

Sat 1p-2a, Sun 1p-6p

The Haverhill Social Club 202 1st Street

Haverhill, IA 50120 (641) 475-3321


Escape Lounge 8843 Northpark Ct, Johnston, IA 50131

515-276-2209

Riverside Tavern 450 E Main St

Lehigh IA, 50557 515-359-9998

Email: [email protected]

5th Street Pub 128 5th Street

West Des Moines, IA 50365515-255-4550

Porky’s Pub and Garage5125 NE 14th St

Des Moines, IA 50313

Daytona’s All Sports Café4875 Merle Hay Rd

Des Moines, IA(515) 331-0996

Good Sons2815 Beaver Ave Ste 102

Des Moines, IA(515) 681-5375

Maingate2956 E GrandDes Moines, IA

Harley’s Bar and Grill202 West Mayne

Blue Grass, IA 52726(563) 381-1717

Murphy’s Bar and Grill71 East First St

Riverside, IA 52327(319) 648-2888

The Longest Yard122 5th Street

West Des Moines, IA 50265(515) 274-1710

Dave’s Place111 South Fredericks

Oelwein, IA 50662(319) 238-2324

Tattoo Studios

Boji Tattoo66 North Okoboji Grove Rd

Arnolds Park, IA (888) 291-3822(712) 332-9893

Hardcore Tattoo1601 6th Street SW

Cedar Rapids, IA (319) 558-7179

To list your business or service in our directory, give us call at 712-249-5582


Girls Of Thunder

Are you from Iowa? Are you a Girl of Thunder? Email us your pictures (highest resolution possible) to [email protected] Be sure to include the year, make, and model of your ride and what town you are from!!! Look for more Girls of Thunder next month.

KEEP IT SIMPLE SHEPHERD’S PIE original recipe by: Toni McCoy 1-1/2 lbs ground round beef (not ground Chuck, ground Round)1 onion chopped in large chop (or get pre-chopped onion @ store)1 Bag of Frozen Mixed Veggies; Thawed1 Box of Instant Mashed Potatoes; *IDAHO SPUDS brand1 Tub of Sour Cream1 Stick of Butter; Divided, or I.C.B.I.N.B. (I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter) Margarine 1/2 cup Beef Broth1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce1 Bag of Finely Shredded Cheddar Cheese Salt & Pepper to TasteMake the instant mashed potatoes first. Go ahead and use a large stock pot and make the entire box. Be sure and add ½ stick of butter (or 2 heaping Tablespoons of ICBINB) to potatoes, add tub of sour cream & salt & pep-per to taste. Next, take ¼ pat of butter or 1 Tablespoon of ICBINB to first saute’ your onion in skillet and once onion is done and skillet is hot, move onions off to side & go ahead and drop your ground beef in. Don’t move it around. Let it start cooking then break it up into larger chunks with wooden spoon. Salt & Pepper to taste. Add Garlic Powder if want & dash of Nutmeg. Again, you want the meat to carmel-ize and get good and browned. You don’t really have to drain it as Ground Round renders hardly any grease, but if you want, drain, then return to skillet, add Tablespoon of Worsteshire Sauce, ½ cup Beef Broth and Bag of Frozen Veggies. Spray a 9x13 glass baking dish with cooking spray. Layer just a 1/4 inch high of mashed potatoes as your starter layer, then use all your ground round beef mixture as your full second layer. Next, layer your Ched-dar cheese thuroughly on top of beef layer, then layer your mashed potatoes up on top and take a fork and dab at the potatoes to form little peaks that will brown off as it bakes. Cook in 400 degree oven until bubbling and brown (about 30 minutes). Delicious! Bake up some super crusty, hot French bread & serve w/ honey butter.

EASY PLEASING SUNFLOWER PEAR TART1 Can (24 ozs.) Bartlett Pears; Halved is Easier2 Pkgs. of French Vanilla Pudding Mix Milk1/4 Cup of Almond Extract or *Almond-FlavorLiqueur can be substituted1 (8-inch) Pastry Shell, Baked & CooledApricot Glaze *(Follow Recipe Below) Drain pears;p reserve 1 up of liquid from can. Prepare pudding according to directions, substituting reserved pear l iquid for part of milk; stir in almond extract or liqueur. Pour into pastry shell; chill until puddig set. Slice your pear halves in half and arrange all around the pastry shell, slightly overlapping each other until it looks exactly like a giant sunflower, complete with bright yellow center. It’s beautiful to look at and even better to eat! Sounds familiar, huh ladies? APRICOT GLAZE:Heat 1/2 cup of apricot or peach preserves and 1 table-spoon almond-flavor liqueur or pear liquid. Press through a sieve or cheese cloth and discard pulp. If you like pulp, then don’t bother. Some people, myself included, love the pulp of anything, especially fiction. Pour hot glaze all over your beautiful Sunflower Pear Tart (just the pears, not the center). You’re going to be making this all the time it’s that dang simple and double-danged good!

