Motorcycle enthusiasts are using their passion for a good cause this morning.
Shawn Castro, executive director of Sikx Gun Choppers, said the annual "Thank a Vet" Dam Run is garnering between 10 and 15 registered participants each day. Most won't sign up until today, but they should plan to be there well before the first bikes leave for the Kinzua Dam trip at 11 a.m.
Last year, Castro said around 500 signed up on that day. In total, he's expecting 600 to 800 this year.
The bike to be raffled off is a custom-built old school bobber, Castro said, with a springer and suicide shift. In making the bike, he said he thought about something he wanted to build.
"I wanted something that was wicked, crazy and shouldn't go together," Castro said. "I wanted a mix between the old and new school."
While the motorcycle may have an older design, Castro said it has modern parts. Riding it will be tough at first, he said, due to the foot clutch and ape hangers (high-rise handlebars). Whoever wins it will need to practice.
According to Castro, the bike is a tribute to the military special forces. Commemorative coins have been placed on the gas tank, he said, which