An Unassuming Motorcycle Enthusiast Strolling Through Life...

Beth Povenmire Service Details

2012-01-27T18:40:00.000-08:00

Thank you everyone for all of your kind words, thoughts and prayers. It has meant a lot to our family.

We will be having a celebration of my Mother's life on Wednesday, February 1st from 6-9PM at the VFW Sugar Creek Memorial Post 3976 at 12810 Kentucky Road, Sugar Creek, MO. You are welcome to join us in remembering Mom and enjoying some good food.

Because of her lifelong love of animals (and Grandpa John doesn't know what to do with flowers) we suggest donations be made in her honor to the Animals Best Friends Organization either by mail: PO Box 493, Independence, MO 64051 or by visiting their website http://www.animalsbestfriends.org/.

Thank you again to all our friends. It has been good to hear from everyone.

Good Bye Mom - Beth Povenmire Passes

2012-01-26T18:15:00.000-08:00

After a long battle with illness, my mother passed away this evening. It was for the best at the end, she was in a great deal of pain. She was 66 years old.

She was around for most of all the fun times I write about on this blog. She was the silent presence in the background telling Grandpa John when to put on a clean shirt (without grease) and when to stop for gas on the chopper.

"I hated those stupid little gas tanks. We were always running out of gas because they were so small and your father was too cheap to buy much gas," she said several times.

She made all the home-cooked meals that Ed Roth ate in our kitchen (boy could he eat).

She was there when David Mann told their landlord off at the community swimming pool resulting in my parents subsequent eviction.

"Dave was the first person I ever heard use the F-word. I thought he was a horrible man. He really made the landlord angry. That plus your father was parking his chopper in the living room of our apartment so that didn't go over well either."

Good bye mom, I hope you have found peace.

Rex Adams Crazy Paint Sedan Delivery

2012-01-21T07:44:00.000-08:00

I have mentioned Rex Adams on this blog before. He was one of the colorful characters that Grandpa John knew ever since I can remember. My earliest memories of him are from the mid 1970's and mainly his sedan delivery and all his red hair. I watched Grandpa John help Rex put a rear end under this delivery when I was a little kid.

I was relaying this to my friend Joe Boos one evening as we were looking at Rex's flamed paint job on my Super Glide. He said he remembered the sedan delivery too. "In fact," he said, "my brother Mike owned it for a while in the 1980s."

My next question was do you have any photos of it? Joe said he thought Mike did and would look around. Sure enough there were these two images. It was quite interesting for me to see a car that I hadn't seen in 35 years. I remembered it being a different shade of blue, but the eagle mural on the passenger side was just as I remembered. We discussed the other side and both thought it had some sort of woman holding a baby or something. Unfortunately the only photo we have is of the one side and back.

Mike Boos had found it behind a lowrider shop in Argentine area of KCK. How it ended up there would probably be another interesting story. Rex certainly lived life to the fullest. He told me he was "clinically dead" three times and the ER people brought him back to life. I don't doubt that he was telling the truth.

Sunday Greasy Sunday - Los Punk Rods Clubhouse

2012-01-08T15:58:00.000-08:00

I am trying to give Wesley some of the same unique childhood I had. I decided to take him down to the Punk Rods clubhouse in the West Bottoms this afternoon. Eric is working on his Model A and needed to take some measurements off of Grandpa John's Cadillac powered coupe. Joe Boos tagged along.

We had a great time, riding mini-bikes, checking out everyone's projects and racing the remote control truck in their parking lot. We even met one of the local ladies who seemed in need of some sort of business transaction. She just asked me for a cigarette. I was glad I didn't have to explain her presence to Wesley!

It was good to see Eric, Dave, Jeff and the ever entertaining Cos. They remind me of Grandpa John's colorful friends from the 1970s. Check out their blog if you want to see what they are up to year around. http://lospunkrods.blogspot.com/

History of Motorcycle Riding in Kansas City

2011-12-18T08:57:00.000-08:00

Back in 2003 I interviewed several people around KC and wrote this article for Wide Open. It was fun.

Some cool pics of Sonny Rogers' Shotgun bike and others. I interviewed Don Rooks, Sonny and Lisa Rogers, Jerry Pollock, John and Beth Povenmire and others.

Black Sam Barnes showed up at the David Mann Benefit at KCIR. Dad talked to him, but I didn't get a chance to ask him if he ever saw this article. He must have been a real character from Grandpa John's dealings with him.

Lots of colorful characters in KC!

Wanted - 1965 Chevy Chopped Top

2011-12-13T12:42:00.000-08:00

Have you seen this car? It was Grandpa John's back in the 80's when I was in high school. I always loved this car and would like to have it back. If you know where it is please e-mail me from my profile page.

It was a 1965 Chevy Bel Air 2 door post with a 4 1/2 inch chopped top. It had "Orange Crush" painted on the front fenders when he owned it. It was a 6 cylinder with a Powerglide transmission. Another unusual feature was the louvered dash board.

Dan Estes - Good Bye Double D

2011-12-07T17:40:00.001-08:00

When I first started hanging out at Rocky's Green Gables in Independence I met two guys that later became good friends. They were in the Freedom of Road Riders Local 14 that held meetings there. Jesse Bryniarski and Dan Estes were closer to my age than the others and they both really loved to ride. It wasn't long before we started riding together beyond FORR Local 14 specific runs.

Dan always told the story about our first evening out running the bars. We all stopped for a checkpoint ahead and Jesse announced that he was putting his gun in the toolbox compartment under his seat. He asked Dan if he wanted to put his gun in there also. I piped up from the back and asked if I could put mine in there too. They both said that was the point in our relationship that they knew I was OK. I guess a short-haired guy with no tattoos was a little out of the ordinary for them, but from then on we were thick as thieves.

This was 1994 and I was riding my '69 Triumph and Dan had a Yamaha V-Max. Here we are in all our outlaw glory as young men!

Later he bought an old frame from Doug's Choppers in Avondale and eventually came up with an Ironhead Sportster motor and put the whole thing together. It was a rough one, hard to start and very tempermental. He rode it on the Toys for Tot's run in 1997 pictured here. I believe this first picture is Jesse laughing at him for all his kicking to get it to fire.

Me, Dan and Frenchie at the run. Frenchie later got life in prison where he still resides.

We all had a lot of fun together for several years and I eventually met my future wife Abby. We started having parties at the house and Dan became a regular at those too. Here he is with a woman whose name I can't remember at our annual Christmas party.

