Featured Rider Jose Gallina

Featured Rider: Jose Gallina

Current city, state: Orange County, California

Number of years riding: About 18.

First Bike: Okay, so the first bike I started to ride around on the street was a 1959 Ducati 175SS, but it had a 250cc top and a 5-speed transmission. It belonged to a client of my father’s who had several of them, and he told me I needed to get out there and to feel free and use his bike. From there, I took care of some of my dad’s bikes and rode them around. But the first one I bought for myself was an old Yamaha SR500, and shortly after, I bought a 1998 Harley-Davidson Sportster. I loved this Sportster and ended up doing a full-custom build with it with the help of my friend Scott Jones at NOISE Cycles. From there, I just kept getting better bikes, and now I have reached the top Because I have an MV Agusta.

Current Bike: My garage today: MV Agusta F4 RR – 2019, Harley-Davidson FXDX – 2001, Aprilia RSV-4 RR ‘Misano’ #000/100 – 2020, Harley-Davidson FL Chopper – 1966, Harley-Davidson Evo Chopper – built 2012, and I still have the old SR500. Expect another top level Italian bike soon!

Favorite mod/accessories on your bike: The throttle and Pirelli Supercorsas.

Favorite piece of riding gear: My Bell Race Star DLX Flex. That helmet is incredible! It has a visor called ProTint that gets dark in the sun and clear at night!

Most memorable ride: I have a couple. One is the first time riding my MV F4 RR after I purchased it. I just couldn’t believe it. I had an F4, and it was mine; in my motorcycle brain, I had made it. The second is in 2017, when I went to Sturgis and back to LA with one of my top dawgs, Justin. It was five days total: 2 days to get there, one day there, and two days to get back. We covered about 3200 miles in those five days. We fixed a burnt stator in a car-port on a 106-degree day in Las Vegas. I did enough of a burnout in South Dakota that had me limping into SLC on steel cords. We had to ride 120 miles in the middle of the night just to get to the only open motel. One day, we spent about 250+ miles in the rain. We rode from sunset to sunrise and even got pulled over at 3:30 AM. It was awesome, and I am bummed I haven’t done a ride that long in a good while. I have plans to do more. I just have to go!

Why do you ride? Solace and that primal feeling you get from connecting to and giving your input to a machine that can move you in ways your body can’t on its own. I have to say the feeling you get while riding something as beautiful as an MV Agusta is unmatched. Everyone looks, everyone wants to know, and the ones who do know are still star-struck. 

Social media: Instagram and YouTube. There isn’t much on my YT yet, but I am ramping up to start that! I’ve got some friends who want to help me on that front! Thanks, Steve and Kay! 

If you would like to be profiled in SBI Magazine like our Featured Rider Jose Gallina, please email info@sportbikesincmag.com.

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