REVOLUTION MOTORCYCLE MAGAZINE - English - Issue 44 Spring 2018

CTC # 44

EVENTS & SHOWS Brooklyn Invitational

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Kickin’ it at Mooneyes Show

FEATURED BIKES 28

California Dreaming

50 Nostalgia 74 Oceanic

ON THE ROAD Alien Road

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INTERNATIONAL Lucifer’s Hammer

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COLUMNS 14 Her Say 44 Old School 58 Technical

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New Generation Our Readers Editorial

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Coming Soon

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Chief Editor : Pascal Richard Editor : Geneviève Fréchette Writers : Pascal Richard, Charlie Lessard, André Bobinas, Catherine David, Becky Goebel, Liz Leggett Papp, Dan Lim, Inès Steinmetzer, Charles-Édouard Carrier Translation : Charlie Lessard, Kathy Blais Special Collaborators : Scott Porges, Olivier Landry, Michel Durand, Richard Carrière, Andy Robitaille, Rob Chappell, Becky Goebel, Chantal Riopel Photographers : Liz Leggett Papp, Inès Steinmetzer, Bruno Guérin, Charles-Édouard Carrier, Audrey Arsenault, Becky Goebel, Steve Levesque, Pascal Richard, Dan Lim, René Methot, Blaine Connolly Model : Oceania - Rimouski HD : Cristele Beauchamp Graphic Design : Suzie Gauthier, Revolution Motorcycle Magazine Proofreader : Nicole Duchesne, Lorie Richard Prepress : Photographique MF Inc. Printing : Imprimeries Transcontinental Distribution : Messageries Dynamiques (french) Coast to Coast (english) ISSN 1913-0082 Copyright 2007 Bibliothèque Nationale du Québec Bibliothèque Nationale du Canada Registration number Post Publication : 41471522 Advertising Consultant : Pascal Richard : 514 726-5742 Web Site : Charlie Lessard Social Media : Pascal Richard Revolution Motorcycle Magazine is published 4 times a year.

All rights reserved. Reproduction in total or in part of any article, photo or advertisement is forbidden without prior written permission from the Publisher of Revolution Motorcycle Magazine.

Our office is located at 1302 Garden Ave. Mascouche (Quebec) J7L 0A4 Tel. : 514 726-5742 Fax : 450 477-9814 email :

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Editorial by pascal richard

A good part of the off-season is behind us !

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Of course, it’s just an expression ! Some people do better in the winter, with other motorized activities, but personally, I find it long.

2018 will mark the 115th anniversary of Harley-Davidson.

Which brings us gradually to think about the 2018 season, preparing the bike for spring and planning summer rides.

This makes me happy ! To take a map of North America and point out the most interesting places for a future ride, I love it ! Maybe I’ll never get there, but the mere possibility makes me want to jump on my bike and escape.

two huge gatherings. On our side of the ocean, it will be

As always, this is the season for motorcycle shows. Another good way to get back into gear and get into a “motorcycle” mode. It is also the opportunity to discover what’s new for 2018 and have a beer with friends that you have not seen since the last motorcycle season.

dealer.

For those who are thinking about making some changes on their bike, I repeat, bring your bike to the shop as soon as possible. Remember, you are not the only person who wants to make some changes. So, if you want your bike ready as soon as the weather gets good, and you don’t want to stress out your mechanic, start early. And everybody will be happy.

Magazine will be present at both gatherings and will feature

Revolution Motorcycle Magazine

EDITORIAL

Let’s be proud to ride such a prestigious bike. For the occasion, the Harley-Davidson Motor Company is organizing held in the iconic parent city, Milwaukee, from August 29 to September 2. The festivities are going to be just as grandiose as for the 100th anniversary. If you plan to attend, I think it would be wise to book your hotel rooms as soon as possible. You can also check with your Harley-Davidson

Another major event for our friends on the other continent will be held in Prague, in the Czech Republic, from July 5 to 8. Two events, two different mentalities, but all with the same passion for Harley-Davidson. Revolution Motorcycle them in future editions.

On behalf of the entire RMM team we wish you a great 2018 season.

And may the Revolution continue !!!

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Papp @lizl

pic daemon mer”, the e m a g H s r’ e if uc uilder hailin comes to “L rvice. The b es. In fact it e n S e h le w yc ils rc to bik in the deta merican Mo g amazing The devil’s Porges of A no stranger to buildin nts for many tt o c S y b summoned hich accou chusetts is les, ung age, w ham Massa g yo in a m e ra c F ds, years, sty in n s m ra s fro b e f ik o b m g u in ctr n build about his the vast spe he has bee Scott to talk h ging all over it n w ra n s w ild o u d b amazing e. We sat performanc models and mmer.” ing “The Ha path to build Text

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tt : Liz Legge and photos

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When did you start building bikes ?

From there, I’m guessing it snowballed ?

I started racing motocross at 9 years old. My dad drag raced cars and bikes. At one time, you could get your permit at 16 in Massachusetts. So when I was 15, I got a 450 Honda. I put clubman bars on it, one pipe, painted it blue metal flake, and got my permit, and boom, I was on the road. In the first week, I hit everything but the lottery. I hit a bus, I hit a car, I hit a curb. All those years of motocross did me nothing on the street !

Yah, then I got a ‘78 super glide and I went to town, I kept the stock swingarm chassis. I shaved the tank, lowered it, and built a stroker motor. I went from 74-cubic inches to 88-cubic inches, ghost flames, and louvered all the panels on it. I won a whole bunch of shows with it and ran low 11’s in 1981-83. I’ve been building custom motorcycles since. We had a top fuel back in the ‘80s that was in the top 3 at the time; I was the engine guy and tuner.

What were your early beginnings in the bike building world ?

In the 70s, I worked at my uncles Honda dealership, and I got certified with Honda. I had a ’78 super sport that I built, and a ’76 that I put in a custom frame. In the beginning, around when I was 16, I got a 550 Honda I built on a rigid frame. It was a Digger style bike, diamond tank, little diamond seat. Back then, what was popular was long and low and thin and narrow. And then I did a 750 digger, then a 900 Kawasaki digger when I was 18. And then I sold that after I drove it for about a half a year, bought a Harley, and I was done. My first Harley was a ‘76 super glide.

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You don’t seem to only stick to one kind or brand of bike, you really have a varied taste and style.

I’m all over the place I build customized V-rods, choppers, big tire bikes, sport bikes etc. Some years back, I had this thing about building scramblers with Shovelhead motors and Softail frames, 60/40 off-road tires, motocross bars, Honda master cylinders, high pipes.

I did those for a little while, then I had a café racer thing and I’d just build ‘em. As soon as I find a niche I move on to something else. When I get bored, I’m off to the next one.

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Lucifer’s Hammer is quite the bike, what is the story behind this amazing build ?

That bike has been on my mind for about five and a half years.

It’s all about good and evil. And it kind of fits the times. I read a lot, religious stuff, all kinds of stuff. The whole thing was kind of developing. Sometimes, I would build a bike with my friend Rob Lopez. When all that “build-off” stuff was going on, we built like 5 to 6 bikes, and showed them. Rob called me up about five years ago and said “Let’s build another bike, it’s been awhile.” I had the idea already ! That was it, we started. So I went online and did some research. I wanted to do this whole thing with Satan and the archangels, so I found some very cool artwork online and then I started researching engravers. My father was a gun dealer for a long time. He used engravers for some of his guns. I talked to Paul Cox and I asked him who did the engraving on the bike he did for Brad Pitt. He turned me on to Heather New (New Line Engraving). I went on her website and looked at her work, Bingo ! I got a hold of her and sent her the artwork and asked her if she could do something in that style. I explained my concept to her. She took off with it (artistic license) and that’s kind of how it happened.

The whole thing with this bike is that it’s about good and evil.

It’s simple but complex at the same time. The bike is about that yin and yang in life. Everything was left natural. Natural aluminum, nickel not chrome plated, and minimal paint, I painted it silver with no artwork. There’s only three parts painted : the frame, the oil tank, and the fender. I wanted it to be very organic, simple but intense.

So, I got a 103-cubic inch S&S motor and had a transmission here. I bought a Paughco frame cut it up and modified it. I had a bunch of parts laying around. Scott from Invader

wheels, from the 60s/70s, made me the wheels (original not reproductions). It took me almost a year to get it but that’s what I wanted. The thing (about working) with Heather is as I made or got a few parts, I would send her a small batch for her to work on. Six pieces would take her two to three months to do, which was not an issue since I knew getting the wheels would be drawn out. I made all the little devils tails on the bike, bars and bits and pieces as we went along.

The lower legs I turned down on the lathe and made them look like the pillars of hell. And of course, the more you work on a concept, the more it evolves along the way.

After two and a half years of working with Heather and getting all the pieces ready, it came time to assemble the bike. I went over into my corner and I spent a week just super focused. As it comes together in front of you, it’s just like “Woooah…”

So, I guess in the next couple of years, we’ll be seeing another dream bike ?

