Yes yes...we know The Bradentucky Burn-up was a couple months ago. We also know that good things take time...

Let us first say, that often, we attend events that promise a great many bitchin' bikes, good company and a damn fine time overall. To often people overdue one part of the event and forget everything else. As example, what good is a bunch of beer if there isn't anything to munch on when people start getting hungry? Are they going to chew on old tires? No.. You need food, man. And along with food you need good music, hopping people and a three legged dog who plays fetch with an old license plate.

Josh Bird, event organizer extraordinaire, devout Triumph rider and close friend of The Dime City Militia managed to pull all those things together for one hell of an evening with the help of P-Man's Custom Paint in Bradenton Florida. All the passers by in their SUV's on the main road had no idea that real American culture was two streets over having it's way with a damn good time.

The event had three live bands with the final act being, The Downshifters.  There was an outside pool table, a mega-keg on tap and a hot-dog cart to fill those weary bellies full of Budweiser.  People from all walks of the motorcycle and hotrod worlds converged for a single evening of good clean, well- sort of clean, fun..

The bikes on display were everything from wild to mild.  HD cruisers and Norton's shared the parking lot space and there wasn't even a scuffle..  Everyone got along and the evening went off without a hitch.  When we talked with Josh during the event he said "I wanted to put together a true vintage event to not only give loyalist a chance to show their iron, but to expose other types of riders in hopes that they would pickup the interest.."  Very cool Josh..  Very cool idea indeed.

P-Man, custom paint god and general bad-ass opened up his sweet little pad in hopes that everyone local to Sarasota would have a spot to begin to converge sharing in a true "down-home" good time and culture swapping session.  As you can see, he and his crew provided a perfect example of a "southern tail-gate."  

While the bands got ready the party ensued on the first floor of P-Mans shop which was littered with cool motorcycle paraphernalia from yesteryear.  We know how to do it right now here folks...don't let those SoCal and Nor-Easters let you think the only good moto-parties happen in their corners of the US of A!

If jammin' to tunes from one of the three live bands wasn't your thing you could step outside the warehouse and throw down some scratch betting on who was gonna win the next pool game...or dump their bike while trying to do a burn-out.

All in all the event was a major success.  Over 100 bikes showed and dozens more car loads of people poured in as the night went on into the shattered hours of the night.  The show was a close one and afforded a couple well deserved bike builders trophies for their hardworking petrol pounding beauties. The winner of Best in Show, a Moto Guzzi that had to of been older than your grandfather, was the real show stopper. More so, though, that the owner road it all the way to the event, from over an hour and a half away!

 

On one hand, it was so cool we don't want word to get out for fear that it'll be swamped next year, but where's the fun in that? So keep an eye on The DCC Diatribe for info on the next gathering and get in on the action!

If you're going to be in NYC the weekend of September 18th you had better be at The Brooklyn Invitational! Some of the best builders around will be present; Shinya Kimura, Max Shaaf and Keino to name only a few. All with their custom mo'chines front and center for all to enjoy.  There's also a killer DicE Magazine party Friday night that we wouldn't miss for the world.

If your gonna be in the area drop us an email..

First off, let us apologize for the lack of BLOG posts and updates on the current happenings here at Dime City. We've been slammed with a few large projects in the fab shop (cool stuff to come!) and for those of you hitting the web we're sure you can vouch, we're adding products daily, which is taking up the bulk of our free time.  We're getting back into the groove though, so you can expect some cool stuff to hit The Diatribe in the coming weeks.

That said- with an overwhelming amount of joy, and sadness we would like to share something about our favorite Intern, Michael. You all know him.. Happy-go-lucky Michael, name on his back always willing to polish up a piece of aluminum. Well, you see, Michael came to Dime City with a dream. A great dream. That dream was to ride his very first Cafe Racer.

As we spent the summer watching Michael grow from a quick-lipped non-sensical jovial college student into someone who not only understands the basic mechanics of a motorcycle and fabrication we couldn't help but have sympathy towards his plight. What were we to do though? The ground rules were set and he still have 1,000 square feet of aluminum to polish and he was running out of time....his dream was slipping through his fingers like the hair a college girlfriend leaving to go home for the summer.

 

After watching Michael covet the Manx daily and catching him trying to sleep in the warehouse "to be close to the bikes to keep them safe." he said.. Herm and I decided that he was ready..

So Herm, unbeknownsts to Michael, had him pull the Manx from the warehouse and get it warmed up. "For a tuning run he said." 

Once she was ready to go Herm told Michael it was his turn...and man, it was like watching a fat kid at Disneyland dive into the all you can eat ice cream buffet face first! His leg was over the Manx in a fraction of a second and his right hand was twitching the throttle.

 

 

Michael, you earned it bubba... Your a hell of an apprentice and Herm and I can't wait till you get back from school.  Lord knows the shop will be dirty as hell and there will be a pile of stuff to polish! And besides, you still gotta earn that name patch!

Have a great year man and don't do anything we wouldn't do!

