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Riding

63 images Created 5 Sep 2020

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  • Riding Alongside Mr. Tramp, Sturgis, South Dakota, 1981<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 15. Photo ©1981 Michael Lichter.
    1130 Riding Alongside Mr. Tramp.jpg
  • Larry Rides, Daytona Beach, FL. 2004<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©2004 Michael Lichter.
    1204 Larry Rides.jpg
  • The One and Only, Sturgis, SD, 2001<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©2001 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story:"There was never anyone like George before and there will never be another one. He was one of the few guys you meet in life that become the one and only.  George had 2 lives, one from before he went to prison (he was there for 9 years), and then one after he got out. After he got out, he appreciated life so much more. He loved motorcycles because that was his way of realizing he was free of the bars that locked him up.  It was riding and partying that meant everything to George, he out rode the riders, he out-partied the partiers." - Billy Lane on George Jupin, 2003<br />
<br />
George Jupin, RIP May 25, 1962 - January 21, 2003
    1127 The One and Only.jpg
  • Helmet Protest, Daytona Beach, FL. 1985<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1985 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story:You feel a different kind of strength when you ride a motorcycle and when you ride in a pack, that strength becomes sheer power.  You are seen, your voice is heard and you feel invincible.<br />
<br />
After years of protest, hard work and lobbying, on July 1, 2000, the law was changed so that it was no longer mandatory for bikers to wear a helmet in Florida.
    1104 Helmet Protest.jpg
  • Jesse James. Daytona Beach, FL. 2000<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©2000 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story: The '60s movie “Endless Summer” comes to mind. It's a classic, just like Jesse.  I could see him in the movie, swapping bikes for surfboards and searching the world for the perfect ride, only to be happy to get back home where it can't get any better.  The movie inspired many to follow their passion. Isn’t that Jesse?
    1055 Jesse James.jpg
  • On the Road to Vegas. Billy Lane, NM. 2004<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©2003 Michael Lichter.
    1198 On the Road to Vegas.jpg
  • FTW, Sturgis, South Dakota, 1981<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1981 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story:Giving someone the finger like this in 1981 was outrageous, but then I wasn’t the focus of any anger. This was just someone’s saying “Fuck The World; I’m doing my own thing.
    1129 FTW.jpg
  • Kai and Devil's Tower, WY, 2003<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©2003 Michael Lichter
    1123 Kai and Devil's Tower.jpg
  • Harleys at the TT Races, Sturgis, South Dakota, 1994<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 15. Photo ©1994 Michael Lichter.
    1148 Harleys at the TT Races.jpg
  • Riding the Back Roads, East of Sturgis, SD, 1995<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1995 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story: After I finished shooting a pictorial on some Don Hotop bikes, he and his friends set off for Sturgis.  I imagine crossing America looked this way when Harley was a young company and the word "travel" was synonymous with adventure.
    1045 Riding the Back Roads.jpg
  • Riding through Monument Valley, AZ. 2006<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©2006 Michael Lichter.
    1206 Riding Through Monument Valley.jpg
  • Riding Into the Weir's, Laconia, NH, 1999<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1999 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story:It builds up all week.  By late afternoon Thursday, bikes are overheating and backed up over a mile waiting to get into the Weir’s.  They turn their engines off and coast down the long hill along the Lobster Pound.  They tell stories and jokes.  Visitors and locals line this gauntlet as they cheer, heckle and taunt. Occasionally their cries are answered with a burnout or dropped top.  It is part of their week and part of the fun.
    1105 Riding Into the Weirs.jpg
  • Riding to the Buffalo Chip, Sturgis, South Dakota, 1992<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1992 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story:Looking back to the earlier days of the Buffalo Chip, it seemed you really were just riding out to a field filled with Buffalo Chips. It was an out-of-town alternative to Main Street and it filled the void left by the closing of City Park. after 1982. There weren’t big lines of traffic, turn signals, big signs nor big sponsors, but you always knew you would have a big time. You just didn't know what kind a a big time that would be.
    1145 Riding to the Buffalo Chip.jpg
  • Led Sled ride, Smoky Mts, TN. 2010<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 30. Photo ©2010 Michael Lichter.
    1249 Led Sled Ride.jpg
  • Andy and Thomas ride to the Pacific. MC Cannonball, CO. 2014<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 20. Photo ©2014 Michael Lichter.
