In my editorial I talked about growing pains . . . while I expect and can adjust to such matters - sometimes it is best just to cut the cord and move forward. Going into details will not make a difference other than to say that Texas Iron Motorcycle Magazine now has a new home at www.texasironmagazine.com and I believe it will be a much better home. A home where there will be a willingness to accept help from anyone who wants to help and a willingness for Texas Iron to help whoever needs help. We are not going anywhere but up with planned rallies, our contests, great interviews, and great looking bikes and gals. This goes in line with paying our dues and I - as creator and founder - am willing to do that. I ask that current members bear with us as we make a smooth transition with our new web site. Future members, please take a look at what we are all about and that what matters is not what happens ? but how you react is whats important. And we are reacting in a professional, caring, and dutiful manner to take care of our members, followers, and those who are watching whether we are going to make it not. The answer to this is not if ? but how much success will be coming our way BECAUSE WE DON'T QUIT as we continue working toward excellence! Now, we are truly going to have unlimited space and the ability to make changes at will. So start sending in those stories and pictures and those letters to the editor to submissions@texasironmagazine.com, and let us know what is going on in our world of motorcycles! My Best to all for a safe and happy holiday season. Frank T., Editor-in-Chief, frankt@texasironmagazine.com

Greetings and Happy Holidays to all

I'm sure everyone is wondering where are all the great looking bikes, stories, interviews, and great looking gals. We'll, the quickest answer is “growing pains”. We set an aggressive agenda and with any new venture there will be a period of learning, understanding, adjusting, and moving forward and Texas Iron on-line is no different. If you shoot for perfection . . . you just might achieve excellence. Now I'm not saying that we have excelled - not by a long shot, but we did give it a great effort and will continue to do so. I just ask that you – our readers – let us know what you want to see and that you contribute to our cause in any way that you can.

Now, let me also say that we understand. That Texas Iron Motorcycle Magazine needs to pay its dues to the new biker crowd. The crowd that existed when we were hard copy in the 90s' does not exist now. We have a new crowd full of young and energized bikers (newbies) who are mingling in with not only the old school biker, but with the new rubbie or uppie who has money to burn. So we have to convince this new crowd that Texas Iron has what it takes to be a first class on-line magazine with great stories, great looking bikes, great interviews, and great looking gals. Working hard is not a problem for us and we will pay our dues. So please just bear with us as we continue with our growing pains.

But paying dues starts with giving thanks to those who helped us in the past- as we have. And now we need to give thanks to those who are helping us currently. Like Officer R. L. Clawson and Rick Fairless of Strokers Dallas for their great stories. Like Ty Runyan of Napalm Motorsports and Titus Electrical Contracting who helped with the “Gas Sipping Scooters”, the “Geeks” consisting of William Feller, Jeff Nichols, Todd Seale, Jonathan Mullinaux, Nick Nichols, and “Harold the Biker's wife” Ms. Courtney for our Biker vs Geeks Parody. To Vince Bonnagio who did a great job playing “Harold the Biker”. Our thanks also go out to the owner of the house, Phillip Herring, for allowing us to terrorize his neighborhood. The Biker vs Geeks Parody is on our web site or you can see it on you tube – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5c0S23lxoU

For those of you who have not seen our Biker vs Geeks Parody it is a hit. In fact, the first parody is so well received that we are working on the second parody titled, “Bikers vs Geeks II – The Spoils of War” to be filmed in Dec./Jan. The third and final parody titled, “Bikers vs Geeks III – The Showdown” will be filmed in Jan./Feb. and will have a very polished look to it. This is because the third parody is scheduled to be filmed in the same hanger that Robert Rodriguez used to film Sin City and Grindhouse. The second parody will be much better than the first and of course the third will be the best. We had several issues when filming the first parody including a late start, no practice, no rehearsal of lines, time running out, the threat of rain, and darkness setting in before we could finish. Yet – it came out pretty good and it has been getting great reviews. Our readers are also in for a huge surprise, which will be announced soon. So stay tuned!

However, one question raised by this here editor is where are our “old school” friends and supporters. I know that they are not all dead. But I have not seen too many of them around at either rallies or just out on the road. Maybe our old friends just don't know about us yet. What we do see is a new kind of biker, the “newbie” as I called them, and of course you still have your rubbies and uppies, etc. What I want to know is the “newbie” just as loyal as the “old school” biker? Will the “newbie” be just as supportive as the “old school” guys? And don't forget the new gals on the scene as I have not seen so many women riding as they are today. And that is impressive.

Back to our clientele, Texas Iron is slowly learning who that group or groups is going to be, which will then determine what kind of contents will work including great looking t-shirts. This has taken longer than we expected, but then again, its ok, we don't mind paying our dues. As we hit the rallies, hold promotions ourselves, we will iron out all the kinks and go from there. Also, as we get our site back up there are going to have to adjustments that will take time. So if we initially don't stay with our schedule please bear with us - again growning pains. However, we expect not only to catch up and stay with our schedule, but to load up hot news items at will and as they happen!

We didn't get to have our welcome back party in San Antonio or in the Valley, and the Christmas Party that we are scheduling for December will be a small one. But hey, this year it will be small and next year it will be bigger - that I can assure you of. As we go along we will continue to make new friends, work with new and existing shops, riders, product manufacturers, and move forward one day at a time. And we do have lots of time. We will also continue to review national and international news that is motorcycle related including movies and TV series. Our contests are still in the works so please bear with us as they take a lot of time and coordination.

We did complete our interview with Ty Runyan of Napalm MotorSports, which was a great interview, and with Rick Fairless of Strokers Dallas, which was an even greater interview. And we are working on the interview with Scott Wall of Central Texas Harley Davidson (as soon as we can due to the holidays), which happens to be one of the oldest Harley Davidson dealerships in the country. Our scheduled interview with Arlen Ness is still on (especially after you read what Rick had to say about Arlen), and as soon as our schedules permit we'll complete that interview, hopefully come January or soon thereafter. Our scheduled interview with Cory Ness is also down in the books and again, once we get our schedules to agree we'll do that one. Further down the line we are working on securing interviews with Ray Benson from Asleep at the Wheel, Johnny Gill from Johnny's Customs in McAllen (see again Rick's interview), and a surprise guest/interview, one that you will not want to miss, and that will be announced sometime in December or January.

To say the least, this has been an very interesting last half of the year, but a good one. We can't wait for 09 to come. We are counting on you – our readers – to keep us grounded, help us with content, review, good looking bikes, great looking gals, and to let us know what you want. Remember, Texas Iron will be only as good as you want it to be. And we do have a surprise here and there and one regarding the motion picture that we are working on. Stay tuned for more information as we continue to make progress there. On a personal note, I want to congratulate Bandido Wesley on his 40th anniversary with the Bandido Nation and what a great interview this would make. We'll work on it.

Oh yes, on a separate editorial that you do not want to miss involves a recent Canadian Court decision ruling that the Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club is not a criminal organization. Also as a separate editorial is the recent motorcycle bust of the Mongols Motorcycle Club involving a trademark injunction. Stay tuned for more information. So start sending those stories, pictures, comments, and news information to submissions@texasironmagazine.com. Oh yes, please read "Apologies" for an update on our recent re-organization and having to start all over again with our web site.

Happy Holidays again to all. Frank T., Editor-in-Chief, Texas Iron Magazine, frankt@texasironmagazine.com