RAZZLE-BERRY MINT COOLER1 to 2 Cups of Fresh Mint Leaves5 Cups *Dole Pineapple Juice, chilled2 Cups *Dole Frozen Raspberries1 Can (6 ozs.) Frozen Limeade Concentrate; Thawed1 Bottle (32 ozs.) of *Sprite 1 Whole Lime, Sliced Thin for Garnish*Optional: 1/2 Bottle of Premium VodkaRub mint leaves around side of punch bowl, then drop the bruised leaves in bottom of bowl. Combine remaining ingredients and yum-yum it up thru a thick straw! Man...that’s good stuff! Make a batch and enjoy poolside.

Kristine SchmitzCarroll, Iowa

2008 Kawasaki Vulcan Custom

Dana MassieIndianola, Iowa

Harley Davidson Nightster

Jen LipeHonda Goldwing

Gretna, NE (She rides a lot in Iowa)


June EventsJune 5 Carroll Cycle Center Rock N’ Ride Carroll, IowaJune 8 Porky’s bike night Des Moines, IowaJune 10 Porky’s bike night Des Moines, IowaJune 10-13 South 40 Rally south40rally.com Van Wert, IowaJune 12th Porky’s (BACA) Bike Show: 11 – 3pm Des Moines, IowaJune 12 Wallace Winkie 5th annual Motorcycle Poker Run Belle Plaine, IowaJune 15 Porky’s bike night Des Moines, IowaJune 16-19 Sturgis on the Mississippi Rally Davenport, IowaJune 17 Porky’s bike night Des Moines, IowaJune 18 Bike Down to I Town Indianola, IowaJune 17-19 Awesome Biker Nights Sioux City, IowaJune 22 Porky’s bike night Des Moines, IowaJune 24 Porky’s bike night Des Moines, IowaJune 26-27 J & P Cycles Open House Anamosa, IowaJune 26 Central Iowa Biker Day Baxter, IowaJune 27 Porky’s Bikini Bike Wash 1-4pm Des Moines, IowaJune 29 Porky’s bike night Des Moines, IowaJune 30-Jul.3 Honda Wing Ding Des Moines, Iowa

If you event isn’t listed, you didn’t let us know in time! If you have an event that you would like listed on this page e-mail the info to [email protected] You can also call us at (712) 249=5582 or visit our website at www.thunderroadsiowa.com All events must be submit-ted by the 15th of the month prior to the following issue.

EMS Trains to Helps Bikers Your group is thundering down a rural

Iowa back road when one of the pack goes down and is seriously injured. What do you do?

Recently, the Urbandale Fire Depart-ment underwent training and education focusing on motorcycle trauma related to high speed crashes. Our members were put in charge of a mock drill where a cyclist was thrown from their ride and was suffering from life threatening injuries. The team worked together to stabilize, perform life saving advanced medical procedures and then transport the rider to a local hospital.

When our ambulance arrives on the scene of a motorcycle crash we are trained to perform medical treatments that can save the rider’s life, but until we get there you are in charge. So what can you do?

First, when you call 911 know where you’re at. We may not be able to find you if you can’t find you.

Keep the downed rider still. Unless it’s a life safety issue don’t move them. That includes their head. Kneel down at their head and stabilize their head between your knees. Also, unless they are having trouble breathing keep their

helmet on; removing it may cause further injury. Other care includes keeping them warm. Covering them with a blanket or jacket may actually keep the rider from going into shock, saving their life. If there is significant bleeding you can hold pressure on the wound in an effort to control the bleeding.

Finally, you should work with your local community’s EMS service to promote motorcycle trauma education and train-

ing. Many departments already do this as part of a yearly continu-ing education program, but giving them a biker’s perspective can only make the classes better. Set up a date where you can assist the EMS members with scenarios much like the one we provided our medics in Urbandale. After you assist them have the service assist you by holding a first aid and CPR class. That’s a fair trade.