I think so.

Time, hard work and vision were this bikes beginnings, but Lucifer’s Hammer comes from a different place, a tribute to the ultimate battle. Scott’s sister’s partner engraved the seat, and she chose to design the archangel holding a sword pointed downward. By some twist of strange fate, Heather engraved a mirrored but opposed design also facing inwards without any communication between the artists. From the ether, this creature awoke and now the “Hammer” is here for all to behold. The bike will be displayed at the Roll the Bones Show in Montreal in May 2018.

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technical column

by ANDRÉ BOBINAS FROM ATELIER AD

Chains, crazy chains, no not the ones you can pull stuff with or the ones you find on your old school bike’s rear wheel and not the ones that go around your neck.

I’m talking about cam chains to be precise, the ones you find on Twin-Cams.

2000 to 2007 & 2008 to 2016 models The 2000 to 2007 chain tensioners are spring loaded (1) and the 2008 to 2016 tensioners are hydraulically loaded which is a much better system. Tensioners from 2008 to 2016 must be inspected at 100,000 km but they can last up to 200,000 km. The ones that interest us the most are the 2000 to 2007 models which must be verified sooner.

They must be inspected at approximately 50,000 km and will not last more than 120,000 km. If you don’t inspect the tensioners, which are made of Teflon (2), for wear they might break down, fall apart, and the pieces will work their way to the oil pump and destroy your motor. If after inspection you must replace the cam chain tensioners, it might be a good idea to upgrade to the hydraulic version. There are conversion kits to do so. You will gain a few horsepower as well because spring-loaded cam tensioners make cam movement a little tougher. Switching to gear driven cams is usually done when you install a cam that has more than .625 lift, although this system can be slightly noisier.

Now let’s get our hands dirty. First remove the exhaust.

You can use a lubricant or penetrating oil to free the pipe.

Remove the right floorboard and air cleaner (3). Remove

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the pushrod cover clips at this point (4). If your rocker-box covers have an oil leak, remove the tank and disassemble.

If not take a short cut and cut your push rods (5). Take the cam cover off, remove the tappet blocks and lifters then remove the outer cam tensioner with an impact driver.

Remove both sprockets by removing the two bolts (6).

Then remove all the Allen bolts that hold the cam support plate and remove the plate as well as the oil pump (7).

Check the run out on crank shaft with a dial indicator. It should not have more than .004 of play –.001 to.002 is best or your crank bushing will go to hell (8).

Time to replace the cam bearings in this case (9), if you don’t they will not last another 50,000 km. They will fail and destroy your motor (10). Use Torrington type needle bearings. They are the ones with all the needles closely positioned side by side (11). If you are reusing the original cam support plate, remove the tensioner snap ring on the front cam and press out the cams (12). Pressure test the cam plate using the Feuling tool (13). You’re looking for bubbles coming out of the plug hole. They are plugged with ball bearings. Check the relief spring on the high-pressure side. Feuling sells a spring (14) that raises the pressure to 55 psi, which is a good idea; your motor will thank you !

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TECHNICAL COLUMN

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Check the bushings for wear. If you are replacing the cam plate you can start by installing the cams and chain. Some builders will polish the outer side of the chain, which will lessen the friction and extend the life of the tensioners.

Line-up the timing marks facing each other (15) and press in the new bearings (16). Install new tensioners, and install the washer and snap ring on front cam. Double-check the alignment of the cams. Install the pump on the cam plate with the bolts loose. If you are using the old pump, inspect it for scratches or damage. If in doubt, remember that replacement pumps are cheaper than engine rebuilds. Install all new O-rings on the pump and case (17). Install the plate and torque the Allen bolts to 100-inch pounds (18). Before you tighten down the four bolts that hold the pump, turn the motor a couple of revolutions to line up the pump rotors and then progressively tighten the bolts. On this job, we replace the pump with as S&S unit (19). The gyros are much bigger and this pumps more oil. It also has a 3-stage feed, return and scavenge. Now time to shim the cam gear. Tighten the two sprockets and with a ruler and feeler gauge check that they are lined up within .010 (20).

Different shims can be purchased to achieve this (21).

Install the outer chain making sure the timing marks align

(22). Torque the cam bolts to 34 foot pounds and the crank bolt to 24 foot pounds. Install the outer tensioner. Install the lifters (23). You can preload the lifters with an oil can until no air bubbles appear. Install the tappet blocks. Install the push rods and to adjust them, engage the transmission into fifth gear and with the spark plugs removed, turn the rear wheel until the front or rear lifers are at the bottom of their stroke. Move the rear wheel back and forth until you are sure the lifter is at the bottom. This is crucial. You don’t want to bend a push rod. Lifters have about .200 travel so you want to compress them by half, to .100. If you have adjustable push rods with 32 treads per inch, it will take 24 flats of your nut to achieve this (24). There are push rods with all different threads; so check the instruction sheet and adjust accordingly. Reinstall the cover, air filter and pipes, and you’re ready to go.

When I do a cam chest rebuild, I replace all four cam bearings, the two tensioners, the two chains, the four lifters, one oil pump high pressure spring and the cam support plate I change the cams if needed, the oil pump if needed, and add adjustable push rods if I don’t disassemble the rocker boxes (25).

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Text : Inès Steinmetzer Photos : Bruno Guérin & Inès Steinmetzer

The plan was to leave Friday night after work and drive straight through to Brooklyn. Most of the gang left the evening before and would arrive before us at the three-story Airbnb that we rented. All week, Léa and I looked forward to the trip. She would be my partner for the evening ride. I knew that we would encourage each other to push further and go as far as possible but within our limits.

At exactly 8 p.m. we had already arrived in the state of New York. I can’t understand what Léa is saying under her helmet but I am starting to think that it was undoubtedly not the best idea to leave in the evening, but we wanted to get to Brooklyn ASAP. We agreed to No sleep till Brooklyn which soon transformed into No sleep till… Albany ! It was there that we crashed, renting a room at a Days Inn for $50. The reception clerk could not comprehend how two girls on motorcycles suddenly appeared at midnight. He went outside to take pictures of our bikes. We were laughing but mostly from fatigue.

It is a short night as we hit the road early. We didn’t know that our friends also had a short night. We find that out upon finally arriving at our destination, at noon, to find everyone still sleeping ! The chic Airbnb that I found was extremely messy with boots, helmets, goggles and empty beer bottles lying all around. Léa and I are highly motivated to leave immediately and head directly to the event but we would have to be patient. Everyone is hung-over and nine people are waiting to shower and wash away the remnants of the evening before !

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EVENT

2:30 p.m. We have been ready for quite some time and are impatient. Making a 1,200 km round trip to the Brooklyn Invitational, there is no time to waste ! Finally when everyone has found their way outside and we start our bikes, a guy on a fluorescent KLR speeds by in front of us, and does a wheelie, with no helmet. That was all it took to trigger Alexis, the rebel of the gang.

In a matter of two seconds he took off after our Twelve o’clock boy. It was quite funny, except for some still unknown reason two other guys also decide to go around the block. Will we ever leave…

Once the test runs are completed, I take on Bruno as a passenger and Katerie, assumes a frog position on Andy’s Shovel with her feet on the shocks. We don’t know the streets of Brooklyn, but do our best to avoid the traffic. We don’t know if we are permitted to pass between cars here but we do it anyway because our bikes are overheating and we are forced to stop.

My friend has a problem. Off we go, the six bikes on the sidewalk. We cannot choose where our bike will quit on us and he giggles as he says that a tranny ratchet top has its own share of problems. The guys repair it as best they can and we are off again. But our gang, all hung-over, was not paying attention to the road, following Kat who inadvertently entered the wrong address into her cell phone. We realize that we are 40 minutes from our destination. A nice, but pointless visit through Brooklyn. We didn’t even have breakfast ! That was it. Each person was on their own ! We would meet at the event. I found myself alone with Léa and Bruno and we needed to stop for a snack before our vision started to blur.

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By chance, upon exiting the highway, we meet up with my friend Tony, his brother Andy and Katerie. A wonderful coincidence ! We arrive together and parade through the bikes parked along both sides of 14th Street, in front of Root Studios, where the exhibit is being held. It is a little more intimidating than arriving at a meet and greet in the Mile End. Excitement is in the air. We arrive three hours later than expected but the event is still in full swing. The sidewalks are packed with people and it is difficult to find parking. We have no choice but to split up again.

I remove my helmet and realize I am surrounded by more than 200 bikes scattered along the street. Everyone around me seems to fit in perfectly, knowing how to take advantage of the present moment. I cross from one sidewalk to another continually attracted by a new, different motorcycle, intriguing details, dazzling chrome and a small group gathered around a chopper that takes your breath away. A gang of guys are joking around with a zucchini and an exhaust pipe, others are trying to repair something with wire and makeshift tools, everyone is drinking beer in the streets and a nearby garage is supplying free burgers.

