Baggers Magazine May 2017

jordan.mastagni@bonniercorp.com When I got the news that Victory had decided to cease operations indefinitely, a swarm of mixed emotions entered my mind. Is this a good thing for Indian and Polaris? Does this allow them to focus their efforts on chipping away at Harley-Davidson’s market share? Will Polaris incorporate some of the Vic’s technologies into its Indian line? What happens to all of those die-hard Victory owners? So many questions… The answer: nothing. Basically, Victory owners, employees, aftermarket supporters, you’re all shit out of luck. Which really sucks. When Polaris acquired the defunct Indian brand in 2011, every journalist’s second question was, “What happens to Victory?” Well, as you can see, it was doomed from then on. How can two American V-twin manufacturers coexist under one roof? Wouldn’t they cannibalize…

It’s fascinating that many people think of motorcycles as half of an automobile, since they are missing half the wheels. These folks misunderstand that the dynamics of each are as different as boats and airplanes. I think this confusion is sort of in line with how some people think dogs are basically just semi-stupid people. With four instead of two legs. But the real difference between cars and motorcycles isn’t just the tire count; it’s the dynamics of that tire count. Non-bikers tend to fail at appreciating the astounding difference that results in steering, stability, wiggling in the seat. For starters, when cornering, they each lean in dang opposing directions. Crazy, no? I’ve noticed, though, and only lately— due to my life-changing transition to big, heavy iron-framed touring cruisers from…

WEDDING BELLS HELLO BAGGERS, My wife, Marlee, and I took the bikes up to Frankfort, Michigan, from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to get married with family and friends. We even took the dog trailer so we could honeymoon around Canada with our dogs, Angus and Keena. We had an awesome time, but somebody (me) forgot to get the marriage license… So when we got back down to Albuquerque we decided we should get officially married and heard that Elvis does drive-up weddings in town. We rode on over and made it official. It was a great time at both weddings, and we got some cool photos. My bike is a 2009 Road King Classic, and hers is a 2013 Marlee-Davidson (Suzuki) Boulevard S40. We just set the trailer up in March…

THE LATEST IN RIDING GEAR In the worlds of racing, both dirt and pavement, Alpinestars is one of the most well-known and respected names in protection. Luckily for us, it makes cool-looking casual gear to the same high protective standards that have made the Italian company so famous. Here are some of our favorite pieces from Alpinestars that keep us safe on our rides and looking good in between. ALPINESTARS BRERA AIRFLOW JACKET Available perforated or non-perforated Slip-fitting CE protectors in elbows and shoulders Full-grain, high-quality leather $500 // alpinestars.com RED CLOUDS COLLECTIVE WAXED-CANVAS WORK PANT Made to order in USA 24 oz. waxed canvas Riveted stress points and triple-sewn seams Not protective or Alpinestars, but we can’t get Morgan to change out of them $300 // redcloudscollective.com NEXX XG100…

THE LATEST IN CLEANING PRODUCTS Need a go-to for your shop when it comes to cleaning/maintenance products? Check out the lineup here from Bel-Ray. Not only does Bel- Ray offer high-quality lubrication products for your motorsickle, but it also has you covered if you’re trying to spiff up your daily rider or keep your baby maintained. DETAILER This Bel-Ray silicone detailer and protectant spray restores and safeguards a variety of surfaces common to marine and powersports applications, including plastic, vinyl, rubber, fiberglass, metal, chrome, glass, and painted surfaces. It's water resistant and also combats attraction to dust and dirt, helping achieve a long-lasting, factory-finish look, as well as minimizing future cleanup. BIKE WASH The spray-on/rinse-off wash is engineered to provide a deep clean, lifting dirt and grime from street, track,…

THE LATEST IN CUSTOM WHEELS The 30-inch front wheel garnered a lot of attention in baggerland. Whether the attention was positive or negative, it still was the talk of the town when it came out. Then the 32-inch wheel was released and the same conversations ensued: Is it rideable? Is it too much? What’s next? Well, the 34-inch wheel is what, and it’s ready and available to all you customizers looking for the next big thing. And by big, we mean front wheel. And that’s it. Would you put this on your bike? We want to know about it! THE FACTS The new wheel is a billet 3-D 34-inch wheel, machined from start to finish at Metalsport and available in Don Juan Torque, The Whip, The 15-Spoke, and The Corleone.…