Ride safe.For further information and re-sources on this subject contact Kyle Bissell at [email protected]


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Fix SalonFix Salon Owner/

Stylist Juliet is originally from Hillsboro, South-eastern Iowa, opened up her salon back in 2008 on Memorial Day weekend at 500 1st St. SW. Ten days later the great flood had taken everything away from her. After the disaster, she bounced back right away and was able to open up another Fix Salon on November 1st, 2009 at her new location 110 3rd Ave. SW still in downtown Cedar Rap-ids. Juliet’s family which includes her husband Jeff who is a software engineer here in Cedar Rapids and their two children Aaylah 1yr. and Kwon 7yrs. old got her through this tough time.

Juliet currently has 10 of the best stylists around and each have different skills which truly make Fix Salon stand out from the rest in Eastern Iowa. When asked what sets her salon apart from other’s, she replied “Inspiration!” “My vision for fix is to have an inspiring (not only to clients, but to stylists), cutting edge, modern salon with a team driven atmosphere. I started Fix Salon because I found it frustrating that there was a lack of unique salons in the area. It just seemed as if many of the places were made from the same cookie cutter. My ultimate goal is for Fix Salon to be a supporting pillar in the corridor’s artistic community. We not only want to provide personal cosmetic services, but also be known as an open forum for local artistic and other talented stylists to perform their work.”

Stop in to Fix Salon and check out their services that range from hair styling, waxing, color, perms, massage, nails, ex-tensions. They can be found at 110 3rd Ave. SW in downtown Cedar Rapids and on the web at http://www.fixsaloncr.com Or you can always call (319) 365-1500 and talk to Juliet and staff Kelsey, Chantol, Chelsea, Shauna, Angie, Kelly, Chris, Jennifer, Robert, Kyla for the latest styles and the many cutting edge services in the industry for every walk of life!

Chris Vasquez Regional Sales RepresentativeThunder Roads Magazine of Iowa


News Bytes News BytesMOTORCYCLIST FATALITIES INEXPLICABLY PLUMMET Following more than a decade of steady increases, motor-cycle rider fatalities unaccountably dipped by double-digit proportions last year. Motorcyclist deaths dropped by 16% nationwide through the first three quarters of 2009, com-pared to the same period in 2008 when fatalities reached their highest level of 5,290. The study -- sponsored by the Governors Highway Safety Association, which represents state traffic safety agencies -- is drawn from preliminary fatality data from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. While there is nothing in the data to indicate the cause of the sudden decline, the GHSA asked state safety agen-cies to speculate on reasons for the decline, and several respondents pointed to the economy and underscored that a significant portion of motorcycling is for recreation rather than transportation. Other reasons cited in the study for the decline: Fewer beginning motorcyclists; an increase in priority given to state motorcycle safety programs; an increased awareness of motorcycles by other drivers; and colder, wetter weather in some states during the riding sea-son. It doesn’t appear helmet laws played a significant role in the decline. The popularity of motorcycles has surged in the past decade, particularly among aging baby boom-ers and women, nearly doubling to more than 10 million. During the nine-month period of the comparison, the District and 38 states reported a drop in motorcycle deaths, and 12 states recorded an increase. California had 133 fewer deaths, Florida had 111 fewer and Ohio had 48 fewer. Only two states -- Hawaii and Rhode Island -- had double-digit increases. Once numbers for the final three months of 2009 are factored in, the report projects, the annual fatality decline will be at least 10%.

AGING RIDERS AT HIGHER RISKMotorcycle riders across the country are growing older, and the impact of this trend is evident in emergency rooms nationwide as doctors are finding that senior citizens who ride motorcycles are more likely to be involved in accidents and also more likely to be injured or die than their younger counterparts. Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center found that half of all motorcyclists needing emergency treatment in 2005 were over 40, nearly double the number in 1996, which is consistent with demographic data indicating that the average age of motorcycle owner-ship has rose from 33 years in 1998 to 40 years in 2003. In-jury severity, length of stay in the hospital or intensive care unit, and mortality were higher for riders over the age of 40. In the study, which was published in the March issue of the American Surgeon, researchers using the National Trauma Databank reviewed the records of 61,689 motorcyclists aged 17 to 89 years involved in a motorcycle crash between 1996 and 2005. Those ages 50-59 were the fastest grow-

