Wild Angels Dragon Bike Update

There's no way that this title would fly today.


Last December I did a post on the original dragon bike and showed these tanks.
Here's a direct link to that Original post

Sunday at the LB swap meet , I talked to the owner of what was left of the original Wild Angels Dragon bike. He informed me that he recently sold it. He wouldn't give any names but, says it's now been rebuilt and watch for it as it will surface soon at a museum. He said it's all been verified and photos were taken with Fonda etc. Several so-called experts confirmed that the tanks were painted by Von Dutch. It was supposed to be in Michael Lichter's Rebel Rousers Icons MC show at Sturgis this year but, he didn't think it will make it.... Well it looks like it might have?

Is this really it? Sneak peek from the Rebel Rousers show.

Inquiring minds want to know. Is this the original, how much of it, or another replica?

There are four problems with the bike as shown. 1. These tanks don't look right to me. They look repainted and like the after market ones which always look too fat at the rear. Perhaps, the original tanks weren't used because of the chips and were kept as a valuable relic of Von Dutch's work. 2. The original bike's license and tail light was on the right side (check the title picture at the top). 3. The ape hangers look too tall. 4. Not real sure about the thickness of that back rest?
I hate when they get stuff like this wrong and there's just no excuse.

One other thing seems to have been confirmed though. Big Scott, the owner of the Wax Museum replica and I were talking about the film bike and he mentioned how he thought it had a Bates sprung seat with a separate one piece pillion and back rest. It's was very hard to tell from the movie and stills. You could see the springs but not much else. It appears he is right.


I forgot to mention. A couple of weeks ago I was invited to the private reception on Aug.4th. If I had been able to make it to Sturgis, I would have been able to check it out first hand. Damn!

This Month's Header, Fast Times at Downey High

To many, August means Sturgis. I chose this month' art since it's a group of riders on a run.

It's hard to recall exactly how things went
The year was 1973, I was 17 and a senior in high school. We were given an assignment in the senior art class for a PTA contest called, "This is Our Country".

This page from the Jan. 1973 issue of Street Chopper served as the basis for the art.


Our Art teacher first assigned us to do a pencil drawing, then it would be done in watercolors.


This is probably the oldest painting I have. Up until that time I mostly drew with pen and pencils. I did several chopper themed artworks in my art classes that year.


April 6,1973. This photo ran on the "Women's Page" in the local paper called the Southeast News. Our school's principal is holding my art yet they put me in the back. It's hard to see but the award (shown below), is attached to the art.


April 1st. Not exactly the best day to tell somebody they won something. I thought it was pretty cool of the PTA to give an award to art depicting choppers.

Iron (Clad), Crosses

You may or may not know of the half track trike but this one's another story.

Still trying to figure out the nose art.

Long Beach Swap 7/26/09

Some shots from Sunday's swap meet.

Kaptain Knievel. It would be fun to have a Sportster street tracker.


Hot Chicks?... Sexy Pipes? Proof that at least one set of these were sold.


What do you call a bike like this? Sort of a Fat Bob Dressed Chopper. You tend to see these types of bikes at swap meets. Bikes that have all kinds of little custom features and touches of creativity.


Note the kicker cover type electric starter. While I appreciate the engineering, I don't totally see the benefit of this set up. This starter system was featured on Bikernet.com a bit ago.


Shoot'in the breeze while shopping for shovels.


That's one "S" load of shovels. And I thought they all left the country.


I overheard that this was a Von Dutch piece. Sure seems like I've seen it somewhere before. I believe it's steel. Possibly from a Beemer or Brit bike?


I'm sorry but, sometimes I get more of a kick from what's in the background of a photo. That defies gravity! No Photoshop folks. My apologies to the bike's owner, I was truly just shooting the bike.


Cool color. Hard tail stretch is a tad long for my taste.


In a sea of newness. Yet another example of an old swap meet blend bike. Bike served as an advertisement for the owners engraving skills.


Along with engraving, it makes use of bullets, horse shoes, chains, and barbed wire. It just doesn't make sense (to me), to put a great old mill in a after market frame.


I like it.


Noot will appreciate these. Trivia question: Can anybody tell me (besides Noot or Dr. Sprocket), what's special about the bags? Just some stuff I bought.

Loving It

Jeremiah came out to sell at the Long Beach Swap Meet on Sunday. It worked out very well. We met and he picked up the XL forks I posted on the blog. I was hoping someone who would put them to good use would fetch them. If you don't know of him or Love Cycles, you live under a rock. He builds some nice 60's style machines. Go see what he loves.

More Stupid Shit

This isn't quite as bad as the 4 engine 45 built for 5. After all, they only make a quarter million new Harleys each year.

