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The Buddy Stubbs Motorcycle Museum Houses Rare Vintage Bikes

Buddy Stubbs with his Harley from the movie Electra Glide in Blue

Buddy Stubbs with his Harley from the movie Electra Glide in Blue

Buddy Stubbs is a bit of a legend in the motorcycling world. Stubbs was a talented racer in his youth who was respected on the dirt ovals of the 1950s and 1960s. The pinnacle of his racing career came when he won the 1963 Daytona 100.

Stubbs also worked as a Hollywood stuntman for over a decade. He performed some of the most notable riding stunts in the cult classic 1973 movie Electra Glide in Blue, which starred Robert Blake.

Now, Stubbs is one of the most successful Harley-Davidson dealers in the nation. Stubbs gives back to the motorcycling community with his admission-free motorcycle museum in Cave Creek, Arizona. K&N recently visited the beautiful facility and we found a treasure-trove of rare and vintage motorcycles.

A view of the Buddy Stubbs Motorcycle Museum in Cave Creek, Arizona

Rows of vintage treasures inhabit the Buddy Stubbs Motorcycle Museum

Visitors are welcomed at the entrance to the museum by Evel Knievel’s replica Triumph motorcycle built by Evel himself after the infamous Caesar's Palace Fountain Jump. Stubbs and Knievel became friends when both were racers in the 1950s and 1960s.

The minute you enter the 3000 square foot, bi-level museum, the walk through two-wheeled history begins. The clean, industrial ambiance will appeal to gear-heads and motorcycle lovers.

The facility is packed with over 130 rare motorcycles from 37 different manufacturers. Around a dozen countries are represented in the various marquees. Many of the brands and even some of the countries (like East Germany and Czechoslovakia) are no longer with us.

Interior view of the Buddy Stubbs Motorcycle Museum in Cave Creek, Arizona

Every corner of the museum is packed with rare motorcycles from around the world

The museum’s caretaker told K&N that if oil and fuel were added to any one of the bikes on display it would start and run. That is a particularly amazing detail when you consider that many of the motorcycles were built in the very early years of the 20th Century.

The motorcycles are perfectly detailed and the display is flanked with incredible memorabilia on every wall. It is truly a first-class motorcycle museum in every way. Buddy Stubbs’ love of the mode of transportation and the sport that has defined his life is evident in every detail.

It should not surprise anyone that K&N filters are well represented on many of the historic motorcycles – especially the very cool vintage race machines. Here is a look at some of the moto-treasures found in the Buddy Stubbs Motorcycle Museum.

Vintage Harley flat track racer at the Buddy Stubbs Motorcycle Museum in Cave Creek, Arizona

Stubbs rode this K&N-filtered vintage Harley in the opening ceremony of the 2017 Arizona Mile

Evel Knievel's Caesar's Palace Fountain Jump Triumph replica

Evel Knievel built this exact replica after his infamous Caesar's Palace Fountain Jump

1913 Indian at the Buddy Stubbs Motorcycle Museum in Cave Creek, Arizona

The oldest bike in the Stubbs collection is this 1913 Indian

Jawa speedway race bikes at the Buddy Stubbs Motorcycle Museum in Cave Creek, Arizona

Both of these 1970s-era Jawa speedway race bikes wear K&N filters

British classics at the Buddy Stubbs Motorcycle Museum in Cave Creek, Arizona

British classics are well represented in the Buddy Stubbs collection

Harley 'Pea Shooter' at the Buddy Stubbs Motorcycle Museum in Cave Creek, Arizona

This Harley 'Pea Shooter' is in pristine condition

Evel Knievel Harley at the Buddy Stubbs Motorcycle Museum in Cave Creek, Arizona

Stubbs became friends with Evel Knievel when both raced together in the '50s and '60s

A combat Indian at the Buddy Stubbs Motorcycle Museum in Cave Creek, Arizona

The Stubbs collection includes combat-dressed Indians and Harleys

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Ten-Time NHRA Champion Bob Glidden Dies at Age 73

Bob Glidden, NHRA, Pro Stock

Bob Glidden won 10 NHRA Pro Stock championships in his 25-year career in the drag racing series

Bob Glidden, one of the most prolific Ford drivers in the history of NHRA Drag Racing, whose career spanned three decades in the Pro Stock division, died on Dec. 13, 2017. He was 73. Glidden won 10 NHRA Drag Racing championships and 85 events in his 25-year career in Pro Stock. He was voted No. 4 on the list of top 50 drivers released by the NHRA in 2000.

