Swap to Live/Live to Swap

Treasure trove scored at last Sunday's Long Beach Swap Meet. Ain't they purdy? Old H-D parts are like mechanical Art. I get high on this stuff.

Kawasaki Recalls 2008-2009 Vulcan Models for Gas Tank Leak

Kawasaki has issued a recall of certain 2008 Vulcan VN900C8F and VN900D8F and 2009 Vulcan VN900B9F and VN900B9FL motorcycles.

Fuel can leak from between the tank filler neck and the fuel cap gasket. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source can result in a fire.

604 units are affected.

Check out my Motorcycle Recalls feature for more details.

Gasoline Gallery Art show 9/21/08

The day after El Camino (Sunday 9/21), I rode up to Gasoline in Smell Segundo for the opening of the "In the Wind" motorcycle art exhibit. It's a cool small store/art gallery that katers to the Kustom Kulture Hot Rod scene. The name Gasoline fits well in a town named after a oil refinery.

A small group of Triumph owners, young beatniks, and hipsters were on hand when this old dude pulled up.


Every time I go there for one of these show openings, I see Slim and his bikes. Slim builds stuff in a way that Ed Roth himself would approve of. He and his bro are two downright friendly, creative, and positive dudes. Slim's available for all kinds of Fab. Keep an eye on him, or maybe two, he's going places!
www.slimsfab.com 951-217-9303

Kawa Trike by Slim



Dirt Nap by Slim


Nanook by Slim, under the watchful eye of "the man"


Brown Recluse. A lot of us got started with Minis




Ghost Rider panel by David Mann


Sara Ray Fortune Teller



Gallerama


Keith Weesner



Lacy-Sportsterson


Tat Style


Shinya


Glitter Powered!


Finks by Sara Ray


Mosaic Tile Mania


Cycho tank by Road Dog


Shinya again ya


Store Winda Shovel


Cool little Chop Bob Cub 250 a Go-Go

I met the Gallery owner (Mark), for the first time. He instructed me to send some stuff for his artist file. Who knows, maybe some of my art will be there one day?

Current show runs only through October 5th?
http://www.gasolinegallery.com/

Nuff said!

Motorcycle Pictures of the Week - Bob

Here are my Pictures of the Week as displayed on the Motorcycle Views Website. These are taken from the Moto Pic Gallery.

See Bob with his prize-winning 1982 Honda CB900 Custom. For details, see Motorcycle Pictures of the Week.

If you'd like to see your bike as Picture of the Week, submit a picture of you and your bike along with a description of the bike.

El Camino Motorcycle Show 2008

It was one of those great weekends packed full of biking good times. Last Saturday the 33rd Annual Antique Motorcycle Show was held at El Camino College.

Two oldies. Nice but, perfect museum pieces are starting to bore me

It's always one of my favorite events of the year. My brother and I decided to put our bikes in the show at the last minute. We didn't do it cause we thought we'd win but instead for the comradeship with friends, spectators, participants, and to support the event. It's also the best place to park.

The old gal must of been proud, she didn't drip like usual

Cup 'o' second

I was really surprised that my 70 shovel placed 2nd in the American Classic 1965-1988 class. It kind of makes up for when they put me in the wrong (original un-restored), class in 2006.

This very nice fresh restored red 66 took first in the 65-88 class. It had been badly damaged in a fire. Turned out a friend of mine assisted with the restoration.


Paul Wheeler's Cop Bike. Many originally sought Cop bikes and Dressers only for their chopper potential. Funny how later, the "admiration of the potential" becomes the new cool. I think that's one reason why primered rods and bikes have become cool.

I thought for sure Paul Wheeler's 67 Police bike would take first and told him so. For some reason his bike didn't even get third, he did get a Sponsor's Choice Plaque. I didn't feel too bad for him as he built the second place bike in the Bobber class and has won a ton of trophies at this and other prior events.

