austin, TX

Things have changed pretty dramatically around the old Classified shop over the last two years — even more so in the last two months. I’m on my laptop so little these days that I pretty much forget how to use it. If this post makes it to you, it’ll be a small miracle. We’ve been cranking on a lot of builds, some of them released since our last post, like our XV920 2.0 (above). Some of them are in the final stages as we speak, including possibly the first Classified Moto creation to sport a front fender. Say it ain’t so.

Recently, despite the fact that I couldn’t really justify going, I got an invitation to bring a pair of bikes to The One Motorcycle Show in Austin, Texas. I was sorry to have missed the shows in Portland so I loaded up the truck and made the 22-hour drive. My buddy Matt Crawford (‘Shop Class as Soulcraft‘ author) opted to skip “two days of shared flatulence in the cab of a truck” and flew out to meet me.

Neither of us knew what to expect, but instantly we knew it was worth the trip. The show, put on by Thor and the gang at See See Motor Coffee Co. in Portland, couldn’t have been done better. They transformed a giant empty Quonset hut warehouse into the most happenin’ place within the City Limits. There were bikes from a lot of my favorite builders there — people who inspired me to start wrenching on bikes five years ago — and the whole show had a fun, positive vibe to it over the two days it ran.

And Austin? Don’t get me started. I have to admit I had kind of gotten sick of hearing about how great that town is. Now I know why.

Anyway, now it’s back to reality, and we have 20-some bikes to build. Maybe one or two will end up in next years’s show.

As usual, we suffer from ‘shiny object syndrome’ when we’re working on bikes and lamps, and have a bunch of half-finished or finished and unpromoted new designs in the works. One that made it through to production is the Classified Moto Tiny Tee (for kids, not grown-ups, please).

Artist Kristy Heilenday sketched a couple of our previous builds for some upcoming posters, and we thought they’d look good on some teenie tiny tees for tiny kids. They come in two colors and fit future motofolk from one year to five years or so. We figured it’s a great gift for all the cool aunt’s and uncles out there to give when frilly bibs just don’t seem right.

Get them in our online store before that baby gets too big.

So I have to cut this short. A CB400 calls. But thanks again for all the support since March 23, 2011 when we went full time with Classified Moto. And as usual, if I owe you an email or a phone call, please feel free to nudge me. We’re trying our best to stay on top of everything and with any luck will have a friendly staff of Classifiers to help very soon.

We’re in the throes of raising capital for our flagship headquarters here in Richmond. Before long you’ll have a place to come visit. In the meantime, follow us on Instagram (@classifiedmoto), Twitter (@johnryland) and Facebook.

—JR