Street Chopper 40th Party

Jeff over at SC knows how to throw a par-tay. Great choice on the location, dude. The talent in the bar was great, shitloads of bike parking, just a real low-key, but classy deal. Thanks for having us. McGoo shot some pics with his new super-cam but in the meantime, thanks to Chris over at Blue Collar Moto for letting me poach these.

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Sunday Clay

SO much cheaper and easier to build choppers out of this foam/clay stuff.
Bratstyle with the brats.
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On Any Sunday (outro)

Screw Rodeo Drive, I'll Take Grand Ave.

So there is this road on the west side of Lake Elsinore where you can find the most random stuff pushed to shoulder with a hand-drawn sign next to it. You can always count on a solid pre-70's pickup or two, a gaggle of decrepit camping trailers that are screaming for a refurb, an old rusty Virago or some other tasty must-have item of yard art on this little stretch of tarmac. Cruising this fine boulevard today, I slammed on the brakes and my kid said "Was that a Panhead?" Good eyes, youngun, you might turn out OK afterall. Of course we did a U-turn quicker than Bachanora gets you drunk and checked it out. '48 frame, STD cases, OG heads and the owner has the original cases too. Out of my price range for sure, but was startling to see a pan chained to the fence with a for sale sign. I shot the number in the photo, if you are interested, call Jeff. That's a 951 area code.

$2300. Negotiable.
I'm pretty sure it was a real Meyers too. Why do they tempt me? oh, why?

Sooooooo rad.

Finally! Something that I could afford.
$5.00
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Greasebag Jamboree

Check out the Biltwell Helmet striped by Shawn Long at Imperial House. Some lucky rider will walk away with this thing in two weeks at the annual Greasebag Jamboree in Laconia, NH. Shawn's work is always off the hook, but this is one of my favorites. The whole asymmetrical rising phoenix on acid thing rules. Grail has buckets of other swag to give out at the event, so make sure to check it out.
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Swap Meet Sunday

Three-time Diablo Runner and Ride BMX editor Keith Mulligan blogged his experience at last month's Long Beach Swap Meet. Read about the BMX booty that's available at this SoCal institution here.

Sunday Swap in Oceanside

On Any Sunday

TEAM VAN UPGRADE

I wish.
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Chicago Run: Violation Tour June 25-29

Violation Tour 2009

Grass roots riding/camping/whatever. Looks like fun. The idea of camping at/behind a bar to a Southern Californian is so weird, in a cool way. Try that shit at the San Franciscan in Torrance or Sportys in Corona and SWAT would roll everyone up in about five minutes. Good luck guys, can't wait to see how it goes.
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JD is the King

Super nice guy with a super nice new bike.
Glad the Forward Controls worked out for you JD.
Click the riding photo above to enjoy it actual size.
Bitchin' shot by Paul Harold.

Check out his scene and buy some music here: JDKing blog
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Huber Unearths a Viet Nam Time Capsule

So fine '69! This note from our buddy Chris Huber just came in. Hopefully he'll get it running in time for the Street Chopper party tomorrow. Don't worry, the only plans for the machine other than getting it running again is to ditch the bullet hole sticker. Luckily he had the lovely Laura with him to snap a couple pics and dig deeper with the seller to get the history on the bike.


From Chris:
Well, I was chopperless for about a month and I just couldn't handle it. Searched around on craigslist and found an ad out of the High Desert that said (oldschool triumph chop. Ran in 1995 when I parked it bcuz of the helmet law. Price $2500). Called the guy up and told him I wanted to come check it out last night after work. Drove out to Hesperia (yes Steve, Hesperia...literally blocks from where you and I were driving around weeks ago and I said "I bet there is chopper gold out here"). Rick, the owner was an old club guy with a garage full of bikes and this time capsule sitting in the middle. His best friend bought it from Burbank Triumph in 1970. Burbank Triumph at that point was building factory triumphs into choppers and this is one of them. They would Bob the fender, repaint the bike, change out the bars and put on a Denvers front end (that is a real deal Denvers front end). His buddy had to have it and he told the story of them both rolling up on their Honda choppers to get this bike like it was yesterday. His buddy shipped out to Vietnam a few months later and returned twice and they rode around the streets of Redondo Beach. His buddy the original owner went back to Vietnam for a third tour and was listed MIA in 1972. That same year the original owners Mom sold the bike to "rick" the guy I bought it from who has kept it running for the last 37 years. I offered him 2 grand in cash and he said "you just bought yourself a chopper". A box full of extra parts as well including sissy bars, pegs and other chopper artifact's. Some new oil and a few other odds and ends and I think she'll start right up! I'm gonna have to start smoking more pot if I roll this machine. I'm thinking sandals and swimming trunks will be essential riding gear for this bike.
Sorry for the long email, had to tell the story to somebody...kinda stoked...ha!@

SPFFSP
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Fiction, Photos, Articles, Ribaldry