My score, 96 points. Not bad for a ride in 14 year old restoration

Even though this year's event was the biggest ever , it might die. Glenn Bator of Bator International is weary of throwing it. He's hosted it for the last 9 years. There was one year it didn't happen between him and the previous promoter. Hope someone steps up. It would be a shame to see this traditional event die after 33 years.

Who doesn't like a Knuckle Bobber?


Coolest bike at show? My bro though so


This Salsbury is one Meaty Scooter


Clean Knuck by Paul Wheeler


Nice Captain America replica but, is the fork is too long and raked too much?

This year Indian Lewy was a Happy Loser!

The swap meet was great (I found a nice lower fork tree for my 65), and there was a ton of nice bikes. Like always, they were not just in the show but, in the vendors booths as well. Between hunting for parts, entering the show and talking with friends, I just wasn't up to the chore of taking a bunch of pictures this year. That will do pig.

Yamaha Recalls XC50 and XF50 for Cracked Connecting Rod

Yamaha has issued a recall of certain 2007 XC50 and XF50 motorcycles.

A crack may develop on the connecting rod. If the engine continues to be run, the crack will develop further and the connecting rod may break. If the connecting rod breaks, the engine will stop and cannot be restarted increasing the risk of a crash.

4800 units are affected.

Check out my Motorcycle Recalls feature for more details.

Triumph Recalls Sprint ST1050 for Rear Suspension Defect

Triumph has issued a recall of certain 2008 Sprint ST1050 motorcycles.

There is a possibility that the single bolt that is used in the 3 positions on the rear suspension drag link assembly can become brittle and fracture.

372 units are affected.

Check out my Motorcycle Recalls feature for more details.

Triumph Wheelie, Sportster Wheelie

Drawings from 69

Two drawings I did in 69. They are among the oldest I have. Greg Parigian kept them all these years and sent copies along with the chopped Sting-Rays photo. It's really strange to see something you did after 35 years. The moment rushes back like it was yesterday. He says he has 2 more and I'd love to see them. Though they are not as polished as later work, they exhibit a freedom, passion, and raw energy that's hard to capture as an adult. The bike in the top drawing was influenced by Ed Newton's California Choppers for Ed Roth.

About the Swastika on the sissy bar. In the 60's you saw them on bikers, their bikes and in biker movies. Back then a lot of us kids thought German stuff was cool. To us the Germans were the bad guys in movies like Darth Vader was to a generation later. We didn't think of all the implications. It was just a anti-authority (establishment), symbol to us, and we thought it was wicked. The gas tank has the all seeing eye from the Then Came Bronson Sportster. The pilot/movie was shown that year.

El Camino Antique MC Show

Click on title above for more info.
A reminder for those in SOCAL . The 33rd Annual El Camino Historic Motorcycle Show & Parts Exchange is this Saturday, Sept. 20, 2008, on the upper parking structure at El Camino College in Torrance, CA.

Below: My favorite bike in the 2006 show.I have to build one of these classic styled chops one day

Bator International Shot from 2006

One of my favorite events of the year. I haven't missed it since 1985, when it was a free event held in a shopping center parking lot at one time La Mirada and La Habra. I was glad when it was moved to El Camino in 1987 since it's only about 4-5 miles from me. The only downside, the day of the event is sometimes really hot. Last year it rained hard off and on, so it wasn't the best showing.
Stock Sucks! My 70 H-D in 2006 show

In 2006, my brother and I put our bikes in the show just to park in the upper lot not expecting to win anything. My brother just wanted to exhibit his un-restored 65. I told him to have it judged and he took first place in his class. I knew I wouldn't win anything. It did win 3rd place when it was fresh in 1994, and a first in 95.
Indian Lewy is a gloomy looking winner

Chopper Concept Art

For more information on the following post, click on the title above.

From time to time, I get commissioned, to do concept work to help builders envision their projects.

Here's a couple of samples.

The first piece is an unpublished sketch I did for a Street Chopper Magazine build off series. They used a drawing (similar to the one above), I sent and then later in the series, for some unknown reason, used a weaker image drawn by somebody else. I don't know if they ever published the built bike.

Below is two color versions I did for a customer


The finished bike