Going back to remember the Toby Keith Ride!

Harley-Davidson and country music were both born in the United States.  Synonymous with hard work, craftsmanship and loyalty, fans of both came together at Hot Metal Harley-Davidson for a special benefit:  the dealership's  fifth annual ride to see headliner Toby Keith perform at the First Niagara Pavilion.   The tickets for this specific concert and Hot Metal's ride and party were available only at the dealership, several weeks prior to the event.  

Choice pavilion seat tickets in the “Hell Raiser Section” were sold for $35 each and $11 of each ticket price went to benefit the Ronald McDonald House Charities.  Over 280 Hot Metal H-D VIP ticket packages were sold.

This was by far the largest turnout to date. On the day of the concert,  those 280-plus country music fans and motorcycle enthusiasts from all over southwestern Pennsylvania rolled in for the 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. tailgate party at Hot Metal H-D, where they enjoyed country music, prizes, food and refreshments, and a chance to win a backstage tour of First Niagara Pavilion.

Keith's 'Hammer Down Tour' with special guest Kip Moore began at  7 p.m. so once the tailgate party wound down at Hot Metal’s parking lot, all 280-plus Toby Keith fans mounted their bikes and enjoyed a leisurely hour-long police escorted ride over the winding back roads of the South Hills to the venue. The best part of the ride? Riders were able to keep moving, without any stops at intersections or for traffic because of the Allegheny County Police Department's and several other municipalities' assistance along the route. That procession of motorcycles, thanks to the accompanying police, was an awesome sight to behold.

When it came time to reach the front gate of First Niagara's parking lot, our riders were waived right in and ushered to a VIP parking area, designated specifically for motorcycles, while other concert-goers had to wait their turn at the gate. 

The three major television stations in Pittsburgh came out to cover the event at Hot Metal because of the size of the ride and the charity it supports.  For me, the day was a blur, but in the end, the event was all about the Ronald McDonald children, and the money we motorcyclists raised to help their families.

Hot Metal Harley-Davidson is holding another police-escorted ride to the First Niagara Pavilion and tailgate party at the dealership for the Kid Rock, ZZ Top, and Uncle Kracker show on Saturday, September 7th.  The tickets are $20 per person and can be purchased at Hot Metal Harley-Davidson Monday through Sunday.  More information can be found atwww.hotmetalharley.com.

Be Prepared: Know What to Do in a Motorcycle Accident

Written by Attorney Edgar Snyder, Edgar Snyder & Associates

No matter how safe you ride, it’s true that motorcyclists are more vulnerable than other vehicle drivers on the road. You have to pay attention to not only controlling your own bike, but you also have to watch out for dangerous riding conditions, distracted drivers, and drivers who just don’t know how to share the road.

Even if you’ve ridden for years, you can still be in a motorcycle accident. Whether a driver, road hazard, or another situation is to blame, an accident always catches you off guard. You’ll probably be shocked and overwhelmed right after the accident, so it’s important to be prepared and to know what to do in case you’re ever involved in a collision.

Here’s what to do after a motorcycle accident:

1) Call 9-1-1 and get immediate medical attention for all those involved with the accident. Even if you feel fine, you may have an injury and not even know it.

2) File an accident report with the police, even if the accident wasn’t serious. Use basic facts to tell them exactly what happened, but don’t blame anyone.

3) Preserving evidence is crucial to a potential case. If you’re able, take photographs and video of the accident scene (cell phones come in handy for this). Be sure to get photos of any damage to your bike, any resulting injuries, and the area around the accident. The road you were riding on is important—were there any potholes, pooling water, malfunctioning or confusing traffic signs and signals, or adverse weather conditions? If you’re injured, try to get a friend or family member to take photos for you. Evidence disappears quickly, and photos of exactly how the accident occurred could hold the key to proving your case.

4) Exchange contact information from everyone at the accident scene, including any witnesses. Be sure to record the following information:
• Make, model, year, license plate number, and VIN of any other vehicles involved
• Name, address, birth date, phone number, driver’s license number, and insurance information from any other drivers involved (If the driver isn’t the owner of the vehicle, try to get the owner’s information as well.)
• Names, addresses, and phone numbers of any involved passengers
• Names, addresses, and phone numbers of any witnesses

5) Remember to write everything down, detailing exactly how the accident happened, the weather and road conditions, what you saw, etc. Don’t rely on your memory: if you remember something happening one way, you don’t want to second guess yourself later on. Writing information down immediately will prevent doubt and accidentally falsifying information.

