This Month's (late and temporay?), Header

I got hung up and really late on this month's header. The photo above was the first image/idea I had in mind ....as to say, let's kick start this new year. I really prefer to use and did get started on a illustration instead, but since it's so late, this will do for now.

The photo is a from the end of the Devil's Angels, a movie that I hadn't seen in years and recently Tivo'ed. Styles come and go, but I keep coming back to this style of bike.

This Month's Header

I admit it, I cheat. It's very time consuming to start from scratch, so I recycle images whenever I can.

This art was originally done in 1990 for an Art department Christmas display when I worked at Hughes Aircraft Company Space and Communications Group.


Ink up a chopper riding Santa and a few bikes, then work some Photoshop magic.

P.S. Sorry for the lack of post. I've been out of town for two weeks and it takes me awhile to get back in the blog groove.

This Month's Header, Freaky Forks

I try to relate each header's image with something to do with the month. This time it's the cover from Roth's Choppers Magazine Nov. '69 and the drawing I did of it sometime in 1972.


For all you Choppers Magazine fans, here's the actual cover. I recently posted a few Goose-Necks, so why not a Freaky Fork?


Regardless what you think of the strange fork, it's a cool image, and it inspired me. India ink and a black color pencil on illustration board. 1972.


Here's a better look of the featured bike.


Too bad the forks got cropped in the magazine's gutter. I'm not sure his chic was dressed for a putt.

Then as now, guys have always been look'in to be different but, there's a point when it gets ridiculous. Thankfully freaky forks never really caught on.

Recycle

I'm temporarily recycling last year's art for this month's header. Hope to have a new one in a day or so.

This Month's Header

This month marks a couple of anniversaries.


Thirty five years ago, I bought my first motorcycle, a 1971 XLCH Sportster.


September 19, 1975. Downey, Ca. This photo wouldn't exist if it wasn't for my friend Zach Ananias. I was taking pictures the day I bought it when he happened to be driving by. Also, In the background is my first car, a '71 VW Super Beetle. In many ways, the Seventies, for better or worse was my era.

I therefore dedicate this month to First Rides and that great feeling you got when you took your first ride or finally got a bike of your own.

...and oh yeah... it's 2 years for the blog on the 8th.

This Month's Header, Wowed by Joe Hurst's White Bear

This is a tale that spans decades and could only have happened with the advent of the internet. It's also a tad lengthy to properly explain.


Joe Hurst's White Bear. Definitely one of my all time favorites. The mag wheels, the metal finish, and the length reminds one of the purpose built machines built for drag racing.

Certain bikes strike a nerve with each of us. That being the topic, not long ago, Chopper Dave asked his readers, "what bike did it for you"? Almost all of his respondent's comments cited recently built bikes. I added my two cents, listing only older builds. The first one's that came to mind were, Sonny Barger's yellow panhead, Roth's Oink, Dick Hirshberg's '69 shovel, and Joe Hurst's White Bear. Now, over the years "the list" might have been different, but Joe Hurst's White Bear would always have been included and somewhere at the top.

I first saw Joe's bike many years ago. I vividly remember the place but am still not 100% sure the month and year (71-72?). It was at a Custom Car and Motorcycle Show that was held each year at the Sports Arena in Los Angeles. My memory says it took place sometime around November or December and I keep thinking it was called the L.A. Winternationals. Yes, I know that's a Drag Race, but it's also a show mentioned on the cover of the Feb. '69 issue of Choppers Magazine. Anyway, at the time, I didn't know anybody else interested in Choppers so, I asked my dad if he would take me.


A somewhat disappointing spread from Street Chopper July 1973

It's one of my fondest memories but, I only clearly remember two bikes from the entire show. The bike that just completely blew me away was Joe Hurst's White Bear chopper. After walking through the show a couple of times I kept returning for another look.

I remember at one point, Joe kicking it to life and then pulling out a giant screw driver in which he proceeded to check the spark by arcing each plug as the engine roared inside the arena. I was already a fan of Dick Allen, so that combined with his forks, the paint, bead blasted engine, pipes, dual carbs, mags, the sound, plus seeing that fully chromed open chain drive primary whirling was more than my adolescent mind could handle. It was akin to standing next to a Top Fuel Dragster on the line at Lions.


This photo can't do it justice. It was the early '70's and I had never seen anything quite like it. All the aluminum of the engine and trans was bead blasted. The matte finish contrasted nicely with every nut and bolt being chromed. This reinforced the competitive look that the stainless lines, headers, Posa carbs, and Joe Hunt magneto, brought to life.

Afterwards, I remember describing Joe's bike to anyone who would listen. Surely a bike that cool would be featured in one of the upcoming magazines. With that in mind, each month, I went to the news stands hoping to see it featured. I knew it would take awhile since in those days it was months between production and sales. It seemed like 9 to 12 months passed when White Bear finally showed up in the July '73 Street Chopper. Boy was I shocked and disappointed to find my favorite bike wasn't on the cover, no color photos, only two pages, and the last bike featured in the back! To add insult a Honda was on the cover. I didn't understand it and hoped it might show up in another magazine, but it never did. I figured I'd never see that bitchen paint job in color ever again.