ing group involved with crashes, and accidents involving rid-ers in that age group were almost twice as likely to be fatal as those involving younger bikers. “Treating a 60-year-old who has been in a motorcycle accident is very different from treating a 21-year-old who has been in a similar accident -- 60-year-olds bring a lot more medical baggage with them and impact outcomes,” Dr. Mark Gestring, director of the trauma program at the Medical Center. Age-related factors associated with aging, such as impaired vision, delayed reaction time, and altered balance contribute to motorcycle crashes in this population. The increase in injury severity for older riders may be related to the reduced capacity to withstand injury as the body ages, including decreases in bone strength and brain size, as well as pre-existing medi-cal conditions.

NATURALISTIC MOTORCYCLE SAFETY STUDY The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) has announced that it will partner with the Virginia Tech Transportation Insti-tute (VTTI) on the world’s first motorcycle safety study that will use small video recorders and instrumentation mounted on numerous bikes for 6-18 months to gather data about the riders and events that occur. Termed a “naturalistic” study, VTTI has developed this technology and used it suc-cessfully to conduct a 100-car study in 2005 that included 69 crashes and more than 750 near-crashes. According to the MSF, “The method is presently in use by research-ers across the globe to target nearly every type of roadway user, with the exception of two-wheeled vehicles. This study, expected to be on the road by early 2011, will greatly advance the understanding of interactions among rider, motorcycle, roadway, other roadway users and the environ-ment.” VTTI Director Tom Dingus added that “We expect the study to be very valuable to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s work, since we also will examine where and how crash avoidance is successful. With so much informa-tion bandwidth coming from the cameras and instrumenta-tion on each bike, we’ll be able to examine details for years, and the findings will be relevant for decades.” Naturalistic Method identifies crashes using time-series video and numeric data, reveals factors not detectable through crash investigation, creates its own controls by comparing the crash-involved rider to himself/herself at all other times, and permits quantification of rider performance and behavior in non-critical and critical riding situations.

PATRIOT GUARD RIDERS BARRED FROM MINERS MEMORIAL Many of the 29 West Virginia coal miners who died at the Upper Big Branch mining explosion on April 5th were veterans and some rode motorcycles, so bereaved families had requested the Patriot Guard Riders to attend

the memorial service. PGR is an informal group of motorcy-clists which exists to make sure that all veterans are given respectful funerals. But they were barred from attending this service by federal officials who labeled them a security threat. The appearance of the Patriot Guard Riders at the service, at the request of several families, had been cleared in advance by West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin, who is also a motorcycle rider. But the day before the service, Joe Cumblidge, the West Virginia State Captain of the Patriot Guard Riders e-mailed the men who were scheduled to par-ticipate: “Due to circumstances totally and completely be-yond the control of the Patriot Guard Riders and Governor Joe Manchin of West Virginia, we are regrettably ordering a STAND DOWN for this mission. Specific details will not be posted here but, we’ve been told we are not welcome to participate because of certain high-level dignitaries that are scheduled to be in attendance.” The “high-level dignitar-ies” were President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden. A Patriot Guard Rider told WSAZ in Charleston that Manchin had been forbidden to allow them to participate “because of overwhelming security concerns with high-ranking federal officials -- it was just not logistically possible for them to be a part of the event.” Both Obama and Biden managed to escape West Virginia unharmed.

LEGAL CHALLENGES TO MICHIGAN HELMET LAWSeveral members of ABATE of Michigan rode to the Lenawee County judicial building on Tuesday, April 20th to show support for a fellow motorcyclist who is challenging a non-compliant helmet ticket. Ryan Hildebrand, 26, is one of nearly a dozen riders ticketed this spring by Adrian police Sgt. Lynn Courington for wearing helmets that the state claims do not meet federal Department of Transportation standards. Representing the group of ticketed riders is Aid to Injured Motorcyclists (A.I.M.) attorney Lawrence “Kat-man” Katkowsky, who filed an appearance for the helmet defendant. A formal hearing was set for June 29 in district court, and Katkowsky said he will try to consolidate all the helmet infraction cases that are being challenged for the June 29 hearing. “The issues are all the same,” he said. He is taking on the helmet enforcement issue in Lenawee County on behalf of ABATE of Michigan, which also has a lawsuit pending in United State District Court in Grand Rapids, challenging the state’s DOT helmet rule. One of the enforcement issues Katkowsky will raise is regarding probable cause to justify a traffic stop on a civil infraction. ABATE claims in the lawsuit that police have to look inside a helmet to determine if it meets DOT standards, and there-fore cannot claim plain sight evidence to justify a traffic stop and request to inspect a helmet. No trial date is scheduled.

