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METZELER unveils at CUSTOMBIKE SHOW the new CRUISETEC™, a Custom Touring tire that optimizes V-Twin performance
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The IRON TRADER NEWS Bagger Project, 99.99% Finished
Now this is a project that we all can sink our teeth into. We took my 2004 Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic and basically turned it into a Continue reading The IRON TRADER NEWS Bagger Project, 99.99% Finished
Donnie Smith Bike & Car Show Extravaganza Set to Launch Riding Season in Twin Cities
“War of the Twins” Indoor Flat Track Motorcycle Racing will kick start a weekend of moto heaven at the Midwest’s largest custom bike and car show, parts extravaganza and tattoo expo this month.
Saint Paul, MN (March 8, 2018) – Gear heads and riders will soon be coming out of hibernation to gather and meet fellow enthusiasts and friends at the 31st Annual Donnie Smith Bike & Car Show presented by Dennis Kirk. In addition to the motorcycles, cars and the largest parts swap in the Midwest, the ever-expanding event now includes Indoor Flat Track Racing and a Tattoo Expo. The Donnie Smith Show will take place at the St. Paul RiverCentre in St. Paul, Minn., 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, March 24 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 25, 2017. The “War of the Twins” Indoor Flat Track Racing will kick off the moto extravaganza on Friday, March 23. Doors open at 3 p.m. and the Main Event runs from 7 to 10 p.m. in the Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum. Tickets may be purchased in advance online or at the door. More information can be found at www.DonnieSmithBikeShow.com.
Show Spotlights
The show’s activities offer the opportunity to hang out and learn from specialists, see the latest in moto inventions and customizations, hunt for parts, shop and win prizes throughout the 225,000 sq. ft. indoor event space.
Bikers will have the opportunity to discuss the best parts options with Dennis Kirk representatives who will be on hand to answer questions. The prize wheel is back with bigger and better prizes and riders can receive information about the annual Patriot Ride, benefitting Minnesota’s active and veteran military and law enforcement organizations. Attendees can purchase a $10 raffle ticket to win a 2018 Harley-Davidson FLHXS Street Glide Special in support of the Patriot’s Ride.
One of the year’s biggest custom bike unveils will take place on Saturday, March 24 when Kuryakyn and the Sturgis Buffalo Chip reveal the 2018 Rock, Rumble & Rebellion bike. The 2018 modified Indian Chieftain Dark Horse bagger features state-of-the-art Kuryakyn parts and paint by Gilby’s Street Department.
Blues rocker Corey Stevens will be setting the stage for beer-thirty Happy Hour presented by Budweiser 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 24.
Sugar Bear of Sugar Bear Choppers will be on hand in the Metzeler display March 24 and 25 to showcase his innovative products and share stories from the grass roots of the chopper world. Metzeler also brings a bike build in progress from Kevin “Teach” Baas and the Lakeville North High School students. The bike features one of Sugar Bear’s iconic front suspension systems.
GEICO Motorcycle and the Sturgis Buffalo Chip teamed up to create the ultimate Street Hooligan motorcycle for the Buffalo Chip’s 2018 Moto Stampede Bike Giveaway. The custom Indian Scout 60 will be on display in the Buffalo Chip booth, where show attendees may register to win it this August on the Chip’s main stage.
Showcase of Motorcycle Industry Superstars
Custom builders will be competing in over 35 classes at the show. Some of the most recognizable names in the motorcycle industry will be in attendance, displaying their latest work and meeting with fans. The list so far includes:
Donnie Smith – Donnie Smith Custom Motorcycles
A custom bike builder for more than 30 years, Donnie Smith’s innovations continue to influence custom bike builders today. Smith will be on hand to sign autographs or just hang out and discuss classic builds and new innovations in custom bike building.
Paul Yaffe – Bagger Nation
For almost 30 years Paul Yaffe has been designing custom motorcycles and is known as an industry leader and a true innovator and he will be available for questions and motorcycle parts discussions. His custom bikes have been featured in hundreds of magazines both in the United States and abroad. He’s participated in Discovery Channel’s Biker Build-Off in 2003 and participated in Biker Battleground Phoenix, a 10-episode series on the History Channel. He is a 3-time “Trend Setter of the Year” award recipient and has won several engineering and product design awards.