Dan and I continued to grow closer. He had lost his father several years before. He and his father were working on Dan's over the road truck and his father told Dan to go to the auto parts store to get some parts they needed. When he returned he discovered his father crushed under the truck as it has been left in neutral and rolled onto him while Dan was gone. He never forgave himself for that. It was something he struggled with the rest of his life.

He continued to live in his house in Lone Jack and kept riding and working like the rest of us. Then he met Jerry "Dresser" Fletcher at a few bike events. They hit it off and eventually Dan decided he wanted to try club life. He started as a comearound, then hangaround and eventually made Prospect for the Ar Lay Dah Vee Sohn Motorcycle Club. They were a dresser club that was around Kansas City since 1970. Jerry "Dresser" Fletcher was the President. They were allied with the El Forastero M/C and the Galloping Goose M/C.

Dan got rid of the Ironhead chopper and bought a Shovelhead Super Glide. Since the Ar Lays were a dresser club, he put saddlebags and a short windshield on it to conform to club rules. He started doing well and seemed to like it. Some people have negative experiences in a club, but Dan seemed to have a sense of belonging and family. I noticed a big difference in him. The older guys made him grow up a lot and he seemed to be more mature. It is hard to explain, but I thought it made him a better man.

Just as things seemed to be more stabilized in his life, he was speeding down 58 Highway in Cass County and flew (the cops estimated he was going well over 100 mph) around a corner where a man was in the process of turning left into a friend's driveway. It wasn't the truck driver's fault, Dan was hauling ass and came out of nowhere as the driver was turning. Unfortunately he also left himself no time to react. In fact, there were no skidmarks from his bike. He just hit the truck head on. It was not a pretty scene. That was June 22, 2001.

I got the call from Jesse's wife and heard the bad news. Dan was gone. It was a sad day for all of us.

His funeral was in Lee's Summit and was full of his club brothers, other club members, motorcycle friends, coworkers, other friends and family. He was buried with his club patch.

There were also about 4-5 young women who no one really knew that were visibly shaken and cried nonstop. Dan was a pretty successful ladies man, so I figured they were women we didn't know about.

After the funeral we all saddled up and headed down 50 highway. We took him to Lone Jack Cemetary where he is buried. A lot of tears where shed that day. I still think of him often, even now days.

As I get older I have realized that Dan got what many people want out of life, he got to be forever young.

Grandpa John Buys Another Shovelhead (Troublehead)

2011-11-28T18:20:00.001-08:00

Back in the mid 1990's Ray Worth had a really nice Knucklehead he restored and was riding around. It was a low mileage barn find and turned out very nice. One day, as he was coming back from lunch to the store on North Oak, he exited from I-29 and the front brake broke locking up the front wheel. He went skidding and fell down and broke his collar bone. There wasn't much they could do for him, he basically had to tough it out. Beverly told us he wouldn't to go the hospital he was so pissed.

Ray told me, "Jeremy, old motorcycles belong in a museum. If you are going to ride hard you need to have new stuff. I am never riding that Knucklehead again." After being repaired, the red Knucklehead ended up in the Blue Springs store as one of the decorations on top of the sales office.

Grandpa John can't ever seem to learn this lesson. He usually has some old bike that he is always working on. I say that because I have watched him do this for 40 years. His latest Shovel is the worst of the worst, a 1979 FXE. It looks pretty cool with the SU carburetor and the custom parts, but it is just like the rest of them. He has been hauled home five times that I know of (which means there have been more...)

We attempted to go to Ralph Wayne's Backyard Nationals in 2010. Before we got halfway there the taillight fell off, the mirrors fell loose (and where hitting Grandpa John) and it started running on one cylinder. He had to limp it home down Blue Ridge all the way back to his house in Independence.

A few weeks later I called him to go to the HOAME deal at the KC downtown airport. He said, "I want to go. I will ride the Shovel."

I said, "Are you sure you want to do that? It doesn't seem very reliable."

"I have worked out all the bugs now. It runs good," he responded.

"You said that last time when we tried to go to Ralph Wayne's."

Grandpa John paused for a moment and then quietly said, "F#*k you."

At least this one has an electric start. I watched him kick his 1966 Shovel fifty four (54) times before it would run. He even laid down on the ground next to it twice to catch his breath. It was a homemade heart stress test courtesy of the AMF Corporation!

I had enough kicking on my 1969 Triumph back in the 1980's. I say hit the starter button and away we go!

Happy Thanksgiving! You Can Get Anything You Want at Alice's Restaurant...

2011-11-23T20:13:00.001-08:00

I am a father now, so I am trying to carry on some fun family traditions. One of those is playing Alice's Restaurant every year at Thanksgiving. It was one of Grandpa John's favorite things to do (he loves Arlo Guthrie).

I know it doesn't make sense, Grandpa John hates hippies and everything they stand for. If he was in the crowd at Woodstock he would have been shouting for more Sha Na Na, but he always played this for us as kids every Thanksgiving.

It will be playing in the Grand Am as we head to Aunt Mindy's tomorrow. Hopefully one day Wesley and Audrey will also play for their children.

Of course after dinner we will be shooting our AK-47 and making fun of hippies. After all we are Povenmires!

D&S Parts Shed - Northeast Kansas City

2011-11-18T16:17:00.001-08:00

Going through some old files I ran across another favorite story from Wide Open. This was about the bike shop owned by Jerry "Dresser" Fletcher and John "Shifty" Sheaffer.

Dresser and Shifty were real old-time motorcycle enthusiasts. Their bike shop was not for the faint of heart. I enjoyed the time I spent there and still have my t-shirt. They have both passed away.

More colorful characters from the Kansas City motorcycle community.

Abby Povenmire - Ladies that Ride

2011-11-14T18:40:00.001-08:00

Back years ago I was editor of Wide Open Magazine. It was a fun time for both me and Abby. We got to travel around a lot and meet some interesting people.

Each month there was a section on Ladies Who Ride. For October of 2003, the lady featured was Abby. I forgot how good she looked in those pictures. Actually 8 years and two kids later she still looks great!

This article reinforces Grandpa John's famous words, "There are two kinds of people who ride motorcycles. People who have fallen over and people who are going to fall over." Luckily Abby got back up and kept on going.

Cowboys, The American Royal Rodeo and Sonny Barger

2011-11-04T18:15:00.000-07:00

I have been working for the American Royal Association for about 9 months now. It has been an interesting experience to say the least. One of the more colorful parts of my job was the Rodeo we had at Sprint Center. I was all over the place for sponsorship signage and fulfillment.

