JAN 2026 #260
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Contents
JANUARY ISSUE 260
FEATURES
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COLUMNS
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Wrenchfest Gibtown Bikefest Mondo Porras Chopper Godfather Biker Artist Potter Babe of the Month: Julie
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Craven Moorehead Nefarious James Women’s World Letterfly Spyke n’ Mike CMA
DEPARTMENTS
Contents Ride Safe Ride Smart Biker Movie Review
REPORTS
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Charlotte’s Webb Life On 2 Wheels Join the BTR Group Craig Paints Bikes
ON THE COVER Gibtown Bikefest January 9, 10, 11, 2026 Showmanship Club Riverview, Florida Gibtownbikefest.com
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BIKER LEGEND
MONDO PORRAS
THE GODFATHER OF CHOPPERS
Revered as the “Godfather of Choppers” by many of his peers, Mondo can look back at an illustrious career in custom bikes as very few can. From judging and putting on bike shows worldwide, to television appearances and hardcover books, his story is as unique as the man himself and his name as instantly recognizable as the long, low and lean bikes Denver’s is most known for.
Of course, it wasn’t always just “Mondo.” In fact, during the early days, back in the sixties when he began his career at Denver’s Choppers in San Bernardino (commonly referred to as Berdoo), Armando Porras was known as Bondo Mondo, due to his talent involving the
famous shop’s sleek and long custom frames.
Barely out of high school, Mondo had begun working with Denver Mullins, the original owner of the shop at the time, building custom cars and hot rods. “We decided, at some point, to get some motorcycles and fix ‘em up,” Mondo recalls, “and that’s how we got into playing with bikes. We all bought Harleys and decided we didn’t like the way they looked, so we started building front ends and changing frames and customizing them, and pretty soon people came in and wanted us to do that to their bikes.” That was shortly after 1967, the year Denver’s Choppers opened its doors,
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which made it one of the very first businesses in the slowly emerging custom motorcycle industry to manufacture and sell custom parts and accessories. “Back then, there were no catalogs to order parts from, so within a short time, we were known worldwide as the guys to go to for custom parts for choppers,” Mondo explains. Among the many innovations to soon come out of the small shop were items like rear fenders doubling as oil tanks, wildly stretched and raked frames, and especially springer front ends that kept getting longer and longer. More and more parts sprang up, and Denver’s began building complete custom bikes and shipping them all over the world.
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It got to the point, according to Mondo, where “you couldn’t pick up a custom bike magazine without seeing a Denver bike in it.”
airport. “But slowing down has not really happened. I still work seven days a week because I love it so much,” Mondo says. “The shop is always filled with bikes, new builds, customers’ bikes, my collection and my friend Gerald Casey’s collection who helps me out at the shop. In fact, we built a radical Knucklehead for Gerald for the Michel Lichter Bike ‘Motorcycle as Art Museum Show’ at the Buffalo Chip in Sturgis this year.”
The Denver’s Chopper style is uniquely its own, according to Mondo, who describes it as long and low. “I’d call it Southern California style. What a lot of people today call a Swedish chopper, is actually a Denver’s chopper. We used to send a lot of bikes over to Sweden, and there’s a motorcycle club in Sweden right now called Denver’s Choppers. It’s been there since the seventies. We were also the first ones who came up with the gooseneck frames.”
It all came to a tragic end, however, in October of 1992, when Denver, who also dabbled in drag boats, drowned during a test run with a safety capsule he and Mondo had designed. For the following year-and-a-half, Mondo stayed at the shop to settle outstanding accounts and take care of legal matters. “What I did was focus more on the drag boats but was still building bikes in the shop as well,” he says.
On June 30, 1997, he re-opened Denver’s Choppers, having moved to Henderson, Nevada, just outside of Las Vegas, for what he calls economic reasons. “During that time some of the things I am most-proud of occurred to me,” he says. “First off, my association with Easyriders Magazine. I could not have done it without the magazine’s timeless support and help over the years. In 2001 I was awarded the trophy for Best Custom Bike Fabricator from Easyriders. I also had the very extreme pleasure of being in David Mann’s last painting for the 30th anniversary of Easyriders. This was a huge deal to me.” Sadly, Easyriders magazine went out of business last year after 50 years as America’s best-loved custom motorcycle magazine. Mondo was also honored to be awarded the first ever David Mann Kind BTR 18 | BORNTORIDE.COM
After more than 50 years in the business, Mondo still adheres to the old Denver philosophy, and his front end, rolling chassis, and complete bikes are as innovative, old-school, and mind-blowing as they were during the early days. “The front ends are our bread and butter,” he says about the trademark look that defines many of the bikes he builds. But his shop contains a number of different bikes styles, not just long choppers. Award from the David Mann Chopper Fest, and he was installed into the Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2018, along with being voted Cycle Source Magazine’s Man of the Year. In 2012 he moved up to Reno to be near his daughter and her family and try to slow down a bit, running his oneman-shop in a strip mall near the city’s
There are a lot of FXR-style bikes and high-performance sport bikes or whatever the select customer desires. “Stuff you can’t buy from Harley anymore, you can buy from us,” he says, “with any engine combination you can imagine.”
