The new version of FireFox  (get it here for free) is really slick.  Not only is it the best browser (please stop using Internet Explorer), and it's fast, and stable, they now have a new feature called PERSONAS.

Basically you can skin your broswer with custom graphics.  I have an R1 on mine right now that looks like this:

Get Your Skins

Just install the browser and then you'll be given the option to pick your own persona from litterally thousands of choices.  They have a lot of motorcycle ones, and i'm sure more are coming.

You can even create your own skins.... FTR will be making some custom skins in the near future.  If anyone wants to help us make some let us know.

Here's a link to some of the motorcycle ones currently available. 

http://www.getpersonas.com/en-US/gallery/All/search?p=motorcycle&search.x=6&search.y=9

They definitely need better motorcycle ones, and I'm sure they will be coming soon as artists create more, but look through the categories and do some keyword searching to find on you really like.

ENJOY!

This weekend at the

ARIZONA STATE FAIRGROUNDS!!!!!

	Vendors! Reserve your space now! 480-899-6458 Click here for contracts Hours: Saturday, December, 12th,  10:00am -8:00pm Sunday, December 13th,   10:00am - 4:00pm Admission: Tickets available at the Door. Only $10 Kids 12 & under are FREE! Parking: Limited Free Parking, get there early

I know this is more like a sales pitch, as opposed to a blog, but I can't help it... I am one of the creators of this game and have had nothing but great things said about it from those who have purchased and played it. Would love to make a few sales from those of you who love to ride, go on poker runs, drink, play poker, or just plain like trivia games. The game is based on a poker run so you pay to ride, and as you make your way around the board, which happens to be a map of the United States, you stop at major rallies (like Sturgis, Laconia, Daytona, Four Corners, and Laughlin) and collect a poker card. While traveling around the board, you might land on some squares that make you interact with the other players, or tell you to "Take a Swig of Your Drink". Or you might land on one of two sets of trivia cards, which you have to answer correctly to keep your turn alive. The cards are named "Two Wheeler Trivia" and "What The Hell Is That". All the questions in the game were made up by me and are related to motorcycles in movies, music, tv shows, and include questions about national parks, travel destinations, and rallies. The game can be played by up to 7 players or 7 teams, and only takes about two and a half hours to play. So, below is my pitch.

This past weekend I was introduced to the U.S. Distributor of Leg Pegs, Mike Crawford.  We sat and talked while he was getting tattoo'd on by another FTR member, Scott Mackenzie (badassink).

We discussed what we are both involved in, including FTR and his distribution business.  We talked tattoo's, racing, and of course he told me about Leg Pegs.  Mike has tons of racing exerience including Baja 1000 and many Best of the Desert racing wins.

Our first meeting was on Saturday during his new ink session, and then Sunday we all took our dirtbikes for some desert riding up by Lake Pleasant, north of Phoenix, AZ.  It was incredible.  I got to see the Leg Pegs in action and ride with Mike for the first time.  I learned a lot about desert racing by chasing him around the extreme desert trails at near race speeds.  He really pushed me hard and I learned a lot about my riding and really improved my skills.  Thanks Mike!

So as our newest FTR member Mike is stoked to find out about FTR and become more involved.  He even mentioned something about possibly giving away a few sets of Leg Pegs for an FTR contest/promotion.  So keep an eye on the site to find out how you can win some Leg Pegs real soon!

Here's a recent article about Leg Pegs featured in Dirtbike Magazine:

The Leg Pegs bolt on easily and provide an ergonomic platform for your calves to rest against.

Just when you think that you’ve seen it all a new product comes to the dirt bike market that doesn’t target power, suspension or appearance. It’s sole goal is to enhance the rider’s ability to ‘get into the proper stance’ and use less energy. Enter Leg Pegs, a truly unique product that bolts onto your machine in seconds and actually gives your lower leg a platform to rest against when you’re in a standing, out of the saddle stance. Your calves actually rest against the Leg Pegs, keeping you from sliding back off the machine. In rough terrain, whoops and fast conditions where you try to squeeze the life out of the grips, you can actually relax your upper body.

