Showing posts with label Funny. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Funny. Show all posts
Monday, October 14, 2013
Fake Harley Chopper
I found this on some blog. It was in the background from a photo of another bike.
Bolt on push rods! It looks to be made from a Yamaha Star 250. It's funny the trouble some people will go to.
Friday, August 30, 2013
Don't Get Burnt!
I found this cool old CHP publication on the Vintage American Motorcycles website. The crude art work is both funny and an interesting view on how the CHP viewed choppers. I'm guessing a CHP officer drew it. The publication is probably from around 1970 and is available as a download. It has valuable information on how to detect bad numbers. On the other hand, you might say it tells thieves what and what not to do.
Some of the stuff in the glossary is amusing and really has nothing to do with the rest of the pamphlet. It's funny to see what definitions they chose to put in or left out (like Panhead). It really should have been titled as a glossary of Outlaw Terminology as opposed to Motorcycle Terminology.
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Born-Free 5 MC Art Official Photog
Monday, January 7, 2013
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Wheels Keep on Turning / The Dance of the Spokes
Back around 1979 in an Illustration class in Art School , we were given an assignment after being exposed to the art of Marcel Duchamp. I don't remember the perimeters of the assignment other than this being one of the things I came up with.
My generation grew up building models. Marcel poked fun at the art world. This was my way at poking fun at him,"conceptual art", and the model kits of the sixties.
Marcel Duchamp is considered by some as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. Before you laugh, you have to consider that he was poking fun at the art establishment but, also the first (for better or worst), to experiment with "conceptual art", decades before the term was ever coined.
Marcel's words from a website I found: "In 1913 I had the happy idea to fasten a bicycle wheel to a kitchen stool and watch it turn."
The two sides of the box I made. Having fun with how those old AMT and Revell model kits were sold as Three in One.
He continues, "The Bicycle Wheel is my first Readymade, so much so that at first it wasn't even called a Readymade. It still had little to do with the idea of the Readymade. Rather it had more to do with the idea of chance. In a way, it was simply letting things go by themselves and having a sort of created atmosphere in a studio, an apartment where you live. Probably, to help your ideas come out of your head. To set the wheel turning was very soothing, very comforting, a sort of opening of avenues on other things than material life of every day. I liked the idea of having a bicycle wheel in my studio. I enjoyed looking at it, just as I enjoyed looking at the flames dancing in a fireplace. It was like having a fireplace in my studio, the movement of the wheel reminded me of the movement of flames".
My miniature was based on the one above he made in 1951 for MOMA New York. In many ways it's the the most significant one, since it was the first to be exhibited to the art world. I'm guessing it was the one I saw in my class and art history book.
Duchamp said that the Bicycle Wheel was a "personal experiment", which was never intended to be shown to the public and wasn't formally shown in a gallery space until 1951.
The original Bicycle Wheel (l1913 France), was lost. The one to the left (also lost), was the first recreation made after Duchamp came to the USA in 1916. Many mistakingly refer to the 1916 version as the original since it's the first photographed. No, that's not me (on the right), in my studio. It's Marcel wearing a lampshade with a later recreation of the 1916 version in the sixties.
Since 1951 a few more Bicycle Wheel replicas were made. In Milan 1964, 8 were made based on the 1916 version under Duchamp's supervision and were signed. I came across one that was auctioned off for $1.7 million!
For my wheel, I used the front wheel off a Revell Chopped Hog Harley model. The fork is a cut down top fork tree from the Highway Patrol Harley model with model trees bent as legs. The stool was scratch built from balsa wood, wood dowels, and toothpicks.
Too me, there is something about the juxtaposition of the two objects. I also wonder if I'm the only one that can appreciate this strange combination of models from the sixties and art.
Now, before you shrug his concept off as stupid, think about it. 1. It wasn't Duchamp, rather the art community that made big deal of his Readymades. 2. It was a thinking machine for him to get ideas turning in his head. 3. Who can resist touching and turning a wheel? Who hasn't played with spinning a wheel, or been mesmerized by the criss cross visual flicker of the dance of the spokes?
