Streets son Mark!

Jody,

My son Mark just got back from the Middle East. He brought back a few more pictures of "The Shirt" in action on the ground and in the air over the skies of the Afghanistan / Pakistan border. I'll bet no other motorcycle builder can claim that they've "Flown the Colors" in that part of the world. Fell free to post on you blog if you need content.

Streets

P.S. That's him on the right holding up "The Shirt"

Thug's Garage

Da Pope's Bagger

Alan Pope, from Thug & Streets crew sent me an email that he won 1st place at a local Harley Dealers bike show! So Congrats!!

Jody:

I entered my bagger in a Bike show at my Harley Dealer here in Atlanta yesterday, Killer Creek, and it won 1st place "Custom Harley". Picture attached, please let Dave know.
Hope all is well and that I see ya'll soon.

Alan Pope

"Representin' in Afghanistan"

How cool is this!!!! I just got this e-mail from Streets, see below. I will definitely post more when he gets them.

Jody,

If you expand the picture in the attachment below, you'll notice a familiar logo hanging out of the pilot's window. My son Mark is sending me CD with a bunch of pictures of "The Shirt" in action over the skies in Afghanistan. Apparently the poor internet connection he has over there doesn't transmit pictures very well. Anyway, it looks like you'll have content for your blog very shortly. Streets

Thug: Day 3

Day 3: July 31
Are we there, yet?
I made it to Sioux City. Actually, I nudged across the state line so I am officially in South Dakota. 14 hours and 850 miles of land so flat that I could see the curvature of the earth.
I really didnt ride that hard, and didnt get up early, but almost made 1000 miles in 24 hours, as in the Iron Butt Saddle Sore 1000 qualifier (ride 1000 miles in 24 hours). I was just a few minutes over 24 hours.

Super-slabs all the way. That is not the way to subscribe to the its not the destinationits the journey approach to riding. Someday, Ill take the time to get to Sturgis without touching an interstate, but that will have to wait. For now, I just need to get there.

Nevertheless, two wheels are better than all the other choices. I spent the first few hours waiting for things to warm up, which it didnt. Finally, in Illinois, it got about 70. Just over the Iowa border, the rains cameshort, but drenching. I didnt switch to my rain gear instead adopting the Caribbean mantra that its just a cooling shower. After the rainit got clear and the winds came.
Lots of northwest winds. Blew me sideways a few times. They even dislodged my Perewitz half-helmet from under my bungee-mesh thingy attached to my topcase and left it somewhere amongst the cornfields. Likewise a pair of reading glasses out of my jacket pocket.

The winds were spinning a new array of ginormous wind turbines in western Iowa. They werent there three years ago. They werent obtrusive at all..not like the way they ruined the landscape in Germany when I was there visiting in 2006. I guess there wasnt much to ruinthey just stuck them in cornfields.

I am really glad I didnt ride the Baggah out. The BMW (the Muddah?) has really got trashed. Some truck in front of me was spewing something that covered the front of the bike. Every bug stuck. There is so much construction that, combined with the winds, riding through construction zones sand blasted the bike. I felt like I was behind a 300 rear tire riding along the beach on A1A in Florida.

I skipped the largest truckstop on I-80. Too many cars..not so many trucks. I guess its a tourist attraction. Maybe Ill stop there on the flip-flop.

Most of the ride was carefree. Only one pucker moment. In a construction zone, a cage ignored the yield sign and entered the highway without the benefit of an acceleration lane or me moving out of the way. Thanks to my 58 year-old used-to-be lightning-quick reflexes, disaster was averted. I even had time to lay on the horn and shake my head in disbelief.

I was surprised that I saw very few cool cars all day. There was a new Porsche Turbo in red, albeit dulled by all the goo on the road and a Buick with a great set of rims. Other than that, nada.

My GPS tried to re-route me ever since I decided to skip Chicago and take I-80 back in Gary, IN. Like at every intersection! Now I think its mad at me for not following directions. When it says recalculating and make a legal U-turn, the womans voice speaks with such contempt that I know Im in trouble.

So, overall, a great day. I saw so many trailers, that I was glad that I was able to ride. Cant wait to get to Spearfish, meet up with Kory, and get on the Baggah.

One final thought: riding alone great distances sucks. The last time I rode out, Da Pope was with me.

Maybe next year, Streets and Da Pope can make the trip.

Thug

Thug & Streets Most Excellent Adventures - Daytona 2009

Daytona at last! Thug and Streets welcomed Alan Pope as a participant in our Most Excellent Adventures. Alan, from now on known officially as "Da Pope", owns the bright purple custom that has graced the home page of the Perewitz website for the past week or so.