We are at the right place at the right time. I meet up with my friend Emilie, who gets out of her Chevy van with a cold beer for me and shows off her collection of vintage Harley-Davidson clothing. She asks me how I liked the exhibit and I realize that I have not yet been in to see it !

Unbelievable. The show is literally in the street. I wonder what could possibly be better inside.

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I join Kat and LĂŠa and get in line. Once inside the room, with its high ceilings and refined walls, excitement dissipates giving way to studious observations and gazes. We enter a museum. The lights are dim. As I look around the room I am surprised to see no more than fifteen motorcycles. I was expecting many more and the contrast with the ambiance outside is striking.

At first glance, each motorcycle on exhibit is different in style, era and brand. The organizers have obviously taken great effort to attract a variety of creators and collectors, a most interesting aspect. I jump from one model to the next and back around again, always surprised by details that I missed the first time. I get closer but keep my distance. I settle for critical appreciation since I know nothing about mechanics !

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CHRISTIAN NEWMAN ‘S KNUCKLEHEAD

The first machine that attracts my attention is right in the middle and is truly the focal point of the exhibit. It was my favourite of all. A Knucklehead, a creation by Christian Newman, already turned several heads in many other shows this year in the United-States. We want to observe it from every angle and let ourselves be dazzled by each detail. I see myself riding it with my metal flake helmet. But it is not the only flashy motorcycle. I am just as impressed by the next one, an eccentric turquoise model with a king and queen seat and a rear fender as tapered as I have ever seen. Right next to it is an entirely chromed Ducati - the competition. The “Brave” from Walt Siegl is very impressive. A racer that we could find at the Bonneville Salt Flats making the salt sparkle to the point of blinding the spectators. So much well-done work, I am in awe.

It is however not the only model created for speed in the room. There are also some hyper aerodynamic racers, such as a Harley-Davidson XRTT 750 and a Honda CB350, both from a different era with their windshields designed to cut through the air. The models in the back of the room are poorly lit and I spend a little less time there. I am drawn to a group gathered in silence around another Knucklehead, which in no way resembles the other choppers that we are accustomed to seeing. The styles here are mathematically refined with each detail analyzed to the closest millimetre. I am amazed by the finesse of the style created by Jack and Zach Hindes.

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Walt Siegl’S “Brave”

I decide on one more visit around the room to admire the tank art on the gas tanks on exhibit all around the periphery. There are classic demonstrations of pin stripes and metallic paint, but also a few eccentricities. I am amazed by a gas tank that actually holds a replica of a mini theatre with a ballerina at centre stage that can be observed through a little hole in the base.

I had succeeded in taking a picture of the inside of the theatre but unfortunately lost my cell phone on my way home, between two stops for gas, forgetting it on the seat of my motorcycle (oops !), but it was a true work of art that should be on display.

martin Ringo Chop Shop Calgren‘S Husqvarna V-Twin 1947

XRTT 750 HARLEY-DAVIDSON

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To complete my visit, I drift over to the other side of the studios, to visit some booths selling merchandise such as t-shirts, magazines and jewellery and offering tattoos on site. Indian Motorcycles, the event sponsors, also had a preferred spot to display their new models. Way in the back, the California group Easy’s sound tests attract the curious, but my Montreal gang is starving so we gather for our imminent departure.

There are fewer motorcycles outside. All around, motors can be heard as the people are starting to leave. I would have liked to walk down each side of the street for a final gaze of the beautiful bikes but the sun was starting to set. The warm light of the day’s end added a touch of gold to all the chrome around me, reflecting against the bay windows of the industrial buildings.

A magical day is over and our friend Hugo decides to do a burnout at the corner of the street, right in front of the policemen who seem to be appreciating the show. Chill !

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The next day, the entire gang made the return trip to Montréal together. Léa and I, faithful partners, leave a little before the others to avoid the traffic out of the city while everyone else is slowly preparing. All goes off without a hitch and we end up meeting the rest of the group at the first pit-stop. Andy and I each have a peanut tank so we always follow each other. We are then able to all leave together as a pack and we ride along all day until we reach our destination, Andy’s garage. We let our chase car guide us with Kat, Ben and Bruno, having fun taking pictures of us. The sun is shining bright, we are hot, the road is ours and we make the trip non-stop. We arrive right after sunset and luckily we did since Tony’s headlight burnt out on the way. We are quite proud of having made this mini trip with our friends. Like accomplices after a memorable party, we look at each other and congratulate each other for a wonderful ride, happy and exhausted but already thinking about next year.

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Text and photos : Dan Lim @themotofoto

“I’m just going to back off and let you build the bike you want - I trust your vision.” Wow, what builder wouldn’t love to hear those words come from their client ? Fortunately for Rob Chappell of Origin8or Cycles, that happens more frequently than not. And why wouldn’t it ? If you’ve ever seen some of Rob’s creations, you would know he’s an artist when it comes to building motorcycles, and this 1969 Triumph Bonneville T120R is no exception.

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FEATURED BIKE

featured bike It all started in January 2015 when a client of Rob’s reached out to him to take a look at a 69 Bonnie, for sale, online. At first glance, the bike looked intact and most importantly, all original. As Rob recalls, the owner was very attached to this motorcycle because it was just like the one his Dad used to have. But like all things mechanical, although sentimental, they’re great until it begins to become a headache. Other than riding it all summer, the owner had no clue how to wrench on the darn thing or to even maintain it.

Subsequently, due to a gunked-up Mikuni carburetor, messed up wiring, a rusty tank inside and out, and a slew of other issues to be discovered later, the bike wouldn’t even start. So it was an easy buy for Rob if there ever was one. If only the owner knew what was to become of his beloved Bonnie ! The result would be unrecognizable.

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There were a few discussions between the client and Rob about the details concerning the design, style, and stance of the bike. The final direction was quickly determined and approved by the client. Hence the “I’m just going to back off” quote by the client. It was time to get to work. The bike was thoroughly stripped down, and all the parts were analyzed, catalogued and where possible, for reuse later on in the building process. As Rob puts it, “The bike is now wearing a moto-iron 4-inch under springer along with a 21-inch wheel from TC Bros. Lucas from Factory Metal Works supplied the 4-inch stretch, 2-inch drop bolt on rear hard tail and a custom vertical oil tank, Wassell peanut tank, rear fender, exhaust and other small items. Bars, clamps, cables, etc. came from LowBrow Customs, and the cool chain tensioner is a Monster Craftsman item. “I had my brother Chris over at Tuffside seats in Vegas stitch up the custom tweed and leather seat.

The stock 19-inch rear wheel was retained, and to match the narrow look of the bike, I opted for some Metzeler Lazertec’s.”

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FEATURED BIKE

When it came to the engine, looks can be deceiving.

There was a massive vibration at speed, and when Rob had the bottom end torn apart, he discovered the issue at hand and why it was so far out of balance. A previous owner had done a terrible back-yard balancing job on the crank with irregular welds, here and there, like a bad patch job. Thus the crank had to be sent to a local engine shop for proper balancing repairs. Rob also honed the cylinders and added new rings and a complete gasket and seal kit. Other work needed on the bike was new plumbing lines, manifolds and 930 Amal’s mounted and connected in place of the Mikuni’s. For the electrical, a Tri-Spark electronic ignition was added along with a 200 watt stator, high output coil, new plugs and wires and complete custom harness.

As for the look of the bike, the client did have a request for Rob. He wanted the colour orange in a candy metallic finish on the build of the bike. By the time Rob had completed all the fabrication work on the frame, mounts and cable routes, it was around mid-February – deep freeze time in the dead of winter. Having had enough of

the harsh weather, Rob was daydreaming of California when the idea came upon him. He decided to have the entire bike painted white, like the brutal snow and wind howling outside his shop. Then show a warm sunrise in gold and orange revealing sunspots on the top, symbolizing the summer he was dreaming of at that very moment. Thus the name of the bike : “California Dreaming.”

The paint job was beautifully executed by Mat Tobin from Jensen’s Customs in Whitby, Ontario. Incidentally, California Dreaming is the first bike built by Rob on which he did not do the paint job himself. As evident in the photos, it looks spectacular and as Rob would say, “Mat knocked it out of the park !”

In the end, not many original parts were kept and used in the transformation. But in a quirky twist, the panther tail light, which the owner swears is original from that era, was one of the few things worth keeping for the final build.

That’s about the only element that is recognizable from whence the build started. With a cheeky smile, Rob would jokingly say “Maybe the old owner will see this bike and recognize it ?”