6) Call your insurance company and notify them that you were in an accident. Pass along all the contact information you obtained, but never agree to giving a recorded statement, whether it’s for your insurance company or someone else’s. Your words could be taken out of context and hurt your case.

7) Don’t agree to any insurance company settlements or sign any papers until you’ve spoken to an experienced attorney. Insurance companies often try to give you a cheap settlement right away (even while you’re still in the hospital and potentially unable to make reasonable decisions due to injuries, medications, etc.). It sounds appealing to have a quick settlement, but by doing this, insurance companies give you less than you deserve and keep the money in their pocket. Once you’ve cashed that check, you’ve signed away your rights to any future compensation.

Motorcycle accidents do happen, and it’s not always the rider’s fault (unfortunately, riders often get blamed when it’s not their fault!). Over a one-year period in Pennsylvania alone, there were 3,746 motorcycle accidents that resulted from many different causes. By continuing to ride safely and defensively, you can help protect yourself from accidents.  But if you ever happen to be in an accident, being prepared can help you protect your legal rights.

Attorney Edgar Snyder has over 45 years of experience helping injury victims. He founded Edgar Snyder & Associates, a Pennsylvania law firm that has represented hundreds of motorcyclists and is active in the motorcycle community. Learn more at EdgarSnyder.com.

Ladies Garage Party 2013 at Hot Metal Harley-Davidson!

by Rocky Marks

Another successful Ladies Garage Party as Home and Gone at Hot Metal Harley-Davidson in West Mifflin and we would like to thank the 30-plus women in attendance.  The Garage Party “concept” was created by the Harley-Davidson Motor Company to allow women to feel more welcome in the predominantly male-skewed Harley-Davidson Dealerships.

I had the chance to ask Dani Jurnak, an experienced female motorcyclist about whether having a “ladies only event” was belittling or empowering?  She quickly responded without hesitation “Empowering!  It’s a great way to bond with new & future female motorcyclists, and ask questions that may be obvious to some but not to those who are new to the passion of riding.”

The event was held at Hot Metal Harley-Davidson on Tuesday, May 21st at 7PM and was designed to go over everything from headlights to tailpipes to teach the the basics, and to find the gear and motorcycles that fits the style of the rider.

There were 5 stations set up throughout the dealership. The first station was the “pick-up the fallen motorcycle station.”  Carrie from service had almost everyone in attendance gave it a shot, and you can see videos on our YouTube channel to see how well the ladies did.  Needless to say Carrie was very sore the next day from setting the bike down after it was picked up almost 30 times.

Tim and AJ took over in Station 2 with the introduction to the different families and models of bikes.  Each participant had a chance to sit on a few Harley-Davidsons and ask plenty of questions that they could have answered there or take over to Station 3 in Parts to find out about customization from Brett and Anthony.  

In the parts station, a FatBoy was used to try on different seats and handle bars to demonstrate how easy it is to customize a bike to the rider’s comfort needs and wants.  With the customization of the basics, the guys did show off some custom styling that is available for different models.

Speaking of style, David and Raeann in MotorClothes demonstrated a balance between function and fashion in Station 4.  With the selection of merchandise, it was difficult to speak about each piece of safety gear available in the allotted time, so some catalogs were sent home with the ladies when it was time to switch stations.

Finally in Station 5, the women got to enjoy a seat on a bike with a movie stage-sized fan blowing their hair into the breeze.  Everyone got a chance to take a picture home with them along with a goodie bag from Hot Metal Harley-Davidson.

This is a very important event that we look forward to and host every year.  It’s always great to introduce the future riders to the dealership behind closed doors without them having to feel worried or embarrassed about the smallest of questions.  Each question is valid and was addressed during the Ladies Garage Party with Hot Metal Harley-Davidson.

Tips for Group Riding... Charity Runs Are Around The Corner!

Often times we see large groups of motorcycles riding together with 15, 20 or 30 bikes. These large groups of motorcycles are generally spread out over one, two or even three lanes of traffic. The motorcycle riders in the rear of these big groups find themselves in a precarious position of having to run red lights to keep up with the group, thus endangering themselves and others on the road. There is a safer way to ride even if there are a large number of riders.

You can divide a large group of riders into several smaller groups of motorcycles. Since the entire large group of riders are all headed to the same place, one smaller group arriving moments ahead of a second, third or fourth small group for the sake of safety is an easy decision to make. If you have ten motorcycles, divide into two groups of five riders, eight motorcycles into two groups of four, etc... Before you ride make sure everyone is aware of the destination and the route, then ride your bikes in a staggered formation.

