The Russians Are Coming To Porcupine BASH 2010

By MJ Reynolds - A plan was launched by 77-year-old Ken Ulich the day he heard about Porcupine BASH 2010 that will spread good will and show some retired veterans a good time, Aug. 27 to 29 in Chatham, Michigan.

Ken "builds quality" back into Russian military sidecar motorcycles, at a shop called U2.

He will be traveling 250 miles to bring his Dnepr Russian sidecar to the BASH so he can ride the veterans around the fairgrounds all weekend. "I would like to bring a little joy into their lives as a small payback for all they have done," said Ken, who has a vivid memory of soldiers returning home from WWII.

Mark Schmidt was the self-described shy kid in the back of the class, just trying to "blend in." He became a mail man and one day, he met Ken and knew that he wanted to work on the bikes. Now, he decorates his Russian Ural for all occassions and has a blast.

"If you get a couple inches of snow and go for a cruise, legalized insanity!" said Mark. "Both bikes will be available for rides, and I look forward to participating in the BASH."

"The beautiful thing about a Russian sidecar bike is that it was basically designed for year-round military use in a cold climate," said Ken. "So on a sunny day in winter when it's not too cold, you can bundle up and go out for a ride. Plenty of people in Canada, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin ride their Russian bikes right through the winter." 

However, Ken's business centers around the fact that Russian military bikes are heavy and not designed to travel on smooth roadways. The cast-iron brake drums were never turned on the military sidecar bikes, he said and "the wheels on a Russian bike are on the far side of terrible." They have heavy, durable spokes designed to keep on rolling through snow and mud at a top speed of 65mph. The bikes were built to travel around 50 mph on Russian roads that are "worse than muddy Iowa farm roads," said Ken. He and his son, Lorne have rebuilt 50 engines and 250 Russian motorcycle wheels for clients all over the country. He traveled to Kiev in the Ukraine in June to pick up a new batch of motorcycle parts that will supplement the hundreds of parts and accessories that he finds on eBay for his restoration work.

Ken Ulich is a retired airline pilot, who was flying diesel fuel into Alaska as recently as four years ago. He has been widowed twice. He has raised a family of eight children and still farms in the little town of Mosinee, in northern Wisconsin. "The man upstairs never said it was going to be easy. But, I have raised eight children and none of them have ever been on drugs or welfaire and for that, I am very thankful."

You can meet up with Ken Ulich for the rest of his story at BASH 2010, Aug. 27 to 29 at the fairgrounds in Chatham, Michigan.

Two Wheel Thunder’s Johnny Lange Comes to BASH 2010

By MJ Reynolds


Johnny Lange and the Strip Club Choppers Roadhouse Tour have been traveling all season with Michele Smith and Jay Barbieri, filming episodes of “Two Wheel Thunder” for Discovery Channel’s Motorcycle Mondays on HD Theater. He will be heading to the Porcupine BASH 2010 in Michigan, directly from the 70th Anniversary of Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

BASH 2010 is a full weekend of music and biker-friendly camaraderie "Saluting Our Military" veterans and active service men and women. Gifts for veterans in VA homes and hospitals will also be collected at the event, and are being collected at sponsoring businesses in Michigan and Wisconsin.

“I also want to commit to help entertain the veterans on Sunday by bringing one of my Strip Club Choppers over to the veterans home,” said Johnny, whose parents met during WWII when his father was stationed with the US Air Force in London. His grandfather was a member of the Royal Engineers UK Air Force in WWI and WWII. “I was never in the military, but I give them all my respect for their service to God and country.”

Johnny Lange’s friendship with the co-host of the “Two Wheel Thunder” show goes back to Sturgis, six years ago. “I look a little bit like Kid Rock and I was there with a big fuchsia colored bike with green wheels, and everybody thought I was Kid Rock, although I kept telling them, ‘No, I’m not Kid Rock.’ That’s when this guy came up to me and started telling me that he liked my honesty and that he was going to come back tomorrow for a film interview.” It turned out to be Jay Barbieri, who was filming episodes of “American Thunder” on the SPEED Channel, the longest running motorcycle TV show in history.

The story, with photographs of their meeting at Sturgis is one of many stories they wrote together in the  Bikers Handbook: Becoming Part of the Motorcycle Culture , now in its third printing and available at Amazon.com.

Johnny opened Strip Club Choppers in 2004, and Jay Barbieri became his business partner. “This season, we have filmed at Mazatlan Bike Week in Mexico, The Virginia Beach Classic, Thunder Beach in Panama City and of course Daytona Beach Bike Week.”

