With the return of the Bobber, retro front ends are everywhere (including on my bikes). Every week my fax machine is spitting pictures of new Springers, new Girders & new Spring Leaf type front ends. Made in America or, unfortunately, more and more manufactured in China. Most are “me-too” products without any plus, technically […]
Archive for the 'Editorial' Category
“Tales of the Rat Fink” or the life of Ed Roth premiered September 16, 2006 at the Toronto International Film Festival. Made by filmmaker Ron Mann, with the voice of John Goodman as Roth. Goodman narrates the film looking down from heaven. Roth died at age 69 of a heart attack in 2001. I just […]
It’s 9 PM. Still at the shop listing the parts missing to finish on time a Bobber for Daytona Biketoberfest. Phone rings. A girl named Debra is on the phone asking me if I can identify any bike in less than 5 minutes. Huh, huh. Ask me to look right away at my email. I […]
Taking Orders For The New Crocker Motorcycle
Published by October 10th, 2006 in Chassis and Editorial.When the first Crocker road machines blasted onto the scene in 1936, it astonished the motorcycling community and single-handedly caused Harley-Davidson and Indian more grief than any event up to the British motorcycle invasion of the 1950’s. Founder Al Crocker invented machines that were well ahead of their time in design and function. The innovative […]
I always have been a big fan of pinstriping. Pinstriping is the signature art of Kustom Kulture. Pinstripe Planet, authored by Herb Martinez, one of the art’s most respected practitioners, is a photographic and textual celebration of this unique decorative art form, a genuine instance of motor-Americana now making its mark around the globe. An historical […]
Custom Builder Russ Tom Killed In Helicopter Crash
Published by October 9th, 2006 in Builders, Customs and Editorial.I am sad to learn that fellow custom builder Russ Tom passed away October 8th, 2006 while piloting a small helicopter. Russ Tom is best known for taking over his father motorcycle business Downtown Harley-Davidson in Seattle Washington in the late 1990’s. Russ Tom was a lover of motorcycles as well as other motor sports, especially […]
For 2007, Harley-Davidson offers Patriot Special Edition paint jobs for a dozen models. Under my criteria, it’s not a true custom ride, but it’s got just enough military detailing to let folks know who is roaring by. A red and blue accent pinstriping, an American flag on the fender and your service seal on the […]
Every week, land on my desk a lot of weird, funny, sometime useful samples or objects (to all manufacturers, please stop sending me the best chrome polisher in the world). About this one, I don’t know. It’s called Vibe Free by a company called Ride Vibe Free. The promise is to cut handlebar vibrations […]
New Star Born In Las Vegas: Custom Builder Greg Westbury
Published by October 7th, 2006 in Builders, Customs and Editorial.It was during Las Vegas Bike Fest where 25 of the best builders exhibit their new creations inside the Cashman Center, then vote between themselves to elect the winner of “Artistry In Iron”. Greg Westbury amazed his fellow builders with his new creation called “Lucky” (yes, the headline could have been “Greg Westbury gets Lucky […]
I read a lot of posts and heard a lot of comments about Choppers Inc. Billy Lane’s tragic story. I didn’t intend to publish anything about it, but a lot of people have been asking what I think of Billy. So here is my first and last public comment about him. At some point in […]
Relatively new on the Choppers scene, Joe McGlynn is a custom motorcycles enthusiast. with a passion for retro lines but designing his parts with the best AutoCAD software (most of his concepts are drawn on Alibre Design Software). McGlynn’s parts are inspired by hot rod 50s lines, but integrate graceful high tech curves that can […]
New Custom Motorcycle Builder: Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler
Published by October 3rd, 2006 in Builders, Customs and Editorial.I want to do some show biz, and Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler wants to be a custom builder! He and Bruce Rossmeyer, CEO of 13 H-D locations, including the world’s largest HD dealership located at Destination Daytona, have teamed up to design and produce "The Steven Tyler Signature Series," a one-of-a-kind collection of Steven Tyler-inspired, custom designed motorcycles. […]
Every day, I receive numerous calls with requests about custom seats. Can you do one for me? (no, if I don’t have the bike with me). Can you do the seat pan? (no again, if I don’t have your bike with me). How much? (I don’t know because I don’t know what you want). Can you tell […]
New Single-Bore Tuned Intake from S&S® Cycle
Published by October 2nd, 2006 in Editorial and Engines.“This product is a great opportunity for more V-twin enthusiasts to easily experience the difference that S&S brings to the table,” said Kurt Peterson, Customer Support Manager for S&S. It will be available through the S&S dealers at the end of October with a choice of chrome, wrinkle black powder coat, or natural aluminum finishes. Engine […]
How does it feel to be on your own riding on 2 wheels at more than 350 miles per hour? It is about 512 feet per second, so basically you’re looking at almost two football fields per second. I am talking about the new land speed record established by the Bub Enterprises two wheeled Streamliner […]
Look at this gold pinky ring. Inside is entombed one blue Viagra pill. I don’t know why I received this info. I swear I never ordered Viagra in my life, don’t carry it and don’t stock it (yet). But you are asking what it has to do with bikers? With the resurgence of choppers & […]
How To Build A Bobber: Tim Remus Knows
Published by October 1st, 2006 in Books, Chassis and Editorial.Famous motorcycles author Timothy Remus does it again. In a new DVD , Tim shows you how to build a ride-able Bobber. With this new release, from start to finish, Tim documents the assembly of two new-school custom Bobbers. The first one using an after-market rigid frame and matching sheet metal. The second is […]
Durfee Girders are back on the road. Those who have lived long enough in the custom chopper community know Durfee Girders, the attention to detail, strength, craftsmanship and pure aesthetic appeal of these retro front ends. “You can style a front end to look just about any way you want it, but if you want […]
Your Bobber will have no difficulty fitting in the bed… " Now, we’re giving customers more of everything they love with the boldest Ford Harley-Davidson F-150 ever – with all-wheel-drive capability, 22-inch polished forged-aluminum wheels and an interior that will take your breath away." says Cisco Codina, Ford group vice president, Marketing, Sales and Service. The 2007 model is the […]
Indian Motorcycles: Soon To Be Born Again. And Again. And Again.
Published by September 30th, 2006 in Customs and Editorial.It seems very serious. The revived Indian Motorcycles company will launch its new models in August 2007. Last July Indian Motorcycles announced that it has acquired big manufacturing space in Kings Mountain, west of Charlotte, North Carolina. In September it disclosed that it had raised $30 million to finance its new operations. Indian is America’s first motorcycle and […]
In addition to designing parts, bikes, traveling the country to show them, I have decided to offer the custom motorcycles community a place where I can share with you thoughts, news, tech-tips and all other things related to our passion. One of the earliest promises about the internet was that it would put some […]
