FXR BBQ Part Deux with San Diego Customs
Harley-Davidson FXRs, BBQ, Stunts… What else do you need for an epic day with your motorcycle? Throw in a somewhat-organized ride down Interstate 5 with San Diego Customs (SDC) with a few hundred friends and you have a recipe for success… or disaster. Depends on your perspective, I guess.
Back in 2014, the editor at the time, Jeff G. Holt and Chip Kastelnik from SDC got together to do a really “special” cover shoot because Chip had recently finished a new FXR that Jeff wanted to feature on the cover of Hot Bike. Well, long story short, Chip and Jeff, and Chip’s partner in crime, Mikey Van, set out to try and capture one badass cover shot that fit the bill.
Well, Chip, Mikey, the Unknown Industries boys, and a bunch of other friends hit the mean streets of San Diego and took over the Interstate 5 Freeway in the Downtown area as Mikey snapped pics of the madness along the way. What they got was an epic cover, and some memories to last a lifetime.
When we decided to revive Hot Bike magazine in 2023, we knew we wanted to try and recreate this day, because it just looked like a shitload of fun. And if we got a cool shot as a result of inviting several hundred more friends out, then so be it. We ticked the boxes and then some. There’s not much else to report here other than we got a good group of dudes together, ate some food, rode some motorcycles and took some cool photos. The end. See y’all in 2034!
Chip Kastelnik, San Diego Customs:
“San Diego Customs and Hot Bike Magazine have had an ongoing relationship for a long time. 10 years ago, we came up with a plan for my FXR to be a cover bike. The plan consisted of a few things, but basically to get as many people as we could and do a massive group riding shot, have a bike show at the shop and a barbecue after the photoshoot. All went as planned and in the history books it went. It was an epic group shot of 200-plus bikes. Well, 10 years later, after a shit ton of ups and downs for SDC and Hot Bike, we decided to do it again and recelebrate the FXR and all its glory. This time was a bit different since times have changed and things aren’t as easy going as they were in the past, but the outcome was spectacular, the vibe was great, and the riding group was almost double in size. I can’t thank you all enough for the epic day and for showing up for the shoot. See you at the next one!”
Chopskee, Photographer:
“The day started out as great. You know, a shit-ton of bikes rolled up, which is what I expected everything to be like, but a good, solid ride going through San Diego. I have never really shot around San Diego, so it was cool to see the route and to be able to get shots, you know. Just the energy of that day was obviously through the roof. It’s always sick to be able to shoot for Hot Bike. It’s been around forever, so shooting for that magazine is definitely going up on my wall, and is definitely a solid thing for my resume. I’m just stoked on it, honestly. It was also sick having the [Concrete Cowboys] there. It’s also always fun shooting out the back of a Sprinter and being able to get the shots. It’s just a very high energy shoot compared to your typical shoot. As opposed to shooting portraits or models or lifestyle shit, like just high-energy and almost falling out of a van a couple of times. Keeps you interested, keeps you going.”
