 People and Places: Billy Lane's Blood, Sweat, and Gears Tour
Posted byherseyc on Thursday, November 03, 2005 @ 07:55:36 EST
Contributed by herseyc
I had read about Billy Lane of Choppers, Inc. Blood, Sweat, and Gears tour in a couple of magazines over the past few months. It sounded like a pretty cool idea and while we were in Daytona for Biketoberfest Sandy and I got to catch a day of the tour and I have to say it was definitely cool.
Billy Lane came up with this concept of a mobile fabrication shop not just to put on shows to promote his shop or showcase his mechanical ability, but to give something back. The trailer contains basically everything your could possibly need to fabricate a custom motorcycle on a semi-trailer. Welders, grinders, cutters, tools, an english wheel, like I said this thing has everything you could possible need to build, fabricate, and assemble a bike.
The Blood, Sweat, and Gears Tour started off in Daytona Bike Week back in March and this stop in Biketoberfest was the final for this years tour. The tour had stops in all the major motorcycle events around the country; Laconia, Laughlin, Sturgis, Myrtle Beach, etc...
On the tour Billy Lane and a group of other bike builders build a motorcycle, pretty much from start to finish, and when it is done they give it to a member of the armed services.
Billy Lane Introducing the Other Builders
Back in March during Daytona of 2005 and serviceman's wife had contacted Billy about a sissy bar that she wanted to get for her husband that was serving in Iraq. Not only did Billy give her the sissy bar but he completely customized the bike into one cool ride. (This was just recently featured on the Discovery Channel, check your local listing as I am sure they will air it again, the show is called the Billy Lane Project).
Paul Cox Fabricates the Exhaust
At the Biketoberfest show Billy was doing a bike for a servieman's father. The soldier had started collecting parts to build a bike and then he was killed in Iraq. Billy set it up to complete the bike a present it to the guys family.
Jon of House of Kolors Shows off the Awesome Paint Job for the Bike
Another cool thing about the tour was how down to earth Billy and the other builders are. I mean even with the great success of their shops, and the TV shows, and whatever they are still just really good guys. Kendall Johnson took the time to sign a bunch of autographs, Mondo answered some tech questions from the crowd, all of the builders were just up there building a motorcycle and having a good time.
Kendall Johnson and Mondo Mount the Oil Tank
A guy in the crowd asked Billy about what he needed to do to change his stock Duece frame from a softail to a rigid. Billy started to explain about removing the shock, taking the measurement and welding the steel in place when he asked the guy, "Is your bike here?". The guy answered "Yes" and Billy said "Bring it on up here and I'll fix it for you." Now you have to admit, that is cool.
Billy Works on an Audience Members Duece
Jen, the easy on the eyes MC of the tour, kept the crowd involved by handing out stuff from the sponsors (and FREE beer) to the crowd and giving a blow by blow of what was happening on stage.
The Blood, Sweat, and Gears MC - Jen
Hopefully Billy and his crew will put together a Blood, Sweat, and Gears Tour for 2006. If they do and you have a chance to check it out you'll be glad you did. I have a few more pictures I took of the show and of around Biketoberfest so check them out in the Gallery.
Take Care - Ride FREE
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