Franks Biker News June 1st archive

RIVAL bikers from Coventry and Warwickshire have been convicted - Coventry Telegraph - Neale Harrison, 46, of Bell Green Road, Bell Green, Coventry and 50-year-old Mark Price, of Westbury Road, Nuneaton, were among those found guilty of rioting at Birmingham airport. Another man – 44-year-old Marc Wilden, of Church Close, Arley – was cleared of the charge.
They were among 12 men from the West Midlands who stood trial at Birmingham Crown Court.
In total eight were found guilty, three were cleared and the jury failed to reach a verdict on a further defendant. The five-week trial followed a violent clash between members of two rival biker gangs at the airport on January 20, 2008.
The trial heard the “battle”, which left onlookers at the city’s airport frightened and distressed, involved members of the Hells Angels and the Outlaws, some of whom had arrived on a flight from Spain.
Knuckle-dusters, hammers and a meat cleaver were among the weapons recovered by police following the brawl.
Three men were injured in the violence and were taken to hospital, one of whom was seriously injured after being hit on the head.
Detective Inspector Iain Grant, of West Midlands Police, led the investigation.
Speaking after the verdicts, he said: “This was a significant disturbance played out in the full glare of a busy international airport terminal.
“Families returning to Birmingham from their holidays were forced to take cover as the two groups attacked each other with gratuitous violence.
“Weapons were produced and a number of individuals suffered significant injuries.”
The men will be sentenced on June 19.

RIDE FOR MDA - Belleville News Democrat - RIDE FOR MDA: The Maryville Fire Department will host its first "Ride for MDA" on June 13 to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Registration begins at 10 a.m. at B.S. Boogies in Maryville with the last rider out by noon. The ride will go on regardless of weather. The cost is $20 for the biker and includes a T-shirt and donation to MDA; passengers are $5.
The ride features 50/50 raffles, silent auction items and concludes at the Maryville Firemen's Park where there will be food, drinks and live music.
For information, call Tiffany at (314) 962-0023 or Kevin at 779-2617 or e-mail kwwatts@maryvillefire.com .

Freedom of the Road Riders held annual event - KTVO - The Freedom of the Road Riders held their Annual Sally Rally at the NEMO Fairgrounds in Kirksville over the last two days.
They have held the event the past few years in Kirksville.
the event included everything from a poker run to biker tricks where they did everything from the barrel roll to the balloon toss.
The rally wrapped up with live entertainment this evening.
President of the Freedom of the Road Riders local 19 Darek Fowler says that the event is all for a good cause.
The group raises money for local charities and their rider safety program.
“Freedom of the Road Riders wants to get known with the public and have people come out and see how we do things and enjoy the band and have some fun," Fowler said.
Fowler says that about four hundred people attended the annual event last year.
If you would like more information, go to www.forr19.com .

Two dead after motorcycle accident - KSLA-TV - BELCHER, LA (KSLA) -Tragedy swept through Belcher River Road in Belcher, Louisiana Saturday, following a motorcycle rally.
A double fatal accident happened just before 7:30 p.m. according to Caddo deputies and witnesses.
A man who has now been identified by deputies as Randy Hankins and the child, 11-year-old Edward Savannah are now dead in what deputies describe as a head-on collision between a motorcycle and a small motorbike.
Deputies say that Hankins was riding the motorcycle. Hankins was transported to LSU Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Savannah was pronounced dead at the scene by the Caddo Parish coroner.
Shandrika Jackson, an attorney for the family involved in this tragic accident describes how the accident happened.
"This particular young boy was on his own personal little motor bike and they didn't see him and he turned in front of the actual motorcycle that the other motorist was riding," said Jackson.
Jackson serves as both the young boy's family attorney and the organization that was putting on the motorcycle rally attorney.
She says several bikers were wrapping up the 5th annual Two Wheels in Motion event in Belcher, where children were given the opportunity to take a ride on the motorcycles.
That's when Jackson says the boy smashed into the other biker.
The family remains in shock, still at the scene. Just one request from Jackson, "everyone to keep the family and friends in your prayers."
Jackson confirmed that Savannah was the cousin of the seven-year-old boy who just died two weeks ago, when he drowned with his grandfather while fishing at Nantucket Harbor Apartment Complex in Shreveport.
Deputies say that extraordinary speed was a contributing factor in this accident.