With their tattoos, leather jackets, slicked-back hair, and beloved British motorbikes - BSAs, Triumphs, Nortons, and Royal Enfields - Rockers are the nemesis and antithesis of the fastidiously groomed Mods. Elvis, James Dean, and Marlon Brando made rocker style synonymous with rebellion, sparking a global cult.

Horst Friedrichs follows the British rocker tribe as its members congregate in parking lots, pubs, cafes, dance and pool halls, as well as huge gatherings at Jacks Hill and the Ace Cafe. Alternating between rich, vibrant colour and gritty black and white, these photographs capture a spirit of unapologetic defiance in clothing as well as attitude, every bit as strong today as it was sixty years ago.

Trenchant and evealing commentary from Friedrichs' subjects sheds light on the impulses, yearnings, and motivations of this enduring international rebel chic subculture making 21st Century Rockers a piece of history in the making. We are truly fortunate that individuals such as Horst share the same deep seated passion for Cafe Racers, going fast and paying homage to the past.

 

This past week The DCC Crew received a pre-release copy directly from Horst in London.  We must say, at first glance one is left beside him/herself simply by the imagery of the cover and it's commanding presence when placed upon a table.

 

 

 

 

It's only when you open the book and begin to flip the thick sturdy pages, hearing the intoxicating "crackle" as each one separates for the first time, that you understand the importance of the account in front of you..

 

 

 

 

 

Paying homage to the classic Cafe Racer/Rocker culture- Horst leverages his talents behind the shutter to capture some of the most inspiring imagery ever caught on film. These modern purveyors of this indispensable two-wheeled following that helped shape, not only modern motorcycles and Rock and Roll, but an entire culture are brought forth in a intoxicating light, by Horst.

 

 

 

 

 

Whether you're Cafe Racer, Rocker or Vintage Motorcycle aficionado- this book belongs in your shop, on your coffee table or on your shelf. The Wing'd Piston gives Horst and 21st Century Rockers our stamp of approval along with Veteran Rocker and authentic Cafe Racer direct from the other side of the big pond, and owner of Santiago Choppers Alan Bernard. Alan gives his nod of approval and authenticity of Horst's production while hanging out at Dime City.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We guarantee you'll find yourself twisting the throttle that much harder and suiting up in leathers for every occasion possible, and some not, after receiving your personal copy.

 

Place your pre-release order here:

 

http://www.dimecitycycles.com/vintage-cafe-racer-caferacer-bobber-brat-chopper-custom-motorcycle-lifestyle-culture-book-or-glory-horst-friedrichs-orglory.html

 

 

There's nothing worse than building a nice set of custom headers, that I'll add just came back from chrome plating, than finding out that they won't clear the kick-start.. What a bummer!

No worries though! We have the technology to rebuild her gentlemen. The kickstart that is.. There's way to many hours of sanding into those headers to tear 'em apart again!

The solution: simple, pull a late model CB450 kicker off the used parts shelf and combine it with some steel rod and perform a little geometry to get everything positioned just right!

[here's the late model kicker before getting chopped]

 

 

 

[here she is with the initial piece of steel rod after being cut]

 

 

 

[here she is after some initial TIG welds and notching for strength]

 

Alright gang, The DCC Originals apparel line just launched shirt no. 2 in the three part series!  "Real. Vintage. Cafe Racers" describes the Dime City lifestyle and satisfies the rocker in us all.

Pick 'em up in vintage grey or white. Did we mention that we hand select the t-shirts and hand print them right here in Dime City? They're good for soul, just like mamma's cookin!  See them here!

It pays to have good friends.. I mean, where it not for the fact that Ralph Miller, owner of The Rusty Knuckles clothing line, knows we just love retro cop magazines with good lookin' ladies on the cover (HA!) he would have never thought to lift this from one of the many long forgotten gas station restrooms on I-95 heading through North Carolina. Of which, he visited plenty on the recent Revenge Run.

Way to go Ralph! She's a real looker!

Aside from lifting long forgotten trash magazines that no one on Earth would ever imagine someone even took the time to print, let alone read...  Ralph also produces some of the coolest southern influenced motorcycle clothing around through the Rusty Knuckles brand.

Ralph's vision for the brand comes from living the lifestyle. He's an avid bike builder and has produced one of the sweetest Honda CB Cafe's around. He's as legit as a can of Dapper Dan hair treatment, and unlike other brands spawn'd from Hollywood punks destroying the good names of hero's long since passed while trying to make quick buck, The Rusty Knuckles brand is designed by motor heads for motor heads.

Thanks Ralph, the industry needs more guys like you!

Checkout the sweet Rusty Knuckles CB650 Cafe Racer for a glimpse into what we're talking about folks!

Be sure to visit the Rusty Knuckles section here at Dime City and definitely take a look at their BLOG when you have a moment- http://rustyknuckles.blogspot.com/

It's very difficult to put Shinya Kimura's work into words.  Few, have been able to do this and properly capture the essence of the creator.  Pictures, do it justice, no doubt.  However, they still leave questions unanswered.  Cinema though, created with the same level of intensity and passion- is simply astonishing.