Ensure the lead rider of each small group is experienced and conservative. The lead rider should keep the group in the center lane when possible and avoid constant lane changes. Additionally, the lead motorcycle rider should be aware of the traffic and do their best not to have the group hinder others. It is perfectly acceptable if you have to move over to the right to allow motorists to pass. Hand signals are always a good idea, but best used at a minimum and discussed before the ride.

The riders in each small group should do their best to stay together and allow enough space between the motorcycles for a safe stop, but not so much that an automobile can feel they have enough room to pull out from a side street between the group. The rider in the rear should keep the other riders from falling back too far.

Discuss the ride before leaving so all of the riders in the group know where they should be in the formation. It never hurts to have a conversation about motorcycle safety tips beforehand, ask other riders about their pre-ride checks of their motorcycle and discuss any hand signals you may use during the ride. New motorcycle riders should avoid group riding until they become familiar with their bike and different situations in traffic. Most importantly, give the road your full attention and be aware of your surroundings at all times.

HOT METAL HARLEY-DAVIDSON CUSTOMERS WIN BIG AT THE WORLD OF WHEELS!

The 52nd Annual World of Wheels was held Jan 25 - Jan 22 at the David L. Lawrence convention center.  The World of Wheels is known for custom hot-rods, tricked out trucks, and the baddest motorcycles the city has ever seen.  Put that horsepower together with some “B-List” celebrities, and you have gear-head heaven!

It’s no secret that Hot Metal Harley-Davidson customizes some of the best motorcycles around. That thought was turned into fact and backed up by several customers who brought their bikes customized by Hot Metal down to the show.  Each customer bike placed in the bike show.

Denny Eggerton’s 2012 Black Denim Road Glide with stretched tanks and bags snagged 3rd Place in the Road Touring Bike Class.  Dani Jurnak’s slammed and bobbed Softail Slim “Stella” won 3rd Place in the North American Class with her blacked out attitude.

Ed Nassan kicked things up a notch with his 2008 Street Glide as he won 2nd Place in the Touring Class.  This bike boasts a 21” front wheel, a ghost skull custom paint job and three pipes that run under and through each of the functional stretched saddle bags.

AJ Hadad scored 1st Place in the Sport Touring Class with his 2010 Street Glide.  The bike boasts an air bag lowering system, a 21” front wheel, stretched bags and a custom paint job from Cut Throat Airbrushing in Finleyville.

Steve Jurnak not only rode off with the 1st Place nod in his Rad Touring Class, but he also was awarded the Outstanding Bike of the Show with his 2012 Road Glide “Rogue.”  The “best of the best” was built and designed over the course of several months by AJ Hadad and Mike Bakos of Hot Metal Harley-Davidson, and Steve Jurnak, the bike’s owner. 

The bike rolled off the showroom floor and right onto the lift where it was parked and quickly dismantled only to be re-built from scratch.  The bike received a 120R Screamin’ Eagle engine followed by stretched bags, tanks, custom fairing and a raked-out 26” custom front wheel just to name a few items in it’s very long and detailed parts list.

Hot Metal Harley-Davidson would like to thank our customers for bringing their bikes out in one of the coldest months of the year.  In the end it was all worth it to see everyone return home with a trophy and a little boost of confidence going into the 2013 riding season.

TIME TO CLOSE UP FOR THE DAY...

Hey there it's Rocky. Here is what I see before I close up the shop for the night. I've been seeing this most nights for almost 7 years now. I can't tell you how cool it is to take a look around and see all the bikes in the quiet, alone, with the smell of rubber & leather. It is a pretty cool job!

MON-VALLEY HOG FYBO RIDE, JANUARY 1, 2013

Article written by Rocky Marks, contribution & photo by Brian Kohl.

Hot Metal Harley-Davidson’s Mon-Valley HOG Chapter kicked off another year of riding with their annual “FYBO Run.”  FYBO has many meanings, however “Freeze Your Buns Off” is probably the most politically correct and socially acceptable meaning of that acronym.

This year, the Chapter caught a little break from the cold and rode to their destination in their vehicles due to the weather conditions that would give even the most seasoned rider a white knuckled adventure in the snow.  That didn’t seem to put a damper on attendance.