ANGRY FRENCH MOTORCYCLISTS SNARL TRAFFIC IN PROTEST Forty thousand motorcyclists demonstrated all over France in protest of a recent Government announce-ment to fine any bikers caught filtering through traffic (“lane splitting”), and more than 60 cities saw their roads blocked by hordes of angry riders who said NON to French authori-ties who propose to treat motorbikes, scooters and mopeds like cars and require them to stay in their lane one behind another. So, they behaved like cars. On March 13th the La Fédération Française Des Motards en Colère (FFMC - the French Federation of Angry Bikers) urged all motor-cyclists to occupy the space of one car in each lane, and within minutes an enormous traffic jam was created that gridlocked the whole of Paris on a busy Saturday afternoon as car drivers were stuck in traffic until late in the evening. While bikers blocked the roadways above ground, other protestors went underground bringing the subway system to a grinding halt in response to a statement made by French Transport Secretary Jean-Marc Belotti, who said “If they (bikers) are not happy, they can take the metro like every-one else.” They inconvenience us, we will inconvenience them, responded the FFMC, which set a fine example of civil obedience to demonstrate the impact of motorcycles on traffic flow, good or bad.

WEIRD NEWS: EASY WRITERS TEXT WHILE RIDINGEveryone knows that texting while driving can be danger-ous. Now consider this: texting while riding a motorcycle, in heavy traffic! It’s not uncommon in Vietnam, where 29 million motorcycles are the primary source of transportation. Pham Thi Thuy Linh is 21, a college student and -- accord-ing to a recent contest sponsored by a mobile phone com-pany -- has the fastest fingers in Vietnam. She can text 160 characters in 25 seconds, though she admits she is “about 20 or 30 percent slower texting on my bike.” She doesn’t much care that texting while driving is both illegal and not too smart. Tran Van Thanh is a senior official in the govern-ment’s office of traffic safety. He told National Public Radio that understands the concerns about texting while driving, but says peoples’ bad habits will take time to change, and with limited resources it’s impossible to crack down on everyone for everything. Meanwhile, contest-winner Pham says she can’t wait to get one of the new iPhone packages. She says it will enable her to text even faster than she does now, from everywhere -- including her bike.

QUOTABLE QUOTE: “Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. Moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.” Senator Barry Goldwater (1909-1998) U.S. Senator from Arizona


Hawgstock Ride for Pink, Bikers for BurgersA couple years

ago, a few riders got together with the folks at the Hawgstock Motor-cycle Rally, and wanted to go on a May Day ride. As bikers seem to like to ride out and about to find new

and interesting things to eat, they decided to ride around for a burger or two. Over the course of 4 days, they covered about 1600 miles, went to different burger joints in 4 different states. Just going to ride around for a burger seemed kind of foolish, so they thought they would try to raise some awareness and some funds for breast cancer causes, and the Ride for Pink, Bikers for Burgers was born.

This year the plans scaled back a few miles so that more people could attend and ride along, and the route started and ended at the Hawgstock Motorcycle Rally grounds in rural Winterset. The ride hit five motorcycle shops in Central Iowa including Country Cycles in Winterset, Van Wall Equipment in Perry, Big Barn Harley Davidson in Des Moines, Route 65 Harley in Indianola, and Chipp’s Harley Shop in Osceola. The 170 mile day was well received, despite a little Iowa wind and chilly weather, everyone had a blast.

After the riders returned to Winterset, there were burgers grilled by the Madison County Cattlemen, the band VooDoo3 played some awesome tunes to listen to, and lots of door priz-es from gracious sponsors were handed out. Camping was available, and a surprising number of bikers hung around and enjoyed the company, the bonfire, and the band. Proceeds from the run went to the Breast Cancer Network of Strength. Keep an eye out next spring for the 3rd annual Hawgstock Ride for Pink, Bikers for Burgers.


sturgis 2010 DirectoryIf you’re looking for a place to stay at Sturgis 2010 during the 70th Anniversary Event be sure to reserve your spot

now. Check out these great places and tell them you found them in Thunder Roads. Sturgis 2010 is from August 9th-15th, 2010. For more information, go to www.sturgis.com.

