I have been home for the last few days just taking time off from work. Personal health reasons, but nothing major, so please do not worry about me. There are people else where or here that have bigger fish to gut. Anyway, I digress to my point of this thread.

Some may know that the old biker build off shows have been re-airing on the Discovery Channel. I got to see and record the last footage of Indian Larry and his building of the Chain of Mystery. So I have been recording them for viewing some are delete as I had no interest in the builder or concept. Some have been there for a while in my queue for viewing later.

Today was an interesting episode; it was Billy Lane of Choppers, Inc fame. Who is also infamous with the Daytona Bike Week incident a short time ago. Lane was up against Mike Brown, owner of Amen Motorcycles, in Tennessee. Apparently these two had some issues in the past and it showed on camera that Lane did not care for Brown or his bike building. Lane was quick to criticize Brown about his bible thumping and wanting to “convert” Lane from his bad habits of drinking and such. Lane went so far as to comment about preferring to walk instead ride one of Brown’s motorcycles. Followed up by a radio interview and again expressed his distain of Brown.

Brown was adamant about helping Billy Lane, as he said he knew where Lane was in his life, from his past experience in his own life. When the cameras were on Brown, he did not criticize Lane only expressed a desire to extend his hand to help, but played into the show with his build named the Lane Killer or something. I was taken back by all this as Billy Lane scoffed at the comments to embraced the lifestyle of lots of beer, hanging in strip clubs which all immediately was followed by riding. Granted if I saw this on its original air date of March 8, 2005, I would have taken it as all for the cameras, playing it up, good for ratings and such.

I am sure most here know Billy Lane was arrested for Driving While Intoxicated which resulted in another mans untimely death. Lane was convicted and sentenced to a term in prison for his actions. I could not help but realize that if Lane would have sat and listened to Brown he might still be building outrageously sick bikes, and that man may well still be alive, as we never know when our time is up. I never saw this episode until this morning so I hope you understand my inquisitiveness surrounding it.

In the Indian Larry episode immediately after airing was a short bit about his life and the celebration of his life that his friends and family had. I guess it was so soon to the airing of the show that it was placed on the episode. Which brings me to my next point; I would love to see a follow up with Billy Lane. Have Lane see him acting the way he did and reflect about how it got him where he is now.

I hope this does not turn into a bashing session on Lane. I do not condone his actions or respect the man as a man. He chose to do what he did that night no one forced him. He acted selfishly and without regard for others. He is in jail “paying”, such a weird term for the results of his actions, for it. Nothing will bring back that man he killed. I just wondered if he was in his cell watching the same episode and if he still feels the way he does about Mike Brown today. Brown just might have been foreseeing the future of Lane.

When the story broke about Lane and the incident in Daytona, Florida, I had no sorrow for him only for the family that really lost in that meeting. After watching that episode, I have to say I want Lane to see the episode relive what he did. As I would want him to truly understand what a real POS he was all because he wanted to live within some sort of image.

Just some of my thoughts I’ve had for the morning….if you saw it or not chime in. I am interested in hearing what you have to say.

BTW the day got way better when Biography Channel aired Evel Knievel and the Harley Davidson stories....back to back.

 

good question...I'd be interested to see what kind of effect this had on him.

 

Lane definitely screwed up. So did Jesse James, who has lost endorsements. I don't know the impact James' infidelity will have on his bike business.

 

James is a different situation all together. He hurt his former wife, kids, and himself. He did not kill anyones loved one. Time heals wounds and as far as the whole business goes...I believe he closed it. Closed it to move on. He had Garage Magazine and shut that down too.

I would have loved to add video to my post of the episode of biker build-off. But can not find anything. One may have to hulu or something to really get a grasp of the whole thing...really weird when you watch it knowing he is sitting in jail for acting an ***.....all the while someone is telling him he is going down a dark bad road.....

I am not saying he needed to find Jesus and except him in his heart and all that.....I am simply saying if he would have opened his ears not his mouth......life may have been different now.

 

i can see your bored go back to work, and we are not feeling bad for you

 

Very true wideglidebob, very true. But in time, hopefully, if all goes well, sometime next week...

 

honestly.......if somebody said they were going to "save" me....id punch them in the throat! I dont like religion in any shape or form. Look what people have done because of religion in the last thousand years. Its started every war in some way or another. To come out and say on national tv that your going to save a man and push your beliefs on him is kinda low class IMO. Maybe Billy didnt want to be saved. Maybe Billy wants to drink himself to death....Let him. That being said.......hes a total douche for taking somebody elses life instead of his own.

 

Lane made a big mistake...I like him for his bikes and business not his personal life....

 

Billy Lane is just evidence that the lifestyle he lived of where it can lead you .. Not bashing him have seen some of his work .. Am sure he never in his life would have wanted to kill anyone on 2 wheels .. Had he not been druinking would not have tried passing in a double yellow zone .. Driving and drinking leads to stupid things like that, and will effect you and others forever and can't be undone .. Bottom Line he played the game so can pay the Price..

 

I've seen that episode and thought they were both jerks. Lane, while he builds very cool bikes goes way out of his way to let everyone know what a bad *** biker wild man he is. Brown is a self righteous clown who in his own way wants everyone to knwo he's a badass in the lords name. That whole display of how many guns he carries was laughable. I'm willing to bet prison changes Lane's tune

I guess the whole act these people put on has just worn thin for my liking.

I preferred the Roland Sands vs Arlen Ness episode...more about the bikes.