A long line of HOG members ride through the Black Hills

RICK’S PICKS: STURGIS 2024

Words and Images by Rick Spada

You shouldn't judge a book by its cover, and you shouldn't judge a motorcycle either! Over the years I found out that there's usually a method to the madness you come across at shows or on the road! My name's Rick from Chicken Fried Choppers and here are some of my favorite finds at Sturgis 2024.

A little extra gas never hurts especially when you’re in South Dakota with a Florida license plate! Miles AKA #Milesthegramless had a spare tank of gas loaded up for the many miles he put on his shovelhead from the sunshine state all the way up to Fuel Cleveland, and ended the first half of his trip pulling directly into the show! Insane!

I talked to this guy after the Choppers Mag show ended and asked about his seat. He said that he didn't have time to have it upholstered before heading to the Black Hills and he wasn't about to let cosmetics keep him off the road! ‘Seat Guy’ said it was in fact super comfy which is the only thing that really matters before crunching some major mileage on a rigid chopper.

Shaun loves skateboarding and choppers and he still can't figure out which one he enjoys more, so why not do both! He’s stacked up well over 100,000 miles road tripping his rigid Sportster to skateparks all over the country and his lockable board rack has always been one of my favorites. Last year we rode to Sturgis together and Shaun had his board sealed with duct tape inside of a garbage bag to keep it from getting wet, and boy did we get wet! (and hailed on too).

Fork stops?!? Who needs ‘em! Came across this very radical Sportster chopper at Camp Zero (I clearly have a thing for Sportsters) and the full 90 degree turning radius is about as rowdy as it gets before your fork tube hits the frame! Who needs safety when you have the turning ability of a forklift in the parking lot, and can perform the hardest of parks! Note that decently rare 19” Harley Davidson Rocker C front wheel, only made from 2008-2011! Fancy!

Speaking of gas, here's a fun one spotted at the Mama Tried Pool Party at Pappy Hoel Campground! Maximize your fuel capacity by moving your fuel filler to the highest possible point in the gas tank, then reduce fuel capacity by removing 2 or 3 full inches out of the center of the gas tank itself! I love that he decided to save the factory paint and flex his fabrication skills by leaving the modifications raw at the same time. Big Twin Evolution motor for maximum chopper performance and reliability and I think that might just be a Freddy Hernandez rigid frame wrapped around it!

Last but not least, I ran into this SWEET California Highway Patrol Road King covered in dirt just as every motorcycle should be! Based on the transmission cover you can tell that its a 6 speed, that means this bike is likely in the 2007-2011 model year range. Even back in the Panhead days Police Bikes would come with a specialty solo seat made for munching down miles. The Twin Cam era started getting really fancy with air assisted seat springs providing an even more comfortable experience on the highway! Had a good time geeking out while looking at this one!

The moral of this quarterly edition of Rick’s Pick’s is it doesn't matter what your ride looks like, how rowdy your personal modifications are, or how wild your personal touches are, the only thing that matters is that you made out to have fun with the rest of us! Thanks for reading my ramblings and I hope to see you on the road soon!

-Rick, Chicken Fried Choppers