A Day in Lockeford: The Faster FXR Show
An FXR Show, Good Company, and the Open Road
The Short Ride
The Thunder Road crew headed to The Faster FXR Show at Olde Lockeford Winery on October 10, 2026. Three and a half hours on the road, vintage FXRs, uncommon parts, familiar faces, and barbecue before the ride home. Here’s a look at the bikes and a day well spent together.
An FXRT among the motorcycles at the Lockeford show.
7 A.M. in the driveway.
Two FXRTs, one FXRP, and a 120th Anniversary CVO Road Glide. Two brothers, our dad, and our friend Bruce, the original owner of his 1985 FXRT, pointed toward Lockeford, California.
Three and a half hours on the motorcycles, headed to an FXR show. Nothing too complicated. Just an excuse to get the bikes out, see some familiar faces, and spend a little time together.
By Pacheco Pass, the sun was low, air crisp, the lake glinting to our right as our machines kept rolling.
The sweeping curves, morning sunlight, and cool air made for some of the best riding of the day. Sometimes the ride itself is worth more than the destination.
Rolling Into Lockeford
We rolled in mid-morning. Our third brother was waiting with his XR1200 Sportster, and with a vendor spot already secured, we slipped through the back gate.
Heads were already turning as our little convoy crept into the show.
Roman, the event organizer, was barking orders over his loudspeaker until he realized who was coming through.
It was the Thunder Road crew.
We idled through the crowd, found a spot along the main walkway, and tucked the motorcycles in. I decided to park my FXRT near the other show bikes.
With the machines settled, it was time to relax.
Cold beverages and breakfast burritos from our favorite Mexican restaurant in Salinas. A pretty good way to start the morning.
A Little Time With the Machines
We spent the next few hours walking around, checking out motorcycles, talking with people, and enjoying the show.
As our planned departure time approached, I moved my FXRT from the show row back to where the rest of our motorcycles were parked.
I positioned it parallel in front of the other bikes, giving people walking by a good opportunity to check it out.
And they did.
Folks drifted over, lingering on the Alan Johnson heads, the Apple Watch fairing mod, and those rare RP bags.
The Alan Johnson cylinder heads were probably one of the biggest conversation starters. Being one of only 100 sets produced back in the 1990s, they’re a pretty uncommon sight these days.
It was fun sharing a little history about them and explaining some of the modifications I’ve made over the years.
People were also intrigued by the Apple Watch integrated into my fairing.
Another detail that caught some attention was my set of 1984, one-year-only FXRP saddlebags. They’re not necessarily everyone’s first choice, but I appreciate their distinctive shape and how they complement the motorcycle.
A few folks caught the shark tooth paint on the tank, a nod to the Air Jordan 5.
Those little details are some of my favorite parts of building a motorcycle. They’re personal touches that might go unnoticed by most people, but every once in a while, somebody catches them.
And that’s always a good conversation.
Good People, Good Bikes, Good Leads
All in all, it was a good little show.
We saw some cool motorcycles, met some nice people, and came across a few interesting parts. We exchanged numbers with a couple of people and even picked up a promising lead on selling another FXR we had back at the shop.
Not bad for a morning spent hanging around motorcycles.
Eventually, we started getting restless.
We’d had our fill of the show, and there was still plenty of riding ahead.
Besides, we had barbecue ribs to get to.
We threw our helmets on, fired up the motorcycles, and headed out for some good old-fashioned barbecue.
The Ride Home
After the ribs and a short goodbye to our brother on his XR1200, we got back on the motorcycles and made our way toward Highway 5.
We also had some company.
Our friend Ted from San Jose, who we’d run into at the show, was riding his late-model Softail. A sharp-looking, club-style machine that fit right in with the group.
We rode together for a stretch before eventually reaching the point where everyone needed to go their separate ways.
And just like that, another day on the motorcycles was coming to an end.
More Than Just a Motorcycle Show
Looking back, the show itself was only part of what made the day worthwhile.
It isn’t often that the Thunder Road crew gets the opportunity to spend time together like this.
Everybody has their own responsibilities, families, schedules, and things going on.
Getting everyone together, especially with motorcycles involved, isn’t something that happens nearly as often as we’d like.
There wasn’t anything particularly extravagant about the day.
We rode some motorcycles, looked at some motorcycles, talked about motorcycles, ate some good food, and rode home.
But sometimes that’s all you need.
And who knows when we’ll all get another opportunity to do it again.
Until the next ride.
— Thunder Road Motorcycles
The FXRs lined up outside Thunder Road Motorcycles.