It's as though your right there with the artisan twisting the throttle, feeling the wind all the while being consumed by the shear authenticity of his life.

Shinya Kimura, The Crew at Dime City Cycles salutes you.  You are a pillar of wisdom from which all of us draw from.  You ask for nothing in return and continue to provide inspiration.  You truly are a selfless individual.  For that, we thank you and will be forever in debt to you.

This film was produced by Henrik Hansen - http://www.henrikhansen.net/  Truly a visionary man.

For more information on Shinya Kimura please visit his BLOG - http://shinyakimura.blogspot.com/  Prepare yourself.  First, though.

What do you get when you combine one of the coolest areas in Downtown Jacksonville, FL with a myriad of vintage bike iron and muscle cars

Nothing. Just a cool place and some nice rides. So what...

Unless of course, you hook-up with the petrol loving crew of Wolfgangs Boutique for the first (and hopefully annual) "Oil Mixer!" Then my friend...you have yourself a crank turning, fuel burning, throttle twisting- high-fa-lutin damn good time!

Join The Dime City Militia along with a host of other awesome partners for what's bound be a memorable evening as we line the historic streets of Downtown Five Points, Jacksonville's epicenter of culture and the arts, with motorcycles and classic muscle cars sharing good times and free brewskies.

We'll be onsite with a few bikes on display along with some goodies, so come on by and check it out.  We're also constructing and donating the "Best Jap Bike" trophy so you'll definitely want to see that.  Who knows what we'll turn out this time...

Please RSVP if possible with Iron Promotions via email - 904iron@gmail.com, it would suck to run out of beer!

The clocks tickin' and wrenches are a turning at Dime City folks..  Despite Herm's frustration with my constant antics and artistic woes we're making fine progress. The Brass Cafe is coming along great! Ahh the life!

In an effort to expand Michaels skill-set we put him on the task of developing a swing-arm brace for this little road rumbler. With some general direction from our good friend PJ, Michael had the basic idea down...

After a couple of hours of cutting, grinding and shaping he produced this fantastic tri-fecta of support that would ensure stability whilst piloting The Brass Cafe to the Ton. Great job Michael! I don't care what your friends say about you. Your alright man..

Ask and ye' shall receive!

Many of you have contacted us with the desire to fit a classic one-up seat to that bombshell your building in the garage, but have stressed that you don't have access to a leather shop to create a cushion for the other custom seats out there.

Enter the sultry-sweet leather wrapped ton-up glory getting leather wrapped Cafe Racer seat from Dime City!

Assembled by hand from the highest quality steel and leather these babies are stitched by hand with a propensity to detail even Howard Hughes would be proud of.

They've got a nice tapered design which allows for fitment on almost any bike.  If you have a smaller CB350 or 450 with narrow frame rails it's not problem.  Same goes for the wider 550's and 750's along with XS's, KZ's and just about any other bike out there.

Checkout the full photo spread and details here: Leather Wrapped Cafe Racer Seat  link.

As for those of you still leery of cutting into your bike to build brackets and mount one of these suckers (or any seat for that matter) definitely give us a call and we'll provide as much information as possible. With a little patience and some help from Gradma' and her dencher glue you can make it happen!

We'll also add- another source of excellent DIY Cafe Racer tech is DoTheTon.com so be sure to swing over there and checkout the specific section they have setup for "Seats and Tanks". Your guaranteed to find a solution for getting your leather wrapped juke box killer on the move.

The super cool crew over at 8Negro were kind enough to give mention to The Dime City Diatribe BLOG and The Manx CB450 Racer.

If you guys haven't locked 8negro into your top 5 BLOGs you'd better do so now... Everything from wild to mild, old and new- you'll find it there!

Thanks so much guys! We hit your site every morning looking for what's new and wild.. Keep it up and we'll do the same!

Well everyone, the fourth of July is here and along with lighting your pants on fire with contraband from the truck stop, rum filled watermelons and all the other mayhem you can conjure up- the Dime City Crew is getting ready to start slinging website updates like greasy IHOP eggs and bacon again!

We've been slammed with some custom projects and as much as we known you can't wait to check DCC every morning for new BLOG posts and products, we've had to scale back a bit. Trust us though...the goods are comin in more way than one! We've got a ton of new products to launch on the website, a few new partnerships to announce and good 'ol fashioned Dime City nonsense to keep you cool through the warm months.

A quick note, we changed the main shop phone number and moved to a fancy service called Google Voice. It allows the shop phone to ring all our mobile devices at the same time so the first available person, inside the shop or out, can pickup you call.  The new number is 727 386 9735.  Give us a shout to try it out!  Who knows what you'll here in the background...

And last, The DCC Shop Monster wants everyone to have a fun and safe Fourth of July weekend. Be sure to snap any nonsensical shots from your camera phones and email 'em to us. We love to see what kind of trouble you guys are getting into!

- The DCC Crew