One of the places I was intrigued with most was behind the chutes interacting with the cowboys. These were not just guys with boots and hats that you see running around town. These were guys with black eyes, broken bones, taped up wounds and missing teeth. They were thrown every which way but loose (right turn Clyde) from various bucking broncs and nasty bulls. While standing behind the chutes with the Channel 41 News Crew, it reminded me of the part of Sonny Barger's book "Hell's Angel" where he talked about Bakersfield cowboys and Hells Angels in the old days.

"In the Bakersfield bars there was usually trouble between Hell's Angels and the Okies. Cowboys and bike riders have always clashed. Put them both in the room and there's always a fight. A lot of the cowboy types worked as oil riggers or ranchers, and a lot of them came out of the Oklahoma Dust Bowl thirties. Man, they liked to fight, and they were tough as hell too. In many ways, we were all the same animal, except the Bakersfield Okies drove trucks and rode horses. We Angels rode motorcycles."

I don't know how many Okies there were in the bunch, but there were some tough guys riding in the Rodeo.

"Like the Hell's Angels, Okies didn't call the cops when things got rough," Sonny says in the next paragraph.

I don't think any of the rodeo cowboys have 911 programmed in their cell phones...

Scooter Trash - Carrying on a Family Tradition

2011-04-08T06:55:00.000-07:00

Had a father son bonding moment this week. I let Wesley operate the throttle and brake while we were riding the little red motorcycle. It took him a lap around Povenmire Raceway (around our house and garage) to get the hang of it, but he did great for 5 more laps. I think there is going to be more scooter trash in the family!

One thing is for sure, Grandpa John would have never let me operate the controls on any of our adventures while I was riding on the gas tank. These are good times indeed.

Jack Larson - Larson Machine

2011-03-19T12:48:00.000-07:00

Over the years I have had several generations of engines in my Super Glide. The last version is by far the best. I took it apart myself and took all my parts to Jack Larson with Larson Machine in Belton, Missouri. He did a complete work over and built me a strong motor with 88 hp and 88 ft lbs of torque that functions great as a reliable daily driver. The Mikuni carb and Thunderheader complete the package.

I picked up the finished motor at his place and then reassembled the bike. For a guy like me it is a good feeling to know you have seen all the working parts of your motorcycle first hand. The only piece I haven't had apart at this point is the transmission.

I highly recommend dealing with Larson if you need/want any motorwork. He has been around a long time and knows what he is doing. He has been wrenching longer than I have been alive, and I will be 40 this May. Jack runs ads in Wide Open Magazine and operates out of his garage in Belton. He does work for many of the bike shops/dealers in the KC area.

Here is my paperwork (prices omitted).

Here is my dyno sheet from Worth North. The dyno process there was a fiasco. I will write more about that later. I have learned not to expect much from people who were working at Home Depot a few weeks ago...and when you go back they aren't there anymore.

Where Can I Get a Primary Chain Belt?

2011-03-14T12:59:00.000-07:00

I have received several hundred e-mails inquiring how to get a primary chain belt. For those interested, I thought I would post some answers to common questions I receive.

Do you have any belts or parts for sale? No, I don’t want to sell mine and I have used up all my extra parts over the years.

Where can I find a belt? Your best bet is eBay. If you don’t want to spend $200+ you probably will have a hard time purchasing one. They are hard to find and the longer they are the more money they are worth.

Some suggestions for eBay searching:

1. Look for smaller belts and purchase two and make one. Sometimes there are extra chain pieces that are also for sale.

2. Search for alternative names. Many people don’t know what they have and list them incorrectly. I have found them under “primer chain belt”, “biker chain belt”, “motorcycle chain belt”, “gothic chain belt” and some just under “chain belt” (although it takes a while to sift through all the other belts for that general of a term).

3. You don’t have to use a master link for lengthening a belt. If you buy two shorter ones you can take them to a local dirt bike shop and have them put together. Racing bikes and ATVs don’t use master links in their chains, they use a tool that breaks chain and then rebrads the pin back on to put it together. It looks like this example.

4. If you have one that is just a few inches too short you can buy an actual older Sportster primary chain and use a small piece from that. The non-chrome plated section will be hidden behind your buckle.

Who manufacturers chain today? There are a lot of different companies that make this type of chain. The new chain I have is from Diamond Chain. They have distributors around the US, you can search for one near you on their website. When I checked with their KC distributor they had a minimum order of 100 feet. Options included nickel-plated and stainless steel. At the time it was too big of an investment for me.

Are they illegal? I don’t know where you live, but some states did outlaw them years ago. I had a local old-time 1%er tell me to watch where I wore mine in Kansas and Oklahoma. He had trouble there years ago. I haven’t ever been stopped for it; my guess is that whatever law existed today’s cops are too busy to care.

Once upon a time there was a young lady who was making them out of aluminum chain and selling them online. I don’t know if her idea ever took off, but they would have made a better belt with the lighter aluminum chain. She still has a video on Youtube that is here:

Good luck in your search!

Floyd Craig Fuel Injected Chevy Tee Hauling Ass

2011-01-16T13:53:00.000-08:00

Grandpa John likes to collect old pics from the Kansas City Timing Association, The Front Street Drag Strip or any vintage racing from the Kansas City area.

This photo is the late Floyd Craig and his Chevy "Tee." Grandpa John thinks this photo was taken by Pam Pollock who is Jerry Pollock's wife. Jerry drove Floyd's dragster later on. This photo isn't in Kansas City.

Obviously this car would never pass today's safety standards (even at the nostalgia drags). Grandpa John said it had a steering box out of a John Deere tractor...the front end pieces don't look to sturdy either!

I only knew Floyd later in life as a grouchy old man. He must have been something when this picture was taken. He signed this photo for Dad before he died. He couldn't understand why anyone cared about that old stuff. In his later years he didn't miss the old days.

Wayne's Motorcycle - House of Choppers Kansas City

2011-01-16T08:46:00.000-08:00

In the advertising agency business every so often the creatives find some sort of project that they want to do "pro bono" as in free. Back in the late 90's I worked for Nicholson Kovac, which was then called NKH&W, Inc.

One of our better copy writers named Ned Connolly came to me and asked me about Wayne's on Southwest Boulevard. I knew of the shop (Grandpa John knew Wayne), and I knew the two son's were running it now after their dad had passed. Other than that I wasn't too aware of their activities.

Ned went down there and talked to them and they were interested in some cool creative work for free. So Ned and an art director named Kyle teamed up with photographer Ron Berg and developed these three print concepts/posters. Grandpa John and I were the models for them. We shot it all on Cliff Drive in Northeast.

