A tribute on two wheels

Whether it’s the minimalist lifestyle or the independence of the open road, few things scream “freedom” quite like a motorcycle. For Randy Schultz, a 63-year-old OOIDA life member from Peterson, Iowa, his bike doesn’t just scream freedom – it salutes it.

Schultz has been behind the wheel for 45 years. He began his career in trucking in 1977, hauling cattle out of Montana. Schultz spent the next four decades as an over-the-road driver. He left the over-the-road life around five years ago and has worked as a local driver for a construction company.

The story of how Schultz got the motorcycle is nearly as fantastic as the bike itself. In April 2014, his wife, Tracy, won the custom-painted 2013 Victory Boardwalk as part of the Iowa State Lottery’s Veterans Victory second-chance drawing. In addition to the second-chance drawing, proceeds from the sale of the state lotto’s Ride to Riches tickets went to the Iowa Veterans Trust Fund – which was also prominently featured on the bike.

The Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs operates the Iowa Veterans Trust Fund. An advocacy group for veterans and their families, the organization is “dedicated to ensuring Iowa veterans, their dependents, and their survivors receive the full measure of county, state and federal benefits to which they are entitled.”

Iowa artist Ray “Bubba” Sorenson II created the original paintwork on the motorcycle. Sorenson is best known as the artist behind Iowa’s Freedom Rocks, a collection of rocks throughout the state painted to honor the various military branches and those who serve. In total, there are 99 Freedom Rocks – one in each county in the state.

While Sorenson’s work was phenomenal, Schultz said the type of paint used wouldn’t hold up to the rigors of regular driving. With that in mind, he commissioned an artist to replicate the tank Sorenson had created using paints that could stand the wear and tear of being on a bike. The rest of the design for the bike came together from there.

Five branches of the U.S. military – Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard – are represented on the bike. While Schultz is not a veteran himself, there are some personal touches as well. His father, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, is represented with a USS Shangri-La plaque at the rear of the bike near the license plate. The dog tag of Schultz’s father-in-law, Dale Roberts, graces the rear fender.

With around 140 miles on the odometer, the custom tribute piece is very much a “show bike.” Getting it to that level took some time. Schultz said he didn’t have the money to do all the work at once, so he spaced it out over time. Three years and around $12,000 later, his vision was complete and ready to hit the shows.

Schultz did his first show in 2017. He said the trophies and praise for the bike started piling up from there. Once COVID-19 hit, a lack of shows forced the bike into a trailer for two years. This year was the first time Schultz had taken the bike out since the pandemic.

It didn’t take long for the accolades to continue, as Shultz’s bike won the People’s Choice award at a show in Spencer, Iowa, this past spring. He says motorcycle enthusiasts are drawn to his bike.

“It’s amazing that that bike – when people are walking by it at the shows – when they get to my bike, they pull out their camera and take a picture of it,” he said. “I mean, they’ll walk by a hundred motorcycles, but they’ll pull their camera out when they get to my bike.”

So what is it that draws people to Schultz’s bike?

“I think it really resonates with people,” he said. “Like I say, there’s some beautiful motorcycles out there that I go up against, and so far, I’ve never gotten a second-place trophy. They’ve all been first-place trophies.” LL

Read more from Staff Writer Ryan Witkowski.