Glidden, who was also known as “Mad Dog” in NHRA garages for his unrelenting work ethic, started his drag racing career in Stock and Super Stocks. He raced 427 Ford Fairlanes and 428 Ford Cobra Jet Mustangs in 1968. He turned pro in 1972 and won his first Pro Stock championship in 1974. He won back-to-back titles in 1974-75, three in a row from 1978-80 and five in a row from 1985-89.

Glidden was once asked what contributed to his success, he said in a release from NHRA, “Common sense and the will to survive. I know that I have to hustle to win and that I have to go all out to afford to race.”

Glidden left his mark in NHRA Drag Racing and with Ford. The NHRA Drag Racing community mourns the passing of one of the most successful drivers in the history of the series.

“Everyone in the NHRA community is saddened to learn the news of Bob’s passing,” said NHRA President Peter Clifford. “He was a true competitor who left a lasting legacy of excellence both on and off the track. Our thoughts, prayers, and deepest condolences are with the Glidden family at this difficult time.”

In Glidden’s first NHRA Pro Stock event, the season finale Springnationals in 1972, he was the runner-up to Bill Jenkins. Glidden drove a Pinto Pro Stocker from Wayne Gapp and Jack Roush in the Springnationals.

Glidden won his first NHRA Pro Stock race the following year in 1973 at the U.S. Nationals. He beat Gapp and set a national record with a 9.03-second pass at 152.54 mph.

Glidden’s first NHRA Pro Stock championship came in 1974 when he won three events, including the U.S. Nationals again. He won seven events in 1975 en route to his second NHRA Pro Stock championship.

Bob Glidden, NHRA, Pro Stock

Bob Glidden started his NHRA pro career in 1972 in a Pinto Pro Stocker

In his third championship season in 1978, Glidden set a number of records. He was the No. 1 qualifier in 23 events in a row, including all 14 events in 1978. He won nine national events in a row, a streak that carried over two years.

He won seven national events in a row to close out the 1978 season and a Pro Stock championship. He opened the 1979 season with two more national event wins. He lost only three times in 1979 and didn’t lose a round until June at the Mile-High Nationals.

Glidden’s third Pro Stock championship in a row in 1980 came with some drama. He trailed Lee Shepherd when they entered the season finale in Ontario, California. Shepherd’s transmission broke in the second round and Glidden went on to win the event and the Pro Stock championship, the fifth of his career.

Shepherd snapped Glidden’s championship streak in 1981. Buddy Morrison, one of the partners who owned Shepherd’s Reher-Morrison team, said Glidden was the motivation to his team’s championship run in 1981.

“We finally got tired of losing and of Glidden winning so easily,” Morrison said in a release. “We decided that we either had to make the same kind of commitment to racing that he did or get out. We didn't want to get out.”

Glidden started his third championship streak in 1985. Driving a Ford Thunderbird he received in 1984, Glidden won five national events and his sixth championship in 1985.

Glidden won his sixth Pro Stock championship after crashing his Thunderbird early in the season. He didn’t win his first event until the Mile-High Nationals in July, the start of three in a row. He capped his championship season by winning six of the final seven races of the season.

Bob Glidden, NHRA, Pro Stock

Bob Glidden won the 1985 NHRA Pro Stock championship, his seventh, in a Ford Thunderbird

He won eight national events and the 60th of his career in his championship of 1987. He was also the No. 1 qualifier in all 14 events in 1987.

