Holiday Wishes

May all your dressers be lit like a Christmas tree.

The Hustler

.... and a little more Joe Hurst history.

This time from Choppers Magazine May 1969.

Roth liked nicknames and the bikes named for the features. Roth asked Joe if he had any nicknames, Joe said no.... then Ed asked, if he liked playing pool.... Joe said said yup.

The Hustler is pretty much the prototype of what would become the South Bay Style.

If I got it straight, this was Joe's second Harley and the Shovelhead was out of Dick Allen's chrome frame bike (Wheeler Dealer Chop. Mag. Oct.'68). Joe always laments, the funds from selling his complete Panhead only got him an engine and trans.


Joe's the Godfather of the swooping double braced sissy bar and Dick Allen springers. This fork was the first one Dick Allen made. Actually second, the very first was for a Triumph, but Joe jokes, that doesn't count! The first few Dick made had Harley spring perches and top trees, later versions were completely fabricated from scratch.

From the shadow of the sissy bar, I was able detect the bike next to Joe's was his friend Jim Andrew's Grapes of Wrath. It was featured in another issue.


The tank featured a stylized "13" as on his former Panhead. The seat maker's credit is an error, Phil Ross stitched it up. As Irish Rich pointed out, this front view of the forks was used for the ads in this issue and others.


Here's the cover of the issue it was in. Not Joe's bike, but I know you guys enjoy the Choppers Magazine stuff.

Prior to this feature, the Hustler had tall stacks and had won First Place in the Street Bike Class at the Trident's custom car and bike show. More on that later.

Merry Solstice

Believe what you wish, but there's no denying that this time of year has always been linked to many traditions, ceremonies, and celebrations which were connected to the sun's rebirth. Decorated evergreen trees and the 12 festival days of Yule are just a couple examples of those old celebrations.

This art shows why we have seasons. The globe to the right is where we are now.

Christians did not always celebrate the birth of Jesus as the original focus had been on his resurrection. It's interesting how the birth of the "Son of God" is celebrated at the time of year that many ancient (and not so ancient), cultures celebrated the return or rebirth of the "Sun" which they worshiped as God.


Talk about alignment. It was rained out here on the west coast (bummed I couldn't see it), but a rare lunar eclipse that coincided with this year's solstice happened early this morning. It's been centuries since and will not happen again until 2094. Most people alive today won't see it. Makes you stop and think... and wonder what the world will be like then?

I have to admit, I like the ancients, have always been a bit relieved and happy when the days get longer each day.

And Now ...Something Completely Different

I'm not into Hondas, but it's cool.


Just in case you were wondering where it's from.

It Took A Lot Of Balls...

328 chrome ones!... to customize this '77 Harley Full Dresser.

Recently on Ebay

286 small chrome balls, 42 large chrome balls, 75 lights, 263 chrome bullets, and 23 visors to be exact.

You might say, a dresser for the "Fringe Element".

A lot of balls and horny too!

Seller said, "this bike is VERY front end heavy and will take getting used to". "this bike will NOT do 70 mph on the freeway".

Also stated, "this is an old bike that rattles, vibrates, and has seen better days. Definitely a treasure".

Really?!! ...a treasure?

The Loose Goose Lives

I didn't make it to last week's Chopper Fest, but found this shot from the show on Bikernet.com

The bike is credited to Levi Louie and is called the Loose Goose. You might recognize it from an earlier post . Yes, that's Grant Peterson stalking behind it.

Pete Millar's High Flying Santa

Pete Millar's cover art for the Jan. 1963 CAR toons. Millar did CAR toons for Peterson Publications before he started his own comic Drag cartoons.

It's not motorcycle related, but Pete is an Art Hero. Taken at an exhibition of his art the summer of 2008.

S.I.E. Sissy Bar

Vilmino of LoserRules posted a S.I.E. ad with this sissy bar in it.

This is likely the same as the one in the Dick Allen photo. I'm still not 100% sure they made mine. This one has flat fender mounts like the one Mark sent in. Mine has side mounting holes, is taller, and a license plate/taillight mount.

My '65 and More About Sissies

Another shot of my '65 survivor. Vilmino commented in the previous post that it's a S.I.E. sissy bar.

One cool thing I found out right after buying this bike is that the rear fender is an old knucklehead front fender. It's been molded smooth but I first noticed they left the holes where the original fender's supports were riveted, then I spotted it's three piece construction on the inside.


A combination one piece fender strut/sissy bar is a clean way to set up a swing arm bike. Makes for pretty good lines too.

The last owner had it since 1970 so the bike probably took on this form fairly early on. The oil tank must have been swapped out later, as the original tank (chromed), along with the stock battery box came in a box of extra parts.


Mark Schauwecker sent in a similar constructed sissy bar. He says it's NOS and has Munch Choppers Chicago stamped on the inside. He got it from a friend who bought out an old dealer (Banta's in Lancaster, Ohio), in '91.

Foot Pegs 4 Sale

SOLD

These just went up on my parts page. Go to MCparts for more info.

Mystery Sissy

A little while back, the Church of Choppers had this cool photo of Dick Allen for it's header. Upon checking out the bikes I noticed something interesting about the swing arm chopper next to him.

The sissy bar appears to be of similar construction to the one on my '65 survivor.


Enlarged detail for a better look.


My '65. I've always wondered if this sissy bar was a one off, or a production piece made by a small company or shop. A flat bar with so many bends seems like it would be hard to make. Especially because it narrows just above the fender.

I've been following the chopper scene for along time but, have not seen an ad for or another bike with this sissy bar. If anybody can shed some light, let me know.

Dick Allen Flat Tracker

On the dirt in Indio, Ca. Photo courtesy of Joe Hurst

This Month's Header

I admit it, I cheat. It's very time consuming to start from scratch, so I recycle images whenever I can.

This art was originally done in 1990 for an Art department Christmas display when I worked at Hughes Aircraft Company Space and Communications Group.


Ink up a chopper riding Santa and a few bikes, then work some Photoshop magic.

P.S. Sorry for the lack of post. I've been out of town for two weeks and it takes me awhile to get back in the blog groove.