Friday - We're riding in shirtsleeves after a long cold winter. Finally!! First stop was the Allstate booth at the Speedway to see the Perewitz bobber on display. It must have been a hit, because we saw a lot of cameras pointed at it. We'll let Jody's post show you pictures of this slick little ride. We then headed for Dirty Harry's on Main Street to see what was happening. It was a little chilly for a wet t-shirt contest, but the participants were real troupers. A dry fleece sweatshirt contest would have been more appropriate for the conditions. For the ride home to Thug's place that night, we decided to let Da Pope lead us since he had a GPS on his bike. I guess GPS means Going Places SeldomSeen, because we definitely took the long way home...thru St Augustine I think....but it was a beautiful night for riding, we got a good giggle out of it, and nobody complained.

More to come, including Bloody Mary Monday and The Three Amigos on a scooter. Stay tuned.Streets

Streets’ and Thug’s most excellent Daytona adventure…2009

It’s only a few days away….

Over the last year, our companies have experienced all that you’ve read about…bad news, more bad news, really bad new, major suckage bad news, totally suckage bad news, I-can’t-believe-it’s-happening bad news…you get the picture. One of the thoughts that have carried us through…it’s time to ride!

Streets and I have endured the last year…with our three sons deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan…so…a salute and prayer to them…and a ride with them in mind…

How is it that two wheels and wind takes most of life’s worries away? If I had to explain it, I couldn’t do it….

We’re heading out next Tuesday..with business stops in Richmond and Atlanta..where we’ll pick up new crew member Alan and his new Perewitz Road Glide. We should make Florida by Thursday night…giving us a short respite before Bike Week starts in Friday.

We’ll probably go to the vintage swap meet in Eustis on Friday…if it’s held this year. Last year, Dave picked up a really trick Indian scooter…the type without a motor.

We plan on hanging with the Perewitz and Wild Turkey crews on Main Street. We also plan on a ride around the 2 ½ mile Daytona International track. We’ll get pictures.

There is a good chance that one day, the Perewitz scooter will make an appearance. It tops out at 45 mph with my sorry butt in the saddle, but, at a 100 mpg, who’s complaining? I think my Perewitz flamed helmet adds 2-3 mpg!

The sad part is that Jody will stay back in Bridgewater, holding down the shop. We’ll send plenty of pics and narratives so she won’t feel alone. Also, we’ll miss Dave O, but will lift a drink to him.

Stay tuned….

Thug

Who has the best plate?

Below is the latest plate on a Perewitz bike. This comes from Alan, who is part of Thug and Streets crew.

Do you have a cool plate? Send them to info@perewitz.com.

2008 - Year in Review

I can hear my dad in June, when Kory and I were buying our house, I was nervous as most new homeowners are about money. He said, "hey look at it this way most likely you won't go down in pay only up!" I am going to work as hard as I can to make sure that is true for 2009.

These happenings are in no particular order just as I think of it... So the year in review. We had a lot of major things happen and a lot of things we made happen! We have elected a new president that with all hope, will turn the economy around before it does more damage. But looking back we had a lot of good, fun things happen in 2008 and we intend to make 2009 even better! Take a look below!

YEAR IN REVIEW

The Perewitz crew attended 49 events throughout the year! That's a lot of traveling. I know you are thinking that is every weekend but some weekends we had 2 events so not quite every weekend. But there's no place like home!

Our dually and trailer has traveled over 80,000 miles in one year! That's 3.3 times around the world!

Kory, Dirti and the guys at the shop built the first Perewitz custom street bike. Kory modified a Suzuki Hayabusa. It got a TON of attention! No one said we do just American! With sport bikes getting more and more popular I see a few more of these in the future. But don't worry we will always build our traditional low lean customs.

In March, Thug and Streets became official members of the Perewitz Crew, thus beginning Thug & Streets Most Excellent Adventures!

Ruben Browns Sidecar bike finally got finished. It was definitely an experience riding in a sidecar. Hopefully you saw the tree wheeled machine it at our June Bike Night! It has an awesome custom sound system in the sidecar, installed by Detailz in Canton, MA.

We had 4 extremely successful summer Bike Nights. We love our Bike Nights as much as everyone else does and hopefully we can continue to have them for years to come. Thank you to everyone that attended our nights and for your support!

Kory displayed his custom motorcycle with Wild Turkey (and all the girls) at ALL the major rallies. Be sure to get your free sample of bourbon in Daytona 2009 and check out Kory's bike.


A Chevy SS Truck got flamed out for a customer! They loved the paint job. Definitely the hottest truck around, no pun intended.

In Sturgis I recieved the "Fearless Leader and One Cool Chick" award from the Top 50 lot. I was extremely excited to recieve it. I mean I knew I was cool but didn't think anyone else did :-0

Dave wrote a paint book with Tim Remus, Advanced Custom Motorcycle Painting. Some great tips in there and some wicked flames!


The shop has built numerous "old" bikes including a 50 & 60 panhead, a 66 Shovel, 37 Flathead and more in the works.