Glidden won five of the last seven events to win the Pro Stock championship in 1988. He saved his best championship season for last. He won nine events in 1989 and captured his 10th and final Pro Stock championship. He won five of the first seven events of the 1989 season. He won the season-ending Winston Finals, giving him 76 career wins at the time, 49 during the 1980s.

He won his 85th and final event at the Mopar Parts Nationals in 1995. He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1994.

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Custom Triumph Built by David Bird Takes Modified Retro Class in J&P Builder Show

David Bird's Triumph side view at the Long Beach, California IMS

You'd be hard-pressed to find a flaw on David Bird's Triumph

K&N sponsors three of the coolest classes of the J&P Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show at each stop of the Progressive International Motorcycle Show (IMS). The J&P competition brings out some of the most innovative custom builds in the motorcycle industry.

This year’s winner of the Modified Retro Class at the Long Beach, California staging of the IMS was a gleaming 1976 Triumph T140 built for Tom Day by David Bird. You would be hard-pressed to find a more creative and sanitary Triumph build anywhere.

Frame and Wheels:

The hand-built hardtail frame sits low, long, and minimalist. Up front, the clean springer front forks bolt to a tall, sparsely-laced spoked rim.

David Bird's Triumph engine view at the Long Beach, California IMS

The classic Triumph twin engine is featured in a clean frame and retro-cool paint job

Out back, the beefy rear wheel is spooned to a wide, spoked rim that is beautifully exposed. The frame and wheels are all subtly coated in black.

Bodywork and Controls:

The bodywork follows the lines of the frame perfectly. The Cole Foster tank and the custom-bent rear fender are both coated in a scintillating Joel Meyer paint job that features a one-of-a-kind lace, leaf, and flower motif.

The custom crafted leather seat sits above in a cool, chrome framework. The flat drag handlebars make for a stretched out, bobber seating position.

Engine and Drivetrain:

The classic lines of the 750cc Triumph twin engine are on full display in the minimalist frame. The perfectly polished power plant breathes through twin, screened velocity stacks and exhaust duties are handled by symmetrically bent twin straight pipes.

David Bird's Triumph side view at the Long Beach, California IMS

'Less is more' in the skeletal frame and simple bodywork of the Mod Retro winner

A hand-made oil bag sits behind the engine and is accented with the same paint theme as the bodywork.

Take a minute to study the photos that accompany this article and you will grow to appreciate how well the theme and lines of this Triumph work. Every detail was carefully thought out and crafted.

K&N is proud to sponsor a competition that highlights builds like this fantastic custom.

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K&N Helps Santa Make His Yearly Trip Around the Globe

Santa and elf on track at orange show speedway

Santa and his #1 elf were out at Orange Show Speedway getting their new vehicles prepared

Christmas is a magical time of year. Carolers are singing, snow is falling, children are making their lists, and tires are being destroyed by Santa. Well, that last part may not always be totally true, but over here at K&N, Santa is excited for the big day this year and is showing it by making tire smoke clouds and giving the gift of horsepower.

Many people don’t know this, but Formula Drift driver Dylan Hughes moonlights as jolly old St. Nick once a year. This year though, he decided to give the reindeer a rest and deliver the toys to all the good girls and boys with his Mustang. K&N caught up with Dylan during his test run in the Mustang to see what he had to say. “It’s an honor to be able to come out and push my comfort zone with an entirely new chassis. Thanks to K&N the car ran flawlessly all day, many tires were burned and many smiles were made.”

Santa posing with his 2017 Ford Mustang 5.0L at Orange show speedway

After a successful shakedown session, jolly old St. Nick was ready for his round the world adventure

Santa even brought out one of his elves. K&N Account Manager and legendary bike builder, Nick O’Kane, gets his 2002 Suzuki TL1000R warmed up as this year, he is going to accompany Dylan on his worldwide adventure. After a quick shakedown of the car and bike, Dylan and Nick laid down some “Ho Ho Hos” and then made their way up north to pick up the presents from the North Pole for global distribution.

