With the legendary Frank Kaisler. Check with fouracescycle.com or lowbrowcustoms.com for updates but we have these two DVDs coming out SOON!!
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Friday, April 8, 2011
Dick Allen's Blue Print
Bruce Parrish sent me these photos of Dick Allen's Blue Print. It was called the Blue Print because it was blue, but more importantly, it was planned to be the first of a series of ground up choppers built using Dick's parts and established styling cues.
Here's Bruce prepping the ultra rare Dick Allen frame for paint circa 1973. Only a few were ever produced. Dick didn't create the frame jig. For now, Bruce doesn't remember the name of the guy who Dick got it from. This was at Bruce's paint shop adjacent to Dick's in Gardena, CA. Note the Parrish Arts Logo in the background and compare it to Dick's Logo (both designed by Bruce), shown below.
This appears to be a under construction shot. The rear fender looks to be painted at this stage. Later, as on many South Bay bikes, it's chrome. Note the use of a (then), late model oil tank. The Blue Print was built for Freaky Fred Williams.
Above and below. Two of Bruce's photos from either the Tridents or the Long Beach car show.
This bike conjures up some fuzzy memories. I seem to remember seeing a feature on it and possibly another very similar bike using one of Dick's frame in a one of my now lost Custom Chopper Magazines. I know it was later featured in Street Chopper with a lighter blue paint job. More on that to come.
Here's Bruce prepping the ultra rare Dick Allen frame for paint circa 1973. Only a few were ever produced. Dick didn't create the frame jig. For now, Bruce doesn't remember the name of the guy who Dick got it from. This was at Bruce's paint shop adjacent to Dick's in Gardena, CA. Note the Parrish Arts Logo in the background and compare it to Dick's Logo (both designed by Bruce), shown below.
This appears to be a under construction shot. The rear fender looks to be painted at this stage. Later, as on many South Bay bikes, it's chrome. Note the use of a (then), late model oil tank. The Blue Print was built for Freaky Fred Williams.
Above and below. Two of Bruce's photos from either the Tridents or the Long Beach car show.
This bike conjures up some fuzzy memories. I seem to remember seeing a feature on it and possibly another very similar bike using one of Dick's frame in a one of my now lost Custom Chopper Magazines. I know it was later featured in Street Chopper with a lighter blue paint job. More on that to come.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
10 Great Motorcycle Habits to Maximize Your Riding Enjoyment and Minimize Your Risk of Death
So, now that the gremlins lurking about the Triumph are all taken care of, perhaps I can spend a bit of time writing about things other than annoying oil leaks. I found a search for "great motorcycle habits" in my stats, and I thought that sounded like a good post to write. Here goes.
1. Ride Every Day - Riding every day keeps your skills honed. If you only ride once or twice a month, you're probably spending about as much time remembering how to operate the motorcycle as you are paying attention to traffic. Operating your motorcycle should be almost reflexive, so you can focus on avoiding dangerous situations.
2. Always Try Ride Better Than You Did Yesterday - Have you got five years of riding experience, or one month's worth repeated 60 times? Try to pick better lines. Break some of your bad habits. Work on being smooth.
3. Learn How To Sit At A Stoplight Without Blipping Your Throttle - Seriously. Quit playing with that thing.
4. Minimize Your Chicken Strips - In day to day riding, it's best to have a margin of safety, so you shouldn't be riding at the limits of your bike or ability. On the other hand, it is important to know how to handle your bike at extreme angles. You should be able to ride better than you usually need to so you can handle unusual circumstances. So find a safe place and wear down the edges of your tires now and then. It's fun.
5. Stay In The Power Band - Most people ride in a higher gear than they should. If your power band starts at 7,000 RPM, try to stay around there when you're cruising. When you need power, you'll be glad to have it right there waiting for you. You'll get used to the extra racket.
6. Unless You Have Loud Pipes - OK, maybe this is habit 5.1. Whatever. If you've got crazy loud pipes, consider getting rid of them. Or just leave the bike parked, since you probably don't ride it but twice a year. And if you're not going to follow that advice, then consider not being a douche in residential areas or out where people are walking around trying to live their lives. The only person who thinks your bike sounds awesome when you're causing hearing damage is you. (Also, the only accident loud pipes MIGHT prevent is getting rear-ended. Even that is unlikely.)
Yes, some asshat with loud pipes DID wake me up this weekend. Why?
7. All The Gear, All The Time - You're not going to crash on your epic road trip through Alaska five years from now. You're going to crash a mile from your house on your way home from the gas station. It's true. Embrace your inner warrior and put that gear on.