My generation grew up building models. Marcel poked fun at the art world. This was my way at poking fun at him,"conceptual art", and the model kits of the sixties.
Marcel Duchamp is considered by some as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. Before you laugh, you have to consider that he was poking fun at the art establishment but, also the first (for better or worst), to experiment with "conceptual art", decades before the term was ever coined.
Marcel's words from a website I found: "In 1913 I had the happy idea to fasten a bicycle wheel to a kitchen stool and watch it turn."
The two sides of the box I made. Having fun with how those old AMT and Revell model kits were sold as Three in One.
He continues, "The Bicycle Wheel is my first Readymade, so much so that at first it wasn't even called a Readymade. It still had little to do with the idea of the Readymade. Rather it had more to do with the idea of chance. In a way, it was simply letting things go by themselves and having a sort of created atmosphere in a studio, an apartment where you live. Probably, to help your ideas come out of your head. To set the wheel turning was very soothing, very comforting, a sort of opening of avenues on other things than material life of every day. I liked the idea of having a bicycle wheel in my studio. I enjoyed looking at it, just as I enjoyed looking at the flames dancing in a fireplace. It was like having a fireplace in my studio, the movement of the wheel reminded me of the movement of flames".
My miniature was based on the one above he made in 1951 for MOMA New York. In many ways it's the the most significant one, since it was the first to be exhibited to the art world. I'm guessing it was the one I saw in my class and art history book.
Duchamp said that the Bicycle Wheel was a "personal experiment", which was never intended to be shown to the public and wasn't formally shown in a gallery space until 1951.
The original Bicycle Wheel (l1913 France), was lost. The one to the left (also lost), was the first recreation made after Duchamp came to the USA in 1916. Many mistakingly refer to the 1916 version as the original since it's the first photographed. No, that's not me (on the right), in my studio. It's Marcel wearing a lampshade with a later recreation of the 1916 version in the sixties.
Since 1951 a few more Bicycle Wheel replicas were made. In Milan 1964, 8 were made based on the 1916 version under Duchamp's supervision and were signed. I came across one that was auctioned off for $1.7 million!
For my wheel, I used the front wheel off a Revell Chopped Hog Harley model. The fork is a cut down top fork tree from the Highway Patrol Harley model with model trees bent as legs. The stool was scratch built from balsa wood, wood dowels, and toothpicks.
Too me, there is something about the juxtaposition of the two objects. I also wonder if I'm the only one that can appreciate this strange combination of models from the sixties and art.
Now, before you shrug his concept off as stupid, think about it. 1. It wasn't Duchamp, rather the art community that made big deal of his Readymades. 2. It was a thinking machine for him to get ideas turning in his head. 3. Who can resist touching and turning a wheel? Who hasn't played with spinning a wheel, or been mesmerized by the criss cross visual flicker of the dance of the spokes?
Thursday, September 15, 2011
German Helmets and Purple Shag Carpet
I always think folks from the past would be puzzled and or amazed by the strange combinations of stuff that emerges. Can you imagine telling a soldier during WWII, that in the future, there would be some guy wearing a German motorcycle helmet on a rig like this? What strangeness awaits us?
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Noot's Dresser
Actually, he just thought I'd like this old school '67 dresser from Sturgis. The tail piece is outrageous and those lanterns really crack me up. It's cool to see these old land barges are still being ridden.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Flocking Ecstasy
There is so much going on with this 1966 Electra-Glide and it's display it's almost hard to figure out what is what. Mirrors, lights chains, tinsel garlands, signs, trophies, drapes, skulls, devil heads, coins, and confetti.... and then there's the bike. How about that flocking paint job! (Purple Velvetex). Read what you can on the sign. It makes for one busy photograph, but it must have been fun to see in the flesh.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Born Winner
I must be the luckiest man alive! Just look at how many winnings I came into last month, and it wasn't even the whole month.
P.T. Barnum: "There's a sucker born every minute".
P.T. Barnum: "There's a sucker born every minute".
Monday, December 20, 2010
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?
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?