As you stand up in rough terrain, you grip the machine from the feet up, and your legs clasp onto the Leg Pegs
 

Steve Hengeveld, Kawasaki’s newest addition to their Precision Concepts Baja team is a huge believer. Steve says that the Leg Pegs allow him ride faster, more in control and use less effort in long demanding terrain.

Steve Hengeveld is a big believer in Leg Pegs ability to go harder and longer, using less energy and upper body strength.

Bob Bell, Robby and Steve discuss the new Kawa 1x bike during initial testing.

We’ve tested them, they’re easily adjustable for rider sizes and true to their mission statement, we found that they really work. There is some acclimatization, but once you spend some time with them, you start to rely on their erogonomic design and they allow for a smooth transition into the attack mode, letting you focus on the terrain. In long whoop sections, severe downhills and hacky straights where you stand for long periods of time the Leg Pegs make a difference.



Your legs lock in on high speed nasty obstacles quite naturally. They rest against the Leg Pegs which hold you in the proper stance.

On a motocross track with nasty  consecutive hits they allow you to move immediately into the 'attack stance', positioned in a centered, and not too far back mode. This actually relaxes your upper body and you don't grip it as hard, or with as much energy. They really shine off-road, and with time they work into a 'necessary and familiar ergonomic feel' making for quicker rider transitions, we actually use less effort holding on and on long-brutal sections our speed seems to have gotten better.


As your weight shifts back, your calves find the comfort zone as they rest against the Leg Pegs. They keep you from sliding too far back on the machine.

Some guys (MXers mainly) had some issues when their feet fly on jumps (leave the pegs) and they would feel the Leg Pegs when their foot searched for the peg. They may look a little bizarre, but the CNC machined Leg Pegs are innovative, unique and a cost effective way to improve your off-road riding skills.

http://www.legpegs.com

(602) 353-1300

$124.95

XDL Finals - Indianapolis, Event Report
Bubash Wins FMF Cup, Speed & Strength Sickest Trick a Sellout, XDL Performs First Ever MotoGP Demos

Text: Randy Grube
Photos: David Avila

For the inaugural XDL Indy competition in 2008 the series was greeted by Hurricane Ike and pouring rain. It seems that Friday at Indy means running in the rain, because once again, an otherwise beautiful week was punctuated by heavy downpours on Friday just as qualifying was starting in the afternoon and the gates opened. The initial drizzle had little effect on the early runners, but by the time number one qualifier Bill Dixon went out it was coming down in buckets. The rain persisted until about 6:30pm, building up standing water almost 6 inches deep at the curbs. Just like any other series, XDL officials had to make a call on the weather. After checking every radar image on every iPhone app available, the decision was that the weather would hold until 10pm or so, providing enough time to get in the competitions. As the riders fired up for the K&N Circle Challenge spectators started to come out of hiding and the stands filled with fans eager to see who would be the best circle wheelie rider. Shin Kinoshita, last year's winner, was still in Japan dealing with his mystery illness so the field was wide open. But within less than 30 minutes, Aaron Twite, a perennial K&N Circle Challenge favorite had beaten out all comers and took the crown. Next it was on to FMF Cup. Since the title had been decided, this would be an all out scramble for the win. Aaron Colton, last year's winner, felt fairly confident based on his number one qualifying run. Nick Apex, the outgoing champ had a few things to prove, as did Chris McNeil who has had a rocky two seasons due to mechanical issues. About the only one completely relaxed was Bill Dixon. The surface had started to dry but was still damp so it didn't allow the riders to go all out. But whether the conditions were ideal or not didn't really matter because Brian Bubash was so on his game it seemed inconceivable anyone would be able to take him out. He closed out the '09 season by scoring his first-ever XDL FMF Cup win. Cali Alliance rider Rick Hart was only one point behind, and a once again injured Bill Dixon still managed to grab third. It seems that Indy always brings out the best in XDL athletes and they always put on a great show. And there was still plenty more action ahead.