Mondo’s also fully involved in the Reno custom bike scene and has several of his own shows, most notably during Street
Mondo , thank you for donating your custom made front end to Choppertown Live !
Vibrations but also in places like Hollister and farther afield. After more than 50 years into his career, Mondo shows no signs of slowing down. “I am still building quite a few long bikes the old Denver-style way for customers from all over the country and beyond,” Mondo says. “Most of my customers are hard-working Americans young and old who love choppers. I still build a lot of Springer front ends that go all over the world.”
Speaking of those long Springers, Mondo build an 18-over chrome Springer for the Golden Chopper in the bikerfilm Rough Boys last year. It’s a custom Panhead that you can win! Go to www.roughboysmovie. com for details. He even plays the part of a mysterious character called “The Doctor” in the movie.
As far as retirement goes, Mondo says although he’s in his 70s now, he’s loving it more and more every day as the bikes get better with every build, with new ideas and challenges. “That makes it all worthwhile and exciting to come to work every day,” he says. “I don’t want to ever retire. I’m having too much fun building bikes and hot rods. My running joke is that if you ever find me in my shop bent over my welding table with my hood on and the part finished I was working on, I died a happy man.” Mondo has spent a lifetime creating amazing custom motorcycles and we’re proud to say that he was Born To Ride.
— Kai Raecke and Dave Nichols
Mondo is a True Biker Legend 100% Real Deal DenversChoppers.com since 1967.
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He’s a Biker, an Artist, a Potter and He May Be a Philosopher, Too
One of the best parts of my work for the last 30 years has been the people I have met and worked with. I have shot interviews with world leaders as well as icons of the music, film and sports industries. For the most part, these shoots are fun and every once and a while they’re exciting. But many times it’s the person I don’t know beforehand that will leave the biggest impression on me. Meeting fellow biker, David Meaders is one of those times. Now to hear David speak about himself, he’s just a “rednecked hillbilly” who would just like to “live up to his reputation as the second laziest man in this part of the country.” But he is also one of the last of his kind, especially here in Georgia. His family has been making pottery since his great-granddaddy built their first fire kiln in 1892. I visited with David on a warm north Georgia afternoon and the first thing I see is four horses, I mean four dogs challenging Stuart and me as we rode up the gravel driveway to his home and potting studio. Nestled in a little wooded cove with a pasture across the drive, David lives and works on his grandmother’s old homestead with four British mastiffs—and recently he had a temporary addition to his family with five little pups. There are old pottery jugs sitting on top of the fence posts that surround his home. His Harley-Davidson Wide Glide sits outside his studio door, while Leroy, Sabra, Brutus
and Number Five warn us to wait until David says it’s alright to come inside the fence. He comes out of his studio with a grin on his face and a hand in the air to greet us. The first time David remembers getting on a motorbike he was nine years old, “First time I got skint was about 1960, I believe about everybody’s been skint by a mini-bike, most dangerous machine ever made, most fun I ever had.” Since then he’s ridden everything from Bultacco to Norton to Triumph to Harley. His ride now is a ’02 Harley-Davidson Wide Glide with a dropped down front end and several other modifications, which basically make it a “hot rod.” He used to take it to the drag strip and consistently ran around 13.10 seconds in the quarter mile, which is somewhere around 107 mph. David’s wife of 32 years, Anita, passed away in July of 2002. “Hospice came in to be with his father two days after Nita’s passing” and 31 days later he passed away as well. David never had time to grieve the loss of his wife because he had to take care of his father. “I didn’t realize how tired I was physically, mentally, and emotionally until after that was all over with.” Shortly afterwards he bought the Wide Glide and without it “I probably wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you today.” Riding that Harley “gets me out of my head, totally and completely.”
