Latest News

Artistry in Iron Custom Motorcycle Show Headlines Las Vegas BikeFest

Max Hazan's custom at the Artistry in Iron show at BikeFest in Las Vegas, Nevada

Max Hazan of Hazan Motorworks took the top prize at the BikeFest Artistry in Iron show in Las Vegas

The Artistry in Iron custom bike show and competition once again stretched the boundaries of creativity and vision in motorcycle craftsmanship. The invitation-only event was the nucleus of the 17th annual Las Vegas BikeFest, a motorcycle rally which takes over the vibrant Freemont Street area of the city for a few days each fall.

The biggest names in metal bending, performance tuning, tig welding, and paint spraying brought their customs to the neon capital of the world to square off against other international talents. Notable names like Steve Iacona, Yuichi Yoshizawa, Gilby Clarke, and Jordan Dickinson, as well as a host of young talents, brought their rolling works of art to Sin City.

Artistry in Iron show logo

The Artistry in Iron show is a magnet for the industry's best builders

In the end, Max Hazan, of Hazan Motorworks walked away with the championship bracelet created by artist Steve Soffa. However, the real winners were the BikeFest attendees who got the chance to peruse the diverse moto creations collected in downtown Las Vegas.

The customs ran the gamut in terms of build styles and engines. Choppers, trackers, sport bike, and retro builds were represented. They were crafted around engines wearing the badges of Harley, Triumph, Ducati, Indian, and several other brands.

Here is a look at some of the innovative customs that graced the floor of the Artistry in Iron show.

Arnaud Mary's custom at the Artistry in Iron show at BikeFest in Las Vegas, Nevada

Arnaud Mary brought this stretched Harley chopper over from his native France

Yuichi Yoshizawa's custom at the Artistry in Iron show at BikeFest in Las Vegas, Nevada

Japanese-born Yuichi Yoshizawa offered up this aluminum clad sport custom

Dana Wolfe Hood's custom at the Artistry in Iron show at BikeFest in Las Vegas, Nevada

Dana Wolfe Hood's cool Ducati custom wears K&N air and fuel filters

Jon MacDowell's custom at the Artistry in Iron show at BikeFest in Las Vegas, Nevada

Jon MacDowell of Bonneville Customs built this classic custom

Anthony Robinson's custom at the Artistry in Iron show at BikeFest in Las Vegas, Nevada

Anthony Robinson of Gasoline and Coffee built this ultra-cool Triumph

Taber Nash's custom at the Artistry in Iron show at BikeFest in Las Vegas, Nevada

Taber Nash of the Nash Motorcycle Company created this drag-styled Harley chopper

Chris Eder's custom at the Artistry in Iron show at BikeFest in Las Vegas, Nevada

This cafe tracker hybrid Harley was built by Chris Eder of Epic Moto

Kirk Taylor's custom at the Artistry in Iron show at BikeFest in Las Vegas, Nevada

Kirk Taylor of Custom Design Studios brought this Ducati-based tracker to the party

Gilby Clarke's custom at the Artistry in Iron show at BikeFest in Las Vegas, Nevada

Glitzy choppers were rare at the event, but Gilby Clarke's massive build was a show-stopper

Mike Rabideau's custom at the Artistry in Iron show at BikeFest in Las Vegas, Nevada

Mike Rabideau of Magik Mike Designs built a lean and clean chopper

clear

K&N PRODUCT SEARCH     WHERE TO BUY K&N

Colombian Model Karina Velez Stars in K&N Calendar with Jeremy McGrath "Cool Bus"

K&N calendar model Karina Velez standing with Jeremy McGrath Cool Bus

K&N calendar model Karina Velez has roots in Columbia but lives in Orange County

Colombia is known for beautiful women. Actress Sofia Vergara, singer Shakira, and beauty queen Ariadna Gutierrez all hail from this country. K&N model, Karina Velez, shares their Colombian roots. She vacations there often saying, “I visit my family in Colombia every year, and I have the best childhood memories there. One year, we stayed in a tree house in the middle of the Amazon.” Karina is Colombian at heart, though she was born in Orange County, California.

She speaks fluent Spanish and loves to dance the salsa. Karina also enjoys snowboarding, though she is particularly confident about dancing, saying, “I can show you up in salsa dancing.” Whether stepping on the floor or shredding in the snow, Karina leads a very active lifestyle.