    1279 Eastern Colorado.jpg
  • Bobber at the Bar & Lounge, Sturgis, SD. 1979<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1979 Michael Lichter<br />
<br />
The Story:With its powerful direct flash, I’m reminded of old newspaper and police evidence photographs from the 40’s or 50’s. It looks like it could have been taken during the Hollister incident of 1947, but this was Sturgis 1979 when Gunners Lounge was at the center of it all. Funny - I feel too young to have taken it.
    1119 Bobber at the Bar & Lounge.jpg
  • Puppy and Bear Butte, Sturgis, SD. 1994<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1994 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story: I have photographed quite a few bikers surfing like this, but on this occasion and in this frame, Puppy exuded the spirit of what biking is all about as he rides his Flathead past Bear Butte. A friend of mine captured that spirit when she looked at this image and said, “Feel the Freedom”.
    1005 Puppy & Bear Butte.jpg
  • Sturgis at Night, SD. 1998<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1998 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story: Some bikers come to Sturgis every August for 10-days, others for just a day or two.  Some come to be spectators or race, others to tour the hills and the Bad Lands. They come to meet up with friends, take in a concert, or just to party. But no matter what brought them to Sturgis, every biker is drawn to Main Street, as if it were the epicenter of the bike world. Riding it has become an annual ritual, without which, the trip wouldn't be complete.
    1051 Sturgis at Night.jpg
  • Time Travel. Niimi on the '15, CO. 2014<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 20. Photo ©2014 Michael Lichter.
    1275 Time Travel.jpg
  • Grudge Racing Near Bear Butte, Sturgis, SD. 1980<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1980 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
Description:   No centerline on Highway 79 as the bikes burn rubber past Bear Butte. Crazy John gets the hole shot, and Happy Smith watches just a few feet to the right. A blown piston ends the fun, but at least I survive a high speed wobble racing back to town. No Broken Spoke, No Buffalo Chip, Can you imagine riding this section of road and not worrying about cops in every direction?
    1179 Grudge Racing.jpg
  • Last Sun to Deadwood, Boulder Canyon, SD, 1994<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1994 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story:You could always sense something special about Boulder Canyon.  I spent a lot of time in Boulder Canyon between Sturgis and Deadwood making photographs of bikers as they rode through the road’s sharp turns, came over it’s quick rises and slipped into its dips.  It followed Bear Butte Creek just as a footpath must have meandered along the creek banks offering hunters a trusted route to the hills.  The Cavalry would have used the same route and later, teamsters hauled miners with their supplies up to the rich claims of Deadwood Gulch.<br />
<br />
At times, I felt like a trespasser, so I tread lightly respecting the sacred hills around me.  Then several years ago, I was shocked to find major construction going on within the canyon walls.  They scraped away the rises, filled in the dips and smoothed out the turns I loved so much.  A wide path was cut through the forest so a modern 4-lane highway could safely race gamblers to the new gaming halls of Deadwood saving a few minutes each way.  You can barely tell there is a creek below the grade anymore and where once there was a sense of respect, now there is only regret.
    1146 Last Sun to Deadwood.jpg
  • Boondocks. Black Hills, SD. 1997<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1997 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story: I came across Boondocks late one night in the hills.  Riding around a corner in the middle of nowhere, the beautiful neon appeared in the distance.  A burger and shake called.
    1034 Boondocks.jpg
  • Bikes Across the Plains. I-90, WY. 1999<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1999 Michael Lichter<br />
<br />
The Story: The plains glisten in the bright western sun while bikes and a dotted line converge in the distance.  A "Stonehenge" like shadow from the overpass marks the land.
    1040 Bikes Across the Plains.jpg
  • Flag Bike. Milwaukee, WI. 2008<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 30. Photo ©2008 Michael Lichter.
    1223 Flag Bike.jpg
  • Racing back to Sturgis. SD 2009<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 20. Photo ©2009 Michael Lichter.
    1284 Racing back to town.jpg
  • Heading to Mexico. AZ. 2006<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 15. Photo ©2006 Michael Lichter.
    1324 - Heading to Mexico. AZ. 2006.jpg
  • High Pipes. Denver, CO. 2011<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 15. Photo ©2011 Michael Lichter.
    1325 High Pipes.jpg
  • Riding to the Mexican border, CA. 2007<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 30. Photo ©2007 Michael Lichter.