Bulldog CampgroundI-90 Exit 37 (none traffic side of Sturgis)

21120 Pleasant Valley DriveSturgis, SD 57785

877.285.5364 (877.Bulldog)605-347-8000

Open June 1 - September [email protected]

Iron Horse Campground20446 State Hwy 79Sturgis, SD 57785

877-700-4766 605-596-4237

www.ironhorsecampground.com [email protected]

Tilford Gulch Campground13157 Deer Meadow Rd

Piedmont, SD 577691-800-9495 Pin 1523

[email protected]

www.tilfordgulch.com Open July 25- Aug. 20

A Family Inn3737 Sturgis Rd

Rapid City, SD 57702605-342-2892

[email protected]

Katmandu RV Park/Campground

12927 Katmandu Lane Sturgis, SD 57785

866-776-0758 [email protected]

www.katmanducampground.com Open July 1 – Sept. 1

Elkview Campground 13014 Pleasant Valley Rd

Sturgis, SD 57785 605-347-7620 877-478-5160

[email protected] www.elkviewcampground.com

Open May 1 – Oct. 30

No Name City RV & Cabins 20899 Pleasant Valley Dr. (I 90 Exit 34)

Sturgis, SD 57785 605-347-9169

[email protected] www.sturgiscamping.com

Chris RV Park Campground 701 Christenson Dr. Spearfish, SD 57783

605-642-2239 605-642-2224

[email protected] www.blackhills.com/chriscampground/

Open May- Oct.

Custer Cross Campground 22036 US Hwy 385

Duckmond, SD 57922 605-584-1009

[email protected]

Days End Campground 2501 Avalanche Road

Sturgis, SD 57785 (605) 347-2331 (800) 597-2417

www.daysendcampground.com Walking Distance to Downtown Mainstreet

Sturgis View Campground

I-90 Exit 30 (Sturgis - Deadwood exit)20497 Avalanche Road

Sturgis, SD 57785Office & Reservations 715-425-9057

Sturgis Office (Only During Rally) [email protected]

www.sturgisviewcampground.comOpen August 2- 16, 2010

Tell them Thunder Roads sent you!!!


Iowa Biker/Business Owner RJM TruckingRobyn McMurrin and her ex-husband

Mike started their dump truck busi-ness “Mike” McMurrin Trucking, Inc. in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 18 years ago. Providing services that range from snow removal and well…basically all dumping and hauling needs. Soon after parting their ways, Robyn took over two trucks of her own and is now operating under her business name RJM Trucking.

Since starting her own business, Robyn has become a very busy woman. On top of running her own business early mornings, evenings and weekends, she has two kids, a nine-teen year old daughter and a sixteen year old son. When she is not doing things with her family, she stays busy during the week working as a Claims Advocate for TrueNorth in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She also takes part in a non-for-profit motorcycle organiza-tion for women called Chrome Divas of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where she serves as Treasurer on the Board of Directors.

I asked Robyn how she got into rid-ing and what her first bike was. She re-plied, “My first bike was a 2000 Harley Davidson Fat Boy. I actually got the

bike as a gift from my then husband; the only stipulation he gave was that I take the riding course at Kirkwood and become a licensed driver. So I took the opportunity and ran with it and became licensed in 2001, and the rest is history.” In 2007 Robyn thought that riding with a group of other women would be a unique opportunity. So she

joined the Chrome Divas, attending the first chapter meeting with the other 8 charter members.

When she is not busy with the kids, work, running RJM or planning and riding with the Chrome Divas of Cedar Rapids for events, she likes to hang out and go to some of the local pubs and restaurants around town like Chrome Horse, Rumor’s, Sammy’s Lounge and Parlor City to name a few. She is one of many women who owns her own business and best of all, loves to ride motorcycles. So, if you have a need for a great dump truck service and you are in or around the Cedar Rapids area, give Robyn a call at (319) 360-5433, or you can find Robyn’s ad for RJM in this and future issues of Thunder Roads Magazine of Iowa. You can also take a look into the Chrome Divas of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, by checking out their article in this month’s issue of Thunder Roads Magazine of Iowa.