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CRO Gets the Bends

The Shop Truck.
"It's gonna be a simple bike for bangin' round town running errands and such. Nuthin' special, just some old cone FLH I came up on", says Caleb.
Uh, huh. I can tell already!
This dude is a poster child for DIY Pipe Kits...
Jim Beam on the way!
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FS: 89 FXST in VEGAS

I kind of hate to participate in this, but if he's gotta sell, we'll bump it here see if it helps. This ain't no princess truck-riding emo-tard fashion-mobile. Just a nicely modded ST that's meant to be ridden, sold by a trustworth fella. I'll send a free helmet to whoever buys it at full price. This info from Eric:

1989 FXST,top end rebuilt in "07" heads are ported,9 to 1 arias rivera pistons,Andrews EV46 cam,Jims lifters,S&S reed valve breather,S&S oil pump,S&S Super E carb with XXX Carburetors Booster Venturi. Primo Rivera 1 1/2 in belt drive Brute clutch. FL fork tubes with short progressive spring kit,lowering kit on rear shocks,18 in apes but I could put the wide cruiser bars if wanted,(note: Front spool wheel not included)buyer will have a choice of original 21in wheel with dunlop tire or 16in wheel with 5.10 tire. Mid fifties Rolls Royce fog lamp retrofitted with a hi beam halogen bulb. New stator. This bike is pretty much "Outlaw" no speedo,turn sigs,no frt brake,Jockey Shift. Runs real good. not your typical soft tail. Buyer has option of saddle bag with tail light or tail light with lic plate mount. Some of you have seen it at the EDR07,08 Gypsy run 07,chopmeet08,The Bash, SOW 06,07,08. Have xtra parts.....
$6666.00
call me 702-400-1463 in Las Vegas
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Trumpet Transformation

Freshly finished unit Triumph by Mark up in Vancouver.

Paint kills! It's done by his buddy Myk Rock.

Check the photo with the blue paint, this is how he got it. Enjoy that super sketchy springer/steer tube! The last owner have been a Cannondale or Hannebrink fan back in the day. I'm glad Mark swapped it out, that thing looks shadier than a five dollar pistol.

Biltwell Solo Seat in Black Diamond Tuck and
4130 Chromoly Solo Seat Hinge look right at home.



His goal? "To build something that scares the squares!" Nice work Mark, I'd say you nailed it. Thanks for letting us post it up here, and in the Customer's Bikes gallery.
Check out his BLOG while yer' at it...
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The Pitch

BASH MASH!

I poached a bunch of BASH photos from various locations around the innerwebs and made a big old random collage for your enjoyment. It's just one big long scroll, so let it load and have at it. It's my favorite 100 photos. If you unknowingly donated your images to us, thanks!

Check 'em out HERE.
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Sometimes

There is always more events in a weekend than you can make. They all are great and the people that put them on are totally appreciated. Its always fun to go and see good friends, some fun bikes and make a short ride out of it. But nothin beats the road trip! Just getting out and going. Camping, 2 lanes, country air, dive diners and small towns, reservations and being off the grid as much as you can. Its not my time just yet but it sounds like the best idea and what I want to do more than anything right now. Pick a direction and get lost this summer.

The Case for Working with Your Hands

Recently there was a great story in the NY Times, contrasting some of the differences in the contemporary job market and how fixing mechanical things isn't all that bad after all. The author is a well educated dude who dropped out of his cubicle and now fixes old motorcycles for a living. Maybe not as sexy as it reads, huh Wes? But it sure beats the hell out of prairie-dogging and TPS reports. Here's a couple of my favorite quotes:

"If the goal is to earn a living, then, maybe it isn’t really true that 18-year-olds need to be imparted with a sense of panic about getting into college (though they certainly need to learn). Some people are hustled off to college, then to the cubicle, against their own inclinations and natural bents, when they would rather be learning to build things or fix things. One shop teacher suggested to me that “in schools, we create artificial learning environments for our children that they know to be contrived and undeserving of their full attention and engagement. Without the opportunity to learn through the hands, the world remains abstract and distant, and the passions for learning will not be engaged.”

In the boardrooms of Wall Street and the corridors of Pennsylvania Avenue, I don’t think you’ll see a yellow sign that says “Think Safety!” as you do on job sites and in many repair shops, no doubt because those who sit on the swivel chairs tend to live remote from the consequences of the decisions they make."

Read the story HERE
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Street Chopper 40th

We've postponed the Salton Sea ride two weeks so we can go to this shindig.
Be there or be square!
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Sidecar Action

How stoked is Eli going to be with these pics in about twenty years?

So the side car on that old 76 FLH I picked up out in Havasu last year made it's way out to Jersey around December. Walt, (Kickstart Cycle Supply, best Biltwell dealer in NJ...) wanted that thing SO bad. Almost a year later, he's fitted it to his shovel, given Eli a good ride and had his WWII/Korea-vet father-in-law ride in it for a local Memorial Day parade. Mission Accomplished dude! After all that, he hates it. Anyone wanna buy a HD sidecar chassis with an aluminum aircraft drop tank turned side car body? Hit him up if you're interested!
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