One of Santa's elves doing a burnout on his 2002 Suzuki TL1000R at Orange Show Speedway

Even Santa's elf got in on the action and warmed up the tires on his 2002 Suzuki TL1000R

Thanks to the K&N 69-3535TP cold air intake system on the 5.0L, Dylan’s Mustang makes an estimated almost 20 HP over stock. His allergies are also kept in check thanks to a K&N VF2053 cabin air filter, and his engine is fed a constant supply of clean oil courtesy of a K&N HP-2011 oil filter.

This Christmas, if you want to breathe some new life and added performance into your vehicle, use the K&N search by vehicle tool to find just the right products for your wish list. Thanks to K&N’s five decades of experience and research, you can be sure that your engine will be protected from dirt, dust, and other particles. And all K&N replacement air filters and intake systems come with a 10-Year/Million Mile Limited Warranty, so you can be sure your investment in filtration will last for many winters to come!

Rear tire of 2002 Suzuki TL1000R after burnout session

After this shakedown session, it is apparent that the Suzuki will need some new rubber on the rear

Santa drifting his 2017 Ford Mustang around Christmas tree at Orange Show Speedway

K&N has all of your performance induction filtration needs covered for this Christmas

Santa drifting at orange show speedway in 2017 Ford Mustang 5.0L

K&N was on hand to capture Santa getting sideways in his 2017 Ford Mustang 5.0L

Santa drifting his 2017 Ford Mustang 5.0L at Orange Show Speedway in San Bernardino

Santa even practiced delivering K&N cold air intakes under the Christmas tree

High Performance 2009 Pro Street Dyna Wins Mod Harley Class at Minneapolis IMS

Ward Performance custom Dyna at the Minneapolis, Minnesota IMS side view

Rick Ward's custom Dyna has drag bike looks and performance to match

It is not a surprise that the custom 2009 Pro Street Dyna Harley® that won the Modified Harley Class at the Minneapolis stop of the Progressive International Motorcycle Show (IMS) features a massive and powerful V-twin. The force behind the build is Ward Performance. The Minnesota-based company specializes in performance modifications for Harley-Davidson engines.

The Modified Harley Class is one of the competitions sponsored by K&N at each stop of the J&P Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show. It’s fitting that the Mod Harley winner at the Minnesota IMS is a horsepower beast. After all, extracting maximum power from engines is something that K&N has been doing for decades.

Ward Performance custom Dyna at the Minneapolis, Minnesota IMS engine view

Here is what a 161 horsepower Harley engine looks like

The 2009 Pro Street Dyna Harley built by drag engine specialist Rick Ward is a long, dark, and handsome custom that features some of the coolest components in the industry. Let’s work from the ground up on this custom speedster.

The Ward Performance custom rolls on carbon fiber wheels designed and built by BST. The front wheel is controlled by trick inverted forks clamped in a custom triple tree.

Out back, the aluminum swing arm is stretched 6 inches for a drag bike stance. JRI drag shocks keep the 190 width Michelin planted in the rear. The drag bike theme is continued with the rear-set foot controls.

Enough waiting – let’s look at that engine. The Ward Performance 124 CI engine breathes through a forward-sweeping intake featuring a K&N conical high-performance filter. The big twin's cylinder heads have been ported using Ward's highly tested and refined process and other internal performance mods abound. Spent gas duties are handled by a beautiful hand built custom stainless exhaust.

Ward Performance custom Dyna at the Minneapolis, Minnesota IMS wheel and swing arm

A 6-inch stretch on the aluminum swing arm leads to carbon fiber wheel

So what does a V-twin built by a full-on performance company deliver? Ward claims the big jugs pump out an incredible 161 horsepower.

The paint and bodywork is appropriately sinister and subtle. Blacks and reds combine to unify the all-business motif of the street burner. The project is capped with minimal instrumentation and low-rise drag bars.

K&N is happy that a pure performance machine rolled away with the Mod Harley class in Minnesota.

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