Chris Vasquez/Regional Sales Representative Thunder Roads Magazine of Iowa

Harley Hop-Up by Kirby ApathyThis month we’ll go over checking your heads & setting up for largercams. From the calls we’re getting, a lot of riders are doing this now(really should be a winter job, but whatever).First make sure the cam willcompliment your present build or the build you are planning. We are not getting into that now, but feel free to call and we’ll help you pick a cam that`ll work with your compression and riding style. Installing a big cam and not checking ALL clearances can have catastroph-ic results if not properly clearanced. First you want to check for coiled bind, this is when the cam is trying to open valve more than your springs will allow, and the spring compresses all the way, and still has more to go. This will result in a broken spring or rocker arm. To check this, get 2 flat pieces of metal and compress spring(with collars) in a vise, close vise until spring is all the way compressed without forcing it (pic 1).Measure that, for this example, we are using SE EVO heads & springs & a S&S .561 cam. The coil bind measurement on these springs is 1.159,add the cam lift (.561)and your desired clearance(.060) for a

total of 1.780.Now insert valve in guide with top & bottom collars, no spring, and pull valve up against seat, measure the distance between collars (pic 2),it has to be 1.780 or greater, if it ALOT more, you can use spring shims to get closer to your desired installed height. Next, will be checking valve to valve. To check this you must look on your cams spec sheet for the TDC lift, on our cam, its .252 int/.210 ext. insert both valves in head, and pull up so their on the seats, take a majic marker and mark each valve with the TDC lift (pic 3)leaving the old seal on will help to hold the valves without slipping, open the valves to the TDC marks and measure clearance between valve heads (pic 4),your looking for .060 minimum. Now valve to piston must be checked, with the valves still opened to your TDC lifts, put a straight edge across the head gasket surface (pic 5),if the valves are not protruding beyond that you most likely wont have a problem with most pistons, but still should be checked. To do this, open each valve to TDC lift + .060(no springs, just seal holding valves),put head on cylinder with out a head gasket, no head bolts and crank motor slowly by hand, if neither valve makes contact you fine,if contact is made, check it with a gasket, if contact is still made valve will close a little, measure to your TDC mark and that’s the amount that valve will either have to be sunk deeper in the seat or piston valve relief will have to be machined, some builders will check this with clay and springs on, we’ve seen people actually bend valves doing it this way. These are the tools you will need to check this stuff (pic 6)We and most shops will use special tools to check these clearances(pic 7),but this is a very accurate way for the home builder to make the proper checks, and these methods will work with any HD heads. If you have any question, feel free to contact us.

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Tech Tips


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MAGAZINE R

VOLUME 1 ISSUE 6 JUNE 2010

Also Inside This Issue

New and Improved!

New Owner/Editor Takes Over

99 Counties on the Wall

Event Coverage

Central Iowa Biker Day

AMERICA’S FASTEST GROWING BIKER PUBLICATION

Established 1999

FREETAKE ONE

IOWA

Carroll Cycle Center Rock N’ Ride

June 5th

Food, Bands, Demo Rides

Chrome DivasAs we kick off the riding season for

2010, many motorcycle enthusiasts and clubs for that matter use this op-portunity to get out on their bikes and ride all over the United States. Some do it for the pure joy of riding and some do it to have a chance to ride as one with their families and friends and share experiences of a lifetime. But for some groups like the Chrome Divas of Cedar Rapids they not only do this for the same reasons, they take a giant leap further and raise money for special causes and for their com-munity. The Chrome Divas of Cedar Rapids, Iowa started back in March of 2007 starting with eight members and has now reached the number of ninety and still growing with new members every year. The Chrome Divas of Cedar Rapids are currently the one-and-only chapter in the state of Iowa. You do not have to ride a motorcycle to join them. “We usually have around

thirty new members a year, and usually half of them are fully licensed to ride on their own bikes” says Robyn McMur-rin who is the group’s Treasurer. The Chrome Divas of Cedar Rapids are supported each year for their fund-raising activities by local businesses (around 26 of them) which in turn pro-vide a place for all to meet, eat/drink, and to set up their raffle ticket tables where they raffle off prizes to raise money for causes they are supporting.

