With the skies pissing down on our Friday night Rebel yell Pre-Party, we were encouraged to find a hearty hundred souls in attendance. The screening of the Mods and Rockers classic “Quadrophania” at Sewickley’s Tull Theater proved a hit and as we exited late nite, the skies were clearing, leaving us encouraged about Saturday’s possibilities. And encouraged we should have been as the warm, clear weather all day Saturday brought out custom cafe racers in numbers we’ve never before seen. They roared in from North Carolina, West Virginia, Ohio and even Canada, showcasing a broad range of styles and an even broader interpretation of what quick, classic, custom streetbikes can be. By mid-afternoon, the crowds were surging, the vendor row was poppin’ and the two parking lots at full capacity. The 61 entries into this, our Tenth Annual Reader’s Ride-In Custom Show was a new record, proving the build-your-own passions show no signs of abating. Seeing builders in their early twenties and veteran shop-masters well into retirement all showcasing their hand-built machines was a truly groovy moment. These were, for the overwhelming majority, ridden, functional machines, focusing on real-world performance and style, not abstract trailer-queens. Check out a few of the choice entries and look for complete coverage come our October/November issue. Much love to our sponsors: Royal Enfield North America, Rebel Yell Bourbon, British Motorcycle Gear, Cognito Moto, Rick’s Motorcycle Electrics, Workshop Hero, Coker Tire, Joe Rocket, Langlitz Leathers, Avon Tires, Motul, Mike’s XS, Randakk’s Cycle Shakk, Z-1 Enterprises and all the staffers who worked their buns off to make it happen.
