Charlie "Chopper" Gilmore

Charlie grew up on a grain and livestock farm in  Northwest Iowa, where he learned about life and  freedom. His passion for motorcycles ignited in the  1960s when he, his brother Slider (a Sturgis Hall of  Fame member), and Tator (a twin-engine drag racing  champion) got their first Harleys. For over 60 years,  Charlie has ridden countless miles, including annual  trips to the Sturgis Rally.  

A graduate of South Dakota State University with a  degree in Agriculture and a U.S. Army veteran, Charlie  served as a combat platoon leader with the 101st  Airborne in Vietnam. While at Fort Benning, he honed  his skills repairing and restoring Harleys, a passion fully  supported by his wife, Toni.  Charlie’s achievements include the MRF’s prestigious  John "Farmer" Eggers Award (2010) and the NCOM  Silver Spoke Award (2022). 

A founding member of  ABATE of Iowa's District 8 and an ordained minister  and National Chaplain for the Sons of Silence, Charlie is  a fixture at motorcycle conventions and a dedicated  advocate for motorcyclists' rights. His "Price of  Freedom" presentation is legendary within the  movement.  As a skilled builder, Charlie has created twin-engine  choppers showcased in the U.S., Germany, and  Sweden, and restored hundreds of motorcycles  displayed in museums, including the Sturgis Museum.  He also supported his brother’s championship drag  racing team and his son, a former motocross racer now  competing in Harley Bagger Pro racing. Charlie  embodies the spirit of freedom and dedication to the  motorcycle community. 

Charlie grew up on a grain and livestock farm in Northwest Iowa, where he learned about life and freedom. His passion for motorcycles ignited in the early 1960s when he, his brother Slider (a Sturgis Hall of Fame member), and Tator (a twin-engine drag racing champion) got their first Harleys. For over 60 years, Charlie has ridden countless miles, including trips to Europe, Alaska, and annual trips to the Sturgis Rally.

A graduate of South Dakota State University with a degree in Agriculture and a U.S. Army veteran, Charlie served as a combat platoon leader with the 101st Airborne in Vietnam. While at Fort Benning, he honed his skills repairing and restoring Harleys, a passion fully supported by his wife, Toni.

Charlie’s achievements include the MRF’s prestigious John "Farmer" Eggers Award (2010) and the NCOM Silver Spoke Award (2022). A founding member of ABATE of Iowa's District 8 and an ordained minister and a former National Chaplain for the Sons of Silence. Charlie is a fixture at motorcycle conventions and a dedicated advocate for motorcyclists' rights. His "Price of Freedom" presentation is legendary within the movement.

As a skilled builder, Charlie has created choppers that were showcased in the U.S., Germany, and Sweden, and restored several motorcycles displayed in museums, including the Sturgis Museum.

Charlie has long supported his brother’s championship drag racing team as a pit crew member. He currently his his nephew, Cody Gilmore, a motocross racer now competing in Harley Bagger Pro racing. Charlie embodies the spirit of freedom and dedication to the motorcycle community.