It appears to say, "The Worlds Only 10 Passenger Service Motorcycle". Let's hope so.

The Thing

I had seen some old pictures of this bike on some other blogs awhile ago and I was surprised to find that it's still around. It's in a feature on Bikernet.com right now along with a new Evo version of the bike built by the original bike's builder son. It's too bad the feature is mostly focused on the newer bike. Perhaps there's plans for another feature? It also appears the Thing now has new S&S cases. Makes me wonder how much of the original is intact? Yes, I know, racing engines tend to blow up.

Warning!... there's a couple of scantily clad women blocking most views of the bike. http://www.bikernet.com/bikebarn


I just found this old shot I had saved.

Dr. Sprocket Found

Those of you who read this and some notable other blogs, have probably read comments posted from the elusive Dr. Sprocket. Up until now it was believed that no photos of him existed. There had even been rumors that his image would not appear on film! After an exhaustive search by a hired P.I., this sole image was discovered.

The modest Dr. ID 'ed with an alias (not his real name), surrounded by his admirers from the CA Mens Colony/Big Bike Magazine Prison Show circa 1972. I think it was the tank top and bearing all that skin that sealed the deal.


Next, a package from the Dr. mysteriously appeared in my PO Box. It's thought that it is was intended as a bribe to not run the prison photo. Be patient, there's a ton of Top Secret images on that disc and I have to get a proper clearance from government officials before posting any of it's contents.

More Fresno's Finest '73

Most have shied away from extreme forks but you got to admit, this thing is cool. The article states that this type of bike was already becoming a minority in Fresno as the trend was moving towards tight bikes. For the record, '37 Indian forks 28" over.


The trend may have been moving towards tight but they featured several long bikes. This one has an elegance to it.


It's the '70s so it's a Tank Top, not Wife Beater.

Apollo 11

A topic of great pride and shame.

It should be a National Holiday! Here's to the smart and brave souls who once dreamed and made it possible.


Not only as Americans but, as humans, we should all be proud of this achievement of will and scientific curiosity.

On the other hand, we should be ashamed that 40 years has past and we no longer care about these types of positive scientific goals. Not to mention, the dumbing down of a society that pollutes the internet with stupid Moon landing hoax conspiracy theories.

A good site for debunking the Hoax Believers: http://www.badastronomy.com/bad/tv/foxapollo.html

One of the only uplifting things on TV is NOVA Science Now, Tuesday nights on PBS. Check it out, it might give you hope.

The Early 70's...

Rocked!
Sometimes I forget how cool it was.

Custom Chopper was probably my favorite magazine at that time.


I usually don't dig chops with stretched frames and long narrowed wide glides as much as I do on this ride. This bike is just about perfect. It was somewhat rare to run a rear 18" at that time.


Fashion was still influenced by the 60's. It was cool that they just used the guy's girl friends for models instead of the (strippers), poser models of today.



Peace signs and...


... bell bottoms.

Hopefully this post will keep M.D. from getting the blues again.

The Best of Henry's St. Chopper Show, Part 4, Not a Bobber Panhead

If you've gone way back on this blog you probably know that I have a problem with the way the "B" word is thrown around these days.

Now, just because this bike has a fat 16 incher up front, that don't make it a "Bobber". For that matter, if it had a 21, tons of dudes would still be calling it one. Seems like folks think a bike needs to have at least 15" over forks to be a chopper ...No Sir!

This bike is an example of early '60's style chop that just also happens to have a fat tire in front and that's cool.


Now here's a custom that maintains a rough and tumble look.


In many ways it's a very practical street chopper.


You might have noticed the finned dishpans, carb cover, magneto, kick pedal, classic oil filter, and Bates foot pegs but, how about that foot shift linkage on the brake pedal and the pushrod keepers that are spun to the back?


Cocktails anyone? A simple sissy bar, bullet tail light and cloth wiring are all nice touches.


The early style of nearly vertical up sweeps has been absent from the custom bike scene until lately. I'm glad to see it's back. Nice vintage tuck and roll Bates seats. P-pad is being put to proper use, keeping the riders tail bone supported.


The custom handlebars (sans risers), connect to the top tree like the stock bars do. You tend see this done in Japan much more than the states. I'm a big fan of the internal throttle. Keeping the mirror off the bars helps keep them clean too. Chroming only the front of the springer was the right decision. Steering dampeners are usually missing on customs. The fat tire may be the reason to have retained it.


One last peak. The bike has a good tight stance. Frisco mounted tank, seat and pipe angle, handlebar height, and matching wheels, all contribute to the look.

No Choppers!