K&N calendar model Karina Velez standing with Jeremy McGrath Cool Bus in school girl outfit

Karina Velez loves to dance the salsa in her free time but also enjoys snowboarding

As for schooling, she attended El Toro High in Orange County. She worked as an aid in honors physics and detention during her senior year, so she kept busy. She went on to Cal State Fullerton to major in Marketing. Karina’s degree helps her now; she works part-time in social media marketing. She didn’t actually start modeling until the end of high school. Karina shares, “My dad didn't let me until I turned 18.” 

Her list of clients is eclectic and impressive. She has modeled for “Vans, Nissan, Old Navy Mexico, and Disney.” She can do cars, clothes, shoes, and magical brands like Disney. She has met with a lot of success, but there have also been moments when modeling wasn’t so glamorous. Karina remembers her worst experience saying, “I was modeling for an e-comm clothing company and they didn't tell me I would be modeling their Halloween costumes. They were not cute.” Sequins, sparkles, fabrics! Oh my!

Besides horrendous Halloween costumes, Karina loves everything about modeling. She’s a free spirit; she slept in a tree house surrounded by the rainforest. Modeling is just another chance to find adventure. Karina is excited for the future, saying, “The world is pure magic, and I crave a lifetime of adventure, discovering all the beautiful things the world has to offer.”

IG Handle: @karinavelezz

K&N calendar models Karina Velez and Jess Harbour standing with Jeremy McGrath Cool Bus

Follow Karina on Instagram to keep up with her latest modeling shoots and adventures.

clear

K&N PRODUCT SEARCH     WHERE TO BUY K&N

K&N Calendar Model Elena Romanova Slays in Fitness and Fashion

K&N calendar model Elena Romanova with two motorcycles in the LA River

Elena Romanova was born in the Ukraine but moved to the United States where she currently lives

Fitness and fashion go hand in hand. K&N calendar model Elena Romanova takes this to another level with her strict workout routine. She is a pro fitness competitor and a model. Elena lives and models in the United States, but she was born in Melitopol, Ukraine.

She also grew up there. Her childhood was filled with scholarly studies; she spent time reading and learning about psychology and philosophy. At age 16, she focused her attention on an ancient religious book. She attended high school in Russia, though she says, “I hated going to school.”

For a year, Elena attended college in Russia. She majored in English. Her time in college was filled with, “Lots of freedom, lots of parties till 6 am, lots of drinking." She describes this as "The most carefree year of my life.”

K&N calendar model Elena Romanova sitting on a custom Honda CBR motorcycle in the LA River

K&N calendar model Elena Romanova doubles as a pro fitness competitor

Elena started modeling in 2009. It’s an interesting story, because she did not pursue this profession. She shares, “I never wanted to model, but a photographer friend of mine insisted on taking photos of me and then created a ModelMayhem profile for me. That's how it all started.”

Since this brush of fate, Elena has booked a bunch of modeling gigs. She’s landed many magazine covers, and of course, modeled in the K&N calendar. She lists her favorite modeling memory as, “winning a fitness competition and becoming a WBFF Pro.” She is referring to World Beauty Fitness and Fashion Inc., a company concentrated on style and staying in shape.

Since this competition, Elena has continued her training and modeling. She is looking forward to competing again in the WBFF Worlds next year. When she's not on set or pulling a pose on stage, Elena has her nose in a book. She still loves to read. She also bartends. Though Elena never wanted to be a model, she has bloomed in this profession. Day by day, Elena stays slaying in fitness and fashion.

IG Handle: @elena88c

K&N calendar model Elena Romanova with a custom Suzuki TL in the LA River

Follow Elena on Instagram to keep up with her latest shoots and competitions

clear

K&N PRODUCT SEARCH     WHERE TO BUY K&N

Tomboy Turned Model, Lynnie Marie Wows at K&N Calendar Shoot

Model Lynnie Marie on calendar photo shoot for K&N

Lynnie was a tomboy when she was younger but is quite the opposite now

Lynnie Marie was born in Sacramento and raised in Lincoln, California. With her blonde hair, nice tan, and love for the ocean, she is the quintessential California girl. She loved being outside when she was a child. Lynnie would do, “anything outdoors such as going to the lake, river, wakeboarding, or hiking.” She laughs about her childhood memories, commenting, “I was a tomboy since my best friend was my brother growing up. We would catch frogs and lizards....now I won't even touch them.”