The Chrome Divas of Cedar Rapids are a 501(c) 3 not for profit organi-zation; one hundred percent of the proceeds go to the cause at hand. They kicked off the 1st of 6 fundrais-ing events set up for 2010 this past May with their Motorcycle Awareness Ride which was sponsored by The Chrome Horse, Wheel’er In, Rumor’s and Jerseys. All proceeds went to the Boys and Girls Club of Cedar Rap-ids. The event began at Metro-Harley

Davidson with a pancake breakfast for the 15th Annual Kim Coonrod ben-efit from 9am – 11am (Sponsored by Metro-Harley Davidson) and then off to riding the major thoroughfares of the city of Cedar Rapids. The count for the signed-in rider’s for the event turned out to be 127+ not including all those who met up with them along the way. My girlfriend Rachel and I were able to meet up with The Chrome Divas of Cedar Rapids for the duration of the day and were welcomed in with open arms. We were able to talk more with Robyn and ask her about the group. When asked what The Chrome Divas of Cedar Rapids were all about and what they all meant to her, she replied “The Chrome Divas of Cedar Rapids is a women motorcycle enthusiasts’ organization. We have a sisterhood that is outstanding and very supportive of one another. We have women from all walks of life where some of them are younger to the young-at-heart and those who own their own businesses,

work in an office or about to retire.” In 2009, the Chrome Divas of Cedar Rapids raised a total of $14,133.88 for local charities! With the growing number of

women joining and the support of local businesses backing the Chrome Divas of Cedar Rapids, you can be sure that they will bring in even more for charity this year and for future years to come. Be on the lookout for the Chrome Divas of Cedar Rapids event’s in future Thunder Roads of Iowa future issues! Rachel and I would like to thank all of the supporting busi-nesses of the Motorcycle Awareness Ride and a big THANK YOU to Robyn and the Chrome Divas of Cedar Rapids for a great time and hospitality!

Chris Vasquez/Regional Sales RepresentativeThunder Roads Magazine of Iowa


Kickstand’s Korner

Hello Readers!Welcome to another installment of Kickstand’s Korner. I

want to apologize for the absence of my article in last month’s issue; things got busy here and just couldn’t find the time to go out and then sit down and write. Well good news, I had some time on my hands and went down to my next location, Hugh’s Jungle Room and I had a blast! Before I move on to my night out, I want to send out a thank you to all the Police Officers, Fireman, and Emergency Personnel. Thank You for all you do!

Well this past week I went to Hugh’s Jungle Room, and WOW! Mind you this bar has been an attraction in the Des Moines Area for many years, but they have just recently moved to a new location. It is located at the off ramp on Merle Hay Road and I80/I35 right next to the Quality Inn. This bar fills one of those niches in the nightlife scene that is frankly just what everyone needs, it harkens back to an era that was simpler, where there wasn’t such a crunch to everyone’s time.

On to the bar itself, when you enter into this gem you are greeted by a ton of Elvis memorabilia. There is a little bit of everything here with an Elvis theme to it and it is absolutely beautiful! You will also notice the Tiger print carpet an interest-ing selection to be sure! For those that appreciate a little peace and quiet, I recommend sitting in the Heartbreak Hotel sec-tion, a nice little out the way section where you don’t have to compete with the music or the Karaoke singers when convers-ing with friends. They have a huge bar that is stocked with everyone’s favorite liquor and beer. The Jungle Room also offers a large patio that runs the length of the bar, a place to go and smoke or just hang out and enjoy these fantastic Iowa summer nights!

For those that like to sing, Hugh’s Jungle Room offers that budding star in you Karaoke! That’s right, one of the few places in the Des Moines Area where you can go any night of the week and sing! The DJ’s at Hugh’s are some really good singers and they are excellent at picking out songs that fit your voice if you want them to, or they will let you screech and wail whichever song you want!

The one drink I would recommend anyone getting here is Hugh’s Bloody Mary. I know a lot of bars are famous for their “Bloody Marys”, but Hugh has come up with the best Mix BAR NONE! Try it, enjoy it, and Get another! The people that work at Hugh’s are some really interesting characters and I have the pleasure of knowing most if not all of them and they definitely know how to spice up a good night. They have their great looking bartenders, the doorman is a real straight shooter, the DJ’s are some of the best Karaoke DJ’s I have seen, and the owner’s are, how should I put this, some of the funniest sons-a-******* that I have had the pleasure of knowing.

I’d like to give a shout out to my wife who works there as a bartender, Sunshine, I love you more and more everyday and Thank God for bringing me to you. Well that’s it for this article I look forward to seeing everyone out on their cycles, so ride safe and as always stay on target!


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June Thunder Roads Magazine of Iowa