Two Wheel Thunder's Mexico Bike Week episode aired July 26th as part of Discovery Channel’s “Motorcycle Mondays.” The Strip Club Choppers Roadhouse will be featured in upcoming episodes filmed with Michele Smith and Jay Barbieri at The Virginia Beach Classic, and episodes filmed with Jay at Thunder Beach Rally in Panama City, Florida. The trio kicked off the season together at the 69th Annual Daytona Bike Week. New episodes and previous episodes are scheduled to air almost daily.

Check the Discovery HD Theater Two Wheel Thunder TV Schedule.

Smith and Barbieri previously hosted “American Thunder” on the Speed Channel but after 14 years, and despite high ratings, SPEED decided not to bring the show back. The new “Two Wheel Thunder” show was quickly picked up for “Motorcycle Mondays” on Discovery’s HD Theater and began airing episodes in June 2010.

Michele has been riding motorcycles since 1994 and is considered the “First Lady of Motorcycling” by millions of enthusiasts.

Barbieri is not only hosting the show this season but is also the Executive Producer. Barbieri has been riding a Harley for over 25 years, has hundreds of thousand miles under his belt and has attended countless motorcycle rallies across North America.

This season, Johnny Lange and the Strip Club Choppers Roadhouse freightliner have played a big role in the “Two Wheel Thunder” show, providing a 400 square foot VIP lounge area, complete with sofas, tables and chairs for the audience at motorcycle rallies and other events. “I really enjoy the crowds of people,” said Johnny. “We sign posters and encourage people to hang out with us in our area, enjoy a beer and listen to some music or share some rally stories.”

The Strip Club Choppers Roadhouse, complete with VIP lounge and world famous Strip Club Chopper “pole” bikes will be rolling into Chatham, MI for the Porcupine BASH 2010, Aug. 27 to 29th – to “Salute Our Military” and help provide gifts and needed activity funds for veterans.

Combining his love of strip club dancers and beautiful motorcycles, Johnny built his first strip pole chopper and landed a spot on the Jay Leno Show.

His one-of-a-kind strip pole chopper and bagger motorcycles will be on display at BASH 2010. Grab your camera because you are welcome to take pictures with the bikes.

“When we were in Virginia Beach together, Michele interviewed me from the pole! I don’t know if they will edit my comments. I said something like, ‘Coming out of retirement’ when I introduced her,” laughed Johnny in an interview from the road, July 27th.

“When we travel from rally to rally together there is never a dull moment,” Jay said in an earlier interview. “Thank God for editing, and I say that with a smile.”

HD Theater is a high-definition television network from Discovery Communications, Inc., the owner of the Discovery Channel. It launched nation-wide in 2002 as Discovery HD Theater and is now the most widely distributed basic cable HD network in the United States.


Two Wheel Thunder – Strip Club Roadhouse Tour: STRIPCLUBCHOPPERS.COM

Bring A Gift For A Veteran: Bash 2010

I am really looking forward to being in Upper Michigan in August with my brother, who is a Vietnam vet... smokey BBQ of every kind by the state BBQ champs, waterfalls and untouched national forests, glass bottom boat tours and Great Lakes fishing... plus 5 bands! Aug. 27 to 29. Come to Chatham, Michigan for BASH 2010.

This will be a very special, "Salute To Our Military" past & present. Day pass - $20 or  $40 for Fr/Sat/Sun. A weekend filled with music by The Dan Lawson Band, The Red, White & Blues Band, North Country Band, Willie Nash Band and Donny Hartman Band... and don't be surprised if some other great musicians show up and play... it's going to be that kind of event. 

... laid back, with lots of food and music, mechanical bull rides and beer tents, country and leather vendors from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan that you will not see at other biker events this year.

Plenty of rental cabins and free camping available.

Remember to Bring A Gift for a Veteran!

Click the photo to enlarge the WISH LIST.

This is a 21st Birthday Bash for UP Magazine & Belvedere - the magazine's mascot. So, bring a birthday gift that can be given to a veteran -- all veterans who are able to attend will receive a hero's welcome!