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OWNER CITY

Stephen Dulong Toronto, ON

AccessoirIes

GENERAL Manufacturing Year / Make Model Assembly Time

Origin8or Custom Cycle Co. 1969 Bonneville — 3 months

ENGINE Year Model Builder Ignition Displacement Lower end Balancing Pistons Heads Cam Lifters Carb Pipes

1969 Bonneville Rob Chappell Tri-Spark Electronic 650 cc Balanced crank Balanced crank Stock with new rings Stock Stock Stock New Amal 930’s Custom, ceramic coated

Transmission Type Shifting

4 speeds Right side, 1 down 3 up

painting Painter Mat Tobin (Jensens Custom) Airbrush None Color / type House of Kolor Special Large silver flake, airbrushed orange / gold

FRAME Year 1969 Builder Stock front, Factory Metal Works Hardtail Type Rigid Rake Stock Stretch 4” stretch, 2” drop Shocks Front Springer (Moto Iron)

Photographe R

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FEATURED BIKE

SPECIFICATIONS

Dan Lim @themotofoto

Biltwell Frisco bars Bars Handlebar Controls None (except for horn button) 4 1/2” Chrome Headlight Tail light Original panther light from 1970 Speedo None Dash — Pegs Stock Electrics Hi/lo headlight, tail light, horn / All else removed Gas Tank Wassell peanut Oil Tank Vertical Factory Metal Works Oil System — Primary — Seat Tuffside Front Fender None Rear Fender Stingray Ribbed Steel Mirrors Blue glass retro Grips Biltwell Recoil

forkS Type Size Builder

Springer 4” under Moto Iron

WHEELS FRONT Size Wheel Tire Brake

21” Moto Iron Metzeler LaserTech Moto Iron 4 pistons

REAR Size Wheel Tire Brake

19” Stock Triumph Metzeler LaserTech Triumph drum

OTHER DID gold chain Finned rear mount plates Finned engine covers Monster Craftsman chain tensioner

Text : Charles-Édouard Carrier – Photos : Audrey H. Arsenault @arsenaultphoto

The mission was simple : get to Las Vegas, drive the Extra-Terrestrial Highway and arrive at the gates of Area 51. A motorcycle trip, without the shadow of a casino and away from the legendary superficiality of this city of vice that we love or hate.

A text message from my father that pulls us out of bed : “I can’t believe what just happened,” referring to the shooter at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. This is just a few hours before we leave for our journey. The sad event suddenly reminds us of how life hangs by a thread… We have a thought for the victims as we board the plane.

ON SITE, THE HOTEL AND THE MOTORCYCLES We leave our luggage in the room, the Downtowner, a hotel hastily reserved over the Internet located in the heart of Old Vegas, before picking up the bikes. We were expecting a love-nest that looked like it was decorated by Andy Warhol.

Instead, we end up in a tiny, shabby room lit by a window barely big enough to let a family of rats through, overlooking

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a back alley that appears to be a gathering place for the destitute. We are here for five nights, except the one where we sleep on the road while crossing the Extra-Terrestrial Highway (ETH). I’m sure we’ll get used to the smell by then.

We pick up our bikes from Eaglerider. Although we had hoped to avoid Vegas’ infernal afternoon rush hour and ride before dark, the five-hour delay in Montréal changed our plans. It is 6 p.m. as we make our way through the twilight along the crowded Highway 15 and some of the city’s busiest boulevards. My girlfriend is holding up, even though she just got her motorcycle license and has only about 800 km under her belt, she glides through the rush hour traffic with the ease of an expert.

ON THE ROAD

Our ETH journey starts tomorrow. Supper is at Evil Pie in Old Vegas. Gigantic slices of pizza and a few beers at this small Fremont Street punk restaurantmuseum that pays tribute to stunt man Evel Knievel.

After that, it’s off to Don’t Tell Mama for a vodkasoda and a quick hello to Spadoni, a pianist met on a previous motorcycle trip to Las Vegas. Then, a glass of absinthe at the Laundry Room, a hidden bar rarely frequented by tourists, to prepare tomorrow’s game plan : leave at 9, head toward the desert, a quick breakfast at McDonald’s, minimum luggage.

The idea is to leave the city as soon as possible. We will do the ETH in one day, unless we get abducted by aliens.

Here’s the Exit Leaving Vegas proves difficult. The 5 lanes of the highway that surrounds the city are packed with cars and trucks swerving from the far left to the far right, with no regard for the 112 km/h speed limit or the motorcycles in their blind spots. Fortunately, this stressful and unpleasant ballet lasts under thirty minutes. Pyramids, Eiffel Tower, Roman castle and all the other trappings of Vegas disappear in our rear-view mirrors. Gradually, Nevada reveals its true identity. The arid desert reaches out to us. Thumbs up : my girlfriend is behind me, comfortable, confident and in control.

Before reaching the E.T Jerky shop, which announces the beginning of the ETH, we must first take the 93 an 80-kilometre, seemingly endless northbound straight line. Almost an hour without even moving the handlebars, it’s enough to make a horse fall asleep. We stop at Alamo to refuel the motorcycles and the spare can. The next refuelling station is in Tonopah, 260 kilometres away. And in between, nothing, no gas, no cellular signal.

The ETH Begins At the intersection of the 93 and 375, we reach the Extra-Terrestrial Highway, one of the busiest roads in Nevada. One hundred and fiftyeight kilometres long, it was named in 1996 with the aim of attracting tourists to this austere and mysterious region. The place is known for its ghost towns, old nuclear bombing test sites and its restricted airspace. Not to mention the famous Area 51, a top-secret military base. According to the rumour mill, this is where the aliens captured

by US military are held. It is also in this area, near the small town of Rachel and Groom Lake, that many claim to have seen strange creatures, UFOs and other unexplained phenomena. This is the reason the curious have been drawn to this remote corner of the United States, for decades, in search of proof of life on other planets as they attempt to unravel the mystery of Area 51.

So, we begin our intergalactic adventure with a stop at the E.T. Jerky trailer. I buy a bottle of Radioactive Soda, a bag of Cowboy Beef and a flying saucer driver’s license for my girlfriend. We tell each other : “I love you” in Martian and we take off. A few meters further, just after the 375, we stop for the official selfie in front of the ETH sign. We add the Revolution Motorcycle Magazine and Oneland stickers and we’re off. From now on, abductions, Men in Black and triangles of light, anything is possible.

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We take a break at the tin shed of the Alien Research Centre next to which is erected a huge sculpture of an extraterrestrial.

We thought we could find valuable information about Area 51 and evidence that UFOs exist and that there have been forced landings here. What we do find are a few t-shirts, coffee mugs and tequila bottles in the shape of an alien’s head. We’ll come back for the historical side. My grandfather had more artefacts in his shed than there are bits of history in this shed.

A Restaurant, a Flying Saucer, Rachel It is hard to describe Rachel, the focal point of Route 375.

Community might be the most accurate word for this corner of the country in the middle of the desert which survives essentially on tourism in connection with the Area 51 base and the aliens. A few trailers, maybe even houses and dirt roads that lead to nothingness. The few strange people we meet seem unimpressed by the fact that two Quebecers are here, on motorcycles, to visit the Little A’Le’Inn restaurant for a World Famous E.T. Alien Burger. This pale imitation of a Big Mac is served on a submarine bun since the patty is oval. I am always amazed by culinary creativity. I order mine with extra chili on-the-top and a macaroni salad on-the-side. I even add a Dr. Pepper. I am afraid of nothing.

After photographing the flying saucer tow truck, we ask for directions to the famous Area 51 gatehouse. Our waitress, with brittle teeth, holds the information that will help us uncover one of the best kept secrets in the United States. Everything ends up coming out. She hands us a badly photocopied map with a very approximate scale to show us the way. She informs us that the mythical Black Mail Box no longer exists. People have long believed that it allowed mail to be sent to another galaxy and that ultra-secret documents were exchanged there, oh well. It’s all in the past.

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Direction Area 51 Difficult to elaborate on the military base. On one hand we do not know what goes on there, where exactly it is, how long it has been in existence, or whether it is still operational. On the other hand, long dirt roads are accessible where one can reach two gateways that would apparently mark the main entrances to Area 51. Rumour has it that if you try to go through the gates, you could get shot.

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The Indian Scout and the Harley Road King bounce along the more-than-rugged gravel road over a distance of about twenty kilometres. I’m fairly certain the manufacturer would not approve of all this shaking. Direction : the end of the world. Then, in the middle of nowhere, we see what appears to be the famous gatehouse. After forty minutes of unpaved roads, holes and rather disturbing noises, perfect black asphalt leading to the gate suddenly unfolds before us. Like a red carpet bridging the gap, from the sidewalk to the lobby of a big theatre on a premiere night. Although we are here, we do not at all feel welcome.

We approach slowly. There is no one in sight. Neither inside the checkpoint nor near trucks parked on either side. Several cameras monitor the premises. We feel watched, almost pierced by the cameras aimed at us. So here it is, a few meters from us, Area 51. We take a few photos, no fanfare, not even a selfie, and we take off. Forty seconds tops, we don’t even get off the bikes. There are vibes that make you feel very uncomfortable and we feel it here.