Berg won a couple of awards for the project. When Ned left the agency he gave me these prints. I had them framed and have enjoyed them over the years.

The magical wordsmith (his own self-appointed title) Ned wrote these headlines:

Souls Never Rust
Silence Starves an Open Road
She Got Her Mama's Figure. But Her Daddy's Heart.

New Harleys For Everyone!

2011-01-13T09:07:00.001-08:00

I have written on this blog before about my life long interest in motorcycling. I started riding (legally) on the street in 1989. I was 18, and Grandpa John turned over the last remaining Triumph that was in our back shed. It was the only one that had never been chopped up. It still had the Engle-Jones Motors dealer sticker on the tail light. I started burning up the road all over town.

This was just before the Harley rage. Most of the Harley's I encountered were Shovelheads at that time. The Evo bikes started to appear more and more as the 90's progressed. Soon, by the mid 90's there were waiting lists. The local KC dealer network was selling bikes for $5,000 over list. People were selling their places on the waiting lists for $1,500. Times were crazy.

I still remember one trip to the local dealership where there was only one used bike in the whole place. All new bikes were given to people on the list, and the used bikes were selling for new prices. The lone bike on the floor was a hot rod Sportster that was built by the McCrearys in St. Joe. It had a paint job with yellow caution tape because it was so dangerous!

Despite my new found committment to young children, I still manage to slip out to the occasional dealership event and to see what is going on. I mainly ride for transportation now, I don't have much interest in the organized rides etc.

Last Friday I made a secret shopper visit to one of the local dealers. I could not believe my eyes. They have so many bikes it is unbelievable. I don't know what is going to come of all this.

My brother-in-law is a financial guy. He keeps up on all HD news and sales trends. He doesn't see any light at the end of the tunnel. He claims that through their failed financing programs, aquisitions that never should have happened, and continued support of unprofitable divisions, Harley has saved none of the money they made in the good times. In fact, they are in considerable debt. Now with a product that there are no longer waiting lists for.

It is hard to believe that a company that was so close to closing its doors would not learn to save something, but it happens. It will be interesting to watch.

Chrome Primary Chain Belt - Peter Fonda

2011-01-11T10:48:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for a belt I have posted some tips here.

About 10 years ago I decided I wanted a chrome primary chain belt like Peter Fonda wore in Easy Rider. Peter's was a two row, big twin version. What I was really looking for was the three row Sportster type I remembered friends of my Dad's wearing when I was a kid. I figured I would just hit a few swap meets and find one that would fit me. Fat chance!

I quickly learned that no one was making them anymore, and the ones that were around (if you could find one) were quite small. I guess people were thinner in the 1970's...

I found one that fit Abby at one of the Jeff Williams Twin Drive In Motorcycle Swapmeets. I took it home and showed it to my Dad. He quickly surmised, "We can order chain like that at work, I will get you some." He got me some triple row chain that was nickel plated. Actually he got me 10 feet of it and a box of master links.

So I was in business. I made one big enough for my 38 inch waist and Dad made me a simple buckle. I got it plated and then we had success.

I have gotten a lot of comments on it over the years. There are a few of these belts now that have surfaced on eBay and other sites for sale. I used to buy some every now and then and take a couple smaller ones and make one bigger one. Prices have got too high in the recent times so I gave that up.

They are the perfect fashion accessory. It will hold you pants up and also can be used to get a little "extra edge" when you need to administer a beating to someone.

There was a company called M&M Limited years ago that sold them out of Chicago. They called them Eazy Rider Motorcycle Chain Belts. Here is their ad with the different styles. I have one of each of these belts in my collection except the Gladiator. I have only seen one of those on eBay and it sold for big bucks.

Here are a few of mine and others I have bought and sold over the years.

Cruising in Style with Lyle Donkersloot

2011-01-08T07:35:00.000-08:00

I was going through some old files and found some of my Wide Open stories from a few years ago. I thought I might post some of my favorites. This story was about Lyle Donkersloot who owned Okobogi Choppers in Iowa. He was a long-time member of the El Forastero Motorcycle Club.

Here is my story about him and the chopper shop.

Lyle with Abby and her friend Kathy at the drag strip.

Lyle was a neat guy. I really enjoyed the time I spent with him working on the article and at later events. Unfortunately he was killed by a drunk driver on July 31, 2005. The motorcycle world lost a colorful character on that day.

Me sitting on Lyle's chopper (with his permission of course) at the David Mann Benefit. Good times indeed.

Olympic Stadium Race Track Kansas City, Missouri

2011-01-05T10:29:00.000-08:00

Look out! Grandpa John has a new line of t-shirts planned for this Spring...Get your orders in early!

The Povenmire Compound Has Been Robbed!

2010-12-24T14:10:00.000-08:00

Last week we got a call from the alarm company that our house alarm was going off. Since Audrey, Wesley, Abby and I were all sitting at the table at Joe's Crab Shack I told the dispatcher to send the cops. Then I rushed down I-70 to the Compound to see if we had just left a door open or there was some other explanation.

After 58 years of my family being in our house on 15th street the probability of being robbed was small. But not small enough...

The foot print showing how easy it was to kick in the back door.

I called Grandpa John and he was closer to the house so he headed that way too. He saw the back door kicked in and went in to the basement (I would not advise this as a victim of this crime. Let the cops clear the house. It is what you pay your taxes for).

Grandpa John yelled all his crazy old man talk "I am going to kill anyone in this house!" Then he went out and met the cops in the driveway. They went in and were clearing the house when I arrived. Unfortunately our robber was already gone.

The perpetrator was inside for less than a minute it appeared. He/she only grabbed Abby's laptop from the back of our house. By then the alarm system siren was screaming and the person split.

So they only got the $10 laptop I had purchased through my work when they had old machines to sell. Heck, the thing wouldn't even boot up without the power cord (which they left in a hurry). Good luck getting anything for a 2002 model Dell with several keys missing.

At this point it was the principle of the thing. Some lowlife was in the Compound without my permission. It made us mad, but frankly I am glad I wasn't home. If my family was threatened there would have probably been some unpleasantness followed by lead shot flying around. Even if I was in the right (thank you Castle Doctrine) our lives would never be the same.

I have had a lot of negative experiences with the Independence Police over the years, even as a middle-aged taxpayer. But the bunch that came to our house was very efficient, answered all my questions and were empathetic to my feelings. I have decided to give the officer in charge an online commendation (you can do that through their website). I was impressed with all of them.