Curtis Hofmann – Hofmann Designs
A Minnesota native, Curtis opened Hofmann Designs in 2009 and has produced stunning, magazine-worthy motorcycles every year since. Hoffman is known for his lay frame big wheel baggers and his bikes are often sold on reputation alone, sight unseen.
Dave Dupor – DD Custom Cycle
Dupor’s motorcycles are intelligence with tailpipes. He is known as a perfectionist and his bikes are a balance of bold confidence and understated elegance. His meticulous and relentless pursuit of perfection has thrust DD Custom Cycle onto the pages almost every major motorcycling publication in the country.
Kevin “Teach” Baas – Baas Metal Craft
Baas, is an expert metal fabricator and high school shop teacher who transformed his curriculum into a full-blown Chopper Class. For 15 years, he has taught generations of bike builders and gained the support and recognition of countless industry heavy weights.
Kurt Peterson – Lil’ Evil Inkorpor8ed
Peterson is a Master of All, specializing in precise fabrication, design, and quality. His 27 years in the industry, and no-nonsense, high horse power creations have earned him numerous racing and industry accolades, but, more importantly, they have earned him distinction and the respect of his peers.
Dave & Jody Perewitz – Perewitz Cycle Fabrication
There is no stronger father-daughter team in motorcycling than Dave and Jody Perewitz. Dave is a legend in custom building, an AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame 2003 inductee and master craftsman who has been painting and building motorcycles for over 40 years. Jody holds 15 land speed records, one World Record, is currently the Fastest Woman on an American V-Twin, and a talented painter in her own right.
Sugar Bear – Sugar Bear Choppers
Forty-six years ago, Sugar Bear opened up shop in Los Angeles and began hand-making his legendary springer front ends and rockers. Sugar Bear’s influence and contributions have shaped motorcycling history and in 2008 he was named the Harley-Davidson Museum’s Man of the Year.
Tim McNamer – Ballistic Cycles
A Twin Cities area native, McNamer is the inventor of the ground-breaking hubless wheel design and is known for regularly pushing the limits of engineering. His bikes are instantly recognizable and have raked in awards from nearly every competition. Producing some of the most technologically advanced motorcycles of our time, Tim’s designs are paving the way for the advancement and evolution of customization.
Todd “Gilby” Gilbertson – Gilby’s Street Department
Gilby’s bikes are unique hot-rod infused sculptures that test and challenge convention. This Twin Cities area native has been pin-striping for decades and his motorcycles reflect a wildly artistic vision. His contributions to motorcycling inspire and challenge, raising the bar of creativity higher with every unforgettable chopper he creates.
TICKETS
Tickets for the Donnie Smith Bike & Car Show are on sale at the RiverCentre Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, charge by phone at 800-745-3000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Adults are $15 and children under the age of 12 are admitted free. The Donnie Smith Bike & Car Show is sponsored by Dennis Kirk, GEICO Motorcycle, Indian Motorcycle, The Sturgis Buffalo Chip, Budweiser, Lucas Motorcycle Oil and Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys.
Tickets for the “War of the Twins” Indoor Flat Track Racing can be purchased at www.IndoorFlatTrack.com. All seating is assigned with box seating VIP tickets available for $21 and general auditorium adult seating for $15. The first 500 children under 12, accompanying an adult, will be admitted free. “War of the Twins” Indoor Flat Track Racing is sponsored by the Sturgis Buffalo Chip, Dennis Kirk, GEICO Motorcycle, Lucas Motorcycle Products, Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys and S&S Cycle.
More information can be found at DonnieSmithBikeShow.com.
