Born Free Motorcycle Show 9 Photos

Skateboarders just wanna go fast. Bombing a hill, catching air on the vert ramp, over the hip at the skatepark or grinding down a steep handrail; it’s all a rush. So what do you do when you gotta get somewhere that’s too far to skate? Get something with a motor! It must be the thrill of the wind in your face and the rumble of your wheels on the pavement that has so many skaters picking up motorcycles. Jason Jessee and Steve Caballero have been heavy into bikes since the ‘80s, so this is nothing new. It should be of no surprise the Born Free Motorcycle Show asked Jeff Grosso and Vans to round up a vert ramp and a crew of rippers to session throughout the weekend. —Joe Hammeke


01 750pxThis is what the parking lot looked like


02 750pxLoser Machine had one of the first booths towards the entrance


03 750pxAdrian Lopez was holding it down all weekend


04 750pxJake Reuter with Joker's skateshop was just down the row. Jake rode in on his bike which he bought as is and said the only thing he’s changed so far is the oil


05 750pxThe vert ramp was found a little deeper in, shipped from Virginia


06 750px“Pssst... Grosso’s in there.” –Eric Dressen


07 750pxWhen you go on an epic camping trip to New Zealand, sometimes it’s tough to leave the tent life behind. Read all about Anti Hero’s “Reality Breakdown” in the August issue of Thrasher


08 750pxDon’t be fooled by the look on his face, DJ Don Cesar is one of the happiest dudes I know. This is the look you get if you approach with a request. Good DJs don’t take requests!


09 750pxComplete in any good DJ’s possessions is the box of 7”s


10 750pxPacky Fancher floats an egg to kick off the demo


11 750pxBennett Harada coming in hot with that Venice style


12 750pxFfej drove all the way from the Bay, Smith vert


13 750pxAuby Taylor is always at the vert sessions and has a list of tricks he wants to shoot. Huge fastplant, inspired by Chris Miller


14 750pxSteve Caballero has one of the best frontside inverts


15 750pxBesides having a damn good frontside invert, Cab also races motorcycles


16 750pxCan you guess which one is his?


17 750pxGotta be that 45 flathead number 360


18 750pxMore wandering around and stumbled upon a Petyr show


19 750pxRiley Hawk sings...


20 750px...and shreds the guitar


21 750pxBack to the bikes. Here’s a double engine 1945 Harley Davidson


22 750pxA 1955 Triumph built with a Vans theme


23 750pxWaffle grip, literally


24 750pxLooks real clean


25 750pxChris Mumma, brother of Black Label pro Tyler Mumma, built this ‘64 Panhead for a friend


26 750pxDouble barrel shotgun shift lever

27 750pxLoud pipes save lives


28 750pxBack on the vert ramp, Lizzie climbs the ladder


29 750pxProper sweep


30 750pxNicole Hause sends a frontside air


31 750pxOscar Navarro lien to tail on a borrowed board. Oscar rode his motorcycle from San Pedro so his board was still en route


32 750pxThen back to the bikes and while checking out this '48 Panhead


33 750pxA couple familiar faces come walking up, Jason Jessee and Jasin Phares. For those who don’t know, Phares was the Spitfire team manager a while back and was just recently featured in the June ’17 issue of Thrasher, 20 years of Burnout


34 750pxHe also does custom motorcycle part fabrication and is one of the 30 invited builders for Born Free 9


35 750pxJasin and Jason admiring the bike Jasin built for the show

36 750pxJasin’s bikes are typically chopped down to the bare minimum


37 750pxNo hand brakes or hand clutch so that means in a panic you can’t put your feet down, gotta keep one on the brake and one on the clutch. To quote Jasin, “If you think you’re gonna wreck, you might as well just twist the throttle and get it over with.”


38 750pxUp next, The Shrine is playing on the main stage


39 750pxWith the legendary Corey Parks on bass


40 750pxBack on the vert ramp Al Partanen reels in a stalefish


41 750pxLester Kasai, fastplant for the masses


42 750pxJimmy Wilkins was using the entire ramp, backside air close to the edge


43 750pxAuby Taylor popped one of the biggest fakie ollies I’ve ever seen


44 750pxBucky Lasek arrived with only an hour left and this lien air came as the announcement to “Start heading to your bikes. It’s time to go,” was coming through the loudspeaker

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