The White Truck Incident Back on the dirt road, I take the opportunity to get my gas can and fill the Scout. The tank cap barely unscrewed, an imposing white 4x4 appears, literally out of nowhere. As if it emerged from the ground. It moves toward us in slow motion. In the front seat, two men dressed in military uniforms. They watch us for a moment, turn around, and then take the paved road toward the gatehouse. I’m shaking.

I’ve just poured half the unleaded gas beside the tank. We pack everything up and hit the road. Nothing left to do here.

On Route 375, we head to Tonopah. We look up at the sky : still no flying saucers in sight. In front of us, apart from the dozens of free-range cows that we cross here and there a few meters from the road, the void, the immensity of Nevada and no threat of abduction so far. I motion for my girlfriend to move up. We ride side-by side for long minutes, on both lanes. Proudly, I watch her give it more gas and move away

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on this long straight line through the empty desert. We feel tiny in a universe where the horizon is equal only to the infinite. Two grains of sand splitting the wind. We are alone in the world.

Hot Springs and Tonopah We had heard about the famous hot-springs, hot springs from the desert where you can swim. The water, with supposedly miraculous properties, reaches temperatures similar to that of a hot spa. Although we were not necessarily looking for it, we stumbled upon one of these springs at the intersection of Route 375 and Route 6. A hole had been dug to create a retention pond. The area was enclosed by an old metal fence. The large, rundown, neighbouring building lets us imagine the glory days of pool parties. We can still make out the words “restaurant” and “bar.” We imagine that people came here to stock up on beer, food and holy water.

Today, it is gloomy. For a moment we consider swapping our leathers for bathing suits, but the sun is setting quickly and the uncomfortable humidity in the air forces us to stay the course toward Tonopah. We have to find a place to sleep and the Road King is running out of gas.

At sunset, after crossing a decrepit racetrack and airport, we enter the old mining town, a remnant of the 1800s gold rush.

Our fingers were starting to freeze. Yet it was thirty degrees Celsius at lunch time. We had heard about the Clown Motel, just outside the town. An apparently haunted motel next to a cemetery where you can get a room for a mere $42 a night.

The owner’s dubious fascination with clowns is palpable as soon as we enter the tiny, old lobby : hundreds of clowns of all colours and sizes stare at us with their empty plastic eyes.

Even Ronald McDonald wouldn’t spend the night here. Yet, it’s full.

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A Night in Tonopah We end up at the Mizpah, a hotel dating back to 1907. We are given room 502, but we can immediately feel that something is wrong in this room. It is oddly cold despite the fact that the heat is running on high. At the reception desk, we learn that a call girl named Lady in Red was strangled in our room by a jealous customer. It happened more than 100 years ago and her ghost still haunts the place.

Uncomfortable in this sadly historic place, we leave room 502 for a luxury suite they give us for the same price. We are guaranteed that no one was murdered in this one. Before going to dinner, we mix the Alien Tequila with Radioactive Soda and enjoy. And although we spent the entire day chasing E.T.-Phone-Home, this is the closest we’ve been to a close encounter of the third kind.

This decrepit mining down marks the end of our journey on the Extra-Terrestrial Highway. We sit in front of a gigantic plate of meat at the Tonopah Brewing Company and we are breathing fire after pouring a bit too much Nuclear Test Site Hot Sauce on the first bite. We pull ourselves together and take stock of the day.

You don’t ride the ETH to learn more about aliens, Area 51 or the alleged 1940s flying saucer crash. You cross it for the unique vantage point on an unknown region, rarely visited, isolated, but yet so accessible. This highway takes you into an America of another era, forgotten, almost disconnected from the rest of the world. The superficial and glamorous Las Vegas has not yet left its mark here, and so much the better.

It’s rough. It’s savage. It’s authentic.

Leaving Earth During these long moments of riding without ever seeing a single car, then stopping and meeting people who only exist in the movies, it felt as if we had been teleported to another planet. A place where immensity and emptiness felt both disturbing and soothing at the same time. We think that maybe this is the link between extraterrestrial life and the Extra-Terrestrial Highway. Route 375 is being somewhere else, being far away. Far from everything we know. To ride here is to ride to the end of the world.

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Text : Catherine David — Photos : Blaine Connolly

The image of motorcycling is changing since a few years. The biker clientele is younger, and the number of women who mount these two-wheel machines is increasing tremendously. Therefore, this new phenomenon has awakened the companies and media’s interests to learn more about that culture. The new motorcycle trends reflect strong values, which go beyond the engine’s sound : community, curiosity, liberty, aesthetic and determination, to name but a few. Moreover, the advent of the social networks influenced the transformation of the motorcycle scene as well as its general public image, thanks to numerous trend-setters. They are young, good-looking and they make us dream about motorcycling and adventures. 26-year-old Becky Goebel is one of them. A familiar face who is well known to the new generation, she helps rejuvenate and energize this growing industry.

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HER SAY

HER SAY

BY Catherine David

How did you become a motorcycle enthusiast ?

I’ve always been very influenced by motorcycle culture. My Mom and Dad both ride, my grandma rode, my Guido rode and my Grandpa still does trips of more than 10,000 km with his crew every summer. Since I was young I was always driving and riding things : dirt bikes, snowboards, skateboards, cars, the back of my dad’s bikes, and cars I’d buy and sell off Craigslist. Even to this day, I just want to drive and ride everything fast and fun-looking, even if it’s dangerous as hell. At this point in my life, I’m just more focused on bikes than on anything else because it totally suits everything I love doing and lets me travel the world and meet cool people. Motorcycles are the best invention ever.

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In July, you went on a roadtrip with your father. Tell us about a significant moment which occurred during that adventure ?

Yeah, my Dad and I had a blast. It was such a cool trip. My Dad is 50, totally fun to hang with and can ride a motorcycle like no other. We did 800 km days on that trip, no problem.

The best day was probably when we traded in our bikes for brand new Harleys in Calgary at a dealership. My Dad got a crazy shiny Wide Glide and I took a brand-new trike. It was hilarious, I just cruised this huge Harley trike a couple thousand of kilometres through the Prairies beside my Dad going soooo fast always. We rode from Vancouver to Prince Albert, Saskatchewan where we were both born. It was really awesome to ride a motorcycle there and visit family, espeically with my Dad.

Talking about the motorcycling approach, what is different from your grand-father and parents’ generations, and from your generation ?

Motorcycling is different in some ways and people have really run with the whole “social-media motorcycle lifestyle” making it their own, which is totally cool but I still am so influcnced by the old school chopper shit. Getting tattoos, sleeping beside a campfire, drinking beers and riding across the country on a shitty chopper to party with your friends, that’s what I want to do forever. It’s been happening for years. Nowadays it’s more acceptable for women to ride and hang, which is cool and there’s way more opportunities with the Internet and brands doing new-aged marketing for people like me to ride and also make money doing it. There’s also way more people who ride now, so there’s just so many different genres, events and people so you can kind of pick and choose.

In 2015, you started your own motorcycle blog entitled “Them Road Apples.” What motivated you to express yourself on the motorcycling culture and promote it ?

I’ve always been someone who puts her life on blast. Before motorcycles I pretty much did this exact life in the snowboard world. The cool boarder kids all had blogs and it’s not really an original thing. Them Road Apples is just a place for me to

take social media that one step further, post up all the media work I’m involved with and have companies contact me for articles and social media work.

You have more than 29,500 followers on your Instagram, up to this day.

How do you explain this success ?

I swear, posting videos of my friends and I being idiots and share true feelings about bascially everything so honeslty, I have no clue why people follow me. I guess there are lots of people out there whose pages are just really boring and safe cus’ they’re scared of what people think or are scared of their boss seeing their true selvies. I dont have a boss or really care about any of that. I mean everyone cares but if you don’t like what I’m doing, suck it. I’ve never felt so comfortable being myself than in this industry, and people are just down with it. Instagram is an awesome way for me to meet new friends who are into the same things I am and show the stuff I have going on, brands I work with and the work i’m putting out.

I’m always posting and showing the trips I’m on, interesting people I hang with and the bikes I’m riding so it makes sense.

I’m a total social media nerd, no shame.

Competition on social media is fierce, how are you different from the others ?

Most of those “competitors” are my friends. At first, they were just Internet girls who ride and do cool stuff who have lots of followers and now they’re real people who are a lot like me.

We support each other and all work together in one way or another.

What did the social media bring to the motorcycle scene ?

Social Media brought options. To be whoever you want to be and have people support it. It brought support from people who can relate. It also brought awareness to brands, events, runs etc., and helped grow the community. In terms of women who ride, social media was a huge influence. Seeing other women who you can relate to being able to ride is a hugely motivational. In the past 3 years, the sale of bikes to women has gone up close to 200 %. I truly think a lot of that motivation is from social media, friends starting to ride and seing other ladies that have a blast on motorcycles.

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You founded the Loserpalooza and The Dream Roll events. What distinguishes your events from the others ?

LOSERPALOOZA and The Dream Roll are popular because they’re really community based. No matter how big these events get, they will always stay true to why they were created.

