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Where Does Your City Rank?
The STC staff came across this study and thought it was pretty interesting, so we thought we'd pass it along to our readers. Where are motorcycles stolen or crashed least or most? According to The Progressive Group of Insurance, which insures more motorcycles than any other group in the country, the answers may surprise you. Progressive reviewed claims data on more than two million motorcycles insured over the past three years to determine the likelihood of a motorcyclist getting into an accident or having a bike stolen. The analysis focused on the 89 U.S. metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 and higher. The study found Honolulu riders are most likely to have their bikes stolen, even though it's the 53rd largest metropolitan area. In fact, a motorcyclist in Honolulu is four times more likely to have a bike stolen than is a motorcyclist in Chicago or Detroit, which are the third and seventh largest metro areas in the country, respectively. Lesson? Don't take your bike when you're on vacation in Hawaii.
Similarly, though Baton Rouge ranks 75th in population, it ranks third when it comes to the likelihood of a rider there having a motorcycle crash. And, a motorcyclist in Philadelphia, the country's fifth largest metro area, is 36 percent less likely to have an accident as one in the Norfolk-Virginia Beach metro area, which is the 47th largest.
One metropolitan area where the statistics are more in line with what you might expect is New York; it ranks number one both in population and in the likelihood of motorcycle collisions. And, while three metro areas rank among the most likely for both thefts and collisions (New York, Norfolk-Virginia Beach, and San Diego), only one,Cincinnati, ranks among the least likely for both.
If you're interested in seeing where your neck of the woods ranks in theft and accidents, you can go to The Progressive Insurance Company Group's Web site. We'll bet you'll be surprised to find where your city is ranked-the STC staff was.
Cory Schneider opened VIP Custom Cycles located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in September of 2004, after 12-plus years in various positions at the Harley dealership in Cedar Rapids. Ready to take all that he had learned and offer his unique combination of artistic vision and V-twin knowledge to customers, Cory now works on projects ranging from one-shot affordable changes to complete redesigns. At VIP Custom Cycles, you'll find more than just Cory and his crew customizing rides though. This is a full-service American V-twin shop with a wide variety of parts and accessories and, get this, even an art museum, all in the Cedar Rapids location. Winter storage is also available for those who don't have the luxury of extra garage space, as well as a customer "cash or credit" for old parts coming in on trade-in. Sounds like a pretty customer-orientated place if you ask us. For more information about VIP Custom Cycles, go to http://www.vipcustomcycles.com or call (319) 265-VIPS.
DD Custom Cycle (DDCC) located in Lake Villa, Illinois, has more to offer than just exotic creations. With in-house design and fabrication capabilities, owner Dave Dupor and his crew also offer a line of aftermarket parts and accessories. It's important to Dave that DD Custom Cycle be known for its attention to detail and perfection manifested in the bikes his shop creates. Cutting edge designs, hidden lines, seamless molding, and smooth flowing appearance are just a few of the characteristics of the bikes that ride out of the shop. DDCC is a licensed motorcycle manufacturer, making it easy for you to finance and insure a DDCC bike. more information about DD Custom Cycle, go to http://www.ddcustomcycle.comor give the shop a call at (847) 356-8053.
Although the name Dave Perewitz is incredibly well-known throughout the motorcycle industry and now thanks to television and media popular culture, we thought we'd give a little background to some of our readers who may not be that familiar with the Perewitz Cycle Fabrication as a shop. In operation since 1973, Dave Perewitz started the business out in his father's shed. Now, the business is in a brand-new state-of-the-art facility in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. Dave is a self-taught artist, every paintjob that leaves the building has, " The Look", the Dave Perewitz look that is. Dave has striven to build custom bikes that look like art in motion. Along with the custom bike building, there is a full service and parts department, and the showroom is stocked with apparel and anything a biker might need. There is also quite a display of bikes to check out, and you get a motorcycle history lesson just looking over the hundreds of magazine covers that circle the Perewitz showroom dating back to the early '70s. Interested in knowing more about what's happening at Perewitz Cycle Fabrication? Give them a call at (508) 697-3595 or go to http://www.perewitz.com.
We wish we had a travel budget that allowed us to cover shows around the world because if we did, we'd definitely be checking out the Custom Bike Show in Norrtalje, Sweden, going on June 2-4 this year. The show has been going on for almost 30 years, so you know they've got it running pretty smoothly by now, and hey, it's in Sweden! The Custom Bike Show has gained a reputation for contributing to the development of the "Swedish-style chopper", a chopper with a rebuilt frame, wide rear wheel, narrow front wheel, H-D engine, and a long front fork that is 6 to 20 inches longer than standard. The event last year attracted around 5000 bikers and 300 exhibitors making it a well-known event throughout Europe. One of the coolest parts of the show is the bike competition, which has the strict rule that you must ride in on what you enter-no trailer bikes in this show. If planning a trip to Europe for a bike show seems like something you're up for, then you'll definitely want to start looking up ticket prices. For more information about the show, go to http://www.twinclubmc.se.
Barry LaCour, founder of Top Shelf Customs, a motorcycle parts and accessories manufacturer and retailer, has opened his new retail showroom and design facility in Huntington Beach, California. The retail showroom is a place where Top Shelf Customs' products line will be showcased, along with products from other leading industry manufacturers such as Performance Machine, Arlen Ness, S&S, Baker, Independent Cycles, Paughco, Barnett, Mikuni, Vance & Hines, Matt Hotch Designs, Choppers Inc., Samson, Headwinds and Metzeler. According to LaCour, "We've formed a very strong alliance and through it our customers will benefit, knowing they will get the finest motorcycle parts available and great service at a fair price." The Top Shelf Customs new product design facility is also up and running. The shop is set up for prototyping its product designs with new tooling and software that will help reduce time between concept and production.To check out Top Shelf Customs, go to http://www.topshelfcustoms.com or call (714) 903-8042.