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Sometimes David will throw a leg over his bike late at night or early in the morning and ride his favorite road, the Richard B. Russell Parkway. “My favorite time to go up there is when the moon is full and there’s no clouds. Nobody around you, there’s no traffic. See you can run 20 mile an hour if you want to or you can run 50 mile an hour.” To David life is precious but simple, “Life to me is making a little pottery, riding that Harley and chasing those fair haired petite women.” David is the nephew of Lanier Meaders, who is probably the most famous folk potter in the US. The Meaders family history of potting began in 1892 when David’s great grandfather John Milton Meaders and his sons built their first log shop and fire kiln in White County, Georgia. As early as the 1830s, as many as 70 potters were operating within a four mile radius of Mossy Creek in White County. Storage jars for food, pitchers, bowls and cups as well churns were all coming out of this small north Georgia region. John Milton hired some of these local potters and in turn they taught his sons how to pot. It wasn’t considered a folk art then, these were necessities of life. In 1967 the Smithsonian Institute came to White County to shoot a documentary on the old way of making pottery and (David’s GF) was going to be one of the subjects, but he became ill and his uncle Lanier stepped in to do the job. One of the most well known styles of folk pottery is the face jug, and David is keeping the art form alive, but he likes to call his jugs “Goober Heads.” The face jug evolved over the years into also being called the ugly jug. It is said that some people would store their alcohol in them and wanted to be sure to keep the children away. So by the 1920s they were making them even uglier to maybe frighten the children or at the very least be able to warn them off. David says, “There has been a Meaders continuously, from the day they started (in 1892) until today making pottery.” And he is still doing it the old way. He gets his own clay from Georgia creek sides, makes his own glaze, mixes and hand turns the clay and fires it in his old brick kiln. Many people have asked him if there’s any difference in how he and his grandfather potted, and “I say yeah, I got a chainsaw and electric lights.” For me the only bad part about my afternoon with David is when I have to wrap up what I’m doing, strap everything back on my Road King and say goodbye. But I always want to ask for one parting thought, one life philosophy you might say. With David it came easy, “Get up every morning and see what happens, I mean that’s it. What can you do about it? I have no control over nothing, the only thing I have any control over is my attitude. You leave me alone and I’ll leave you alone. Don’t kick your dog, don’t hit women, and sure don’t hit kids.” Eric Albright For more Info on David Meaders and his Artwork, www.folkpottery.com
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T H G I N
Craven Moorehead
Angels are Real, Happy New Year I had a yard sale this weekend. I put signs out on the main drag and the other streets to direct people in. Just before it got totally dark, I jumped into the old Dodge pickup to go retrieve the signs. I was at my 3rd stop (on RT 60 & Jerry Smith) when the truck ran out of gas. I’m standing in the turn lane realizing that I would have to walk back to the shop to get an empty gas can, and then walk back to the corner of Turkey Creek and 60 to get some fuel and then walk back to the truck. By this time it was dark. I swear to you, I could not believe what happens next. This isn’t Winslow Arizona – but a girl in a Ford Expedition rolls down her window at the stop sign and asks me “what’s wrong.” “I’m outta gas” I replied. So she says “Come on, I will give you a ride.” “Lemme see if I have my gas can.” After a short search, I realized that the can was not in my truck. Knowing that I had run out of luck, I just walked to the passenger side of this really nice truck and got in. Oh my God in heaven, I looked at her and she was absolutely beautiful!! Long blonde hair, perfectly dressed, hot body, and to top it all off she was within my wheel-house of maturity. I am really surprised that a woman of this stature and elegance would even stop and look at an old ‘scooter-trash’ looking dude like me much less actually wait around and piss people off at a busy intersection while I took the time to look for my gas can. But she did, and evidently she is very brave. After a short introduction and some small talk she asked me which gas station I wanted to go to – the RaceTrac or the Sunoco. So naturally I said, “RaceTrac.” She told me that after she picked up her friend on the other end of the road she would give me a ride back to the disabled hillbilly truck. She went out of her way to drop me off at the gas station, and I reminded her that she was truly an ‘Angel’ for giving me a ride. When I went inside the store, I searched for a gas can. Yeah, there was only one left. $12.99 plus tax which equals almost all I made in the last two days of the yard sale. But I was on a mission to get the truck back, knowing that the battery would be dead soon because I had left the parking lights on. Anyhow, when I get to the counter a girl that I’ve seen in my frequent visits to the store (which is also very cute and extremely nice) is wondering why I am buying a gas can. I asked “Do y’all rent these?” to which she replied – “No, they aren’t for rent.” But she would go check her car to see if she had one that I could borrow. This was yet another effort by someone to help me with a problem, with no expectation of recompense. She