You need to attend one to understand, don’t miss em’ !

You are also an ambassador for several brand names.

How do you choose the companies you want to be associated with ?

I like to work with brands that make sense and suit me. I like working with brands that I’d wear and use even if we didn’t have a business agreement. It goes the same for magazines I write for and events I attend. I don’t do anything I don’t want to do. If I’m supporting a brand, magazine or event, it’s cus’ I’m stoked on what they’re doing and we have a good relationship. It’s super weird to have made this hobby of motorcycling into a job through these companies, and I still have no clue what to say when someone asks me “what do you do.” I’ve always been very business-oriented and have a degree in Business with a major in marketing. So, I think with

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where I am at now, it’s just natural for me to stay businessoriented, to team up with companies I’d use anyway and work together to support each other.

According to you, what should the motorcycle industry improve in order to attract the new generation ?

I like how motorcycling is a tough thing to get into. You can’t be a total broke-ass and you can’t be a pussy. You have to fully commit and you can’t half-ass ride a motorcycle. I don’t think the industry should change to make it easier to gain riders just to have more income. Motorcycling is cool because not everyone can or wants to do it. Be tough and commit or hit the dust !

In conclusion, how do you see the motorcycle scene five years from now ?

More choppers, more women building bikes, more women riding, less sexism in the industry, more success and money for people doing influncital and hard work in the industry, more brands supporting, etc. To me, motorcycles will always be cool. Even if all this shit hits the dust in the next couple of years, you will still see me hosting moto events and riding my chopper up and down the streets of Vancouver.

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FEATURED BIKE

FEATURED BIKE Text : Pascal Richard – Photos : Steve Levesque

Well no ! It seems that the bagger style is not over ! It may be less popular; however it still seems to please those who love a more powerful model. The aging population leads us to believe that it is the “older” bikers who prefer baggers, but young motorcyclists also have a great interest in this model.

The Rimouski Harley-Davidson team, on the East Coast, has understood this craze and has jumped on the opportunity to specialize in the construction of radical baggers. The team, created by the owner Alain Landry, abounds with ideas from small modifications to radical transformations. We can see their competence in action on the “Oceanic,” this bike is featured here and is also presented in RMM’s 2018 calendar.

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The name Oceanic comes from a British transatlantic ocean liner put into service in 1899 by the White Star Line - It was the largest ship in the world until 1901. Oceanic is also the name of Rimouski’s Junior Major League Hockey team in which Brad Richards and the very talented Sidney Crosby got their start.

One hundred and ten hours and a team of three men were needed to create the Oceanic Bagger design. It was fabricated around a new Milwaukee Eight motor with four valves per cylinder providing additional horsepower to this bike painted in ocean colours. The paint was done by Jasmin Robitaille of Raccons Custom. This guy does amazing work.

For a rumbling sound and better performance, the guys decided to install a Rinehart exhaust system. The result : A sound that causes heads to turn wherever this bike goes.

A cutting edge, enormous, 30-inch front wheel makes an

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impressive bike. People often wonder how a 30-inch wheel can be installed on a bike without cutting the frame. Several companies, such as American Suspension, sell kits that install directly on the neck of the frame. These kits have neck rakes specifically formulated for big wheels, which is a better solution than cutting the frame. If you want to eventually return to your original frame rake, all you need to do is remove the kit.

For this bike, most of the custom parts are provided by Harley-Davidson. In addition, each year the head office presents a new line of quality products that can be directly installed on their original motorcycles. Pick up your HarleyDavidson parts catalogue the next time you visit your dealer.

Unfortunately, it could be hard on your wallet, but having a motorcycle can be a passion that often defies reason !

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OWNER CITY

Michel Noel Mont -Joli, QC

AccessoirIes

GENERAL Manufacturing Year / Make Model Assembly Time

Harley-Davidson Rimouski 2017 FLTRXS Harley-Davidson Rimouski 110 hours

ENGINE Year Model Builder Ignition Displacement Lower end Balancing Pistons Heads Cam Lifters Carb Pipes

2017 Millwaukee Eight 107 Harley-Davidson Stock 107 Stock Stock Stock Stock Stock Stock — Rinehart

Transmission Type Shifting

Cruise Drive 6 speeds —

painting Painter Airbrush Color / type Special

Raccon custom shop Jasmin Robitaille Oriental Blue —

FRAME Year Builder Type Rake Stretch Shocks

2017 Harley-Davidson — American Suspension bolt-on neck — Dirty Air

Photographe R

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SPECIFICATIONS

Steve Levesque

Bars — Handlebar Controls Chrome Harley-Davidson Headlight LED Harley-Davidson Tail light LED Harley-Davidson Speedo Stock with spacer Dirty Bird Dash Raccon Custom Shop Pegs Defiance Harley-Davidson Electrics Stock Gas Tank Stretched Oil Tank Stock Oil System Stock Primary Stock Seat PSJ Front Fender 30” Rear Fender Dirty Bird Tail Dagger Mirrors Profil Custom Mirrors Harley-Davidson Grips Defiance Harley-Davidson

forkS Type Size Builder

Air suspension Extention 3.16 American Suspension

WHEELS FRONT Size Wheel Tire Brake

30” HHI Tulsa — Stock with chrome caliper

REAR Size Wheel Tire Brake

OTHER

16” HHI Tulsa 180-65-16 Stock Shift link : Harley-Davidson Licence plate : Dirty Bird Model : Cristele Beauchamp

Text : Charlie Lessard — Photos : Pascal Richard

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OLD SCHOOL

OLD SCHOOL

BY CHARLIE LESSARD

Michel Durand loves vintage motorcycles, long forgotten machines, historic gadgets and old-fashioned savoirfaire. In short, he loves all things “old school !” Michel’s shop, which resembles a museum of antiquities, is filled with his prized possessions – his twenty-five motorcycles.

Michel is impassioned about inventions that are from a time when very few tools and technologies existed for the manufacturing sector – a time when the now valued term “hand-made” was the norm. Before the second world war (1939–1945) “welding” did not exist. All objects made from metals were riveted together; items like storage boxes, cabinets, benches, bridges, trains, automobiles, airplanes, and even big ships like the Oceanic (yes, hand-made not to leak water just like the tall 100-year-old reservoir sitting next to his shop !). The work involved in manufacturing these items was very demanding but the efforts of our descendants opened the world to endless possibilities, hence the reason why Michel is so intrigued by the bygone years.

Michel was born in 1956 and by 1970 he was riding motorcycles. “Back then no one had a motorcycle permit and no one wore a helmet,” he said with a laugh. As a kid, he raised hell on ‘60s Honda minibikes but soon moved on to Honda CB750s that his brother and brother-in-law rode. This was at a time when Japanese bikes were all the rage. Michel laughs as he recounts how he would hot-wire their bikes and ride off on weekends when the brothers were not around. “I always had it in my blood to ride,” said Michel. His love for old motorcycles really took over around 1984 when the first H-D Evolution motor equipped bikes came off the production line. Not wanting to ride the newer generation of Harleys, Michel focused on a black 1984 FLH (the last year of the the Shovelhead). He still owns that bike and as he says, “That bike is known around here as ‘Mike’s Bike’ and I’ll never sell it ! If you take care of Shovelheads they will go forever. I believe Shovelheads have always gotten a bad rap but the lousy mechanics who worked on them are mostly to blame for their not-so-dependable reputation.

That and the fact that most guys don’t let their bikes warm up before slamming them into first gear and blasting off !”

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Of the twenty-five motorcycles Michel owns, twenty of them are Harley-Davidsons. The collection includes three Honda Z-50 (remember those ?) a 1970 Velo Solex, a 1970 BSA Bantam 250, a white 1948 H-D Hummer (so cool), and an orange metal-flake 1970 Harley 350 Sprint (manufactured by Aermacchi). The oldest Harley-Davidson motorcycle in his collection is a 1934, 74-cubic-inch Harley VL Flathead. The jury is still out on what colour he will soon paint it ! I wish I had that kind of dilemma ! On these pages, you can see his fully functional non-restored 1942 red WLA with 6-volt electrics, his restored red and black 1942 Canadian military WLC. We also see his black and white 1965 Panhead. ‘65 was the first year of electric start Harleys. “The last of the real Panheads,” as Michel says with a laugh. Notice the round Harley emblem on the gas tank ? That is not a reproduction ! A few years back, Michel was lucky enough to come across a bunch of genuine Harley-Davidson tank emblems, still in their factory packaging, and without hesitation purchased the lot. A very smart move as today these genuine emblems are very hard to find. “Most collectors guard their motorcycle parts with their lives,” Michel says with a chuckle. He also has a 1979 Shovelhead with a ’66 sidecar. His black 1976 Shovelhead will also soon be equipped with a side car as well. His 1980 Superglide with original shifters will be converted into a café racer. Michel’s collection also includes a “like new” 1983 Wide-Glide equipped with centerline wheels. He traded a 2005 FL Classic for it seven years ago, but as you can guess, Michel will add his “original” touch. The white and black 1995 Heritage Softail is in the collection because, in Michel’s words, “This bike will soon be 25 years old and will be considered an antique !” Time sure flies, doesn’t it ? Michel is also holding on to a white 2003 Fatboy that belonged to his dearly loved wife – another bike he will never sell. “That one will go to the kids,” said Michel. And I can’t forget to mention the “custom” bikes Michel’s son built for his parents; the 96-cubic-inch S&S powered chopper and the 1550cc big bore Bobber, both painted by L’Artix (another Quebec artist). Michel is also currently restoring a 1983 Sportster CH as well as a 1955 HarleyDavidson KR dirt tracker. The KR is actually a Flathead and is the predecessor to the famed Sportster (first year 1957).