    1246 Mexican Border.jpg
  • After the Storm - Riding to the Drags in Belle Fourche, SD. 1980<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1980 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story: In 1979, there was flat track racing and hill climbs, but there was no drag strip in Sturgis.  If you wanted to see Pete Hill drag race his Knuckle, you had to ride to Belle Fourche.  It was questionable whether they would be racing on this day as the group of bikers mostly from Boulder left Sturgis’ City Park campground.  Half way to the track, the skies began to clear.  A rainbow appeared just as the sun made the wet pavement and prairie grasses glow.  Free spirits crossed the “Great West”.
    1001 After The Storm.jpg
  • Happy Times. Billy on the '19. Sturgis, SD, 2019<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 30. Photo ©2019 Michael Lichter.
    1347 Happy Times.jpg
  • Sergio Morales. Havana Cuba, 2011<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 20. Photo ©2011 Michael Lichter.
    1285 Sergio Morales (Michaels-750GB-...jpg
  • Indian Morning, Shinya on his 1915, WA. 2012<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 20. Photo ©2012 Michael Lichter.
    1276 Indian Morning.jpg
  • Claudia and Sante on their Moto Frera's. Missouri, 2014<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 20. Photo ©2014 Michael Lichter.
    1287 Claudia and Sante.jpg
  • Moto Madonna on I-90. SD, 1986<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 20. Photo ©1981 Michael Lichter.
    1175 Moto Madonna.jpg
  • Coast-to-coast on a ’36 Knuckle. Outside Grand Junction, CO. 2014<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 15. Photo ©2014 Michael Lichter.
    1332 Coast-to-coast on a ’36 Knuckle.jpg
  • Wedding Dress, Sturgis, SD. 1982<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1982 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story:Riding in the wind and elements, so close to the edge, bikers feel life. They are passionate about their bikes, their riding, their partying, their love.
    1108 Wedding Dress.jpg
  • Ghost Rider, WY 1981<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1981 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story: Sometimes, when you're out riding alone, you find yourself side by side with another rider without knowing who they are, where they come from or where they're going.  I figured this person was also heading to Sturgis in 1981, but I’ll never know for sure.  I doubt he has any idea this photo exists; just a scribbled note about a moment in time. With a little nod, I pulled off for gas never to know his identity.
    1050 Ghost Rider.jpg
  • Heading South on Highway 85. Black Hills, SD. 1999<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1999 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story: Sunday morning, heading through the hills for the last ride of the week.  It's brisk out as you climb, the cool morning air energizing.  South of Deadwood, the road opens up into sweeping curves and you rock back and forth, accelerating out of each turn.  Moving forward, you know where you are going, but at the same time, you are lost in the wonderful journey.
    1025 Heading South on Hwy 85.jpg
  • Tribute to László Kovács, Mexico 2008<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 30. Photo ©2008 Michael Lichter.
    1251 Tribute to László Kovács.jpg
  • 1-Man parade. Havana, Cuba. 2009<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 20. Photo ©2009 Michael Lichter.
    1232 1-Man Parade.jpg
  • Flying the Flag, I-90, South Dakota, 1994. Limited Edition Print from an edition of 15. Photo ©1994 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 15. Photo ©1994 Michael Lichter.
    1073 Flying the Flag.jpg
  • Needles Highway Slot, Black Hills, SD. 1999<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1999 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story: During the Sturgis Rally, the bikes become part of the scenery.  I ride the steep, windy roads and pull over repeatedly to scamper up embankments, crawl into ditches or straddle double yellow lines in hopes that a pack, or perhaps a single bike will come through a tunnel, across a bridge or into a rocky slot to complete my vision.
    1052 Needles Highway Slot.jpg
  • Adalberto Roque rides his Knucklehead. Havana, Cuba. 2009<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 20. Photo ©2009 Michael Lichter.
    1245 Adalberto.jpg
  • Blowin’ in the Wind, I-90, SD. 1984<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 20. Photo ©1984 Michael Lichter.
    1167 Blowin' in the Wind.jpg
  • Lori Dalton Off the Line. Sturgis, SD. 1988<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1988 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story: I was impressed.  There was something about the way Lori sat so nimbly on her 500 pound Harley-Davidson, feet barely touching the ground with eyes peering ahead awaiting the green light.  With the crack of her wrist, she lifted the front end off the ground and drove the power to the back tire, twisting and contorting it as it gripped the asphalt to propel her down the strip.
    1013 Off the Line.jpg
  • Iron Horses along the Columbia, WA. 2018<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 20. Photo ©2018 Michael Lichter.
