The Thinker

More of Big Roy from Kerry Crist.

 Big Roy comtemplates his next move. Everything about this photo is classic Biker. It could be a David Mann painting.


Nice molding. Sadly, Big Roy past away before finishing his trike's rebuild.

Sacraknucklehead Trike

Continuing with the trike coverage, here's a Sacramento based Knucklehead trike from the early '70's.

The seats and pipes look to be inspired by Tom McMullen's Corviar trike. Photo courtesy of Dr. Sprocket.

Jasper's Trike

I still have a bunch of photos from Mr. Joe Hurst that never got posted. First up, his friend Jasper and his trike.

Joe say's Jasper (may he R.I.P.), was one cool dude.

I also have more trike photos from Dr. Sprocket and others, so like it or not...  More Tirkes To Come!

Shovelhead Blend Blog Filler

Here's a shot of my first big twin circa 1984 in Redondo Beach. It was what some call a blend bike. A 1974 FLH engine in a 1972 FX frame. At this Bob Job stage it was undergoing transformation from a Chopper to what I call a Stripped Dresser.

I've always liked the atmosphere of this shot. Digital is nice, but there's a warmth to film.

You probably would have to have been around the early eighties Harley scene to understand that. At the time fat was in and choppers were, well... sort of out.

After selling it in 1995 I wished I'd kept it to chop. 

Wise Guy Trike

The infamous Dr. Sprocket sent these vintage photos of Bob Wise's  chopped trike circa 1970.

While chronically underpowered, the 45 cubic inch falthead Serv-car makes for one cool chopper.

Talk about stance! Chopped Trikes were once very common. Even with todays re-interest in vintage choppers, you don't see that many trikes.

 It's a small world after all! The very same Bob Wise submitted the two black conept drawings for Street Chopper's (June 1972), Trick Trike contest. My art is on the facing page. I posted this a few years ago which lead to me meeting the good doctor.

Fats... The Other South Bay Builder

When it comes to South Bay Choppers one might automatically think Dick Allen, but there was another well known local builder... Fats.  I've known of him and his shop (Sportster Heaven, or was it Haven?), his brother and have a magazine featuring their bikes (The Brothers Noriega), I need to scan. Personally I don't know a lot about him. My neighbor Steve Sharp knew him well, so perhaps I'll get more dope.

Fats (R.I.P.), built his own version of the Dick Allen springer. It featured bolted/pinned trees with a square (bottom), spring perch. Steve Sharp continues to build them the Fats way. Photo sent by Joe Hurst.

Roth's California Cruiser

Ed Roth's V8 powered California Cruiser was the prototype for the Ed Roth/Dick Allen joint venture Cobra Trike kits. I'll be posting the article from this issue soon.

More South Bay Originals

Joe Hurst sent these photos which were circulating amongst the old South Bay group on Facebook. I later learned that they belong to Angel Marc.

Here's Nasty Nez with his original Loco Motion knucklehead chopper. He later gave the tank and name to Dick Allen. If you go back and look up the post of Dick's Vincent chopper you'll see the same tank. The post of Joe Hurst's White Bear before paint jamming down the 405 also shows this tank.

Here's an early photo of Dick Allen with his Chrome Frame Chopper when it had a knuckle in it. I believe this is after the Choppers Magazine article when it featured a Shovelhead. The Chrome Frame Chopper has possibly been changed and rebuilt more than any other bike out there. Party on Girl!

This Month's Header-The South Bay and Trikes

Sorry about the new all time low. Two months headers back to back without any other postings! A few things have conspired against me.  1. Blog burn out. 2. My ancient computer's browser is not supported. 3. I hate the new posting process. 4. More important issues to address. 

I hope to do better and plan to partially dedicate the next month (or two), to trike stuff and more South Bay Chopper history.

Just when you thought you'd seen every Dick Allen photo. Dick at his Artesia blvd. shop aboard the Cobra trike running mock up. Courtesy of Joe Hurst.

This Month's Header/Love Cycles...

... not the shop, but a card I made for Valentines 1991

The art was updated to show the bikes as they are today.

Denvers Choppers Shop Towel

Another cool item from Steve Sharp's garage. The real deal from Berdoo. Quite possibly the coolest shop rag around.

White Bear & Loco Motion

Photo courtesy of Joe Hurst.

 Taken at Dick Allen's house upon their return from a cross country run. Arguably two of the best examples of the South Bay Chopper.

Trailblazer

A cool photo from Steve Sharp's garage

A friend's father tears up a trail in El Segundo, CA aboard his VL Bob Job.

Big Wheels?

Pan Happy

Joe told me I need to update the blog now that his Pan's rebuild is finished.

A fresh engine. Not a bad way to start the new year.

Now he needs to get the bike done by Born-Free 5

January's Header

Happy F'ing New Year!

Old art (from 2 years ago), for a new year. Sometimes I just don't have the time to do a new header plus some are worth a second look.