Fast forward to 2006. I stumbled upon Jesse James' History of the Chopper program on Discovery and low and behold, there's Joe Hurst being interviewed for the segment on Dick Allen. I thought, wow, he's still around (possibly still local), how cool it would be to someday somehow talk with him.


Forks is a 20" overstock Dick Allen springer. It was shown with one piece pullbacks instead of risers and z-bars.

Summer 2008. On a mission to find vintage chopper photos on the net I find these dang blogs and in September decide it's time to jump in myself. One of the best blogs for chopper history and info is Irish Rich's Applied Machete and on January 19, 2009 Rich does a post on Joe's bikes titled, "More Dick Allen goodness". This prompts me to leave the following comment: Damn, You beat me to it. I've been planning a post on Joe and his bike. I was wild for the White Bear version, saw it at a show about 9 months before it was in St Chopper magazine. The paint was unreal. I was shocked and pissed they didn't run it in color. I'll still do a post on it anyway.


Open primary is chain drive, Joe mentioned it featured chrome primary and drive chains for the show. Belt drives didn't exist yet.

July 2010. One day I dig out that Street Chopper so I can finally do the post and the very next day I get an email with the subject, Joe Hurst Rode with Dick Allen. He tells me how enjoys the blog and wonders if I'm interested in some old photos of his and Dick's bikes? My response, WOW!


The issue that featured Joe's bike. That's One Wild and Crazy Honda. Joe really felt strongly that his bike should have be in Hot Bike and be feature on the cover, and told them so. Hot Bike was relatively new and catered to the performance scene. I know there are fans and friends of Jim Noteboom out there, but I still would have much rather seen White Bear on the cover. I was even less tolerant of Honda's then.

After a few days Joe sent some photos but, I wanted to wait until I had talked to him before posting anything. After a brief call, he calls me back Saturday evening and we spoke for about an hour and a half. It was a lot of information to digest. He told me how he thought of Googling "Dick Allen Biker", wondering if anything would even show up, then re-thought, why not try "Joe Hurst biker"? To his surprise he finds Rich's post with my comments, and thought to himself, he's pissed?, it was my bike, how the hell does he think I felt?


It's only been 38 years since I've seen these colors. Joe says this is from that show. He said the show was put on by the Tridents Car Club. I recall their name but not sure that's what they called the show. He mentioned a Honda won first place at the show too. He's also a little unclear what month it took place. He thought it was in the spring of '72 as later that summer he rode it cross country with Dick Allen. This and the photo below were photoshoped to bring back their faded colors.


It was always a mystery why this colorful bike was named White Bear? That will be revealed in an upcoming post. Those living around the South Bay (Los Angeles), should recognize this green belt under the power lines.

It's a real honor for me to hear, and share this historic stuff. Over the next few weeks I'll be posting more of Joe's awesome photos and info. I am really looking forward to more chats with Joe. We'll likely be meeting soon with maybe a visit to the Dick Allen Wailing Wall.

This Month's Header

Freedom
Whenever the question comes up, why ride a motorcycle?, many answer, Freedom. Now, that can be debated, but within some fairly practical limitations you are free to ride the bike of your choice. As a matter of fact, in today's world of mass management, I'm almost surprised a motorcycle is a legal choice of transportation at all. It's even more surprising that it's still legal to build a wild contraption yourself.

The bikes above are from the 4 categories you'll most likely see on this blog. Antiques, Dressers, Bob Jobs, and Choppers. It's all about Choice... your perfectly Free to chose other styles or makes.

Happy Birthday Nation!

This Month's Header

The Candy Box
What do models have to do with Summer? Well, when I was a kid, if we couldn't go to the beach, or playing various games in the street, we built stuff. As a matter of fact, my brothers and I were fairly avid car modelers. Most of the time we just couldn't help but modify them to the extent that they rarely resembled what was on the box cover.


I built this model sometime around 1970-71. It was it's second build and was loosely based on Roth's Mail Box.

When my interest shifted, I stopped building cars and started building bikes. The first one I remember was Revell's "Chopped Hog". At first it was built as it came, but since it was a lousy depiction of a chopper, I quickly tore it apart and customized it. I added a hard tail, a molded in peanut tank, new pipes, sissy bar, rear fender, seat, and scratch built a brass springer.

The next victim was Revell's CHP model. I don't recall ever building it stock. Instead, it became the raw material for a chopper based on Jim Breo's trike from the first issue of Big Bike magazine. I posted Jim's trike here last January.

As in real life, a cop bike becomes a donor.


Here's how it looked the first time around. In someways I wish I left it alone.

Like most of my models, it didn't stay intact long, and soon it was apart for a new build based on Roth's Mail Box. Since, I had already modified the Shovelhead frame and engine to look like a 45 c.i. Servi-car. The new mods consisted mainly of stretching the down tube, molding a cut down gas tank, building a body, and adding a longer springer.

