Once again 2010 had us faced with great entries and it was a tough choice to narrow down to the final 3, but after everyone here at Garage-Girls and Carlisle events voted, here are our final 3 choices, the rest is now up to you!
Please read the stories for each contestant and place your vote for who you feel most deserves to win the Garage-Girls Ultimate Biker Makeover. The 2 with the most votes will be awarded tons of prizes for the rider, but the one with the most votes will also be staking claim to some extra's for his or her motorcycle.
David Bardwell
Well it all began back when the market started getting tough. I had a good job working at a Chevrolet Dealership making good money until I lost my job due to the market. Shortly after while struggling to make the house payment and trying multiple times to get the mortgage adjusted we finally gave up and our house was foreclosed on.This is the first time I have ever told anyone that my house was taken back. During this time myself and my family were depressed and my daughter tried to commit suicide. I really felt like the worst father on earth and still do.We had to get help from the Salvation Army to help with food and a few bills. I tried to sell the motorcycle but my wife refused because that was the only escape we had from the Black Cloud that keeps following us.She loves to go riding, the free feeling, and of course she gets to hold me tight so she wont fall off. The thing she does not like about riding is my seat, she says it doesn't have enough padding, but I am working on that by selling things I have, to collect the money to buy a new seat.I have had so many ideas of what i would like to do to my bike but unfortunately we cannot afford to buy any parts for the bike anymore so I am reduced to selling rings, my guns and stuff we don't have room for anymore in our apartment. Between all of our medical bills, credit card bills, and our recent surprise bill from the IRS because of General Motors we now owe the IRS $2800 dollars. Apparently GM forgot to mail out the 1099's they owed people. The Black Cloud is still rolling right along. On March 29th I had to have back surgery to remove a cyst off my tailbone. As far as I know its not Cancerous but the healing time is horrible, I currently have a wide open hole in my back that can hold a golf ball. Just another thing that keeps the smiles away. One thing that is keeping me going, I have a new job but i don't have nearly the income I had before, and one day soon I will get to go riding again with my wife holding on tight!
Kathy Redman
This bike has sentimental value to me. I bought it for my husband John's 45th birthday in 1997. It belonged to his nephew Bobby, he was out of work and needed the money, I took out a loan and surprised John with this 81 Shovel Head. John had not had a bike for years, he was thrilled with his present! He rode it for about 3 yrs and it began with problems. John wanted to get another bike, a newer Harley so I would be comfortable riding with him, we purchased a "99" Classic in 2001. He kept the Shovel in our shed for years, he planned to work on the 81 when we got our garage built. In 2006 John went to Sturgis with his guy friends, and while he was gone, his nephew died from liver disease. We started building a garage in fall of 2006, it was completed in the fall of 2007.
But instead of starting the restorations on the bike, John decided he wanted to take me to Sturgis since he loved it so much when he went. There were 14 of us that went, we stayed at The Buffalo Chip. We had a great time, many great memories that trip. John got sick while we were there, he thought he just had a stomach bug. When we got home, he went to the doctors, they told him he just had a virus. But a few weeks later he came home from work and told me he had blood in his stools. I was really scared. He was my world, he was the love of my life. We went to the Doctors on Sept 9th, blood tests were run. His red blood count was down to 7, a man should have between 12-15 units of red blood. He was very ill, John was admitted to the hospital and on Sept 11th 2008 he was diagnosed with cancer of the small intestines. It was inoperable. He started chemo, but only had 5 sessions, the tumor was just too big for the chemo to work. Things just got worse, I lost my job after 22 years with Discover Card on Dec.1st 2008 because of down sizing. I shouldn't say worse, maybe it was a blessing because I got to spend the last 2 months of my husbands life being with him and loving him.
Our 30th wedding anniversary was Jan 3rd, we spent it in the hospital. The tumor had ruptured and John was septic. He spent almost 2 weeks in the hospital. I was then able to bring him home, he was so happy to come home. He made piece with GOD and some estranged friends and family. He died on Jan 30th 2009 as I was shaving him and giving him a bath. My heart was broken.
We had gone to Daytona bike week the past few years, so last year I took our daughters and a few of the friends from Sturgis and went. We spread some of Johns ashes at The Iron Horse and Boot Hill Saloon, his favorite hang outs. I know he was there with us and smiling.
I also bought a Sportster and learned how to ride last summer in his memory. But my dream is to restore that 81 Shovel and maybe ride it one day in Sturgis. I want to spread some of his ashes there also. We had such a good time that trip! I miss him everyday. If there is any way that you could make my dream and John's come true I would be forever grateful.
Judy Reed
I am 52 years old and as a 49th birthday present to myself, I enrolled in Harley Davidson's Riders course. My husband has been riding since he was young and I've always had a love of motorcycles. In high school it was a prerequisite that the guy had a bike in order for me to date him. My first bike 27 years ago was a yellow Honda 250. Back then girls didn't ride bikes so much and I couldn't keep up with the big HDs so I gave up riding, but not the passion.
Getting my own license was the best gift I ever gave myself! Soon after passing the class, my cousin found a 2005 883 Sportster for sale in a nearby state, so my husband and I loaded up and went to look at it. Of course, I got the bike (my parents gave me the money as a gift for all of the help I was to them during my father's illness and subsequent death). I stand 5' 0" tall and weigh 110 lbs. The bike had been lowered all it could be lowered without going somewhere for some serious customizing. I ordered a Le Pera bare bones seat to lower the bike even more. Needless to say, the first year riding was challenging - I dropped my bike three times and the third time I dropped it, my husband told me the next time we came to a stop he was just gonna reach over and kick me over so he knew it was coming because I scared him so bad. I don't know why I scared him, I always hopped right up and I'm so short-legged that my leg just naturally came off the bike - just like Tigger!
Because my mom and dad actually paid for the bike, it has a great deal of sentimental value to me, especially now that my dad is gone. My first ride on a motorcycle was with my dad on a rainy night with a busted clutch lever - I had so much fun riding on the back with him! I want to keep the bike but jazz it up and make it more 'fitable' to me.
The past two years I've learned a lot in the saddle, but I would really love a makeover to really make this bike M-I-N-E. My dream is to go on a multi-state ride with my husband and experience the road and nature the way God intended and like so many of the stories of other women who have done this. I would be grateful for any modifications you can come up with for my bike to really fit me and give me the extra confidence in the saddle. I would love for my vertically challenged daughter to ride (she's 4' 11") and if she sees me at my age doing this, she would know that she could do it too. There is nothing like the feeling of saddling the power of a motorcycle and going down the road to clear out the head a bit. You wouldn't really believe it unless you're short like I am, but even an inch can make a big difference in the feel of control of your bike and I am confident that your crew has the answers to my challenges. New leathers would be sweet too! Thank you so much and happy and safe riding to each of you!
