Full Throttle Magazine July 2025 by Full Throttle Magazine

JULY 2025

Lets meet Amanda Ann & Todd Heilmans 71 Plymouth Road

WELCOME

I hope all of you people who prayed for heat are happy now!!!!!!!

It’s already hit 95 degrees, but it didn’t keep us from getting to as many events as we could in June.

Hot as Hades itself was the Southside Bike show, but they still had a great turn out.

It was a scorcher at the 1st Annual Yomo Schriners Car show but there was a lot of cool cars & great people all out there for a very worthwhile cause. (see pics in around town & a lot more pictures on our Facebook page)

This month’s “things to do”, and yes, it’s hot and no you don’t want to miss them.

Start the holiday weekend out right with Red, White & Ride Bike Night !!!! Thursday July 3rd at Kt’s Saloon. Starts at 6, goes to 9 & of course music all night. Full Throttle Magazine will be there partying & taking pictures because it’s going to be a blast!

Celebrate the 4th with “Independence Day on the river with Infringement” at The Boathouse. Hot music & cold drinks. Get there early if you want a seat. Starts at 6pm.

July 11th Rankin present Drag Drift Party Wild West Night at World Wide Technolgy Raceway. A night for street legal motorcycles, cars, trucks and SUVs. There is drifting, contests, DJs & more. Get your tickets early.

Bring your car or bike out for Cruisin Lindbergh on the 19th. There will be a car show from 11 to 3 at 6303 South Lindbergh Blvd. Stop & get a cold drink at Crossroads Bar & Grill, Also, from 5 to 9 pm The Boosted Behavior Film Crew will be at Richline Motorsports.

Head over to The Mill on the 25th to see Captain Ed & The Catamarans Doors open at 7. Great music at a great venue.

Take the drive to Belleville to check out The Schaefer Car Show. The gates open at 4 on the 26th. We were there last year & it was an awesome show with killer cars.

If you see us at an event stop & say hello & let us take your picture for the “next” issue of Full Throttle Magazine. Nick and Dina

Around

Around Town

THE CLEVERLYS

THURSDAY, JULY 17

From humble Ozark beginnings to headlining nationwide festivals and the Grand Ole Opry, The Cleverlys deliver a truly unique comedy and music experience. This one-of-akind show has captivated audiences from mountain stages to premier performing arts centers across the country. There's no other performance quite like this out there.

GRANITE CITY'S PREMIER CONCERT AND EVENT VENUE

Mill Events

CAP'N ED & THE CATAMARANS

FRIDAY, JUNE 27

From Margaritaville to Key Largo, the smooth sounds of yacht rock will gently lap through The Mill when Cap'n Ed & The Catamarans hit the stage! Get ready to escape to paradise as your favorite soft-rock memories come to life.

COMING SOON IN AUGUST

REEL COUNTRY - DECADES OF HITS

FRIDAY, AUGUST 1

Everyone Loves Country Music! Relive decades of iconic hits with Vicki Rolens and Tim Campbell, joined by top country pickers. This fantastic show brings to life all the legendary tunes you adore, performed with authentic passion.

FORTUNATE SON

THURSDAY, AUGUST 21

This true-to-sound tribute captures Creedence Clearwater Revival's timeless essence, showcasing a passion for music and dedication to honoring this legendary band. Join us on a powerful musical journey

Bikes Live Music FOod Vendors Swag Attitiudes

2nd Saturday each month

April thru September

7-10 PM at Chariots of Fire Customs LLC 2113 Alexandria Crossing, Troy, MO 63379

2025 Our 10th Season !

APR 12 Blues Highway

MAY 10 The Biscuits

JUN 14 JJ Mag

JUL 12 Cole Blue Steel

AUG 9 Rumble Strip

SEP 13 After Midnight /STL

In the northwest corner of Michigan is a 20mile stretch of pavement that is easily one of the most spectacular sections of roadway I have ever ridden on. So let me tell you about how I got there.

Prior to this September 2021 road trip with my good friend Brian, the furthest north that I had been in Michigan was to Mackinac Island, straight off the northern tip of Michigan in Lake Huron, and accessible only by boat (or snowmobile in winter). It is also a unique destination, and I highly recommend a visit to Mackinac, but you should know that there are NO motorized vehicles allowed on the island! Two-wheeled conveyance there is all by peddle power.