returned and apologized, which was not necessary and I paid for the can and headed to the gas pumps after telling her the story of the beautiful angel that had given me a ride. “I saw her drop you off and I thought maybe she was your girlfriend or wife.” “I wish” is all I could say, and we both laughed. I get a few dollars worth of gas and started hoofing it back down 60 toward the truck. A fellow in a pickup truck stops and says “Man, I heard the story about you running out of gas, and I actually saw that hot girl that dropped you off, so if you want me to, I will drive you back to your truck – just in case she doesn’t come back to get you.” I accepted the ride and the man even offered to hang for a minute just to make sure that I could get it started. I thanked him profusely and told him that I was very appreciative. We conversed about the ‘paying it forward’ thing just like the beautiful girl that brought me there did, and of course, I also told him that he was also an angel unaware. I poured the gas in the tank leaving just a little to dump into the carburetor for good measure. After grinding the battery to the point of death, she finally fired up and as usual the old worn out hillbilly Dodge didn’t let me down. It’s been a very long road with me and that truck. I picked up my signs and went home. This isn’t a fabrication or fantasy by any stretch of the imagination. This is a TRUE story that you should ALL take heed to. I don’t care if you believe in God or whatever deity it is that you worship. It’s none of my business. I can tell you this; there are good angels walking this earth, paying it forward every day that they live and breathe. Personally, I try to help people whenever I can, and I am not prophesizing or preaching here so don’t get the wrong idea. But do yourself one favor – help people if you can. Your reward may not come immediately, so have faith and push on. In the end, it doesn’t really matter, but you only take with you what you have put in. Here’s the kicker. That beautiful woman did come back to look for me, she slowed down, got into the turn lane and after seeing me pouring gas into the tank she just blew the horn and drove away. It is what it is, but I believe that you should take every opportunity that presents itself to you. Perhaps I should have been more patient and had a little more faith in humanity, but alas I did not. Sometimes it is hard to make the right decision based upon faith alone, but I did accomplish the mission and made it back home intact. My agent called to get me booked for some gigs coming up in the near future. I told her this story. She may not be impressed, but she questioned me about why I didn’t get this girl’s phone number. I should have. I learn something every day and my faith in people has been restored to a great extent. Angels are everywhere regardless of your religion. … Everything happens for a reason I suppose. But if anyone knows who this beautiful angel is, then let her know that she has a fan that would love to repay her in so many ways. Later that evening. … The woman somehow tracked me down. I was in my shop, working on an old computer when I saw a truck pull in. It was her! I went over to the window and she, in a sweet as sugar voice asked me if I would mind checking on what the strange ticking sound in the motor was. I of course obliged and after she opened the hood, I began examining the motor. The truck was so tall that I had to sort of get up on the front tire and lean under the hood. I had only been under there for about 20 seconds when something moving behind me startled me and I glanced over to see her standing behind me. All of a sudden, she began pulling on my leg, just like I’m pulling yours!
I knew him for over 22 years, there will never be another Man like him. — Ron Galletti
CRAVEN
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My Life on Two Wheels:
63 Years of Motorcycle Roads and Revelations BY: LARRY “CRAZY IVAN” MAHLE
My first ride was on my dad’s flathead Harley. I was five years old, perched on that big, rumbling machine, holding on for dear life — and I was hooked. That moment lit a fire in me that never went out. I’ve been riding motorcycles for 63 years since then. That’s not just a number — it’s a lifetime.
afterward, I started dreaming about the day I’d ride my own. When that day finally came, I didn’t just ride — I lived it. Friends started calling me “Crazy Ivan” for the way I chased miles and took on routes most folks thought twice about. I didn’t mind. I was too busy riding.
From the first time I kicked over an engine on my own, I knew riding was something more than just getting from point A to point B. There’s something about the feeling of being on two wheels — the connection to the road, the rhythm of the ride, the clarity that comes when the world drops away behind your handlebars. Over the decades, I’ve owned more motorcycles than I can count, ridden through 49 of the 50 U.S. states, and discovered that the real journey wasn’t just across America — it was inward, too.
Over the years, I’ve thrown a leg over bikes of just about every make and model — Hondas, Yamahas, Harleys, Triumphs, and even a few machines that ran only when they felt like it. Some were sleek and smooth; others rattled my bones. But each one had a personality, and each one left a mark on me.