The Real Deal. The Crosley engine really only looks good from this side. Roth didn't want to use another flathead 45 since he had already built the Candy Wagon. Each trike project was built to gain more experience. The Crosley engine was an experiment for using a water cooled engine with the radiator mounted in the back and served as a stepping stone towards the later V-8 powered trikes.



Roth's original Choppers magazine used Ed Newton's Mail Box drawing at the top of the letter's to the editor page. For fun, I took a shot at replicating it.


Engine and frame mod details. The cam cover was cut down and the timer centered. The barrels, heads, and push rods were cut down and filed to resemble flathead cylinders. Drag pipe were fashioned from other pipe pieces. This is the second oil tank and was made from a rear shock capped on each end with a spotlight. Now, the only part of the frame left intact was under the engine and trans and the seat post. The drive chain was moved to the right side. Rear fender mounts were used as 45 brake and clutch side straps. Some parts, like the kicker, brake pedal and foot pegs, have broken off over the years. A top engine mount was never made.


The finned heads were scratch built from sheet plastic. Cutting and fitting each fin and the bolt pattern was the most tedious chore. The carb was moved to the left and a working choke was made from a pin. The primary cover was also reworked to resemble a 45's. The left side engine case was the biggest omission, it should be finned. The spark plugs wires and coil have since come off.

The body was made from balsa wood and the interior is covered with vinyl. The gas tank is from a Triumph kit. To create the indents, the knee pads were cut off and glued inside on the opposite sides. The fork was scratch built out of brass and was from another model I built. I don't remember ever seeing a color photo of the real trike back then, but read it was fogged in various colors. My attempt at custom paint was fogging some red over the green Testors metal flake and was never very happy with the result.

The Candy Box. Another fun exercise, a Photoshoped Candy Wagon/Mail Box combination for comparison. You can definitely see the Candy Wagon's influence on my model.

I still have remnants of other chopper models but, somehow this one survived. It was tossed around and stored in a box for about two decades but has since been on display in my studio for about the last 6 years. I'd like to rebuild some of the others, but that will have to wait for a future Summer.... perhaps in a second childhood?

This Month's Header

Only one more month until...

While I'm not an official sponsor of this years show, the art for This Month's Header is my way of showing support.


Here's the official flyer/poster for the show. For the latest info go to: http://bornfreeshow.blogspot.com/

Could there still be anyone unaware of this show?

Be there, or be square!

This Month's Header

Spring has Sprung

Some things don't change

This month's header is from a drawing I did in 1970 (only two things were on my mind). Long forks and small front wheels ruled the day. Indian style girders were very popular and off beat colors like pink or magenta started showing up. The theme of a chopper rider and a hitchhiking woman is a recurring theme throughout chopper/motorcycle history. Later art by David Mann or the end of Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man come to mind. (8.5 "x 11" ink and color pencils)

This Month's Header

"The Luck of the Biker"

This Month's Header features a tongue in cheek look at the plight of the Biker. Run ins with "The Man" have always been a familiar theme.


The Source

I grew up buying Pete Millar's Drag Cartoons, but didn't have this particular issue until a few years ago. I was familiar with it from the back issues and always thought it was cool. I've been planning to use it as a header pretty much since the blog began.

The location is in nearby Palos Verdes Estates CA, and still looks about the same. I should go there and take a photo from the same spot some time.

This Month's Header

Every year I try to come up with a card for my better half. This is probably the first that featured a MotorCycle theme.

From 1985. "Tanks for Being My Valentine", (5"x6"). It was done very quickly and meant to be a characture. At the time, I thought it needed the crash bars to give it balance and more weight at the bottom. When your working under the gun and directly to final art, there's no time for second thoughts


If I was going to use it for the blog, I just had to go back and retouch it some. One of these days, I'll do it larger and better.

This Month's Header

Can you believe it's January 2010?

Hasta la vista, baby... make that, old fella. Careful hot shot, don't disrespect your elders. You're gonna find yourself in this same predicament 12 months from now.

Have a good one!

This Month's Header

For October I figured a Halloween themed header was the way to go.


At first, I was just going to post this art, then decided it would be better if it was something motorcycle related. I then thought, maybe I could make it a cool trike using part of my KnuckleReaper art.


The donor art.


It took about 4 hours of tweaking and color retouching to blend the bike into the scene. I think it came out pretty neat.

This Month's Header- We're One Year Old!

All together now. The first two headers were done before I knew what I was doing or had settled on a design. I don't think they ran all month... who the hell could remember?

Since I was out of town last week, this month's header was a little late in the making. As it turned out, it went up exactly one year to the day since my first post last year.

In many ways it's hard to believe it's now been one full year of blogging.

So let me take this opportunity to say thanks! to all of you who have sent emails of support, follow, make comments, or have sent in contributions to the Blog. It's great to know you are out there and I really feel like I've made some new friends.

From what I've heard, a lot of you like what you've seen so far. With that in mind, I'll do my darn best to keep the blog interesting and perhaps even better. So keep sending those comments and emails. - CK

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.