Because we were traveling solo (1 -up in biker terms), we each chose to ride our Road Kings on this trip, leaving the jumbo baggers behind. The Kings were pretty much a perfect choice for this trip, and we had absolutely zero issues with the bikes, except for that time my shifter peg fell off leaving the restaurant in Elk Rapids! Fortunately, we quickly located the runaway parts on the dark roadway, and I was back up and running in a few minutes. (It is wise to always carry a good flashlight and a toolkit on your trips!)

As with all my road trips, planning is part of the fun, and often leads to the discovery of interesting things, places, and facts. This trip was no exception, as I sought a route off the beaten path that would take us north along the east coast of Lake Michigan, hugging the shoreline as closely as possible, ultimately ending up in Copper Harbor, MI on the shores of Lake Superior. We were hopeful to see the burst of fall colors that the north is known for along the way, but our timing proved to be a bit early to see a major

change. We did enjoy more color th e farther north we pushed and, for the most part, we had really good weather.

Michigan has always held a special place in my heart. Growing up, we spent every August (1969 –1999) in Grand Haven at our family cottage located right on the shoreline of Lake Michigan. So when I was planning this motorcycle trip to Michigan’s UP (upper peninsula), I was surprised to discover The Tunnel of Trees was along our route. I guess I had been living under a rock, because I had never heard of it before, even though it is one of the best-known scenic roads in Michigan!

A little Lake Michigan trivia for those who are interested. Lake Michigan has the 3rd largest surface area of the 5 Great Lakes and is the only one of the five that lies entirely in the United States. It is the 2nd largest of the Great Lakes by volume and has a maximum depth of 925 feet.

Can you name the other 4 lakes? Well, remember this simple acronym; H.O.M.E.S. and you will get lakes Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior. All the Great Lakes lie in the Great Lakes Basin and began forming 14,000 years ago during the Last Ice

Age, as retreating glaciers melted and filled the basin with water.

Our route, north of Manistee, MI would have us following the coast of Lake Michigan and take us through the towns of Frankfort, Traverse Bay, Elk Rapids (where we stayed at the very cool Lakeside Inn), Charlevoix, Petoskey and Harbor Springs. All very quaint little towns worthy of a visit and a stay much longer than just one night! Along the way, we stopped at Inspiration Point at Arcadia Dunes and rode through Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore to the overlook there. In Frankfort, we discovered that ALL the restaurants were closed! We ended up eating lunch at the Port City Smokehouse on Main Street, sort of a gourmet butcher shop that offers some amazing carry-out food. It was along this route that we came to M-119.

Michigan 119 (M-119), “The Tunnel of Trees”, runs along the east coast of Lake Michigan from Harbor Springs to Cross Village. As the name suggests, you feel like you are riding through a tunnel, as the thick canopy of oak, maple, birch, and cedar trees abo ve envelopes the roadway along its path. The weather was perfect as we coursed along the narrow road and enjoyed spectacular views of the lake and some beautiful homes flanking the road to our right. Multi-million-dollar views from multi-milliondollar homes, isn’t life grand?

One of Michigan’s “Pure Michigan Byways”, M -119 follows an old Ottawa trail. Originally known as M131, the road was designated M-119 in 1979 and earned its title due to the thick canopy of overhanging trees that block most of the sunlight. About halfway between Harbor Springs and Cross Village is the town of Good Hart where you’ll find the Good Hart General Store, amazing pizzas, pies, cookies, and the Biker’s Corner!

As you emerge from the tunnel in Cross Village, you will come to Legs Inn on your left. This Polish restaurant and lodge were constructed in 1930 from locally sourced stone and timber by Stanley Smolak. Smolak continued working on the Inn until his death in 1968. You’ll want to set aside some time here to explore the lodge and enjoy a few ice-cold Polish draft beers and amazing Polish Sausages.

We would discover several more amazing roads, incredible views, and unique places on our way to Copper Harbor. Crossing the Straits of Mackinac on the 5-mile-long Mackinac Bridge into the UP took us to US-2, which follows a good part of the northern shore of Lake Michigan. From there, we went north on M-77 to Grand Marais, then west on H -58 along the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore towards Munising, MI. From Munising, it was west on M28/US-41 all the way to Copper Harbor. Quick tip, if it is lunch time, try the Ambassador in Houghton!

In all, our trip over 9 days covered 1,950 miles and took us to some cool destinations, many well off the beaten path. Trips like this serve to inspire me to seek new places to go, plan new trips and hit the road again!

Until next time, I will be out riding more Roads Worthy, it feeds my soul. -John

Amanda Ann & the 71 Plymouth Roadrunner

CAR OWNER: TODD HEILMAN

MODEL: AMANDA ANN

Welcome back Full Throttle readers! Let’s get right into it, talking about our “Showroom Spotlight.” A Customized 2024 Softail Heritage Classic.