Here is a photo of the welcoming committee at the Povenmire Compound if another robber stops by..."Hi, can we help you?" (in our best Gate's Barbecue voice)

Ridin High, Livin Free, Sonny Barger and My 15 Minutes of Hell’s Angel Fame

2010-12-08T10:21:00.000-08:00

I have always had an interest in the motorcycle culture. I thoroughly enjoy my Dad telling stories about the old days and reading about famous incidents within the biker world. You can’t talk much about events that shaped modern motorcycling without eventually coming to the Hell’s Angels. I have read Hunter Thompson’s book and also seen their self made documentary “Hell’s Angel Forever.”

(There is often different ways you see Hell’s Angel. Sometimes no apostrophe etc. According to Sonny’s book when it is written it has an apostrophe, on their patches no apostrophe.)

When I got married to Abby in 2000 my friend Brandon gave me a copy of Sonny Barger’s first book, Hell’s Angel. I enjoyed reading it and later found his website http://www.sonnybarger.com/. They had a list for e-mails on Sonny and his travels. I signed up and started getting updates on him. Then one day I got an e-mail from the site saying that he was working on a second book that would be a collection of motorcycle stories. The e-mail said if anyone wanted to submit a story it would be considered. I really wanted to be in the book so I wrote a story about growing up with my Dad here in Independence and all the friends he had with choppers etc. I wrote about how I used to watch them ride away from our house with my face pressed against the front window when I was a little kid. I always wanted to be one of those guys. Then when I turned 18 and got my first bike I became one of them.

I didn’t hear anything for a couple of months but then I got an e-mail back. This one was from the co-authors of Sonny’s first book Keith and Kent Zimmerman. They are twin brothers who have authored a lot of other books and worked with Sonny at the time. Kent was my contact. He told me that they had chosen me to be in a chapter of Sonny’s new book, Ridin’ High, Livin’ Free. I was so excited!

We set up a time that they called and we visited via phone. I spoke to Kent. He was really cool and asked me a lot of questions about my story. Part of my story focused on the old Green Gables bar in Independence. I told him all about when I started hanging out there and how it then became a church with Reverend Guy Girratono as the preacher. He was really interested in Rev. Guy and his story. I gave him Guy’s phone number (with Guy's permission) and he called him too and his part of the story also made the book.

Rocky’s Green Gables (as it was known before it closed) was near my house as a kid. I remember driving by there in my parents 1974 Monte Carlo (me in the back seat with no seatbelt of course) and peeking out the slanted back window at the place. There was always a row of bikes out front and it was dark inside. It always intrigued me.

When I turned 22 I met some people with the Freedom of Road Riders Local 14 who met at the Green Gables. They invited me to one of their meetings. I went with my Dad to check it out. It was a real trip to finally go in there. My hand shook as I opened the green front door. Who knew what awaited?

What waited were some of the neatest motorcycle people I’ve ever met. There were guys like Bones, Booger, AC Rick, Dan, Jesse, Randy, Ron and others. They were guys who worked on their own bikes and rode a lot. They were just like my Dad’s friends from long ago. I really liked the place. Soon I became a regular there.

We had a lot of fun at the old Green Gables. Ron the barkeep and owner was always there to serve us cold beer. He used to get a Pabst from the cooler when I walked in and immediately opened it for me. It was a cool place.

So back to the book, after they interviewed me there was a long period of waiting. I was so excited I could hardly contain myself. Soon we got another e-mail saying the book would be released in April of 2002. So on that fateful day in April I raced to the local Barnes and Noble and picked up a copy. It was one of the coolest days in my life.

I read through my chapter immediately in the parking lot. It was really neat. They added a little bit of bullshit to my story but I didn’t care. Some of the things about my riding up front of the group from the bar etc. were off base. I used to pick up the tail end on my 69 Triumph because the rest of the guys all rode big Harley’s and usually left me a little behind! But it was still fun to have my story in print.

I got a cool shirt and autographed book from Sonny for my story. I also got the letter from him that is pictured here. It was still a fun deal and I will always have it to show my kids!

Audrey May Povenmire is About to Crawl

2010-12-02T17:14:00.000-08:00

Audrey May is about to achieve forward motion! Soon...Very soon...

She is in the same spot in the family room where I took my first steps.

This is my scene - Keeping it Real

2010-11-29T07:44:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine sent me this video on YouTube. It is about the age old argument of who is a real biker and who is a poser. It is hilarious!

After 30 years of riding, I have determined that I am neither. Just a lifelong motorcycle enthusiast. Enjoy.

For my street cred!

Not Motorcycle Related - So Let It Be Written...

2010-10-28T14:43:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite movie quotes of all time! I love to say this to the 20 somethings I work with every time I can.

You Wouldn't Hit a Guy with Glasses!

2010-10-27T18:33:00.000-07:00

39 years...I guess my time was due. I can sure see a lot better!

The Povenmire Shop at the Povenmire Compound

2010-10-23T17:14:00.000-07:00

I was taking some photos with our digital camera and took a few photos of my shop. I thought I would post a few of them. This is where all the magic happens!

Well sometimes it isn't good magic, but I usually figure out how to fix whatever I have screwed up...

My 1995 Super Glide - Jack Larson Larson Machine, Rex Adams Crazy Paint

2010-10-19T08:27:00.000-07:00

I realized lately that I haven't ever put much info up about my bike. It is always passed by at most major events because it is stock framed and nothing special to anyone but me. Several people have touched this bike over the years that are significant in the motorcycle world.

It started life as a black 1995 Super Glide. Dad bought it from Ray Worth back when Ray was selling bikes to his old friends at cost. I bought a green 1996 Super Glide at Zylstra Harley-Davidson for $15,000. Dad bought this bike from Ray for less than $10,000. It pays to have friends in high places!

In 1998 I sold my green bike and bought this one from Dad when he bought a new Wide Glide. It has been worked over a lot through the years. It is now a 88 inch hot rod with just about all the modifications (except stroking) that can be done and still run well as a daily driver. It dynos at 90 horsepower. The late Rex Adams "Crazy Paint" painted the flames. He went to high school with Dad. Jack Larson built the latest version of the motor. He really did a good job. It runs great.

Rex died on December 7, 2002. Dad went to his funeral. It was a small service, but done well. I will always remember his muraled panel truck and all of his red hair from when I was a kid.

If you are looking for Jack Larson for some motor work he runs an advertisement in Wide Open and has a website here.

Yes it is fast...no you can't ride it!

87,000 miles can wear the finish off your start button and on/off switch!

