Busted and Broken - Steel Magnolias

As hatred boils from my insides, I write the post I hoped to never make.  Have you seen those dorks who put tape on their top triples that say ‘new tires!!!’? Yeah, I have too, - f*ck those guys - I thought to myself as I zapped off to work aboard my pristine 50th anniv. R1. A few corners, some braking, dry roads (for portland) and my favorite ‘chicane’ section coming up, I figured the new Rosso’s were good to go. People talk about time slowing down, seeing their life flash before their eyes, violent ragdolling over the asphalt. It wasn’t like that...more like how people describe the final moments of drowning when everything gets peaceful and quiet and death slowly takes over. Brushing myself off and surveying appendages, a concerned granny says something I can’t hear her due to the sound isolating headphones. As I finally get the music stopped, she says “what happened? You weren’t even going fast.” Later, loading up the wreckage, an old man (likely granny’s husband) says to me “hey, I put those steel posts there for a reason.” Yeah, thanks buddy. Next time, I’m putting the tape message on the triple....”don’t crash again dumbf*ck.” Thanks to myself for wearing Icon from head to toe and staying intact enough to be pissed about my bike, not hospital bills.

Branden. L

PDX

....because the posts are steel and he crashed into someone's magnolias. 

Annie

What the hell happened to summer? Oh well, we'll always have you Annie.

Feels like it's time to head back to Vegas

Annie, Mark, and some other dude enjoying the 70's

El Blanco Diablo

When El Blanco Diablo showed up on the doorstep of the Icon garage we were horrified. First off, she wasn't 'blanco' - she was actually a sickly stock black. Ducati refers to this fine shade of mica flaked obsidian as "Hipster Default Dark"...we just call it lame. There's an old adage in the Icon garage - if stock is for suckers, then stock Ducati's are for supersuckers. Being neither gentlemen nor scholars it was easy to take our liberties with the virgin S2R. Though 'no means no' in most garages, her Italian whimpering was lost on our cruel hearts and greasy hands. Slashing up the base model Ducati was very easy - for indeed, we had done far worse to much nicer. The stock silencers were immediately yarded with no intention of replacement. The incredibly awful stock suspension and brakes were eBay'd to make room for not quite as awful Supersport components. Belt covers, license plates, indicators, and any other component ripe with the stench of DOT conformity were condemned to the shite bin. Finally, like the little tease she is, we lathered her in a fine coat of white pearl and defamatory scribbles. Eventually she would be shipped back east from whence she came. With her name changed and all record of her past indiscretions buried she would make some fine young man an angelic bride. Only the Icon garage team would know her true story. And we aren't talking. 

Fragged

Another Detroit Bros chop in the PDX. Sporting a very cool pineapple grenade tail light. You know what they say - fragmentation is the new red.

Chops ain't dead - they're just unpainted now

Nick Apex XDL

Team Icon Icon Rider Nick Apex recently returned from Indianapolis XDL event with trophy in hand. Get the full story over at his blog.

The crowd was mesmerized 

Nick is pursuing his doctorate from WheelieTeach.com 

The after-hours star studded event (Hoenshell was all hands as usual)

The ladies without whom none of this would have been possible

Operation Overlord

Intermot is fast approaching! Starting next week the streets tradeshow halls of Cologne will be under a two-wheeled siege. For those of you who aren't familiar - Intermot is a massive two-wheeled motorcycle, scooter, and bicycle tradeshow held in Cologne, Germany. Concept bikes, full OE product lineups, riding exhibitions, and of course the Icon crew will be on full display. If you've ever thought about doing a little Chevy Chase style European vacation - booking around an Intermot visit isn't a bad plan.

BTW - some of the Icon crew is headed over to Europe a bit early. Anybody have any good recommendation for moto friendly bars in Amsterdam or Paris?

Show Off Your Battle Scars!

Wes and the crew over at Hell For Leather are hosting their first ever 'Scar Off' competition. Based on the number of Busted & Broken crash stories we receive, there should be no end the to potential entries from the Icon Blog followers. We will be awarding the winner of the contest with a selection of the latest 10 Fall Icon gear. Visit HFL for all the gory details and send 'em your scars!

Sunspot Baby

"She left me here stranded like a dog out in the yard, charged up a fortune on my credit card."

She sure had a real good time

Alliance Bonecrusher

Sometimes one idea begets another. Such is the case with the Alliance Bonecrusher. What started as 'Army Chick' graphic on the Domain was warped and twisted into a futuristic Uber-tank graphic on the Alliance SSR. Such is the meandering mind of creative genius Lukas. We don't ask questions - we just acknowledge and march on.

All Smiles

Not that we don't like her outfit, but we did make a matching Bombshell jacket. You know...for if it gets cold outside.