I can’t wait to hear that one run !

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When I asked Michel if he did all the work on his bikes he respectfully said, “You can’t be a champion at everything, I’m a painter by trade and I’m good at it but I also know that when it comes to rebuilding motors I will deal with the best guys in the business. I have worked with a guy named Le Mouck for many years and today I work with Jumeau (Les Atelier Jumeau), which in my opinion is “the” guy to see when it comes to old Harley-Davidson motors and transmissions.

Always on the lookout for old parts, Michel has travelled as far as New York and Pennsylvania to attend motorcycle swap meets. Michel travelled with members of the Association Moto Antiques du Quebec. AMAQ membership provides you a great way to meet other people who are passionate about old motorcycles. “It’s great to associate with these people and have them as friends because whenever I need a helping hand or have a question about an old bike, they are always there to assist,” says Michel.

Michel’s roots are in Montreal North but he also lived in Mascouche, Quebec for over twenty years. Today Michel lives on a sandy shore of the Saint-Lawrence River in the small town of Lanoraie (in the Lanaudière region of Quebec). Five years ago he built his superb shop including all the shelving and work benches. The outside of the shop is ornamented with a 1926 gas pump, a bell ringing air pump, a Coca-Cola machine, and a fully functional 1951 Ferguson tractor that Michel loves to drive. Michel also has a collection of original cash registers from the late 1800s to the early 1920s. All very impressive !

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In his 62 years, Michel has mastered the art of woodworking. Educated in Victoriaville, he is an expert furniture maker.

Michel also worked at Bombardier Aerospace as an aircraft painter. He and his wife also owned a metal manufacturing shop for eight years all the while working with their son at his bike shop, Python Cycles in Mascouche. Michel and his family would make two or three road trips per summer on their bikes. When asked which trip was his favorite of all he said, “Rolling down to Louisiana’s French Quarter. We travelled to Nashville and through Alabama, returning to Canada from Maine. We followed the Eastern American seaboard all the way back.” Is there a better way to travel ? I think not !

Michel is very proud of his enduring and evolving collection of antiquities and we here at RMM are glad he has shared them with us and of course all of you.

Thanks Michel !

Text and photos : Becky Goebel @actuallyitsaxel

I have travelled all over the world on motorcycles. I’ve ridden across Europe, in Indonesia, from Canada to Mexico, through downtown New York and across the country. I’ve ridden a chopper through downtown LA, through downtown Portland and through downtown Seattle. One of the places I haven’t ridden a chopper : Downtown Vancouver, BC, the city I live in, the downtown I can see from my house and the downtown my chopper resides just outside of.

The most uncomfortable place I have ever ridden a bike is in Vancouver. Not just because of the terrible drivers, but because of the police. Yes, I get it, my bike has no chain guard, reflectors or signals but I have all my certification for riding a motorcycle, have never been in an accident and have a shit ton of experience under my belt. The cops here don’t care though. They don’t care that we all have real jobs, struggle to pay rent each month, and are just trying to express our (expensive) creative counter-culture that is CHOPPERS.

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Tom Fugle said it best, “Anyone can ride a motorcycle but I feel like I’m riding a piece of art.” There is something to be said about riding this specific kind of bike and custom, old-school choppers are a sub-genre that is practiced in every corner of the world. The Vancouver chopper/custom scene isn’t huge, but it’s there and if you’re doing it here, you’ve got guts, have a shit ton of money, or are broke as fuck because of it.

Don’t get me wrong, Vancouver is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever been and I love living here. There are so many great roads, amazing mountain turns, cool people who ride and some seriously talented builders. I am a huge advocate for people to come to Vancouver to spend time, but if you are coming here on your custom motorcycle, it’s a totally different story.

NEW GENERATION

I interviewed a couple of dudes who ride choppers in Vancouver while doing this article. Here’s some things they told me :

The frustration is real and it isn’t just apparent on the streets.

Since it’s not easy to find an affordable apartment in this city that doesn’t have a bed bug problem or a leaky roof let alone one with a garage, we all need a place to store our bikes,

work on projects and make these babies run. Motorcycle theft in Vancouver is a huge issue as well so most of us living on the East side of town don’t really even have a choice but to rent a “secure” space.

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I spoke to some other builders in Vancouver about their shop spaces. Here’s what they said :

Brady AT HAWKS NEST

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Curtis Douglas’S Panhead Tyler Lepore Garage Space

The workspaces in Vancouver are hard to find, and once you’ve got something locked in, you’re always on edge that the rent is going to skyrocket or that the place is going to be torn down to build a condo. I talked to Tyler Lepore, one of Vancouver’s most talented and well-known chopper builders. He had been part of the original crew at the Clark and Francis shop, but decided to look for a smaller, more cost-effective space with a few friends. Tyler and the guys found a space a few blocks away and have been there close to five years, the rent increasing yearly. Although he uses the workshop for his fabrication business, the space is also shared with several other chopper heads, and a portion of the yard space to a gardening business. He told us that even in the winter, they have no heating system. “We have been saving, so this year we might splurge and get the gas hooked up to the furnace… be toasty for once, but I don’t trust the landlord. Each year he makes me resign a lease with a higher rental price and I’m scared one year he’s just gonna kick us out to sell the land since he owns the whole block,” said Tyler. When they originally got the space, the rent was $1,650 per month, there was no lighting, the roof leaked like crazy (still leaks, bad), and during the winter months, the shop floods with heavy rain. “Last week a rat stole our bar of soap,” Tyler added. The upgrades, lights and wiring, shelving/storage spaces are all done by the guys renting the space and still, the rent has gone up over $500 since they moved in.

Tyler Lepore’S Panhead

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The Hawks Nest is another example of the motorcycle garage spaces in the city.

Located in a Downtown Eastside alley, it isn’t the safest place to store your most expensive items. Still, the members of the workshop pay a dollar a square foot with over nine people renting the space and even one person living in it. There are so many people coming in and out of the space that it’s hard to hide what’s down there.

Unfortunately, there aren’t many other options for the tenants of the Hawks Nest and every time a space becomes available, there is a lineup of builders and bikers ready to jump on the opportunity to have a place to go.

Clancy’S Shovelhead at Hawks Nest

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Lions Speed Shop hangouts

Many motorcycle oriented store fronts that supported the motorcycle community, small local companies and where builders could pick up parts are now closed due to rising rental prices. There is a huge lack of affordable commercial spaces in Vancouver and because of the exchange rate, it’s hard to carry lots of brands that people want to buy.

A group of friends, builders and creatives that I’m acquaintances with call themselves the “Lions Speed Shop”. The crew builds frames, bars, controls, risers and pretty much everything you need to customize or build a chopper. They also have a painter in their crew and take on bikes from customers to help complete their custom motorcycle projects. They recently got their hands on a space passed down from friends which is also located in the Downtown Eastside. Along with the garage space came a commercial store front. They’re working on creating a space for motorcyclists to gather, buy parts, and become a community again.

“Even though we’re a fabrication and paint shop, we also dig the vibe and lifestyle that is directly and indirectly associated with choppers and motorcycles in general. So, we plan to create a space where like minded motorcyclists can get whatever they need for their build and look badass doing it. There aren’t too many places in the city anymore where you can just ride your bike down to grab a coffee and shoot the shit with motorcycle buds – so that’s what we aim to provide.

Aj and Blaine Connolly at Hawks Nest

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Ty Collins, Luke Santucci, Eric Nelson & Mathew Boucher The guys behind Lions Speed Shop

The store front will be open in the evenings, during the week and weekends so the working folk can get whatever they need. We will have a selection of our parts and other consumables like tires, tubes, gaskets etc. Vintage clothing, local jewellers, leather workers and whatever else comes our way.”

I stopped by their shop in the final stages of writing this article. They’re still in the construction phase so look for them in the new year and definitely next riding season.

