2011 LA Calendar Motorcycle Show [Video]
Neither Carmageddon, threat of rain nor a weakened economy will stop the show from going on. This past weekend, the 20th annual LA Calendar show was held in Long Beach Harbor on new ground, both scaled down in size and price. At just $20 a head, the annual bikeshow-con-tatas took a step back in scale but not effort.
Builders from all around the world brought their best builds to compete in this year’s Calendar Bike Building Championship sponsored by Iron Works Magazine, Russ Brown Attorneys, Blanco Basura Beverage, Mikuni Carburetors, Meguiars Bike Care Products, and of course FastDates.com Calendars.
With amateur and professional builders competing against each other, and even some female builders, the competition was fierce, each hoping to have their bikes photographed with the talent of Jim Gianatsis and his beauties for his many bikes-n-babes calendars.
No longer held in the shadow of the Queen Mary, overlooking the scenic harbor in the Harry Bridges Park, this year’s show moved across the parking lot to Seawalk Village, closer to the dome that once housed Howard Hughes’ Spruce Goose. And with such “bigness” in our midst, the collection of custom bikes, sunshine and bikinis were paling in comparison to previous years. Less bikes and smaller lines for food vendors left plenty of room for really checking out the worthy contestants – both bike and babes.
The custom, and a few production, motorcycles were grouped, displayed and judged in 5 classes: Pro Builder, Street Custom, Classic Big Twin, Bar Hopper or Bobber and Sportbike. Fine specimens in each class showed up hoping to take home the title and be photographed for next year’s calendars.
Pro Builder:
Hiroyouki Hirata of BB Custom Factory in Hiroshima, Japan brought his custom all the way to Long Beach to capture the Pro Builder title with his “Japanese Culture” themed 1970 FLHTC.
- Hiroyuki Hirata, "Japanese Culture" custom 1970 FLHTC
- Jim Giuffra, "Azumati" custom Honda VT750 Bobber
- John Barnes / Condor Custom, 2011 H-D chopped springer rigid.
Street Custom:
- Ben Beck, Yamaha 1600 Roadster custom
- Dante DePalo, 2011 H-D Road Glide Bagger custom
- Dennis LaRossa, 2003 Yamaha Roadstar custom
Classic Big Twin:
- 1). Bob Carrillo, 1947 H-D Classic Bobber Chopper
- 2). Frank "The Rat" Romero, 1973 H-D Shovelhead rigid
- 3). Art Ellison, 1978 H-D Low Rider.
Bar Hopper / Bobber:
The babe-magnet of the show was Ron and Phil’s “Nasty” bike. Lending a saddle to every single hot chick at the event, Ron Baldinado has his own personal stage for showcasing these beautiful women and offering the crowd plenty to photograph without having to leave the area. Congrats to Ron and Philip for taking the top billing in the Bar Hopper division with their Pan-Shovel-based dance stage.
- Ron Baldinado, Philip Lopez / Crown Customs, "Nasty" 1951 Pan-Shovel custom
- Will Song / WSDmoto, 1979 Yamaha XS650 bobber
- Russell Smith, 1981 H-D "Iron Head"
Sportbike:
Chris Redpath, of Moto GP Works, brought one trailer to the show and swept the entire Sportbike class podium with his superior collection of classic and replica racebikes.
- Chris Redpath 2011 Suzuki GSX-R Rizla Replica
- Chris Redpath 1986 Suzuki GSX-R Limited Yoshimura
- Chris Redpath 1999 Suzuki GSX-R750.
Best of Show:
Putting each class to shame, pro to production, is the 5-time champion Jim Giuffra with his babe-built Aft Customs custom 1970 Honda CB750. I’m guessing the name of the bike, “Sentoh” just refers to the flip-flop this man’s group of V-Twin vixens has done to the custom bike scene – flipping it around – putting “Hotnes(s)” on the podium this year, taking home Best in Show with his over-bored and super-massaged CB. "Sentoh" featured a hand-built perimeter frame, a single Mikuni HSR45 carb fed 4-tract induction system, handmade exhaust and kickstart system and modern RaceTech racebike suspension and Beringer brakes.
Other than the bikes on display and the arm-wrestling involved with that part of the day, the attending public was entertained by another handful of beautiful women on stage performing with their bands, “Frentic” featured lead singer and Bike Show Hostess Emily Jaye and the Grecian “Barb Wire Dolls” scared off the bubble-gum pop star and rocked the stage with a sex-charged rock-and-roll set lead by a sexy front woman named Isis Queen.
Vendors ranged from the usual biker sunglasses to video camera-embedded sunglasses, aftermarket parts, leather soaps, insurance brokers and the like.
Unique to the show, was the exciting new Motus MK V-4 Naked Sport and Touring Bikes. Seemingly out of place, these American-born sport-tourers were in route to the Laguna Seca Moto GP race this coming weekend and spreading their word and wares to local dealerships along the way. Much more can be learned about the budding manufacturer right here.
More by Alfonse Palaima
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