Putting the Soul back into Solstice

The Original Reason for the Season

All things are connected. Did you know that this is the origin of The Yin and Yang symbol? The ancient Chinese projected the line that the shadow of a pole makes on a gridded circle for a period of a year and then darked one side.

The days will now be getting longer!

The Joe Hurst Blog presents: The Blue Bike

Since becoming friends, Joe has sent me a lot of cool photos and for awhile there, the blog was in danger of a coup d'état. Since it's been awhile, and the threat has subsided, it's time to share some more from his archives.

Circa 1970. Joe just calls it the Blue Bike but, it's actually the Hustler redone with less rake, a shorter springer, a Harley Sprint tank, and of course, blue paint.


Great roadside shot. I'm loving the pan too.


A bit later with fish tail up-sweeps.


Joe out on the road. This photo is interesting for two reasons. 1. Joe's wearing one of those cool Harley shirts with the psychedelic font from a page in a 1970 parts and accessories catalog as posted here in Dec. 2009. 2. He's also wearing one of those heavy duty wide leather wrist/watch bands. Joe says he had it made with a cover to protect his watch, and as far as he knows, was the first to wear one. Did Joe invent them? At one time they were quite the rage. I could easily see how they might make a comeback... at least within the retro chopper scene.

TMH Part 2 The Stripped Dresser Part 1

Here's my painting that I modified for This Month's Header.

The Harley art (below), for the 1958 model brochure served as inspiration. At the time I only had a postage stamp sized image for reference and thought it was cool so, wanted to do something like it only with more of a 60's look. The bike was made a 1960 model by changing the gas tank paint, emblem, and a headlight nacelle. I used the rocket graphic from that eras saddlebags along with some stars for the background which sort of gives it a Jetsons feel.

I call this style of Harley a "stripped dresser" since from about the 60's onward, FL's were pretty much sold with windshields, saddlebags, luggage racks, spot lamps, parking lights/turn signals, etc.

Rigid frame bikes definitely make the best choppers and bob jobs but, in my opinion, the Duo-Glides look even better when it comes to this stripped down elemental form.

Prescription For A Bob Job

Dr. Sprocket (aka Rich Ostrander), recently set a couple of photos of a knucklehead he just finished for his old friend Chuck V. He didn't give any info but it looks to be a '47 with various rare sourced vintage parts.

Note the front twin leading shoe brake and at the rockers suspension dampeners. Aluminum tool box and taillight are both Crocker parts.


Hollywood bars, 18" wheels, front hub cap, 6" inch air cleaner and rectangular foot boards from the late '30's are all nice touches. I'm guessing that the pipes are vintage Superior.

Being stripped down and yet retaining so much of a Harley's vintage styling just might make Bob Jobs the best all around bikes of them all.
Bobber!
Bobber!
Bobber!

Doc Holiday's Witch Street Chopper May 1970

Back in November of 2010 I posted The Witch as featured in Roth's Choppers Magazine (click Here to view it), and also used it for this last October's Header. Therefore, I figured some of you might like to see the Street Chopper feature since it has better details and shows how the bike changed some. I reformatted the article so that it would fit the blog and make it easier to read the captions.

Once again it was also the cover bike. Instead of the original metal flake, the bike was repainted a candy orange. I like the former better.


Check the custom touches like the peanut tank's chromed side panels, the hex down tubes and pin striping as you view the photos. Very much like the stuff you'd see on a Von Dutch custom.




Custom Cycle Engineering Finned Dish Pans were now installed.


Randy of Gardena as in Smith repainted the witch again but I like his first witch better. Go back to my October 2011 header post to compare.


Note the very high position of the brake pedal. Back in the 60's, a lot of guys liked the radical (but not very practical), look it gave. The small photo shows a high clutch pedal as well.


The sissy bar now sports what I call the South Bay Swoop. Again, the paint and the metal work looks Von Dutch inspired.


The bullet taillights are cool, but note the broken license plate frame.

This bike may relate to more posts than any other to date. As evidence, check the Labels/links below.

This Month's Header-Merry F'ing Christmas

Can you believe it's already December?

Sorry about the lack of post but, being busy and leaving town for the Thanksgiving holiday, not much could be done about it. It's so bad that I'm posting this month's header back to back with last month's somewhat late explanation.

This art (re-worked for the season), is based on a piece I did several years ago. Why do I bother since, for the most part, I dread Christmas?

Later in the month, I'll reveal the art it is based on plus some ramblings on a related topic. I'll try to make up for the recent lack of post.