My dad built a new "scoot". A 60's Vespa! We completely restored it and gave it a Perewitz Paint job. It came out really cool. He displayed it at the SEMA show.

In September we rescued 3 puppies from a shelter in Puerto Rico. They all arrived during a bike night so it was a little hectic. We were able to find 2 EXCELLENT homes for 2 of them but the 3rd just fit in at Perewitz. So I decided to adopt her, Giselle! As the organization says "She hit the jack pot!"

Oh ya and Giselle, Lou and Cheech finally have their own yard. Kory and I bought a beautiful house in June!

Ah what a year! As time, people, and the economy changes we must adapt to the current status. In 2009 we are going to do whatever we need to, to continue to make things happen and have a wicked good 2009!

Street's and Thug's DNA

By Thug

Here’s a pic of our father, Keith, on his 1937 BSA M22. He bought it after returning to Canada after WWII. A 500cc single with a 4 speed tranny. It was BSA’s sports model at the time.

At one point, there was as sidehack, but it was stolen. Our mother and father used it as transportation until Streets was in the oven.

Streets remembers getting a ride at about age 3. I only remember it around our houses. The piston seized somewhere along the line. Our father decided to paint it, but never got it running. In 1971, he gave it to a friend of ours with the instructions “Don’t sell it and don’t chop it”.

My friend got it started, but never put it on the road. Sometime during the last 37 years, or so, he took it apart.

I made contact with him a few years ago and told him that I wanted to buy it back, but he wasn’t interested. Earlier this year, I called again and he reconsidered. I was able to buy all the parts he had this Spring. I’d like to put it back together in its original form, but what a project!

BSA had no manual and I am having a very difficult time figuring out what exactly it’s supposed to look like. It’s missing handlebars and the innards for the front brake, but I think I have the rest.

The Perewitz crew has offered help with sandblasting, painting, and rechroming.

With a little luck, sometime in 2009, Streets can give our mother another ride on it. She’s 87. Don’t tell her…it’s a surprise.

A solider goes to war

A post from Manhattan, KS.
October 5, 2008


There’s not much motorcycle content in this post, other than to say that many miles on two wheels gives one the time to ponder, to wonder, and to prepare.

Today, Ms. Thug and I bid farewell and Godspeed to our younger son, Mickey as he deployed to a FOB (forward operating base) in Al-Mahmudiyah (kinda’ rhymes with “Mama Mia”), Iraq, about 30 km south of Baghdad. Mick’s older brother Eric, is already deployed in eastern Afghanistan on the Pakistan border. His cousin (Streets’ son) will be deployed to Afghanistan later this fall.

There wasn’t a room for rent for miles of Ft. Riley, as hundreds of families did what we did. A Kansas State home game didn’t help, either.

And in everyone’s mind was the question of “is this the last time we’ll ever see him or her?”. What happens if they are hurt? Who will notify me..and how? What if I’m not home to answer the door or take the call?

Every family is in for months of prayer and anxiety. Their hearts will jump every time a car door slams or the phone rings.

The news reports are the worst. While it’s understandable, in this day of imbedded reporters and cell phones, to have a communications block whenever a soldier is killed, but to read “Four Soldiers Killed in Iraq” without any further information really sucks.

Mick’s a 1LT, an Army Ranger, and is Company XO (executive officer) to 135 men. There are no women, as this is an infantry unit. I saw no fear in eyes of any of the men, just resolve. They know that there’s a good chance that they all won’t come back, but they really appeared focused on the mission they’re sent to accomplish. Each company has five lieutenants, four platoon leaders and an XO. One of the platoon leaders in Mick’s Company is the grandson of the owner of the Chicago Bears. Volunteers, all.

And how young they are. Not the John Wayne-types of WWII movies…just kids. Young moms and children saying good-bye, some for the first time, some for the last. Some tears now, some held in reserve for the next 12 months. They are going to fight an enemy who values death as much as we value life. As U2 wrote: “There’s no political solution..”, so all we can do is wait, pray, and hope until all our soldiers are home.

Thug

Thug's Scootah

A couple weeks ago Thug and Streets came up to get the scooter that Thug bought at the Fall Foliage Run. Before putting it in the trailer these experienced bikers decided to take it for a scoot! I guess there is something about scooters that everyone has to take them for a ride!

Below is also a picture of the Vespa we just finished! I will post more later on that!

I think these scooters will get a lot of miles on them!

Jesse taking the Vespa out!!

Thug & Streets Most Excellent Adventure Continues.....

This past weekend Thug and I travelled to Bridgewater to pick up the scooter he bid on at the Fall Foliage Run a few weeks ago. It reminded me that I hadn't completed the most recent chapter of T&SMEA. So here we go....