Thanks For Your Support: Bash 2010 "Salute To Our Military"

Porcupine Press decided to throw a birthday bash to celebrate 21 years of publishing the humorous, UP Magazine, and they decided it would be a gift-giving bash for American Veterans.... gift boxes are going up at stores all over Michigan and Wisconsin, and beyond to collect gifts for veterans in VA Homes and VA Hospitals. The Dan Lawson Band will headline BASH 2010 - Salute To Our Military - Aug. 27 to 29 at the fairgrounds in Chatham, Michigan. His band will play Friday & Saturday night at the BASH - then do a concert on Sunday for the veterans at the D.J. Jacobetti home in Marquette. The Forgotten Eagles of Michigan, the single largest contributors to the veteran's activity foundation in Michigan, will fly their colors at the noon opening ceremony of BASH 2010.

The Red, White & Blues Band (that headlined the LZ Lambeau "Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans" event in May at Green Bay, Wisconson) will close with a concert on Sunday.

Veterans who are able to make the trip from VA Homes will receive

a hero's welcome at BASH 2010.

The smell of smokey BBQ will fill the air at Rock River Recreation (fairgrounds) in Chatham -- ribs, chicken, pulled pork and all the sides are being prepared by Big Moe's (Michigan State BBQ Champs.)

Also on the big stage throughout the weekend will be The North Country Band, The Donny Hartman Band and the Willie Nash Band at Rock River Recreation (fairgrounds) at E3667 State Highway M94 in Chatham, MI.

$40 includes a full weekend of concerts, vendors and activities. Day passes, $20.  

To Support This Event - Click Here - to purchase advance tickets and/or the event T-Shirt.

Fly in to Marquette... 30 minute drive to the fairgrounds. Or ride-in through untouched national forests with waterfalls and lakes.

There are many rental cabins and campgrounds in the area, charter fishing boats and glass bottom boat tours.

The Lion's Club will be handling the beer tents and the Shriners will be there with their clowns, raffling a 4-wheeler.. and a network of 5 radio stations and a television station have volunteered to promote and participate in the BASH, so there will be plenty of "News at 11."

The Radio Results Network radio stations are promoting this as "The Last Major Event of the Season in Upper Michigan" and they will be selling advanced tickets at their booth at the state fair.

Thanks to  Signs NOW Wayzata of Minnesota for promotional stage banners and special thanks to Dan Lawson Band for promoting BASH 2010 at events across the USA!

Silent Auction Donations Being Accepted... Big Thanks For Donations!

Ramada Speedway, Daytona Beach - (4) weekend getaways

Con-Lei Transport - (1) bike transport from the northeast to Sturgis 2011

Dixie Olin - Art For Bikers - (1) fine art print, signed and framed

Freeman Photographyof Iron Mountain - 1 hour "Hot Shotz" Photo Shoot

America's Best Inn - Iron Mountain, MI at ironmountainmotel.net

The Village Inn on the Lake - Two Rivers, WI at villageinnwi.com/

McCoy's Harley Davidson of Green Bay, WI - harleydavidsongreenbay.com

Grand Beach / Sugar Beach - Traverse City, MI tcresorts.com/

Also: Top Drawer Stores - Traverse City, MI - GJ's Pizza & Party Store - Acme, MI - Mikado Market - Mikado, MI - and Finders Keepers Consignment - Indian River, MI

The following magazines have published the BASH 2010 flyer in their online and print magazines and/or sent information about BASH 2010 via email to their subscribers. We wish to thank:

Bars4Bikers.com - worldwide directory of biker-friendly bars & bike nights.

Chromed Out Motorcycle Magazine, distributed quarterly in 14 states, online at chromedoutmag.com

Cycle Source Magazine, published in Pensylvania and distributed nationwide at bike events and rallies, online at cyclesource.com.

Cycle Source World Report - News Blog at cyclesource.com/newsblog

Owensboro Biker News Magazine in Kentucky, online at owensborobikernews.com

Welcome Bikers - Canadian & US Events - online at welcomebikers.com

Thanks also for online event calendar listings at   eventful.com/chatham_mi/events, lightningcustoms.com/ and motorcyclelife.net,

Follow Kimmy Cruz to BASH 2010

You can follow Kimmy Cruz, on the road to the biggest, baddest rallies in the USA... her syndicated column appears in select motorcycle magazines, and every month in UP Magazine - published by Porcupine Press in "God's Country" - Upper Peninsula, Michigan. Mark your calendar and come see Kimmy Cruz & The Chop Shop Girls at BASH 2010 - Saluting Our Military - a 21st Birthday Bash for Porcupine Press  - 

BRING A GIFT FOR A VETERAN in VA Homes in Michigan! 

CLICK HERE TO SEE PHOTOS OF AUCTION DONATIONS