Few motorcycles embody the spirit of the open road quite like the 2024 Harley-Davidson Heritage Classic. Combining nostalgic Americana styling with modern engineering, this Softail model continues to attract riders who want traditional looks backed by serious performance and comfort. Whether you’re a long-haul road warrior or a weekend cruiser, the Heritage Classic offers a balanced blend of timeless design and contemporary capability.

Styling that Honors the Past

The 2024 Heritage Classic is unmistakably Harley. With its vintage-inspired features—such as the full fenders, chrome-laced wheels, and signature studded leather saddlebags—it looks like it rolled right out of a 1950s dream. Yet, it’s far from a museum piece. The bike comes in several striking paint options, all matched with deep gloss finishes and hand-applied pinstriping on select trims.

One of the most eye-catching details on the THIS 2024 Heritage Classic is its throwback whitewall tires. These retro-style tires harken back to the golden age of American motorcycling, evoking the classic cruisers of the 1940s and ’50s. Paired with chrome-laced wheels, the whitewalls perfectly complement the bike’s vintage aesthetic, adding an extra layer of authenticity to its old-school vibe. Beyond their nostalgic appeal, the wide tires also contribute to the Heritage’s smooth ride and road presence, proving that sometimes, style and function go hand in hand.

The detachable windscreen is one of the standout elements of the Heritage, offering flexibility for riders. Leave it on for wind protection during long-distance touring, or remove it in seconds for a stripped-down cruiser look. Meanwhile, LED headlamps and running lights give the bike a modern lighting upgrade while retaining that vintage aesthetic.

Milwaukee-Eight Power

Underneath its retro shell lies the beating heart of modern V-twin performance. The Milwaukee-Eight® 114 engine powers the 2024 Heritage Classic, delivering 119 ft-lb of torque at just 3000 RPM. It’s a powerful mill that delivers smooth acceleration and a deep, throaty rumble only Harley can provide. Matched with a crisp six-speed transmission, this engine offers ample muscle for passing on the highway or carving up back roads.

The counter-balanced V-twin ensures reduced vibration, meaning longer rides with less fatigue. And thanks to Harley’s attention to heat management, the engine runs cooler—especially helpful during stop-and-go urban riding or hot summer days.

A Refined Softail Frame

The Heritage Classic benefits from Harley-Davidson’s modern Softail chassis, which is both lighter and stiffer than previous generations. This gives the bike a surprisingly nimble feel, especially when navigating twisty roads or tight urban corners. The hidden rear mono-shock preserves the “hardtail” look while delivering a plush, comfortable ride, especially when paired with the thick touring seat and upright riding position.

The suspension is preload-adjustable, allowing riders to fine-tune the rear shock for solo trips or two-up riding with gear. It’s a practical touch that goes a long way in enhancing comfort and performance for riders of all sizes and styles.

Classic Soul, Modern Muscle:

The 2024 Harley-Davidson Heritage Classic

Comfort and Convenience on the Open Road

The Heritage Classic isn’t just about looking good—it’s built for serious miles. The cruise control system comes standard, a feature that makes highway touring easier and more comfortable. The ergonomics are dialed in for long-distance comfort, with floorboards providing plenty of foot placement options and wide handlebars for relaxed control.

The lockable, weather-resistant saddlebags offer ample storage for gear, groceries, or a change of clothes, making the Heritage a practical daily rider or weekend adventurer. Paired with a generous 5-gallon fuel tank, this bike can stretch its legs for hundreds of miles between stops.

Rider Safety and Tech

While rooted in tradition, the 2024 Heritage Classic doesn’t skimp on modern safety features. The Standard Reflex™ Defensive Rider Systems

(RDRS) offer electronic aids like traction control, ABS, and drag-torque slip control, helping riders maintain confidence in less-than-ideal conditions.

The bike also includes a digital analog combo instrument cluster, giving riders a mix of classic speedometer styling with digital readouts for gear position, fuel range, and trip meters. It’s a subtle but effective nod to blending past and present.

Final Thoughts

The 2024 Harley-Davidson Heritage Classic is a masterclass in balance— vintage flair without sacrificing modern performance. It’s a bike for those who want the soul of a traditional cruiser with the comfort, power, and reliability of today’s technology. Whether you’re a seasoned rider or new to the Harley family, the Heritage Classic is a motorcycle that invites you to ride farther, stay longer, and enjoy every mile of the journey.

Thank you for reading!

Rocky @ St. Charles Harley Davidson