Friday -- We trailered both bikes to the Bridgewater shop, dropping mine off for some minor service work. We then headed for the Cape so we could unload the trailer and get checked into the Skaket Motel. Now, since we wanted to participate in the group ride from Bridgewater to Brewster, the only way to get back was to put two guys on one bike (Dumb and Dumber anyone??) Off we went with me hoping nobody would notice us. A woman on the back of a bike has it easy, but what does a guy on the back of a bike hang on to? I finally just hung on to my knees. I just hope there were no pictures of us taken that afternoon. Anybody?

Friday night at the Perewitz Cape House was a blast, with more food than anyone could possibly eat. Once again, Susan's chowdah was world class. BTW, Susan, Zizi and Lorraine were in the kitchen engaged in a prolonged giggle fit. Apparently they had a full bottle of wine and no glasses. What to do? What to do? Lorraine finally figured it out.

Saturday -- A gorgeous day for a ride on Cape Cod. From Perewitz to Chapin's to British Beer Company to Be Bop's and back, every leg of the ride was just awesome. A special shout out to Bob Belanger for once again hosting a lavish spread. I was stuffed when I left his place and still had a huge buffet to look forward to that night. A live and silent auction at the Elk's Club in Eastham (that's where Thug got his scoot) raised quite a bit of money for MS research. Once again, Hamster's and friends open their hearts and wallets whenever there's a good cause to contribute to.

Sunday -- The Poker Stroll to Provincetown was cancelled, but Thug and I decided to head up there anyway since, once again, it was a gorgeous day for a ride. Thug had heard about P'town but never been there (Mrs Streets and I have visited for years). So I thought I show him around....Just two guys in black leather and denim strollin' down Commercial Street.......We were pinched for time, so after a quick lunch at the Lobster Pot (like I needed any more to eat), it was back to Brewster to load up the bikes and head for home. Bummer! Again, thanks to the Perewitz family and friends for hosting this event. A fundraiser and bike ride on a gorgeous weekend on Cape Cod. What could be better?

Thug and Streets Most Excellent Adventure continues. See 'ya down the road. Streets

Fall Foliage Weekend

We had our charity event this past weekend. We have a big dinner and a poker run. The money that was raised will go to the Multiple Sclerosis Society. We had a silent and live auction, raffle tickets, and many donations. The total number isn't in yet but I am sure we raised a good amount of money. The weather was perfect for riding too. We couldn't have asked for a better weekend. Thank you to all that came and made a donation. It is greatly appriciated.

JOHN MCCARTHY

JOE PRO!

THUG

MARK FROM CA

DAVE O & CHRISTEL

STREETS!

THUG AND STREETS MOST EXCELLENT ADVENTURE, PART 2

By: Streets

With Thug and his friend, Alan Pope as my guides, I just completed my "Virgin Voyage" to the Sturgis Bike Rally. Most of you readers have made multiple trips to Sturgis and the surrounding territories, so many of my observations will seem obvious to you. But hey, I'm doing my best. Again, there were way too many activities to include here, so I'm only going include a few highlights in this post.

Here we go.....

Sunday -- Devil's Tower was OK, but where was the mother ship from Close Encounters of the Third Kind? I was a little disappointed.

Monday -- Mt Rushmore in the rain. I've seen many of Mother Nature's works, but Mt Rushmore is by far the most impressive natural rock formation I've ever seen. Even more impressive was the incredible amount of money the Hamsters raised for Children's Care Hospital at their annual dinner that night.

Tuesday -- Custer State Park and Needles Highway. Who in their right mind called Needles a highway?? I was peg-scraping all afternoon! Left, right, up, down, hairpin turn after hairpin turn. Over bridges, under tunnels. It was alI could do to keep the bike on the pavement and gawk at the scenery at the same time. At the end of the run I was completely exhausted. And I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Heading back to Spearfish on I-90 we got caught out in the open by the worst rainstorm I'd ever been in. Soaked to the skin, goggles fogged, rain pounding on my head, riding at 35 MPH one-handed (with the other shielding my eyes),on the shoulder. Whew! Was I was ever glad to see exit 14! (P.S., After that experience, I'm convinced that Perewitz bikes can operate under water) We went to bed early that night.

Wednesday -- Downtown Sturgis. We took the day off from hard riding and just strolled the streets. Lotsa very interesting bikes, and interesting people. Question....How many tee shirt vendors can one rally support?

Thursday -- Hamster Run, Spearfish to Sturgis. Hundreds of yellow shirted bikers led by a police escort. You've just gotta see it to appreciate it. 'Nuff said.

Friday -- The Badlands. A long ride, but I'm very glad I went. The pictures I took will never adequately capture the beauty of the landscape. And I got to gas up in Scenic, South Dakota. Population - 12 Another

Thug and Streets Most Excellent Adventure has come to an end all too soon. Who knows when and where the next one will occur. But I can't wait to see what happens. See you down the road! Streets