Over 35 people arrived at Heinz Field which was stop #1 on the ride.  The Chapter took a free tour of the home of our beloved Black & Gold.  The tour began at Gate B, walking through the Great Hall where they replayed the immaculate reception and toured through the lockers of some past Steelers such as Jack Lambert, Lynn Swan, and Jerome Bettis.

In addition to strolling down memory lane, the Chapter strolled through the Stadium’s locker rooms, $150,000 suites, infrastructure, and even the press box which is 95% sound proof.  That is significant because there is very little, if any crowd noise.  In the press box there is absolutely no cheering or speaking in an above normal voice.  Doing so will get you an automatic suspension of the press box privileges.

In addition to the catacombs, corridors, and luxury suites, the Chapter got to make their way out onto the field in the same fashion the Pittsburgh Steelers would using their entrance.  Once out on the field, group and individual shots were taken while gaining a perspective that only the players and coaches know during game day.

After the tour of Heinz Field, the Chapter was treated to free play courtesy of the Rivers Casino.  A buffet was available for those who chose to step away from the gaming area and the FYBO ride ended on the North Side in Pittsburgh.

Because the weather is unpredictable at best, the Mon-Valley HOG Chapter will host several indoor events at Hog’s Restaurant on Prospect Road in Pittsburgh.  This will be done in the first couple months of the year so that members can still participate in the chapter should the weather not be so cooperative when a run is scheduled.

If you are interested in joining the Mon-Valley HOG Chapter, you can send an e-mail to monvalleyhog@hotmetalharley.com or go to Hot Metal Harley-Davidson’s website at www.hotmetalharley.com and click on the “Mon-Valley HOG” link.  There you will find information on joining, a biography of the chapter, as well as upcoming runs and events.

HOT METAL HARLEY-DAVIDSON’S MON-VALLEY H.O.G. CHAPTER RIDES INTO 2013!

Not only is it a big year for the Harley-Davidson Motor Company celebrating their 110th anniversary, but the Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.®) is celebrating this year as well! 

For 30 years H.O.G. has been a huge resource for Harley-Davidson Riders with over 1,400 chapters world-wide.  Each chapter is sponsored by an Authorized Harley-Davidson Dealer with the idea of joining riders who share a passion for the brand, lifestyle, and brotherhood of motorcycling.  When joining a local chapter, you’ll always have plenty of opportunities to meet with friends, have fun, support worthy causes, and ride!

In addition to meeting new members, the Harley Owners Group offers benefits like road side assistance, discounted admission to certain national events and rallies, and a subscription to HOG Magazine.

Hot Metal Harley-Davidson’s Local Chapter is the Mon-Valley Harley Owner’s Group which was created in 1990.  As in most organizations, there are primary officers who help facilitate the day-to-day operations of the club.  This year Hot Metal Harley-Davidson has four dealership employees filling those roles.

The Director is Sales Manager, AJ Hadad and the Assistant Director is Master Tech, Ian Arlia. Salesman Brian Kohl is the secretary, while Business Manager Corl Rowe rounds out the primary officers as Treasurer for the club. 

“My goal for this year is to meet new people, strengthen relationships within the club, get members more active in the chapter and more importantly to ride and have fun,” said AJ Hadad Director of the Mon Valley H.O.G.

New Harley owners are given a one-year free national membership and a one-year free local membership from Hot Metal Harley-Davidson when they purchase a new or pre-owned Harley-Davidson.

Mon-Valey H.O.G. Meetings are held monthly at Hogs Bar on Prospect Road in Pittsburgh on the first Wednesday of each month.  Meetings begin at 7:30, but members are encouraged to come early and stay late!

There is a dedicated Facebook Page and section for the Mon Valley H.O.G. on Hot Metal Harley-Davidson’s website, www.hotmetalharley.com There is a Harley-Davidson Authorized App for the Harley-Owner’s Group to help meet members and find out about events while on the go.

If you are looking for something to do and want to see what the chapter does, you can always check Hot Metal Harley-Davidson’s website calendar or call the Hog Caller at 412-HOG-1234.

UPCOMING Mon-Valley H.O.G. Events: 

• JAN 1 F.Y.B.O. (Freeze Your Buns Off) Ride to Heinz Field Tour (Kickstands up at 12:15 from Hot Metal) 
• JAN 26 Game Night at Hogs Bar on Prospect Road (Starts at 7PM)

October Already?? Don't put the bike away Just yet!

We can’t believe we are making our way into October already!  Where has this summer gone?  It seems like yesterday we felt the chilly spring air and smelled the aroma of freshly cut grass.  We worked our way through many hot days and even took a little time off for some rest and relaxation.  Though the air is now chilly, the leaves are starting to change colors and fall to the ground, we know the inevitable is around the corner.

