About Us
Starting in March of 1997, the Cycle Source began as a free publication that served an area of about a 100 mile radius of Pittsburgh, PA. Over the next four or five years it would grow into a publication that filled a solid area in PA, WV, and Ohio. Still a free publication, the Cycle Source continued to hone its content and gather contributors as it served the Tri-State area.

In March of 2005, the Cycle Source celebrated its 8th anniversary by announcing its intention of going to the news stand. After eight years, we believed that this was the right time to make the transition. On July 1st of 2005, we put out our first issue on the news stands through four larger distribution services: NewsGroup, Newbourne Ent. Harrisburg News and LaBelle Dist. at the retail price of $1.25. This gave us an immediate increase in coverage from New Jersey through Michigan.

We believed there was room for us among the National titles because our “Grass Roots” approach to the subject reaches our audience on a basic level. We love to ride as much as they do! With an average age of 37 years old making up the bulk of our staff, we believe that we are on the pulse of the next generation of motorcyclists. The entire motorcycle business is going through a generational remake and that’s where we have the advantage. More importantly most of us have been raised through generations of riders and the fact that we are young doesn't change the traditions installed by the grey beards before us.

We believe that grass roots motorcycling is the direction the industry and the culture is going. The upcoming generation is a different breed, more like the traditional bikers of the 70’s and their bike is as much about function as it is form. Over the next decade, we want “The Cycle Source Magazine” to be the publication they turn to for information on their life-style; the new, the different, and the basic facts about motorcycling.

We have learned through 12 years of developing this publication that there are no short cuts into the world of motorcycling. The men and women who make up the business owners and major players of this industry are lifetime members to an elite fraternity. Simply throwing money around is rarely as fruitful as long hard work and that's what we set out to do every month. We don't phone in our articles, we go and get them. There is nothing more important than getting the real story and getting it right. We want to find a way to show the younger generation and the older ones from the new crowd that there is more to this than buying a bike and all the gear that goes with it. This thing is a lifetime adventure that you take to find yourself and along the way, if you're lucky, you may even have a handful of brothers that you can count on.

So please, look over the magazine and feel free to send us letters.... WE LOVE LETTERS! If you like what you see and even if you don't, let us know what you think about the results of our ten year commitment to this way of life. Thanks for trying us out, Christopher "Wild Man" Callen - Editor In Chief

Meet Our Staff

Christopher "Wild Man" Callen:
  (Editor In Chief)

Has been involved in motorcycling in one form or another for close to thirty years. He grew up surrounded by the Western Pennsylvania off road motorcycle racing scene, and started riding at an early age. From age 16 he had a MC license and has been riding on the street ever since. With no education and inspired only by a love for motorcycling he started the Cycle Source Magazine in March of 1997.
The road has been rough but he says it's still the most rewarding thing he has ever been a part of. As the Cycle Source approaches its tenth year, Chris continues to develop his outlook on the motorcycle community and tries to find new ways to make readers "think" about what all this is about.
In addition to being the Cycle Source Editor Chris has also been the Editor of Track Side Report, and has had his work featured in National Publications Iron Works, Racer X plus several local publications.
For general questions to the editor, all information about Event reporting, leads on articles and feature bikes  E-Mail "Wild Man" at The Cycle Source Main office cyclesource69@comcast.net

Lisa Ballard: (Blog Editor - West Coast Assistant Editor) 

  Lisa has been apart of the motorcycle industry for 8 years now. Starting a company takes a lot of effort and she has been instrumental in developing her husband's business into a house hold name. Lisa says that is because Duane Ballard Custom Leather is a business that is easy to stand behind as it sells quality and craftsmanship. This is the same reason she chose to lend a hand to Cycle Source Magazine. "I like what Chris Callen has done with Cycle Source and understand his beliefs. I am the West Coast Contact and the Blog Editor for Cycle Source, two titles I would not give up." In addition to the fantastic work she has done with the Cycle Source World Reprot (our blog) Lisa contributes a monthly feature to the print magazine as well as helping filling in the new products and buyer guide sections each issue. She also work with a great cliental with their media relations. Anything is possible if you have goals.  lisa@dbcustomleather.com  

Sara Liberte: (Photography Editor) 

  Since graduating from Montserratt College of Art in 1997, Sara Liberte has been a professional photographer specializing in motorcycle and portrait photography. Her photos have appeared in leading motorcycle publications, including Easy Riders Magazine, In the Wind, and Iron Works, as well as in ads, marketing materials and annual reports. She is also staff photography editor for The Cycle Source Magazine. Sara's fine art photography work focuses on image fusion, combining images of women with motorcycle components. Her work has been exhibited in several galleries, including Mingo Art Gallery in Beverly, Massachusetts, and Blue Ruin Gallery in Pittsburgh. Besides photography, Sara's other creative medium is motorcycles themselves. She co-owns and operates RT's North Hills Cycle Inc. in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. There she designs custom paint jobs and custom-builds cycles, in addition to working on motorcycles and managing parts and service. Sara's unique blend of careers and creativity are profiled in the March 2005 issue of Iron Works magazine, in an article written by well-known cycle writer Mike Seate.
For any questions for the Photography editor about photos contained in The Cycle Source   E-Mail "Sara" at The Cycle Source Main office  sara@saraliberte.com  

Ernie Copper: (Staff Writer) 

