Students get first look at Hokie Memorial bike

By Erin McGrath

Published: April 16, 2008

The early morning sun glistened off the chrome muffler, wing-shaped mirrors and orange and maroon fenders of the Virginia Tech Memorial motorcycle.

It was April 10 at Nelson County High School and students in Mike Fanelli’s automotive technology were getting a sneak peak at the bike that was built as a memorial to the 32 students killed last year at Virginia Tech.

“What’s the gear ratio?,” “Where did the engine come from?” and “Can you start it up?” were some of the questions students asked John “Homer” Wright, who coordinated the build of the bike.

Wright, 40, is a graduate of Nelson County High School. He owns and operates Milwaukee Iron 2, a motorcycle build and repair shop in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Wright said he brought the bike to the high school to give the students a chance to see it before it was unveiled in Lynchburg this past week.

“I was here, so why not?,” Wright said. “We wanted to let the kids look at it and understand that there still is some good people out there and we do care about kids.”

The bike build started in January took three weeks to finish. Parts and services from all over the United States were donated to build the bike.

Wright estimated the custom-built bike like the VT one would be worth $80,000 to $100,000.

He is touring the bike all over the United States with his fiancé, Debra Raymond and dog, Chopper, before taking it to Mandalay Bay Casino in Las Vegas to be auctioned off in October.

The money will go to scholarship funds for the students at Virginia Tech.

“This thing is designed to help some kids get an education,” Wright said.