THE BEGINNING
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THE MACHINES I’VE RIDDEN
These days, my go-to is a 2001 Dyna Low Rider a bike that fits me like a well-worn glove. It’s got enough muscle to carry me anywhere I want to go and enough soul to keep me grinning inside my helmet. — For now, Crazy Ivan
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NEW YEAR’S GOALS As the calendar flips to a new year, bikers everywhere start thinking about goals. New gear, longer rides, bigger trips, better bikes. The problem is, many of those resolutions sound good in January and are forgotten by spring. The most meaningful New Year goals for riders aren’t about grand promises or expensive upgrades—they’re about realistic changes that make riding safer, more enjoyable, and sustainable for the long haul. One of the strongest goals a biker can set is to ride smarter, not just more. That means choosing quality rides over sheer mileage. Planning routes in advance, checking weather and traffic conditions, and knowing when to turn around or park the bike for the day are signs of experience, not weakness. Riding tired, rushed, or distracted increases risk and drains the joy from the ride. A realistic goal is to ride with intention and return home safe every time. Another practical resolution is to invest time in skill development instead of horsepower. While new bikes and performance upgrades are tempting, improving riding skills delivers far greater long-term value. Advanced rider courses, refresher training, or even slowspeed practice in an empty lot can sharpen braking, cornering, and hazard awareness. Riders with decades in the saddle still benefit from refining fundamentals. Skill keeps you riding longer than speed ever will. Maintenance is another area where achievable goals matter. Instead of promising a full rebuild or cosmetic
overhaul, commit to staying ahead of routine maintenance. Regular inspections, tire pressure checks, fluid changes, and addressing small mechanical issues before they escalate can prevent breakdowns and costly repairs. A reliable bike builds confidence and reduces stress, especially on long rides far from home. Health and fitness deserve a place on every biker’s goal list. Riding demands more from the body than many realize, particularly on long days in the saddle. A realistic objective might be improving flexibility, endurance, and hydration habits.
“One of the strongest goals a biker can set is to ride smarter, not just more. That means choosing quality rides over sheer mileage. Planning routes in advance, checking weather and traffic conditions, and knowing when to turn around or park the bike for the day” Stretching, light strength training, and better recovery reduce fatigue, improve reaction time, and make riding more comfortable.
Tell Jim what you’re thinking, what do you want to say to him? editor@borntoride.com
Your body is as much a part of the ride as the machine beneath you. Equally important is setting goals that protect relationships and family time. Riding is a passion, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of those who matter most. Making time for family, partners, and close friends keeps life balanced and grounded. That may mean planning rides around family commitments, involving loved ones in trips when possible, or simply being present when the helmet comes off. Strong relationships provide support, perspective, and reasons to ride responsibly. Finally, consider goals that reconnect you with why you ride. That could mean fewer events and more meaningful ones, mentoring a new rider, taking a reflective solo trip, or riding with purpose rather than routine. Not every goal needs to be measured in miles or money—some are measured in clarity, connection, and peace of mind. A new year doesn’t require reinventing yourself as a rider. It calls for honesty, balance, and respect—for the road, the bike, and the people waiting for you at home. Set goals you’ll still believe in when the engine’s hot, the miles are long, and the ride finally leads you back where you belong. With that said, I wish you all a prosperous New Year and healthy life filled with the moments that make life worth living. Til next time...
— Nefarious James American Patriot
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Women’s World
Dr. Rebecca Kuo-Ryan is Skilled on the Track and in the Operating Room
“What are you doing?” This was Rebecca question to her boyfriend Robert when he bought a motorcycle. Rebecca had never been around bikes but as an orthopedic surgeon with a specialty in spinal injury and as the daughter of an orthopedic surgeon, she’d seen several people who’d wiped out and ended up in the operating room. She noticed that Robert was a very careful rider and soon, knowing how much it meant to him, Rebecca gave it a try. Despite seeing results of accidents, she wasn’t afraid on the back of his BMW touring bike and quickly began to enjoy it. “What if he’s injured or something and I need to go for help?” As a mother of two and a doctor, Rebecca was used to being prepared to handle anything. To answer her own question, she decided to learn to ride. Just in case! After taking the rider safety class Rebecca bought a BMW S1000 RR sport bike even though Robert hates what he calls, “crotch rockets.” When Robert and Rebecca became engaged the photographer asked about their common interests. When she heard about the motorcycle riding she suggested a few engagement photos with the bikes, besides the lake with the Chicago skyline in the background. Great idea! A medical assistant in Rebecca’s office is married to a guy who organizes events at a sport bike track. Rebecca accepted her invitation to visit and fell in love with track racing. Robert was reluctant to join her at first but then he loved it, too. Now she rides her ‘road bike,’ a Honda VFR to work and her sport bike on the track. Robert added a Zero SR Electric motorcycle as his ‘track bike.’ “The fast curves and leaning close to the ground,” Rebecca says, “It’s like skiing only on a bike!” She further explains that you aren’t racing other motorcyclists as much as you’re racing against your own best ride. The rides aren’t timed but are coached and judged according to exacting technique. You’re working on your speed, performance, and control. Rather than winning a race, your reward is challenging yourself and still leaving the track with a shiny bike and no broken bones! Track riding constantly tests and increases your technique and
control. Sort of like an advanced skills class. The techniques learned and practiced on the track also come in handy on the road when you hit a patch of ice or must maneuver quickly to avoid an accident and if you go into a corner too hot you can adjust and prevent
wiping out. In some ways, the track is safer than the road she says because you’re more visible and there are no cars, trucks, and intersections to deal with. Exacting technique, skill, and speed also are important in the operating room. Wouldn’t you want a surgeon who’s skilled, thinks fast and is precise? Rebecca sees her share of motorcycle accidents in the operating room, including some from the track she rides on. Rebecca was called to examine a guy in his early twenties who’d wiped out on his bike. The parents weren’t exactly happy when she walked into the exam room in full motorcycle gear, carrying her helmet. They were hoping he’d get a lecture on the dangers of motorcycles. Instead, he got a lesson on the importance wearing the proper gear and advancing his skills. Besides commuting to work on her bike and riding at the track regularly, Rebecca often takes short motorcycle road trips with Robert during the spring, summer, and fall before the Chicago winters cover the track with snow. If you or someone you know rides her own and has an interesting story to share contact Myra@MyraMcElhaney.com and maybe, you’ll be featured in the Women’s World column.