  I generally find myself on the road less traveled. I 've got nothing against the bigger events and runs, but it's the odd stuff that usually really grabs my attention. Vintage and odd bikes ( and the people who ride them) are my favorites and both find their way too and from my garage regularly. I've been riding since I was a kid and would rather ride with close friends than a big pack. It's a trust thing. At times you have to work hard to have fun on a bike and that's all part of the deal. My wife rides and we've taught our son and daughter to ride too. I feel a responsibility to give my kids what what my dad gave me - the gift of riding. I have several 1000 mile plus days behind me and I'm a member of both the Iron Butt Association and and The Shriners 1000 in 1 club. Some times I hear the call of the open road, other times the local bike night. I've been writing about motorcycles for close to 10 years in local ,regional and national publications.For all event reporting, leads on articles and stories  E-Mail "Ernie" ejcopper@msn.com  

Tattoo Duke Miller: Photographer/ Journalist/ Life Scientist/ Columnist “Back In The Day With Duke”

Duke has been riding since motorcycles were powered by pedals and his wealth of experience is one of the things that we rely on each month to keep the magazine real. Starting with photography as a simple hobby, Duke has become one of the top photographers in our industry and as a bonus he just loves what he does.

Duke still wonders how he ended up with us, but the truth is, he was the first person to believe in Cycle Source. I still remember walking into his shop to sell him an ad. I ended up giving it to him, but for the amount of help he has given this magazine over the years, I think I definitely got the better part of the deal. He has become an amazing photographer and is my absolute road dawg!

Josh Kurpius: Photogrpaher

Josh has been involved in the arts in one form or another his whole life. In college his main focus was metal working and jewelry but in his third year he received a camera as a gift and decided to move to downtown Chicago to further his education in photography. In 2006, Josh graduated from Columbia College with a BFA in photography. He always had an interest in old cars and it wasn’t until his twentieth birthday when his ol’ man let him take out the 69′ flh for his first ride, that his love for the motorcycle grew. Josh always kept photography and iron separated. His main focus was commercial and fine art photography but it was only natural for him to end up in the custom motorcycle and hot rod world. He began shooting and still shoots for himself. The focus never was to have work published in the motorcycle publications. He just starting shooting the way he knew was best and things started to move rather quick. Josh now contributes to pretty much every American motorcycle magazine, as well as a handful of traditional hot rod publications and rags all over Europe as well. He doesn’t want to be known as just photographer but some one that lives the motorcycle life style. He’d rather be complimented on his riding skills than the images he creates. Life as a freelance photographer can be hard and Josh says if it wasn’t for all of his great friends in the industry he couldn’t continue doing it. All he needs is some peanut butter, a Mexican blanket and a bunch of great friends to tear up the road.  Contact Josh info@joshkurpius.com Or Visit His Web Site At www.joshkurpius.com

Geno Stull:
(PR/ Journalist/ Photographer)

Born in pittsburgh PA, Gene has all ready put one career in the record books and he's only 23.  Born Gene Alan Stull on september 20 1984,  His father being an avid motorcycle rider as well, it's no wonder Gene was on two wheels at age four.  Three years later Gene took to the race track and was dominant right from the start of his career.  After winning his first two amateur national championships in 1995,  American Team Suzuki Signed the young rider to a factory amateur contract under the guidance of the highly praised Pat Alexander.  All though Gene had a very illustrious career, winning fifteen amateur titles in all,  injuries would find the talented rider leading a life away from motocross.  His passion for motorcycles will always be evident,  It was no suprise to see Gene find his way onto the road course aboard a Cerini HD Buell XB 12.  The future of motorcycling for this guy is ever changing,  As of now plans are in place to see this PA native aboard a V-twin based bike at the 2008 BUBS motorcycle time trials.  He plans on racing supermoto in the near future as well.  
          
         Whenever he's not cruising his street glide, he's riding dirtbikes in the woods or on a track somewhere.  Photography and videography have found the way into his life as of recent as well.  When asked what he has planned for his future, this is the statement we got.  Gene - " I seem to have gypsy blood in me, I just want to keep on keeping on ! "  

Coleen Swartz - Photographer:
(Columnist/ Photographer) 

  A shutterbug all of her life, Colleen Swartz and JP Persitza started "Digital Magic BigShots" in 2001 and Colleen became a full-time motorcycle photographer. Shooting feature bikes for magazines, taking promotional and personal vanity shots and having a photo platform that Colleen and JP take to major bike rallies all over the country, you can find Colleen on the road most of the year traveling with a bevy of beautiful women and having the time of her life. You can see her work featured in publications such as American Iron, Street Chopper, Rapid Bike (Australia), Barnett's, The Horse, Quick Throttle and of course, Cycle Source. Also a writer, Colleen has a monthly column, "From Behind the Lens" which merges Andy Rooney with hormones to take a humorous and definitive look at the motorcycle world as seen from Colleen's perspective. You can see more of Colleen's work and read her column by visiting her website at www.digitalmagicbigshots.com.  

Sarah JordanHazy "Pinky": (Columnist) 

  I have been writing off and on for Cyclesource Magazine for the past 5 years... When Cyclesource was about to go national Chris asked me if I would be interested in writing a monthly music column...my answer was "Hell Yeah"... I love music...it is one of my main passions! I bartend at the 31st Pub here in Pittsburgh which is solely a live music venue. So I have seen my share of awesome bands both local and national...I love to travel and go to bike events... which I must say have greatly improved the variety of music they choose to entertain the crowd. Hey...Billy Idol has even played Sturgis a few times...Rock On! Full Throttle Rock will continue to be a monthly column... so if you think your band has what it takes or if you have any suggestions on future reviews feel free to email me at pinkangel13@comcast.net  

Jean "Honey Girl" Munier:

For any questions about subscriptions, billing, ad rates, or general office questions  E-Mail  "Jean" at The Cycle Source Main office  cyclesourcemain@comcast.net