For Saturday the weather improved dramatically and athletes and fans alike were treated to a perfect day. The show opened with the Indianapolis Bikes and Beats put on by 2 Wheel Tuner. This is a new and very attractive addition to the XDL Indy program that featured a Suzuki custom bike show, live performances by Busa Beats contest winners, as well as an Icon fashion show. The competition got under way with the Aprilia All Star Challenge in which Dan Jackson and Bill Dixon still had to settle the score for the national title. Jackson was able to lock up his second straight Aprilia All Star Challenge Championship with a best time of 26.78. Second place at Indy went to local rider Eric Pettit with a very respectable 28.15. Saturday's main event was the Speed & Strength Sickest Trick competition, which now had a purse of $2,500. Maybe it was Indy, maybe it was the prize money, or maybe it was the fact that this would be the last main event of the season, but the largest ever field lined up to wow the crowd for this one. Everyone had their game face on and the crowd got to see some of the most amazing tricks ever performed on two wheels. It ranged from pure ballsy, to acrobatic, crazy and super skilled feats of riding. In the end, skill took the crown as winner Chris McNeil (BMW) and runner up Joe Dryden (Aprilia) both uncorked amazing performances. A video of the Speed & Strength Sickest Trick competition can be seen at: http://www.xdlshow.com/videos.html Saturday ended with the Russ Brown Freestyle Burnout competition, which was won convincingly by Speed & Strength rider Jason Pullen, who spit fire and had his bike throw flames, all while standing on his bike performing a stand still burnout.

If it sounds like Indy is a non-stop event, it is. Thursday practice ends at 9pm, Friday and Saturday go past midnight and Saturday's venue tear down takes until 4am. This year, there was an 8:30am and 11:30am XDL demo at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, on the race track, as part of MotoGP race day activities, so there were quite a few riders and XDL staffers that got one hour or less of sleep. But everyone pulled through and had a good time. The demos were unique because XDL put three 4-man teams on the track that did three simultaneous three minute demos. Think of it this way. Whether you were in turn 1, 9 or 16, you got to see an XDL demo, all at the same time. XDL staff and riders have worked hard at building a relationship with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and MotoGP and it looks like that relationship will continue to expand and more sportbike freestyle will take place as part of major race weekends in the US.

The 2009 season was another big step towards building America's hottest action sport: XDL. Rider fields are bigger and more competitive, venues are better, crowds are bigger and more sponsors are engaged. In short, growth is explosive and XDL will continue to be a hot property in 2010.

FMF Cup Results (Top 5)
1. Brian Bubash 78
2. Rick Hart 77
3. Bill Dixon 72.5
4. Aaron Colton 72.5
5. Chris McNeil 69

FMF Cup National Championship (Top 5)
1. Bill Dixon
2. Aaron Colton
3. Lin Eshalom
4. Rick Hart
5. Dan Jackson (T), Warren James(T), Brian Bubash (T)

Aprilia All Star Challenge Results (Top 5)
1. Dan Jackson 26.78 seconds
2. Eric Petit 28.15 seconds
3. Bill Dixon 31.50 seconds
4. Chris McNeil 34.25 seconds
5. Brian Bubash 35.00 seconds

K&N Circle Challenge Winner
Aaron Twite

Russ Brown Freestyle Burnout Winner
Jason Pullen

Sickest Trick Winner
Chris McNeil

Bike Night USA Team Battle Winners
Dan Jackson, Brian Bubash, Bill Dixon, Dan Farris

For complete results go to: http://www.xdlshow.com/results/2009/indianapolis.html
For the complete national rankings, go to: http://www.xdlshow.com/results/2009/results09.html
For photos: http://www.xdlshow.com/images/galleries/indy09/
For hi-res images contact Randy Grube at randy@xdlshow.com

 Motorcycle Art created by Bikers, and an Open House at an amazing studio. Did people show? Ask the creator of the event, Steve Schader and he would say "Wow. I can't believe the attendance of the 2nd Annual Chrome & Chroma Motorcycle Art Exhibit. It blew me away". 