Wesley's Photos of the 1995 Super Glide

2010-10-18T19:13:00.000-07:00

I decided to take some photos and put some info up about my Super Glide. I haven't ever done much on it before so I wheeled it out and took some photos on Sunday. Wesley followed me around with his camera and took some photos of his own. I promised I would post them so here they are. Not bad for a 4 year old!

Bikini Bike Wash Bloodline Tattoo and Cuts, Brookelyn's Bombshells and Rites of Passage

2010-10-11T12:23:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Wesley and I went to the open house at Bloodline Tattoo and Cuts in Independence. I saw on facebook that it was going on in the afternoon and I was done with my weekend chores so it worked out great.

We packed up on the Super Glide and stopped at the bank to get some cash. My bike doesn't run very good at an idle. This due to the high lift cam and other speed work that has been done. While we were in the ATM lane I was getting our money, receipt and card to put back in my wallet. My hands were full and the engine was starting to run rough and getting ready to die. Just as this was happening Wesley reached over and twisted the throttle to keep it running. The then turned around to see my reaction (little ones do this to see if they are in trouble). I told him he did good.

It almost brought a little tear to my eye! I think he is catching on to being a motorcycle bum.

Here are some photos of the Brookelyn's Bombshell girls washing our bike. The girl in the blue green bikini went to high school with me. Yeah if you do the math that makes her almost 40. She still looks good! Must be all her clean living. Can't say so much for myself...

Ralph Wayne's Backyard Nationals 2010

2010-10-04T09:46:00.000-07:00

I went to Ralph Wayne's show again this year. I have been going for over 10 years now. It is one of the coolest shows I have ever been to.

Followed Dad on his 1979 Shovelhead. We decided to go to Gail's and see what was happening then go to Ralph's. The Shovel didn't make it to Gail's...tail light fell off, mirrors were flopping around and it started running on one cylinder. We had to turn around and follow Dad to limp it home so he could get his Heritage and then arrive in full old man style!

Ralph's was busy, but not the biggest crowd I have ever seen there. Probably less "newbies" and more of a seasoned crowd. It was a good time. Here are a few pics.

$500 Shopping Spree at Blue Springs Harley-Davidson

2010-09-27T13:06:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I got a mailer from BS Harley-Davidson about their upcoming Back Roads Bash. I went online and entered for their drawing. I usually do this hoping some day my ship will come in.

I got an e-mail last Friday telling me that I won the $500 gift card. I figured this was a ploy to get me to come in and sell me a new bike. I called and talked to them and they insisted it was a regular gift card.

I went out Saturday and picked it up. It was the real deal. They even took our picture with it. I thought that was pretty cool.

We went crazy and I got a watch, new helmet and some clothes. Wesley got a hat and a lint brush (he had to have it for some reason). Abby got some cool clothes also.

The only observation I had was there weren't a lot of people there for a Saturday. Times have changed. Back years ago that place would have been full. We were the only people eating free chili in the tent outside. And they have a whole load of bikes to sell. Oh well, times change.

Words of Wisdom - John Povenmire

2010-08-28T13:27:00.000-07:00

In addition to a lot of things I didn't want to hear, my father told me some things in my life that rang true as I got older. One of those was "if you hear a rattle on your motorcycle you better find out what it is. Something is getting ready to fall off and you will have a damn wreck."

Recently I noticed a mysterious rattle while riding my Super Glide. I pulled on the license plate, sissy bar, turnsignals, exhaust, air cleaner and everything else I could imagine. Day two of the rattle I got to looking at my rear sprocket. Sure enough the bolts had backed out of it and it was about to fall off.

I was getting ready to ride to St. Louis for a couple of days the next morning. Good thing I chased that rattle down. I put red loctite on the bolts and torqued to book specs.

I hate to admit this, but the older I get the smarter the old man becomes...

RIP Mayor Ron Stewart

2010-08-22T14:31:00.000-07:00

My former neighbor and long-time friend Ron Stewart died last Friday. He had a stroke about 2 months ago and was trying to recuperate when he had another massive stroke that got him.

He lived two doors down from my parents. I have known him for over 30 years. I used to mow his grass for him when I was a kid.

Stewart always had nice things. He had a bad-ass El Camino when I was a kid. And most importantly, he always had a motorcycle. After a brief stint with a couple of Gold Wings in the early 80's he came back to the Harley crowd (a place he had been since the 1950's).

He was a policeman for more than 30 years. He wasn't the kind of guy who had to put a uniform on to get respect from people. He was a natural born leader who commanded respect with this presence.

After he retired he became Mayor of Independence and brought our town into the modern times in many ways. He took it past the good ol' boy network that had a stranglehold on our city for generations. I didn't agree with all his policies, but at least he moved us forward and he did what he said he was going to do.

He was a colorful character. The world needs more of them.

Happening Lately

2010-07-22T12:02:00.001-07:00

I haven't had much time to do a lot of blogging lately. Audrey May Povenmire arrived on June 4 and all hell seems to have broken loose! But it has been fun.

Wes and I are still riding some this summer. He got a new helmet last weekend because his Povenmire melon has expanded.

Benefit for Punk Rod Todd Karnahan

2010-05-28T08:27:00.000-07:00

I have been doing the car shows since I was an infant. We went every weekend to some sort of event all through my childhood and well into my high school years. At the point of my early 20's I got burned out and decided to call it quits. I put my car in storage and got into the motorcycle scene quite heavily.

I had considered selling my car, but I have had it since I was 15 years old and had a soft spot for the old girl. She and I have been through a lot of good and bad times together. I drove her to William Chrisman High School on May 14, 1987 (one of the greatest days of my life) and on my wedding day August 6, 2000 (another great day). She is like the red violin for my life.

The Greaserama car show started in 2001. My dad went and told me about it. I went in 2002 and have been going ever since. It was a great show where anything went. No more old guys with high dollar cars looking down on my budget built ride. Plus there was plenty of beer and fun for everyone.

This whole thing was the brianchild of Todd Karnahan with the Punk Rods Car Club. I dare say this man single-handedly renewed my interest in the car scene. Now I take my son to this event and it has been less of a beerfest and more of a family event for me. Times change, but the good times are still there.

Anyway Todd has cancer. He is going to deal with it his own way. I can't blame him on that. We have all seen people who are diagnosed and go through years of chemo and feel like shit then die anyway. They could have possibly spent the last two years of their life spending time with friends and family.

There is a benefit car/bike show for Todd at the Record bar on June 12. He is a house painter who doesn't have insurance. Come out and support this effort if you can. He has brought a lot of fun to many people's lives.