Sorry about the slower pace of postings of late. I have a bunch of good stuff waiting in the wings, but it's going to be a few weeks before I'm up to speed, so hang in there.

Keeping The South Bay Torch Burning

A little over a week ago Joe Hurst called and said he was stopping by Steve Sharp's to drop off some stuff for his Panhead's rebuild. Steve is a long time Southbay Chopper builder who happens to live just up and around the corner from me and is putting together Joe's Pan. Joe needed the top end done as the bottom was already assembled. It seems a recent conversation about needing a sissy bar built turned to engine work. It's now very likely that Steve will help Joe with many aspects of the whole chrome frame bike.

The mighty harley V-twin. It's always an impressive sight when out and up on a stand. 

Steve was in the process of installing a right side electric starter on this clean Panhead which he helped a local rider build last summer.

I just found out that Steve builds Dick Allen style springers based on his old friend Fats' versions. Fats used a bolt pinned lower tree and used rectangular stock for the lower spring perch, where as Dick welded his trees and used round stock for the perch. Steve has perfected them over the years and follows Dick's theory that the bike's center of gravity is the most important factor in building a long bike that handles well. This one has off set trees as suggested by Mike Torres and per the owners request. Fats' and Dick's springers were always inline. Sugar Bear's are off set.

Here's a shot of most of the bike.

I've seen Steve blasting up the street on this same bike for the last 25 years. I had never met him in all those years, so one day about 2 years ago, I dropped by and introduced myself. One of these days, I hope to do a feature of his bike. He's also a master mechanic and drag boat builder/racer and has won many races with his home built boats.

It's great to see a couple of South Bay Chopper Veterans pair up and still doing what they've always done. Build Choppers!

Big Roy & Little Bob

More photos courtesy of Kerry Crist.

Little Big Men. Little Bob cruising with Big Roy.

Big Roy built this trike after losing his leg. Check out the unusual 'sprung' dual beer keg seats. It wasn't too uncommon for beer kegs to show up as seats or tanks on all kinds of custom vehicles in those days, but two with springs set these apart from others.

Rarin' to Go?

I don't know about Rarin' to Go, but I'm back from a very long absence. As a matter of fact the last 10 posts plus last month's header were actually done on the fly. I'll try to update the blog more often now that I'm back. There's still one big problemo. My ancient computer's operating system and browser is now way out of date, so until I rectify that, I'm stuck with using my wife's lap top for the blog. 

                          

Hustler Nights

Joe Hurst and the Hustler circa 1969.

The photo was taken around the time it won 1st Place in the Street Bike Class at the L.A. show. More on that another time. Note the high pipes. It's kind of interesting that he crouched behind it as he did for the Choppers Magazine feature 

South Bay Bike

Shawn sent in this old photo of his late father inlaw Roger Cooke's South Bay Chopper.

Proof that not all of them had Dick Allen springers. But a Sissy Bar with a South Bay Swoop and a set of collector pipes were  practicaly standard features.

The Goose Neck King

Here's some more cool photos from Mr. Hurst. These are of Skip Fisk's bike. If you were in the South Bay and wanted a Goosed frame, Skip was the man. Check any old magazine with a Goosed Chopper and Skip's name will likely be mentioned in the builder's specs.

Skip is on the left. For a Goose, it's a fairly compact chop and is the only Goose I've seen that didn't run a long springer. 

The neck itself doesn't appear to be as kicked out as seen on other Geese. It's more like the intent was to lower it than stretch it. The molding is nicely done and a bit different than most others as well.

Sac CHP

Kerry Crist sent this photo from Big Roy's collection. It's a CHP officer on his new ride (VL), at the Scaramento Bridge. I'm going to guess it's around 1934-35.

There are several interesting things about this photo. The bike has several chrome items that one wouldn't normally expect on a police bike. Most notable is the completely chromed out front wheel, hub and brake assembly with the center of the rim painted. In addition to the handle bars and crash bar, it's very surprising that the fuel line and clutch pedal and linkage recieved a dip in the chrome tank. Were these factory options, or done after the fact? The officer's uniform is pretty dapper too. Check out the winged wheel on the hat. Riding around on a slick ride all decked out and getting paid for it (especially during the Depression), sounds like a good job. Of course there is one draw back, you still have to be a cop.

Hey Doc. Sprocket. Surely you have something to add.

Another South Bay Original-Bob Red Beard

Joe Hurst does it again! Joe sent another outstanding photo from the origins of the South Bay Chopper scene.

 

Everything about this photo is bitchin! I believe it's from December 1967. Bob was one of the original chopper guys running around the South Bay in the 60's. Check out those forks. At this angle the trees almost make it look like a Vard but more likely off a British bike. If I remember correctly, Joe bought this panhead soon after in Jan.'68. It was Joe's first Harley, the one he painted purple and is doing that wheelie in that now famous photo.

This Month's Header

It's November so Autumn is in high gear.
Get out and Ride!... before the low gear of Winter kicks in.