If you would like info on Born To Ride Womens Club, Email rg@borntoride.com
Myra McElhaney BORNTORIDE.COM | BTR 45
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MEET
JULIE
PHOTOS BY DANIEL GALLANT
Hi my name is Julie Marie. I’m from Illinois, and live in Tampa, Florida. I am an Actress, Model, Ring Girl, Spokesperson, and professional dance artist. I hope you will follow me on my journey. Motorcycle: White & Black bike: 2024 Indian Scout Chief Black Bike: 2024 Indian Scout Bobber Blue Bike: 2024 Indian Scout BORNTORIDE.COM | BTR 47
BIKER Movie Review
This month Born To Ride reviews the 1971 film “Psychomania.” If you like old British horror films, then this one’s for you. Maybe I should have said horrible old British films. Either way, Psychomania has a lot to like or dislike, depending on your level of intoxication. The film centers around the life of “Tom” who is the leader of a ‘motorcycle gang’ called the Living Dead. Tom and his ‘gang’ ride authentic period Triumph motorcycles, and meet in a field with several large vertical stones which somewhat resemble
Stonehenge.When they gather there, they often discuss what they will do in the particular day, but there is always talk of committing suicide, so they can live forever. Where could they get such an unsavory idea? From Tom’s occultist Mum of course! In a dream like sequence, Tom has the pleasure of seeing his lovely Mum sign a deal with the Devil to have eternal life. His soul is assumed to be part of the deal, as there is a tot in a basket screaming as Mum signs the deal. All this weirdness is further accelerated by a frog. I dunno? It’s just
Do you have a favorite Biker Movie we don’t have? Let us know: rg@borntoride.com
strange. We’ll get to the Frog—plus stones thing later. On one particular day, Tom and his gang decide to ride through town and wreak havoc on the locals. They ride through a mall square like setting, tipping over shopping carts, baby carriages, and other things until the Bobbies arrive. A chase ensues and most of the members escape the long arm of the law. Tom hell-bent on killing himself rides his motorcycle through a guardrail and into the river. In a strange ritual, Tom is buried sitting upright on his motorcycle near the stones. His gang makes wreaths of flowers and other artifacts, which are buried with him as a guy plays the guitar and sings. Mum’s weird butler buries a frog necklace with him and all the other stuff. Later, a motorist breaks down near the stones, and has the horror of seeing Tom ride his motorcycle out of the grave. He of course is struck by the speeding Triumph and assumed dead. Tom then proceeds to call home from a local public house, and speaks to the butler and his Mum. Later he kills several people from the pub, and escapes into the night. The next day he arrives at the stones where the gang is trying to figure out who stole Tom’s body, and motorcycle. Thinking Tom is the thief, the gang begins questioning him and one of the members sneaks up to stab him in the back. This is where they realize that Tom had really come back from the dead. Seeing how cool it is to be immortal, the rest of the gang sets out to be just like Tom and each one kills him or herself in increasingly more bizarre ways. All succeed but Tom’s girlfriend, who after a failed attempt, really wants to live a normal life. In the end Tom gives her the ultimatum to join him in the ‘living dead.’ While she is deciding what to do with the gun he has handed her, his lovely Mum performs a ritual which turns her into a frog, and the rest of the ‘dead gang’ into stones while she shoots Tom. Sound confusing? Yeah, it does to me too! I guess the moral of the story is: Don’t feel too froggy, cause you might get stoned. The Phantom Movie Review
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The Gift of Thinking Differently
Most riders know that the shortest path between two points is usually not a straight line—it’s the one you create. That truth showed up in an unexpected way recently when I invited my friend Jacki to join me at the Venardos Circus.
