Ed Roth Choppers Magazine

A couple years ago, our pal Sumo (who happens to sling Biltwell parts under the name Vintage Chop in the UK), posted up some great scans of 6 issues of Roth's original Choppers Magazine. Problem was, they were hell on the servers when everyone started downloading the large PDF files. I've finally gotten off my ass and resaved them all as jpegs and posted them on my flickr account so you can browse them, poach them, whatever. They are a gold mine of info and illustration, along with the best period bikes and tips on everything from riding in a pack to picking a seat style. Check 'em out here.
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You're Doing It Wrong

The Marlboro Man

Much has been written about this Marine's story over the last few years. Accidental poster child wrestles hard with PTSD after Iraq. Somewhere along the way if the account I read was true, he got a little therapy from riding his motorcycle. Here's to you Miller, we're still proud of you and I hope you and everyone else who has seen what you have find some peace.
Happy Memorial Day

update: I found the original two-part story by the LA Times photog who took this photo and later tried to understand and help Miller. It's a long read and worth your time. Two Lives Blurred Together
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Vantastic Monday

Off into the sunset.
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Moto Morini Scrambler

Put this on my want list.

Too bad it's not coming to America.
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Flickr Found Vol. 13

Check this poster/calendar from '73. Perfect slabside shovel and the girls are all natural. This is what the painter has to say about it: This is one of my bikes photographed in my garage with a 12 foot paper drape as background. I hired the models and had a pro shoot the session. Hand silkscreen printed 2000 23x35 calendars as shop giveaways. Check out more of McWont's photo sets here, including a tidy flame job how-to and painter's tips and tricks. It's mostly modern style, but you can still learn from it.
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Scrambler Curious?

Walt and a couple other guys have been talking Scramblers lately.
Jersey Joe beats his like a rabid dog and so do a few others.
Check this 300+ page thread on ADV rider about them: Scrambled.
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Evel Knievel

America's favorite Dead Sailor.

Lest we forget.
69 years of raising hell.
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Sucker Punch Sally's in AZ

Christian and Rachel at Sucker Punch Sally's are rulers and gave us an open invite to help set up a Biltwell section in the showroom of their facility in Scottsdale AZ. I took down a load of stuff and will be back next month when I have bars and some stainless cast parts instock to add to the display. These guys are great and build some of the best custom bikes to come out of any factory. They always seem to treat us like family and we are stoked to have stuff in ther shop and on some of the bikes they build as well as some of the shop guys bikes too. THANKS!!!!!

Hey, Nice Tips!

Caleb and JD over at Cro Customs are building an Evo Sporty (who isn't?) and wanted to use one of our DIY pipe kits of course. Leave it to this pair to figure out a creative way to make some nice flared ends. Just trim the flat part of the pan head flanges off and wal-lah! Now you've got some nice little cone shaped exits. Cut them at an angle like these dudes did and they'll even turn out a bit. I hate to brag, this kit is one of those things that just gets better with time. If you haven't made a set of pipes with one yet, don't be a douche, just do it.

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Asshole Joe

Home on leave from Kosovo. Keep it rubberside down brother.
Yes, it is an Awesome World.
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Tyler, is that you?

Sorry, the links on this post were jacked up, they are fixed now.

I swear this is Tyler from Lowbrow...



Speaking of Tyler, he's giving away a free helmet to a random dude on his mailing list. It starts on his next e-letter. If you haven't signed up to receive the Lowbrow Letter yet, it's always packed with new stuff, specials, etc. Sign up here.
Or just go to the Lowbrow Customs site and sign up from there.
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BIltwell Chris's Pan in June Cycle Source

Our good friend and tireless magazine publisher Chris Callen at Cycle Source magazine shot our very own Chris Collins and his ever-evolving Panhead for next month's issue. Look for the June 2009 issue of Cycle Source wherever great magazines are sold.

Tanks for the memories...

While you are in Brooklyn looking for this lonely M1A1, stop by the Bar Matchelss and watch Free to Wander. I've been meaning to say something nice about this movie since it features some righteous guys that we are lucky to know and is well put together. There, I did it , finally. Anyway, go, it's a great bar. And you may find a tank...

This Saturday,,
Beer,,
Movie,,
In Green point ,Brooklyn,,
Bar Matchless
557 Manhattan Ave

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Poached...

...this Hondachop from Turbo-Weasel on FLICKR.
Dig that cross bar and speedo (or is it the tach?)

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The Pitch

Bubblelicious!

I love parts that are now rare, but that you can tell were modified back when no one thought it would matter. Take the hideously repaired bubble bag completely insulated to act as a beer cooler for instance. I've been looking for a set of these for a while now and thanks to Johnny just down the street for the sweet deal! Now that is a rich patina.
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Make a Tank?!

Got these files from Brobeck and the boys at SacredSteel. Neat stuff, they just ran it in the latest issue of Street Chopper magazine, which by the way was a home run this month. Crammed with good bikes, decent tech, etc. Totally relevant book in my opinion. That's hard to do months in advance. Anyway, check out these comics...
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Oh, Mann!

Here's a little slide show of a good collection of David Mann's classic centerfold paintings. You can poach from my flickr set HERE. Sorry they aren't bigger...
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Cash

One of the few things I don't get tired of...
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