A year has passed since the first Chrome & Chroma Motorcycle Art Exhibit was held in a downtown photographer's studio, a cool grungy warehouse that had no air conditioning, but was attended by over 200 people. Steve was hoping for a slightly larger attendance this year when the idea about having a second show popped into his head last February, 2009. He recalls last year when he had discussed the event with the well-known motorcycle photographer Michael Lichter, who he really wanted in the previous show but could not get because of scheduling conflicts. Michael told him that he should have the event again, and that he would be honored to be in the show, but to be sure NOT to have the opening fall on either of the weekends of the Sturgis rally. Schader listened, and decided to have the opening a couple weeks after the Black Hills rally. 

When Steve was beginning his search for a venue to have the next showcase of biker art, he had located a place down near Colfax and Kipling that would fit his needs. Next he called his friend Danial James, who had donated four pieces to the previous show, and asked him if he wanted to be in the "2nd Annual Chrome & Chroma Motorcycle Art Exhibit". Dan stated this: "Sure Steve, I would love to put some pieces in this year's show, and I can probably get David (David Uhl, his partner) to add a couple pieces too. By the way, would you interested in holding the show in our new studio and gallery?". Steve's jaw hit the ground as he responded "Are you serious? Hell yeah!" 

Steve had been by their studio a few times as it was being constructed and knew that it was the perfect place for a biker art show. The studio/gallery is an amazing piece of architecture as the main structure is part of an old train station. Dan and David had created a building that in itself is a piece of art, with an extended structure that looks like something out of Architectural Digest, having large open windows with rusted metal panels on the outside which also includes a large sculptural eagle head in metal that works as a drain dripping water into a pond onto the patio, with a modern, almost loft-like feel on the inside and a full kitchen on both levels. The gallery, on the lower level, is a wonderfully open space with a few moveable walls which also showcases many different pieces of quality merchandise in it's retail area. 

Now Steve had secured a great venue to hold his show with the two owners on board to hang some of their artwork. He decided to make that call to Michael Lichter to see if he wanted to be part of this, knowing that Michael was very busy and usually out at one of the rallies shooting photos. Mike was in!  After getting these three on board, the artists came out of the woodwork. Schader wanted this to be a well rounded show too, so he sent emails to get a sculptor, an airbrush artist, a tattoo artist, and another biker photographer. In only a couple weeks, he had seven artists for his show. Then Dan made sure that Steve be in this year's show since Dan knew Schader was also a biker artist. This group of artists was astounding. The line-up included David Uhl, Danial James, Jeff Decker, Monte Moore, Michael Lichter, Nikolas Pew, Abel and Steve Schader.

Over the next couple months, Schader and James worked very hard to get the word out and Steve even offered up his side company, American Throttle, to be one of the sponsors for the show. American Throttle, The Game, is a board game based on a poker run that includes motorcycle trivia and visual cards (questions about movies, music, travel, biker history, etc), motorcycle game pieces that travel to different rallies around the U.S., and of course, poker. It's a cool and fun game to play and has only been out on the market for a year and a half. Bikers and non bikers have enjoyed playing this unique board game. You can learn more about it at www.americanthrottle.com or by calling Steve (Shady) at 720.981.8655. Also aquired as sponsors were Rocky Mountain Harley-Davidson and Grizzly Creek Custom Framing, who now is located in part of the the Uhl Studios building. Steve also cranked up a call to his good friend who played live at last year's show and he too was on board for this event. A Denver staple, Emilio Dominguez and his band Emilio Emilio were scheduled to play their brand of rock and blues that evening, and they did not disappoint.

The time was now getting near and much of the legwork had been finalized, including delivering postcards around town, purchasing all types of beverages, and obtaining volunteers to help with food and parking for the evening. David Uhl's wife Elizabeth was a major contributor in getting the event details worked out a few weeks prior to the opening. David and a few of the artists including Dan, Steve, Michael and Jeff, along with Vinnie Terranova from Rocky Mountain Harley were asked to swing by the studio of 630 AM KHOW and hang with Peter Boyles to discuss the upcoming Chrome & Chroma Motorcycle Art Exhibit and Grand Opening of Uhl Studios. Peter, who is also an avid rider and biker, was an inspiration to all who listened and he himself showed up at the opening, which occurred on the evening of Friday, August 21st, 2009.