Find high resolution photos here:
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About the Donnie Smith Bike and Car Show
In its 31st year, the famed Donnie Smith Bike and Car Show presented by Dennis Kirk is the largest custom bike and car show in the Midwest. The show draws the nation’s most prestigious brands, top competitors and tens of thousands to the RiverCentre in Saint Paul, Minn. It is widely known as the annual kickoff to the riding and cruising season and features a unique mix of competitions, shopping and entertainment in a fun, family-friendly environment with 35 classes of custom motorcycles, 16 classes of cars, the largest swap meet on the planet, a tattoo expo and other entertainment including Indoor Flat Track Racing at the Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum. Additional information can be found at www.donniesmithbikeshow.com
The Donnie Smith Show: Alive and Kicking at 30
It’s no secret: we love the Donnie Smith Show. We cover it every year for Iron Trader News, as we did for decades at IronWorks. Why? Because it’s the most genuine bike show attached to the biggest swap meet in the Midwest and it has kicked off the riding season here for the last 30 years. Midwest builders work all winter on bikes they debut at the show and with expanding features and greater reach every year, nationally-known custom builders are catching on to the grass roots authenticity this show radiates.
With the bike show and massive swap meet as the mainstays from the beginning in 1987, visitors now find national companies such as S&S, Metzeler, Magnaflow, Kuryakyn, Dennis Kirk and Lucas Oil. The Hot Rod & Classic Car show added several years ago keeps growing and a Tattoo Expo joined the list in 2017.
Student-built shop-program bikes turn out to line up among the most eclectic bunch of show entries you’ll find anywhere. High end, one-off builds from the likes of Gilby and Dan Roogsvold, Panheads, Knuckles, military tribute bikes, big wheel baggers, café racers and bobbers,– they all roll in to the St. Paul River Centre. There’s always a slew of old school Shovel and Sporty choppers and a ton of top shelf custom paint work. The list of builders is a roster of the best names in custom motorcycling, including Donnie Smith, of course, who celebrated his 75th birthday over the weekend with much fanfare.
Entries from car and truck customizers have increased in both number and quality, filling the Roy Wilkins Arena to capacity this year. Rat Rods – on both car and truck platforms – were especially prominent.
Industry-impacting custom bikes were unveiled by S&S Cycle and Kuryakyn, both connected to happenings at the Sturgis Buffalo Chip. The S&S build is an FXRT-styled, 143 cu. in. Dyna Low Rider for the Legends Ride, and the Kuryakyn build showcases new bolt-on lines and custom paint for the Rock, Rumble & Rebellion promotion.
As before, Happy Hour rocked on the show floor at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday with blues guitarist Corey Stevens in the house this year; and he brought the house down! The Red Bull After Party at Eagle Street Grill was a cool scene, bringing vendors, builders and influencers together for the first time.
We could go on – but we’ve already admitted fandom. So read instead what others say (below) and scroll through the pictures (also below). You’ll learn for yourself why the Donnie Smith Show is the best in the Midwest – and keeps getting better!
What people say:
It’s the camaraderie and the wide array of styles and passions. It brings us all together. It opens my eyes and the eyes of my students. It sparks new ideas!
– Kevin Baas, Technology Instructor, Kennedy High
As a first time vendor it’s been incredibly rewarding, It’s great having such a passionate audience of riders – men women both, a lot of families, too, so we’re getting the next generation of riders. I like the diversity of the regional demographic in this part of the country with so many loyal, intense riders.
– Chris Magee, PR and Mktg
It’s a business showcase where we create alliances and see what the trends are. This is where we find out what everybody’s been up to. It stays fresh. This is always just a huge market for us.
– Cejae Phillips and Kurt Petersen, Lil Evil Incorpor8ted
Everybody comes to the show because it’s the kickoff to the season. This is what everybody’s looking for, where they find all their buddies they haven’t seen all winter. This is a great social event. I come down here every year and even had a booth here for my shop back in the day. I see people I don’t see anywhere else.
– Jeff and Forest, Kuryakyn
It’s an impressive bike show, one of the better shows in this part of the country. There are always fresh ideas here, not the same things like at other shows, I like that. We have a good presence here.
– Bill Barber, National Motorcycle Museum