We squeezed into the sold-out show just in time to catch a world-class lineup of aerialists, jugglers, comedians, and daredevils. The kind of performance that fires up your imagination whether you’re a kid under the big top or a biker on the road. After the finale, we went in search of a cold drink, and that’s when the story really started. I led us on what Jacki later called “the most Letterfly route possible”—cutting across parking lots, over fences, through bushes, and jay-walking straight through traffic. She followed me the whole way, laughing, until she finally said: “You don’t think or behave like a normal person… and that’s why you thrive.”
Her words hit home. I’ve lived my whole life stepping off the sidewalk—literally and figuratively. It’s how I survived the circus, learned the sign-painter’s trade, became a motorhome mural artist, and eventually found my home on the road decorating
Harley-Davidson motorcycles with pinstripes, scrolls, and meticulous flourishes.
Thinking differently is why I climb inside a heavy staircase to move it more efficiently. It’s why I started adding clear-coat urethane to motorhome murals years before anyone else did. It’s why I sprayed vertical instead of sideways when everyone insisted there was only one “right” way.
Every trade I’ve worked—circus, carnival, sign shop, RV art bay, and the motorcycle world—rewards the rider or craftsman who finds their own line through the turn. That’s the takeaway I want to offer you - the Born to Ride reader: Don’t fear your unconventional side. It’s your competitive edge.
Being different isn’t a disadvantage—it’s the engine that drives innovation, survival, artistry, and the miles ahead. Next time the world tells you to stay on the sidewalk, remember: the best views are found when you take the route no one else even sees. Be Good, Be Well, and Ride Safe — Dave “Letterfly” Knoderer
Let Letterfly create amazing art for your home or business. Call 813-505-5539
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BORN TO RIDE Magazine
PUBLISHER Ron Galletti 813.785.3895 rg@borntoride.com OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Deb Galletti dgalletti@borntoride.com EDITOR Ron Galletti 813.785.3895 rg@borntoride.com ART DIRECTOR Peter Soutullo art@borntoride.com ART DEPARTMENT Erick Runyon Peter Soutullo
ROAD BOSS PHOTOS DISTRIBUTION Vick Velosity CONTRIBUTORS Birdman Mike & Spyke Nefarious James Susan Hurst the Phantom Craven Moorehead RIP Doug Bright Daniel Gallant John and Heather Chopper Dave SALES MARKETING ADVERTISING Call 813.785.3895 BORN TO RIDE PO Box 3021 Brandon Florida 33509 813.785.3895 www.borntoride.com
WE L C O M E T O 2 0 2 6 !
Well, we made it my Born To Ride friends, January 2026 and time for the Gibtown Bikefest. This year it’s January 9th, 10th and 11th. Mike and I hope for warm weather like the past few years. If it’s cold, it’s just another reason for Mike to break out the leathers and me to hunker down behind the windscreen. With sideshow attractions like the wall of death, magic shows, high wire balancing acts, a huge Ferris wheel, multiple rows of vendors, great food and an awesome lineup of music there is plenty to see and do. If you think your scoot is bad ass, Ron will be hosting his infamous 10 class ride in bike show on Saturday. Mike and Marilyn were released from the insane asylum and they have forgiven me for the 12 days of Christmas that I had delivered last month. I did stay away from them until the release date as the guards had orders to shoot first cook later... Mike replies, “Yes cuckoo for cocoa puffs, you went over the top with your gift-giving last month and we’re now looking for a place to live. It’s the reason we’re currently staying at a Motel 6. If I was you, I’d keep typing away on the story like it’s nobody’s business in your little corner of a hotel room!” I squawk, “Dude, I’ve heard you say for years that you’d like to experience the 12 days of Christmas. I just wanted to give you something that you asked for!” Mike barks, “Yeah, I wanted to go see it in real life at the playhouse, not experience it live on my property. Now I gotta find a place to live this new year!”