Biker build-off revs up an 'us vs. them' battle - Pocono Record - Split Rock Resort's parking lot was transformed into a sea of motorcycles on Saturday when the second Rally at the Rock brought bike lovers from all over the tri-state area in for some fun.
It was a biker's paradise inside and outside with this year's big highlight being the tri-state biker build-off. In a kind of "us vs. them" style, Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey all competed for the title of the first Rally at the Rock build-off championship.
"I was asked to do this contest. I figured it was good publicity and exposure," said Scott Avery of North Jersey Customs in Denville. "This event is great. It is a great place here and there has been a great turnout."
Avery was chosen to represent New Jersey in the bike build-off. It took four months to build the bike he calls "Defiant."
"My bike is unique from the other two. I have a lot of custom parts, and the paint scheme is original," he said. "I think I will hang on to the bike for a while, and then maybe sell it."
Representing New York is County Line Choppers from Phoenix, N.Y., owner Pat Briggs worked 500 hours in just two months building the bike he named "Getcha Some."
"We have had a few of our bikes in Fast Lane Biker Magazine, and we were picked to represent New York," Briggs said. "I did the bike the way I wanted it since I am keeping it. It was my design and engineering."
And competing for Pennsylvania is Custom Auto and Cycle from Olyphant. Owner Jerry Tully named his creation "Nightmare" for good reason.
"I was originally going to call it 'Bad Dream' but after the past few weeks changed it to 'Nightmare' because a lot went wrong at the end," he said.
"The bike handles exceptionally well. It's really stable. I think I'll ride it for a year, but if someone has an interest to buy it, I'll sell."
Winner of the build-off gets a trophy and bragging rights to the first Rally at the Rock biker build-off.
Well-known bike builder and reality TV show star Russell Mitchell of Exile Cycles brought along a few of his bikes for show.
"When I was 16 I got my first 'cycle. Within a year, I was cutting down frames and building them back up," Mitchell said. "We've been to a few shows by the same organizer. This is a beautiful area."
Mitchell has been building bikes for many years now, and said that all three bikes in the build-off look like a lot of effort was put into building them.
Mitchell is busy working on new parts lines, but don't count him out of another television show in the future.
"We are in Hollywood where there is always something going on," he said. "But for now, it is business as usual."
In addition to the bikes on display from the build-off, the weekend is a bikers' heaven. Clothing and jewelry vendors, tattooing done on premises, lots of bike parts and shops, and even stunt shows are keeping the crowd busy.
The Krazy White Boys out of Jim Thorpe performed at last year's event. They came back this year for a few more stunt shows.
"Last week we were in Myrtle Beach, and next week we will be in Tom's River," GSE Nick Yarrusso said. "We do this all summer long."
The team of three stunt riders, Yarrusso, Rich Reabold and Jay, are doing three more shows today at 1, 3 and 5 p.m. outside in the parking lot. "This year's event is great. There are more people here than last year," Yarrusso said. "Last year was good, but this year is better."
Yarrusso has been stunt riding since late 2004, and kids of all ages love to see him testing fate riding through the parking lot on one wheel. Another daring show is by Circus Luna who rides a motorcycle on a tight rope. She will also have additional shows today.
The bike build-off winner is chosen by eventgoers, and will be announced around 2 p.m. today. The three-day event concludes today, but don't think that you have seen the last of Rally at the Rock.
"We are definitely planning another one for next year," said Mark Ruzicka, owner of the magazine and event organizer. "It's going to be hard to top this year though."

Biker Jesse James pushes limits on new Spike show - Boston Herald - Jesse James competed on NBC’s “The Celebrity Apprentice” and now has made a decision.
“I won’t be doing any shows with the word ‘celebrity’ as the prefix,” James said with a laugh during a telephone interview from Los Angeles.
The former host of “Monster Garage” returns to his cable TV roots to headline “Jesse James is a Dead Man,” premiering tonight at 10 on Spike.
Each week, he takes on such dangerous challenges as riding a high-powered nitro bike and driving along the “Ice Highway” in arctic weather conditions.
“The TV show is an opportunity to do stuff that I’ve always wanted to try or always been a little bit afraid of,” he said. “Everybody thinks, ‘Why are you doing this? It’s so crazy.’ And I’m like, ‘Dude, I’m lucky. I get to do this stuff and it’s my job.’ I like to scare myself, and I know if I have fear for it and I’m nervous about it and I can’t sleep the night before, I know it’s going to be really good. And it’s also going to make for good TV.”
Don’t expect a show like MTV’s “Jackass.”
“It’s not buffoonery,” he said. “I love those shows, but we are taking every single safety precaution we can and trying to be really safe and smart about it. It’s more the difficulty of it and skills and that type of stuff.”
He said his family, including wife Sandra Bullock, are used to his risk-taking.
“I think they worry a little bit, but they know I’m pretty safe about it,” he said. “They also ride with me in the car, just going to the movies or something, so they know what I’m like. They’re used to it.”
James made it to the final three on “The Celebrity Apprentice” and won exposure to a whole new audience.
“It was a good experience. I was thankful to be there and thankful to be a part of such a huge network TV show, where I’ve been on cable for 10 years,” he said. “I just wanted to work and not make myself look like a goof. It was interesting. Some people are total freaks when the cameras are on them. I’m only one way no matter what. I think I got lucky, and I was the only one who came out of the show better than when I went in. Everybody else went down a couple of notches.”
In addition to his new show, James is the publisher of Garage magazine, the owner of Cisco Burgers restaurant and West Coast Choppers, which creates custom-made bikes.
“Life should be like a ladder,” he said. “I’m only going up, and everything I do is bigger and better.”