The weather was perfect. No rain was predicted which was amazing considering that the whole spring and summer consisted of afternoon thunderstorms... and mother nature stuck to her word. Because of that, the attendance was staggering. Art enthusiasts, bikers, and many others attended the event to see the motorcycle art exhibit created by motorcycle artists, the new gallery and studio, and to help contribute to a worthy cause. Some of the proceeds from the evening were donated to support fighting Autism in the form of helping with the upcoming Rides & Rods Weekend happening September 11th and 12th (check out www.ridesandrodsweekend.com for more details on how you can participate and contribute). All proceeds from this event will go to Autism Speaks.

The night could not have been planned any better. Emilio Emilio was phenomenal. The band rocked the crowd, which at one point probably topped out at about 400 in and around the building. After Steve talked with Dan a couple days later, Dan and David figured the evening brought in over 800 attendees. The only damper on the evening occurred when 40 or so flashing vehicles showed up and decided to set up a sobriety checkpoint right in front of the party. This caused quite a commotion and much of the crowd was stunned knowing they had to ride or drive out onto Colfax and through the multitude of Jefferson County's finest. The majority of attendees were there past 10 pm and many hardcore party-goers stayed beyond midnight, enjoying conversation from the artists and bikers who were still hanging around. If you are interested in seeing the show, i t will be up until the last week of September so if you have the time, swing by and check out the 2nd Annual Chrome & Chroma Motorcycle Art Exhbiit at Uhl Studios, 15801 West Colfax Ave., Golden, CO 80401. 

Friends That Ride will be represented by it's parent company Stealth Industries LLC at the Hell City Tattoo Convention September 4-6.

Hell City is arguably the BEST tattoo convention on the planet.  In fact it's so much more that they call it a Tattoo Festival.  You will see the standard tattoo shops all spreading ink onto new skin by the constant buzz sounds of the tattoo machines.  There will be music and shows throughout the weekend like Rubber Boy.  Live music, tons of tattoo art, live art competitions are just some of the activites happening throughout the weekend. 

Here's a link where all the devilish details lie on the Hell City Tattoo Convention website.

Stealth Industries will have a booth in the hallway of the convention with computers and a full photo studio.  We are official photographers for Hell City since they are our friends and client.  We will be promoting FTR with some handouts and stickers and doing free photos for anyone and everyone that wants some shots taken.

Come see us at Hell City, at the Biltmore Resort and Spa in 2 weeks.  It's going to be one hell of a time!!!

Come get some shots taken for your portfolio.  Pose that new ink for us.  We are official Hell City photographers

I just had to post a quick testimonial about making Friends That Ride....

Tonight I had a totally random encounter from a craigls list post and turned into another Friend That Rides!!!!

It can happen any time peeps and you never know how cool of a person you migh meet.  He came over to get an XBOX 360 game that I finished so I wanted to pass it on some someone else to play. (MX vs. ATV Unleashed) but whateva...  

turns out he rolls up on a 07 busa a customed out, and we hit off.... So tomorrow we are gona get up early before the heat gets out in Phonix and go check out the sunday morning stunt spot for a place to ride....

hope some stunters are out on one wheel.... if so we'll see you there!!!!

new friends that ride, rocks!!!!!

bed-tyme for the early morning riders....  night-night ...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....

XDL Round 3 - Los Angeles, Event Report
Dixon Clinches FMF Cup with Third Win in a Row

Text: Randy Grube
Photos: David Avila

After two seasons at the Queen Mary, XDL ended its run in Long Beach and moved to its new LA home to Toyota Speedway at Irwindale. The Queen Mary had been a good venue for XDL, but it was time for a change. Irwindale was more centrally located and easier to operate since it is an existing racetrack. Continuing the tradition established at Nashville, XDL riders performed demos at bike nights, including Yamaha dealer Chaparral in San Bernadino. The vendor area was vastly expanded and attractions included BMX demos, a ton of free SWAG, turntables operated by DJ Yerd and a live national anthem.