8. Pay Attention - Situational Awareness for bikers is defined as knowing what's going on around you so you don't get creamed by an SUV. Don't space out when you're on the bike.
9. Think Ahead - Pilots call it staying in front of the airplane. Know what you're going to do next. Act, don't react. You're a rider, not a passenger.
10. Remember that riding should be totally awesome - I don't think much of riding through rain, wind, cold, or heat, on the whole. All the same, it's important to remember that despite our cozy helmets, we are out in the elements and being exposed can still be dangerous in this day and age. So if you're thinking "this sucks," instead of, "this is totally awesome," get off the road for a while until the situation is back to being totally awesome.
1. Ride Every Day - Riding every day keeps your skills honed. If you only ride once or twice a month, you're probably spending about as much time remembering how to operate the motorcycle as you are paying attention to traffic. Operating your motorcycle should be almost reflexive, so you can focus on avoiding dangerous situations.
2. Always Try Ride Better Than You Did Yesterday - Have you got five years of riding experience, or one month's worth repeated 60 times? Try to pick better lines. Break some of your bad habits. Work on being smooth.
3. Learn How To Sit At A Stoplight Without Blipping Your Throttle - Seriously. Quit playing with that thing.
4. Minimize Your Chicken Strips - In day to day riding, it's best to have a margin of safety, so you shouldn't be riding at the limits of your bike or ability. On the other hand, it is important to know how to handle your bike at extreme angles. You should be able to ride better than you usually need to so you can handle unusual circumstances. So find a safe place and wear down the edges of your tires now and then. It's fun.
5. Stay In The Power Band - Most people ride in a higher gear than they should. If your power band starts at 7,000 RPM, try to stay around there when you're cruising. When you need power, you'll be glad to have it right there waiting for you. You'll get used to the extra racket.
6. Unless You Have Loud Pipes - OK, maybe this is habit 5.1. Whatever. If you've got crazy loud pipes, consider getting rid of them. Or just leave the bike parked, since you probably don't ride it but twice a year. And if you're not going to follow that advice, then consider not being a douche in residential areas or out where people are walking around trying to live their lives. The only person who thinks your bike sounds awesome when you're causing hearing damage is you. (Also, the only accident loud pipes MIGHT prevent is getting rear-ended. Even that is unlikely.)
Yes, some asshat with loud pipes DID wake me up this weekend. Why?
7. All The Gear, All The Time - You're not going to crash on your epic road trip through Alaska five years from now. You're going to crash a mile from your house on your way home from the gas station. It's true. Embrace your inner warrior and put that gear on.
8. Pay Attention - Situational Awareness for bikers is defined as knowing what's going on around you so you don't get creamed by an SUV. Don't space out when you're on the bike.
9. Think Ahead - Pilots call it staying in front of the airplane. Know what you're going to do next. Act, don't react. You're a rider, not a passenger.
10. Remember that riding should be totally awesome - I don't think much of riding through rain, wind, cold, or heat, on the whole. All the same, it's important to remember that despite our cozy helmets, we are out in the elements and being exposed can still be dangerous in this day and age. So if you're thinking "this sucks," instead of, "this is totally awesome," get off the road for a while until the situation is back to being totally awesome.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Monday, April 4, 2011
Saturday, April 2, 2011
This Season's Header L.L.L.#3
Since the beginning of the year, I decided I'd change the header every season instead of every month. I may go back to every month but this will do for now.
Linda Vaughn (Miss Hurst), from an old Hurst Airheart ad. I never thought I'd post a Kawasaki, but I dig the composition and thought it would make a great header. Linda ain't bad either.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Time for the Summer Gear
Well, it's officially hot outside here in the Valley of the Sun. This morning it was 70 degrees outside at 6:15, and the high for today is supposed to be 98 degrees. Phew.
Yesterday it was 90 degrees on my ride home, and I had on a heavy Carhartt jacket. It was, to be honest, somewhat uncomfortable.
So, as I do every time the temperature starts heading for an extreme, I wondered if I really want to deal with it this year. And, like every year, the answer is, "Hell yes."
This morning I dug my Joe Rocket Phoenix out of the closet, and I suspect the Carhartt will be going back in to the closet shortly. Exciting times.
Yesterday it was 90 degrees on my ride home, and I had on a heavy Carhartt jacket. It was, to be honest, somewhat uncomfortable.
So, as I do every time the temperature starts heading for an extreme, I wondered if I really want to deal with it this year. And, like every year, the answer is, "Hell yes."
This morning I dug my Joe Rocket Phoenix out of the closet, and I suspect the Carhartt will be going back in to the closet shortly. Exciting times.
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