The Demise of Harley-Davidson

2010-04-30T12:28:00.001-07:00

OK, so maybe demise is a little too strong, but something is going to change with The Motor Company. The current course is not sustainable. In fact, I have been surprised that it has lasted as long as it did.

I am just an outsider looking in who happens to work in the advertising/marketing industry, but here are some of my observations:

1. HD operated like the prosperity would never end. Reading their annual report from 2003 (my dad has three shares of stock so he gets the report), they were talking nothing but endless prosperity. Basically their biggest problem was not being able to make bikes fast enough.

2. HD has failed to lure younger customers into the fold. Their typical customer continues to age and will eventually lose interest in big ticket item purchases. My dad is a good example. He bought his last new Heritage Classic in 2006. He is 63 years old and quite content to ride this through the rest of his retirement. Even if he does look like a Shriner...

The attempts to capture some of the younger market have failed. The V-Rod sales have alwasy been dismal, and they finally pulled the plug on Buell after years of no profit.

3. They have overbuilt their dealer network. Dealers also operated like the prosperity would never end buying up large amounts of land and building gargantuan dealerships banking on continued prosperity making up the difference. They have now become storage units for bikes they can't sell.

Don't look for most of these dealers to diversify into other recreational vehicles, downsize their dealerships or anything else that makes business sense. The most ego-driven of the bunch will just lock up their doors overnight and disappear.

The Motor Company will have to downsize significantly, and close at least one plant if not more. They are threatening to leave Wisconsin at this point to cut cost. Probably just a tactic to weaken the unions, but could happen someday. Who would have ever thought?

Bob Chinnery and the Amazing Technicolor Casket

2010-03-03T12:19:00.000-08:00

My dad's friend Bob Chinnery recently was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He decided to go out in style and asked my dad to help him find a casket that could be customized.

Dad was able to come up with one (don't ask me where). Bob had it painted by Kenny Frisbee and added the LED lights and images of his various cars, bikes, airplanes and family.

Bob was one of dad's more "colorful" friends. He was an unbelievable machinist and could fabricate just about anything. In fact he made the shift linkage on my Harley for me. The stock piece broke after about 50,000 miles. I doubt the linkage Bob made for me will break anytime soon. It will probably outlast me.

You can see more about him on his website www.bobchinnery.com

Here is the casket finished and the special hearse that took Bob on his last ride.

The Hardest Working Man in Show Business

2010-03-02T13:30:00.000-08:00

This was one of my favorite videos from a few years ago. I always loved James Brown since my dad let me listen to his "Live at the Apollo" album when I was a kid. That is one of the greatest albums ever made.

All they ever play on the radio is "I Feel Good." That is a good song, but James had dozens of hits and other great songs. This video incorporates some of the soundbites of the great ones.

Passing the (Greasy) Torch

2010-02-25T09:27:00.000-08:00

The time comes for every motorcycle enthusiast to pass the torch... My father and Uncle David passed it to me, now I am handing it to my son, Wesley.

My father told me to "be careful" riding with Wesley (we only go around the neighborhood on regular streets, no highway obviously). I told him that I was extremely careful, and also reminded him that we did the same thing in the 70's and we didn't wear helmets!

His usual response, "That was a different time." Yes it was.

Even though it has been over 30 years, I still miss you Uncle David. You would be happy to know I am passing the greasy torch to the newest Povenmire...

New Friends

2010-02-19T12:17:00.000-08:00

With my project here I have made some new friends in the blogger world. I have also discovered some people I already knew that had cool blogs I was unaware of. One of those people is John McGregor from North Carolina.

John was raised in Mississippi and has moved all over the country. He is an avid tennis player and colorful guy. His blog is worth checking out.

http://www.johntmcgregor.com/

Some Crazy Choppers

2010-02-17T14:28:00.001-08:00

I have been attending the Greaserama car show since it's second year. Over this time I have seen an increase in home built bobber/choppers that young guys are creating from leftover Japanese bikes. This movement intrigues me because 1) I have an interest in all motorcycles and 2) because many are doing this themselves in their basement or home garage.

Two interesting local bloggers who are part of this are here:

http://northeasteric.blogspot.com/

http://www.theanchormotorcycleshop.blogspot.com/

People have asked me a lot over the years why do you ride a Harley? My main answer is that my dad usually rode one, and because they are easy to rebuild and find parts for. I am at a loss to explain any further than that!

The Origins of Worth Harley-Davidson Kansas City - Ray Worth

2010-02-09T10:15:00.000-08:00

I was at a bike event last summer when a younger rider asked me if I bought my bike from Gail's or Rick's dealership. I told him my bike came from Ray Worth. He responded, "Who is Ray Worth?" I realized then that a lot of the newer Harley riders around KC are not aware of the people in the Worth family and how their Harley-Davidson dealer network developed. I thought I would post this info to make it easier.

Ray Worth has been a friend of my dad's for longer than I have been alive. He and his wife Beverly started the whole deal purchasing the dealership in Belton in 1978. Ray Worth is an extremely colorful character, shrewd businessman and all around interesting cat. He oversaw the dealership during some of the darker days of AMF ownership. He told me that on more than one occasion he was "30 days from closing the doors." He and Beverly managed the business through these times by continuing to support HD customers and diversifying into dirt bikes and watercraft (in a separate building at the Belton location).

They also opened a north location in Kansas City on North Oak. They started in a smaller building on North Oak that is south of the second North Oak location they opened later. Blue Springs HD was started in 1998 and has remained at the same location.

Around 2000 Ray and Beverly sold out to the children. Gail Worth bought the Belton dealership, Rick Worth bought the north store and Ray and David Worth became partners in the Blue Springs location.

In 2004 Gail moved her dealership from Belton to the current Grandview location.

In 2009 Rick bought the building off I-29 on Prairie View road and moved the North Oak dealership there.

Lori Worth is the only sibling who does not work for the family business. Last I knew she had an advertising agency that did a lot of work around Kansas City.

Here is a family photo from a feature story in the Kansas City Star that ran back in August of 2003 with everyone identified.

More from the Old Days!

2010-02-05T15:13:00.001-08:00

I got around to scanning some more bikes that were "in the family" over the years.

Grandpa John Povenmire - Crashing Sucks!

2010-01-29T15:49:00.001-08:00

In May of 1989 my dad gave me a high school graduation present. He let me have his 1969 Triumph Bonneville that was in the shed. He told me "there are two kinds of people who ride motorcycles, those who have fallen over and those who will fall over."