    1345 Iron Horses.jpg
  • On the Edge. San Felipe, Mexico. 2008<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©2008 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
Description: The NoCal invasion - Choppers do it in the dirt at Ruben's Campo during the El Diablo Run.
    1199 On the Edge.jpg
  • Chris crossing the river near Statesville, NC. 2010<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 20. Photo ©2010 Michael Lichter.
    1253 Chris Crossing.jpg
  • Just Married, Sturgis. SD. 1994<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1994 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story: I was just an innocent bystander as this wedding procession rode down Main Street.  Is there a side of everyone that wishes they were as unconventional as this couple appears to be?
    1003 Just Married.jpg
  • Looking Back. Paul Cox north of Bear Butte. Sturgis, SD. 2003<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©2003 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
Description: Hair flying in the wind, leather and brass, knives and power… Looking back in time to the bandits, pirates, vikings and marauders that crossed the land before.
    1197 Looking Back.jpg
  • Maverick Junction. Riding to Sturgis, 1999<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1999 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story: Truck stops and cafes help me remember my travels.  The journey blends together in a swirl of images and memories but the truck stop is frozen in my mind. I put four gallons in the tank, park and go in for a chicken fried steak. The waitress’s twang and variations in the menu give me a flavor for the land.
    1042 Maverick Junction.jpg
  • Led Sled Outside New Orleans, LA. 2009<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 15. Photo ©2009 Michael Lichter.
    1318 Outside New Orleans.jpg
  • Welcome to America. Sturgis, SD. 2012<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 20. Photo ©2012 Michael Lichter.
    1298 Welcome to America.jpg
  • Seabreeze Bridge, Daytona Beach, FL. 2003<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©2003 Michael Lichter.
    1193 Seabreeze Bridge.jpg
  • Milwaukee Jam, WI., 1998<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1982 Michael Lichter.
    1117 Milwaukee jam.jpg
  • Blue Night, Sturgis, South Dakota, 1988<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1988 Michael Lichter.
    1082 Blue Night.jpg
  • Storm Rider. North of Sturgis, SD. 1993<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1993 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story: The torrential downpour burst in the middle of a concert at a ranch in the hills just north of Sturgis.  Most people stayed put, but some went for it.  The rain turned to hail and and it hurt.  People laugh as they recall being caught like this and the feeling that goes with it.  Like getting punched in the face and wet going right to your core.  It’s anything but funny when you’re in it.
    1014 Storm Rider.jpg
  • Doug Danger 15-Car jump at ROT. Austin, TX. 2014<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 25. Photo ©2014 Michael Lichter.
    1302 doug danger.jpg
  • Along the Pacific South of Ensenada, Mexico. 2008<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 20. Photo ©2008 Michael Lichter.
    1259 Along the Pacific.jpg
  • The Journey, Custer State Park, SD. 2000<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©2000 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story:A number of years ago, Harley-Davidson ran a great ad campaign headlined, "It's the Journey, not the Destination." On my bike, the phrase comes to mind like a mantra. Shedding the protective cage, bikers become one with the environment. There’s no sound insulation or climate control separating you from out there. You become one with the stifling heat and one with the freezing cold. You become the road and the destination drifts away.
    1099 The Journey.jpg
  • First Ride. Seal Beach, CA. 2013<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 21. Photo ©2013 Michael Lichter.
    1290 First Ride.jpg
  • The Kiss. Deadwood, SD. 1993<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1993 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story: There is nothing like taking a ride with your love.  No other public moment, even dancing, puts a man and woman so close. The wind in your face and exposed to the elements, hard pavement just below. The bond tightens.
    1015 The Kiss.jpg
  • Commotion at Gunners, Sturgis, SD, 1990<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1990 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story:“In the old days you went on a run and it was a run.  You didn't know if some guy in a pick up truck would pull up alongside and blow you off the road like in the movie, run you off the road, if a truck driver could run over you, or you'd end up in jail because you were a biker and you were probably carrying drugs and maybe a gun.  And when you got there you wouldn't know if a club would beat you half to death or if you'd get arrested by the citizens because you beat up some people in a bar.  There were lots of things going on at that time that made it much more of an adventure.  It's still an adventure to ride to Sturgis.”<br />
<br />
From an interview with Keith Ball, Bikernet.com, (then editor of Easyriders Magazine), June, 1991
    1140 Commotion at Gunners.jpg