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I cackle, “just look at it this way, you’re getting a new house for the new year. I’m sure you’ve got some resolutions that you’d like to leave back at the old Sanctuary? Why don’t you tell them to me and I’ll give you my birds eye view on each one!” Mike responds, “OK my funky colored chicken, here we go:” 1) I will be more imaginative “Yeah right! Any more imaginative and the guys in the white suits will be coming back for you with a straight jacket. This time you won’t be well liked at the facility. 2) I will not bore Ron with the same excuses for taking leave. I will think of new ones. “Good! So it won’t be my fault anymore.” 3) To save water and go green, I will avoid taking baths and do less laundry but I will use more deodorant and cologne. “Oh great! The oceans will rise and everyone will smell you coming!” 4) I will resolve to work with neglected birds. “Wow! You can’t handle me. How are you gonna put up with a bunch of squawking, flighty, messy parakeets?” 5) I will spend less time on the Internet. “You’ve got no choice, since your computer caught a virus and you threw it out the window!” 6) I will read the manual just as soon as I can find it. “Mike, with your attention span like that of an ant, I hope for your sake it’s ALL in pictures!” 7) I will balance my checkbook. “Sure Mike, on the end of your nose?” 8) I will investigate why the correspondence course on ‘mail fraud’ I bought never showed up. “Would that be right after you find the deed you bought for that oceanfront property in Arizona?” 9) I will start buying lottery tickets at a luckier store. “Is that because the rabbit’s foot, four leaf clover, wishbone, horseshoe and special penny attached to your keychain broken?” 10) I will remember to brush my teeth with the bristly end of the toothbrush. “Dummy, do you mean brush your tooth?”
11) I will always check for paper when leaving the bathroom. “OK, what about your zipper?” 12) I will try to obey the speed limit signs. “Then next year, we’ll work on those pesky wrong way, stop and slippery when wet signs.” 13) I will keep an extra safe distance when driving behind police cars. “You better or you’ll end up on the show ‘Worlds Dumbest Drivers’ again!” 14) I will always wear clean underwear, just in case... “So, after 55 years you’re gonna START wearing underwear?” 15) I will cut down on exercising. It’s been proven that too much is bad for your health, it can even kill you! “What? You mean you’re moving from 16 ounce to 12 ounce curls during commercials?” 16) I will watch more TV. It is very educational now. “Wow! You’ve gone from rabbit ears to upgraded cable and got the Cartoon Network!” 17) I will eat more cool things like candy, Big Macs, popcorn and ice cream. “Because your girlfriend stopped making you breakfast, lunch and dinner?” 18) I will strive to master sarcasm and become very good at it. “What? Are you trying to take away my job?” 19) I will treat my girlfriend better. I won’t make her carry all the groceries, take out the trash or clean the gutters. “Did she catch you giving some stripper girl a ride on the Fat Bird?” 20) I’m going to work less and take life with grains of salt and sand. “Dammit Mike! Did you get fired again? Oh no, now I’m in trouble, are you going back to W.T.B. (Working The Bird)?” I cackle,”Looks like Mike’s got his work cut out for him. Check back next month to see how much he has failed. I’m gonna wrap this up so Mike and I can get some much needed breeze therapy. He has to get my wings in the wind, his knees under the triple trees, and the Fat Birds’ wheels rolling down the road.” — SPYKE
Do you have a riding pet story? Let us know, Spyke wants to feature them! editor@borntoride.com
CHRISTIAN MOTORCYCLISTS ASSOCIATION HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Is it this year that things are going to be different? It is common to have a hope or a new idea for the upcoming year. What if this year you are looking at a new or (new to you) bike? This process can be very time consuming. First you analyze what your needs and wants are in this new bike. Then you begin researching which bike is best for you that meets your needs. Next, you begin the search to see who has this bike for sale. Now we are ready for the test ride. It is like the bike has to prove to you that you should buy it. Did the bike perform? Do the pipes have the right grumble? Does it fit your frame and stature just right? If the bike proved to you it is right for you, then let the negotiations begin. This process is common to all of us. We probably use this process when we are looking to make very big decisions. Let me ask you, have you used this process in deciding whether or not to follow the Lord? This same process could begin your search to see that God is your right answer. What would God have to do to prove to you that you must make a decision to follow Him? Here is just a little test drive of the goodness of God: Read with me, Psalm 34:2-8 “I will boast only in the LORD; let all who are helpless take heart. Come, let us tell of the LORD’s greatness; let us exalt his name together. I prayed to the
LORD, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces. In my desperation I prayed, and the LORD listened; he saved me from all my troubles. For the angel of the LORD is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him. Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!” The last sentence says taste and see that the Lord is good. The Lord is saying today to try Him, test Him, analyze all He has to offer. Why not put in as much effort to understand the Lord as you do for your next bike. You will find everything you need and so much more. Teach’s Takeaway, - Have you really put in the effort before making your decision about following the Lord? - “Taste and See” that the Lord is good. - The Lord loves you and desires a relationship with you. Choosing a new bike is a decision for a few years. Choosing to follow the Lord is a decision for all of eternity. It is well worth the time and effort to truly Taste and See that the Lord is good. Ride together, ride safe, and ride on. — Fellow Soldier in Christ, Wayne (Teach) Masiker Christian Motorcyclists Association wayne.masiker@att.net
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