All this lead to a capacity crowd in attendance to witness 2008 FMF Cup bridesmaid Bill Dixon clinch the 2009 XDL Championship in convincing fashion by winning his third competition in a row. His 135 points were the first ever perfect score in XDL history, making this a remarkable achievement. Because of the "bye" rule, allowing a competitor to drop his lowest finish, the XDL Finals at Indy would have no impact on the points chase. Although he made it look easy, Dixon's win at the LA round was anything but. A practice injury several weeks earlier left his right shoulder in pain and restricted his range of motion. And he came to LA on a brand new '09 Yamaha R6 that was built from the ground up as a dedicated sportbike freestyle machine. When we consider how much trouble riders generally have switching to a new bike, Bill's win on the new R6 stands out all the more. And then there was the riding surface. Although Round 3 wasn't the first time XDL riders competed on a drag strip, it was the first time they had to battle it out on the section treated with VHT, creating traction issues for many competitors. Some riders switched tires, others adapted their riding style and took measures to deal with the surface. Team Racing 905 rider Warren James put in a stellar run after a crash in qualifying that fractured his toes. He set a high bar, but nothing fazed Dixon who was able to walk away from LA having fulfilled his lifetime ambition of becoming a well-deserved national champion.

The Aprilia All Star Challenge was won by Dan Jackson in a time of 25.88 seconds, setting up a showdown for the final round at Indy between himself and Bill Dixon. The K&N Circle Challenge saw another new winner in Luke Emmons. Perennial favorite Shin Kinoshita from Japan was in attendance but was stricken with a mysterious inner ear ailment the day before the competition and completely lost his sense of balance, forcing him to sit on the sidelines. It was a tough weekend for Kinoshita who traveled over 5,000 miles to compete against America's best to reclaim his title as K&N Circle Challenge champion. The Russ Brown Freestyle Burnout competition saw the return of a familiar face, Jason Pullen. Pullen, known in XDL circles as the Harley guy, stunned the crowd with his fire antics and "burning" bike tricks to take home the top spot. He also executed a ramp jump over several audience members to win Sickest Trick, and he finished 12th in FMF Cup, giving him quite a weekend.

The final two competitions of the night were performed on the Irwindale oval in front of the Saturday night racing crowd and included a wheelie race around the entire 1/4 mile track, as well as the Bike Night USA Team Battle that saw the Cali Alliance riders beat out the competition. The wheelie race was quite a sight to see since the banking and long straights allowed for high speeds and the riders went all out for the win. The Finals saw Aaron Colton, Bill Dixon and Dan Jackson face off. Colton took the early lead but was passed on the back straight by Dixon. However, Dixon couldn't carry his speed around turn 3 and had to put his front wheel down, leaving just two competitors. Colton looked safe but Jackson made a run at him in turn 4 and passed Colton, but he too had to put the front down when he couldn't carry his speed around the turn. The crowd went wild as Colton finished off a great day of competition and entertainment in front of a packed Irwindale grandstand. But the night belonged to a confident, calm and collected Bill Dixon who walked away as the unofficial 2009 XDL FMF Cup Champion.

FMF Cup Results (Top 5)
1. Bill Dixon 76
2. Warren James 75.5
3. Nick Brocha 75.5
4. Alex Flores 74.5
5. Aaron Colton 73

Aprilia All Star Challenge Results (Top 5)

2. Bill Dixon 28.25 seconds
3. Rick Hart 38.91 seconds
4. Eric Whitcomb 45.85 seconds
5. Nick Hernandez 47.89 seconds

K&N Circle Challenge Winner
Luke Emmons - Team Racing 905

Russ Brown Freestyle Burnout Winner
Jason Pullen

Sickest Trick Winner
Jason Pullen

Bike Night USA Team Battle Winners
Alex Flores, Jason Pullen, Rick Hart, Javon Stevens

For complete results go to: http://www.xdlshow.com/results/2009/losangeles.html
For the national rankings, go to: http://www.xdlshow.com/results/2009/results09.html
For images go to: http://www.xdlshow.com/images/galleries/losangeles09/index.html
For hi-res images contact Randy Grube at randy@xdlshow.com