Lynnie attended Lincoln High School where she had quite an experience in gym class. She remembers, “Believe it or not, I failed PE....I love to work out, but my teacher didn't like that I would wear workout pants instead of the gym shorts. So for me being rebellious Lynnie, my teacher gave me an F.” This is definitely a fun fact to share at parties: I flunked gym. Don’t blame her. Those little gym shorts are embarrassing! She did play sports in high school, saying, “I tried playing softball, but that didn't work out too well for me. I stuck to cheerleading.” 

Model Lynnie Marie with 1965 Chevrolet Chevelle

Lynnie Marie has amassed over 800k followers on Instagram

Lynnie went on to attend Sierra College, majoring in Communications. She then decided to pursue an esthetician license. She started modeling a few years ago, never expecting the success she’s achieved. Lynnie comments, “I started for fun. Then my Instagram blew up, so here I am today. It's been an amazing journey so far.” Social media is an amazing platform for Lynnie; she has amassed over 800k followers.

Her list of clients is a mile long: “Paul Heyman, Shock Mansion, Hot Bike Magazine, Vavoom Vodka, 138 Water, Insomnia Sexy Lingerie, Lull Mattress Company, K&N, and many online glamour magazines and online features.” Lynnie says, “I don't have a bad memory modeling.” She enjoys the industry and plans on building her brand.

In her free time, Lynnie enjoys going to the beach and spending time with her boyfriend. She also enjoys hiking with her dog and going boating out on the lake. She works part-time as a medical aesthetician at a spa. Lynnie hopes to keep getting gigs and paving her way in the industry. This tomboy turned model is ready for anything.

IG Handle: @misslynniemarie

Model Lynnie Marie at K&N photo shoot with 1965 Chevrolet Chevelle

Lynnie works as a medical assistant at a spa when she isn't on set for a photoshoot

clear

K&N PRODUCT SEARCH     WHERE TO BUY K&N

Sports Illustrated Model Dessie Mitcheson Poses for K&N Calendar

Dessie Mitcheson posing with a Roland Sands Designs flat track race bike

Dessie has posed for Sports Illustrated, Maxim, Makita, Tecate, and of course K&N

Dessie Mitcheson is making a splash in the modeling world. She has worked for multiple swimwear brands, but her big break came in the shape of a Sports Illustrated shoot. She was chosen to model for their swimsuit edition, and the offer went beyond pictures. Dessie was also asked to walk for the magazine’s Miami Swim Week fashion show. This brand is a big deal. It can make a model’s career, and Dessie got it.

She was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In her youth, Dessie was involved in gymnastics, diving, and track and field. She enjoyed flipping, swimming, and running, but these hobbies were not without cost. She shares, “I’ve had four knee surgeries: two ACL and two meniscus.” She also participated in show choir, musicals, and plays. Obviously, Dessie juggled a lot of extracurriculars, but this didn’t stop her from achieving scholastic success. She graduated in the top ten percent of her class. After high school, she attended Cosmetology School.

Dessie broke into the world of modeling when she was just 20 years old. She remembers, “I was in Myrtle Beach with my whole family. My mom made me do a swimwear competition, and I won! From there, I continued to do comps and model.” Since then, she has racked up a long list of clients— “Maxim, a lot of swimwear lines, Makita, Tecate, K&N, and most recently Sports Illustrated Swimwear!” Dessie’s favorite modeling memory is “walking the runway in Miami Swim Week for Sports Illustrated Swimsuits new swimwear line.”

When she’s not posing on a beach or strolling down the runway, you can find Dessie in the ring. She shares, “I’m a Tecate ring girl for boxing!” This is a fun job, filled with bright lights and sweaty athletes. There is a lot of adrenaline in this sport, and it’s exciting for Dessie to sit ringside and soak it all in. As for future plans, she hopes to land more modeling jobs and transition into TV. Wherever she is, this girl will be making waves.

IG Handle: @dessiemitcheson

Model Dessie Mitcheson sitting on a Roland Sands Designs built Indian Scout motorcycle

Keep up with Dessie on Instagram where you can see her latest clients and shots

clear

K&N PRODUCT SEARCH     WHERE TO BUY K&N