He spoke from true experience. Pictured here is his infamous wreck on June 24, 1968. My grandmother hated motorcycles so bad she took photos of him so he would remember how much it hurt to crash.

When I was a kid he still had gravel in his face. Occasionally it would work its way out and he would spit out a rock from inside his mouth. He was the baddest MFer that I knew.

It is interesting to see him in these photos when he was 21 years old. His tattoos are vibrant and colorful and he looks very young. He is now gray and his tattoos are faded. But he is still out on his Heritage Classic burning up the roads of Independence!

He even made the Kansas City Star.

Jesus Chrysler

2010-01-22T15:27:00.000-08:00

My 2000 Grand Prix is getting a lot of miles on it (171,000 to be exact). I have been toying with the idea of getting a used Chrysler 300M. I have always liked the looks of those cars, and I think a lot of them have V8 engines. A good sedan works for hauling the family around.

I would like to find a grey one and have it custom painted like this Oldsmobile that my dad had in the 1960s.

I am thinking of naming the car Jesus Chrysler in honor of my Catholic upbringing. I brought this idea up to my dad the other night over dinner. He said it was dumb and told me that I should just leave my daily driver car alone. I had to laugh out loud. He is definitely getting older. This comment from the man who could never leave anything alone. Cars, bikes, wagons you name it and he was tinkering with it.

Here are some photos of his rides over the years. These are mainly late 60s early 1970s. By the way he brought me home from the hospital in 1971 in the hearse...So I have that going for me.

How to Inspire a David Mann Painting...

2010-01-17T20:25:00.000-08:00

One thing I have found out in my travels is that everyone in Kansas City who is over the age of 60 and rode a motorcycle years ago “rode with David Mann.” My story is a little bit different. You see, David Mann and my father, John, were friends for more than 35 years. They met through mutual motorcycle friends in the 1960's.

Because of their friendship, David painted a picture for my parents when they got married in 1968. It was a wild painting that had Heaven on one side and Hell on the other. In between Heaven and Hell, in the middle of the painting, was love.

David had a lot of interest in witchcraft. This painting had symbols from the magic alphabet on it naming the elements of the picture. I have fond memories of it hanging in our living room next to Dad's Rock-Ola Fireball jukebox. In addition to the gift of the painting, David also painted a magic alphabet sign on the front of my Dad's helmet. A few years later he left the Kansas City area for warmer adventures in Florida and then to California.

Like many families, my Mom got on a religious kick back in the early 1980's. Soon her attention was drawn to David’s painting…

You guessed it. She burned the painting in our fireplace. I was too young to realize the magnitude of what she had done. I remember the look of horror and defeat in my father’s eyes as it went up in smoke.

A few years ago David returned from the west coast to Kansas City and soon he and Dad were visiting regularly again. That was the first time I met David as an adult.

I was at a car show down near Kemper Arena. He was very friendly to me when I met him and he told me something I didn't expect to hear, "Your Dad, John, inspired one of my paintings for Easyriders."

I couldn't believe it. After having David’s real painting destroyed by my overzealous Catholic mother, here was my redemption! Could it be that my father was the inspiration for one of David's famous paintings? Perhaps the one where the guy is admiring himself in the storefront glass and is about to hit the VW bug in front of him? Or maybe, my Dad was the inspiration for the famous Ghostrider? Who knew?

My heart was beating 100 mph and I was hanging on David's next words. Then he said, "One time when your Dad had his three wheeler we were out riding and pulled up to a stoplight. When your Dad stopped, his back tire was on my foot. I said, ‘John, get the hell off my foot!"

I wasn't sure how to take this. On one hand my old man had inspired a piece of David Mann's greatness, but on the other hand my Dad had also run over his foot! Not the macho cool thing I was hoping for.

After some considerable searching I finally found the image of the painting on a website. (David didn't have any reprints since it was not that popular) Then I took the image and printed it out and took it to him to sign. His inscription reads - To: Jeremy - Your Dad and my fun times! - David Mann. I framed it and it hangs in my basement by my pool table.

All in all it turned out to be a pretty cool story. I never met anyone else who could say they were the reason for a David Mann painting. (Most of David’s work was based on real life situations) Too bad it wasn't something a bit more cool!

Dad and I went to the hospital where David was staying prior to his passing. He was in good spirits and actually seemed better. He told us stories of days gone by including a trip to Daytona where he and some pals went to a strip club. He said one of the dancers was giving him a lap dance when he reached his hand around her and stuck his finger up her ass just to see what reaction she would have. She said “Ooh baby, you found my sweet spot.” By the time we left his hospital room we all were laughing hysterically.

Just a week or so later, Jacquie called and told my Dad the end was near. He went back by himself and said goodbye. David was unconscious and didn’t respond to my Dad’s touch or voice. But he did get to say a final goodbye. David died a short time later.

David influenced a lot of people’s lives including mine. He told one of his other long time friends, “I am going first so everything will be ready for you guys when you get there.”

P.S. The helmet David painted for Dad got lost at the go-kart track in Liberty, Missouri in 1983 by yours truly. I could kick myself for that one too. I was wearing it racing my go-kart last I

remember.

Here is the trike in all its glory!

Sonny Rogers

2010-01-15T20:15:00.000-08:00

One of my dad's more colorful friends is Sonny Rogers. He is an old time hot rodder and was an avid motorcycle enthusiast over the years. He used to run the bike shows for Ray Farhner back in the 1960's.

Here is Sonny burning up the road on his chopper with the shot gun sissybar.

Here is an article from Chopper Magazine that David Mann wrote about Sonny. The gist of the article is that Sonny built this chopper in 3 years and it was so reliable it would run from Independence to Lexington, Missouri (a distance of about 30 miles). My how times change!

Here is Sonny on one of his Triumphs. Cool!

Ever Since I Can Remember...

2010-01-15T20:09:00.000-08:00

I always wanted to be a biker. Some of my earliest memories were of standing in the big front window of our house in Independence and watching my dad and his friends take off from our driveway. Here are some shots of what I was witnessing...

John Povenmire - 1971

Baby Kennedy is a Girl!

2010-01-13T10:49:00.000-08:00

We have started a tradition of calling our babies by former President's names until they are officially named. Wesley was known as Roosevelt, the the new baby is Kennedy. We just found out that Kennedy is a girl!

First Installment

2010-01-09T07:09:00.000-08:00

I have decided to start this blog for two reasons. First is that I want to document some things about me, my family and every day life for my children, and second because it might be fun.

Here we go...