Fortunately we’re troopers and ride year round, right?  A little cold air isn’t going to hurt us, which is why Hot Metal Harley-Davidson and the Mon Valley HOG chapter have rides scheduled well into December.

Looking back to September, Hot Metal Harley-Davidson enjoyed Bike Nights at Quaker Steak and Lube in Pleasant Hills, we spent four days at the South Park Rib Fest and got to meet many new people. The Ladies ride was another huge success this year and we will be looking into doing more with the ladies at various functions and rides to come.

Hot Metal Harley-Davidson also celebrated our Wide Open House with a pre-owned clearance event and demo rides on the 2013 Harley-Davidson Models.  The Mon Valley Hog Chapter rode out to the Smicksburg Apple Festival and held their monthly Dinner Ride.  As they say “Ride to Eat, Eat to Ride”, right?

During the month of October, you will see some changes and updates to both Hot Metal’s website and Facebook page.  We’ll be adding more videos walking around the new models, more pictures of bike customers and their rides, and a way for you to become even more interactive with Hot Metal Harley-Davidson.  If you are on Facebook, you can now see our real-time motorcycle inventory.

Even though we are ramping up our on-line presence, we will still have rides with the Mon Valley HOG chapter and a Witch Hunt at the end of the month on the 27th. Some of the rides include a beautiful fall ride to the Bedford County Fall Festival on October 7th.  On October 14th, there will be a ride to check out the fall foliage and smell the crisp air of the Laurel Mountains.  And once again this year the HOG chapter will do their Haunted House Ride on October 20th.

Be sure to check out our website at www.hotmetalharley.com and www.facebook.com/hotmetalharley for upcoming events and and news from the dealership.  You can also listen to Road Hogs with Rocky Marks on 102.5 WDVE Saturday Mornings at 6AM.  Its motorcycle talk mixed with music and comedy tracks from the DVE morning show.  If you miss the show, you can always listen to the rebroadcast on Hot Metal’s website or at www.dve.com 

Hot Metal Harley's Bike Show Recap!

“It was a dark and stormy night….” Well actually it was more of a dreary, soggy start to a Saturday when we put up the tents and cones for the 1^st Annual Hot Metal Harley-Davidson Bike Show on Saturday, July 14th.  That didn’t stop the riders from bringing their scoots to the shop.

In between the raindrops, dozens of show-ready bikes pulled into the parking lot to register to compete in one of ten classes to compete for the top trophy.  AJ Haddad, our parts manager organized this bike show and wanted it to be old-school.  “The free reign given to me by Toby and Lori allowed us to do it just like it was back in the day, you know what I mean?” 

Almost as if it was timed, the rain subsided just as registration had come to a close at 11:30.  The microfiber cloths came out and judging began.  The legendary Billy Steele was among the judges along with Steve Jurnak and AJ Haddad.

Billy Steele brought out his “Honey Bagger” Harley-Davidson Road Glide that has been featured in numerous publications and shows across the country.  The entire bike is made of steel (fairing, lowers, and bags included), and boasts an iPad2 as the control for its mammoth stereo system.  In addition to the bagger, Steele brought his Model A Ford, and another custom bike that has a couple of its own trophies. Neither bike was in competition, they were for display only.

The Mon Valley H.O.G. chapter fired up the grill and served over 100 visitors and sold 50/50’s that paid $280 to the winner, while other volunteers manned the vendor booths, beer tent, and tabulated the results.  As each bike came in, they were given a ticket for door prizes worth up to $1,200 from Cut Throat Airbrushing.  That meant even if you didn’t place you could still win a prize.  Once the prizes were handed out, it was time to bring on the trophies.

Here are the 1^st place winners by category:

Non-Harley: Al DiVirgilio
Vintage:  Greg Wisenauer
V-Rod: Scott Kalikowski
Sportster: Matt Dragovich
Dyna:  Bill Schrader
Softail:  Dani Jurnak
Softail Custom: Danny Eggerton
Touring:  Mickey Costeline
Touring Custom:  Denny Eggerton
Best Paint:  Rob Farnsworth
Best of Show:  Rob Farnsworth

Minutes after the Best of Show was announced, rain drops started to once again fall from the sky ever so lightly.  It didn’t seem to bother most, as a great afternoon was had by all who attended the First Annual Hot Metal Harley-Davidson Bike Show.