All in all, the “custom” motorcyclists of Vancouver are making it work. I still see choppers flying up and down the streets, I still see new people getting into it and I see people getting back on bikes even after a huge ticket, after they’ve had their bike taken away or their garage space taken from right

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underneath them. Canadians are tough cookies and we don’t let things stop us. Vancouver is a beautiful city to live in and I appreciate every day that I am able to live in Canada and own the toys I own. Every counter-culture that is into such a specific genre has their barriers, but as long as we have members willing to stick their neck out and keep it going, we will survive. We will keep our garages, we will keep our bikes on the road and we will have a place to buy parts and gather as a community. No one is going to stop me from flying around this city on my chopper, we all know those bike cops are just jealous of our bikes anyway.

Thank you to those to contributed and helped with this article : Curtis Douglas – Blaine Connolly – Ty Collins – Tyler Lepore

Interviewee : Ty Collins AT Lions Speed Shop

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Text : Chantal Riopel Photos : Moto Station

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FEATURED BIKE

featured bike

Nostalgia, a sentimental longing for the past, typically associated with feelings of joy. Far off moments that come back to us, submerging us in emotions and happy memories. When you are feeling nostalgic, the past often seems like a better place than where we are now, because we have cast aside all the negative aspects. We miss some things from the past, but thinking about them makes us feel good and can even bring us back to a different time.

Feeling nostalgic means that we have travelled a good long way, and it is certainly a sign that we are not getting any younger‌

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One fine day, Richard Carrière of Moto Station Inc. was feeling nostalgic for the 70s. For the days when everyone rode nice bikes, not like nowadays, when everyone rides around on baggers, comparable and often ordinary. Richard, who has worked in the motorcycle industry for many years, took stock of all the parts laying around his garage and began planning a nice little chopper, the kind he so loved to ride back in the day.

For starters, “you cannot make a chopper worthy of the name without a nice rigid frame” says Richard. He adds to that a beautiful Springer fork that is still a classic, “that anyone would be impressed to see coming in their rear-view mirror,” he says. Then, a 1973 Shovelhead motor and fishtail pipes; it all starts to take shape.

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FEATURED BIKE

OWNER CITY

Moto Station Inc. East Broughton, QC

AccessoirIes

GENERAL Manufacturing Year / Make Model Assembly Time

Moto Station Inc. 1973 Chopper Artisanal — 2 months

ENGINE Year Model Builder Ignition Displacement Lower end Balancing Pistons Heads Cam Lifters Carb Pipes

1973 Shovel Harley-Davidson Dyna Tech 1200 Stock Moto Station Inc. Wiseco 10 to 1 J. Précision Andrew “A” Jim’s Power Glide S&S “B” Straight pipe - Fishtail

Transmission Type Shifting

Riviera 6 speeds

painting Painter Custeau Inc., Thetford Mines, QC Airbrush — Color / type Black Special Lace

FRAME Year Builder Type Rake Stretch Shocks

Photographe R

SPECIFICATIONS

— Jobber Rigid 41 degrees 8” stretch Rigid

Bars Handlebar Controls Headlight Tail light Speedo Dash Pegs Electrics Gas Tank Oil Tank Oil System Primary Seat Front Fender Rear Fender Mirrors Grips

Club Man Harley-Davidson Harley-Davidson Custom : L.A. Chopper GPS — DNA Moto Station Inc. Peanut Horseshoe S&S Belt Drag Specialties Mid USA Mid USA — Custom Vintage

forkS Type Size Builder

Springer 14” over stock DNA

WHEELS FRONT Size Wheel Tire Brake

21” Harley-Davidson Dunlop WWW DNA

REAR Size Wheel Tire Brake

OTHER

16 x 5.5” DNA V Rubber DNA Shift link : Mid USA

Moto Station

Richard and his son Jessy, who will soon take over Moto Station, had a lot of fun building this beautiful little chopper together.

A local painter, Dany Custeau offered to do the paint job.

Dany and Richard found that they had the same tastes and opted for an old way of painting, with lace. From a distance, it looks more like snakeskin, but when you get closer, you can see the lace. They chose red and gold for the finish, which gave a really nice result.

Happy with his new chopper and no longer feeling blue, it goes without saying that Richard gets noticed when he rides this beautiful little gem worthy of the “good old days.”

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Text and photos : Dan Lim @themotofoto

MOONEYES - 26th Annual Yokohama Hot Rod Custom Show, that’s 26 years as a platform for car and bike customizers to express their creativity and bring their creations to life !

That statement alone is awe-inspiring and should immediately illustrate the importance of this show, in the custom culture. New to the scene and as a first-timer to MOONEYES, I can tell you I did not need rose-tinted glasses to fully appreciate the beautiful art form of custom built cars and motorcycles.

The MOONEYES show is internationally recognized and considered by many as one of the best and most extensive indoor show of its kind. This year’s edition did not disappoint.

It was held on Sunday, December 3rd at the Pacifico Yokohama. A vast and cavernous convention centre played host to the show, as it has in previous years. It’s so large; it was hard to believe the venue was going to be jam-packed in less than 12 hours with 300 custom cars, 650 custom bikes, live bands, 330 vendor booths of fashion brands, art, parts and accessories, artisans and collectors.

All in preparation to receive the 17,000 + attendees and media people for the one day show.

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I had the good fortune of being there on Saturday, the setup day, to experience what it took to put a show of this magnitude together. One can say that it was the calm before the storm, although it certainly had a feel of frenzy all of its own. I arrived bright and early. Right from the beginning, there was a charge in the air with the smell of gasoline, exhaust and the rumble of both cars and bikes. One by one, directed by the MOONEYES crew, the machines maneuvered to their designated area of the show floor. Vendors were already there in force to build their curated booths. Exhibitors and staff ran around tirelessly. Cars and bikes were set up and detailed, lighting was installed, signs were put up. The whole scene just seemed like chaos but executed with such efficiency as the Japanese seem to do effortlessly. Laughter, camaraderie, old friends, new friends, there were lots of admiration from other bike and car builders in appreciation for their colleagues. Photographers, videographers and media people mingled in somehow to get their needed content amidst the chaos. The day flew by like a motorcycle blur on the Bonneville Salt Flats, and at times, the extraordinary scene was quite overwhelming with so much to take in. Before I knew it, the day was over, and the Pacifico Yokohama was ready for Sunday’s onslaught.

I was jet-lagged and half asleep, so Sunday came way too fast for me. Doors opened to the public at 8:00 am to some very eager attendees who rushed in to be amongst the first to get their hands on the limited-edition

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VANS X MOONEYES, the Steve Caballero collaboration shoes; “HALF CAB” that commemorated this year’s show.

Caballero, an iconic skateboard personality with the famous “Bones Brigade” skateboard team, who is also very into the motorcycle and hot rod scene was on hand to meet and greet fans and sign autographs. As was Steve Van Doren from Vans, who continues to spread the good vibes of Vans, the company his father built 50 plus years ago. It wasn’t long before the venue started to fill with attendees from all over the globe : Sweden, England, Australia, Canada, USA, Italy, Indonesia, Malaysia, China to name a few. Most made the trek specifically for this show and for some, this wasn’t their first rodeo either. As tradition would have it, by 9:00 am the centre of the convention was lined with hundreds of attendees on both sides. Like clockwork, the “ride in” parade of invited show bikes and cars began their procession, one by one, to the oohs and aahs of the appreciative crowd with their cell phones, cameras and flashes popping all over the place. It felt like a Hollywood red carpet event for star-studded cars and motorcycles. The parade “ride in” happens every year and I think it’s such a unique way to officially announce the start of the show. It created such a buzz and excitement that it set a positive tone for the rest of the day. Steve Von Doren, always the ambassador from Vans riding in on the MOON buggy, throwing swag to the crowd was a bonus and added to the surreal feel of the moment !

Steve Van Doren & Steve Caballero with The VANS x MOONEYES “Half Cab” limited edition shoes

Steve Van Doren from VANS in the Parade on the MOON Buggy

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Bryan Thompson - Thompson’s Cycles 1955 Triumph Pre Unit VANS bike with Steve Caballero

1954 Harley-Davidson Panhead BY Yuji Noro DE Kurumazakashita Moto Cycle

Dynamite Joe Kerivan 1938 Harley-Davidson Flathead

Kengo Kimura - Heiwa Motorcycle 1971 Triumph TR-6 Martin Carlgren - Ringo Chop Shop “Imsomnia” - 1947 Husqvarna V-Twin

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Dave Polgreen - Wretched Hive “Little Lord Fauntleroy” 1947 HD Knucklehead

An hour before the parade, as a member of the media, I was invited to the rear loading area of the convention centre to shoot the invited bikes and builders while they were getting their bikes fired up for the parade. What a blast of a good time that was ! The boys certainly put on a show ripping up and down the strip on their bikes for us media people.

In particular, Steve Caballero riding tail on his skateboard being pulled by Bryan Thompson on his 55’ Triumph Pre-Unit VANS bike. The ambiance was candid, genuine, and truly fun as the guys hammed it up for the camera and showed obvious pride in their machines, machines that looked and sounded as unique as the talented craftsmen that built them.

I follow most of these guys on social media, and it was great to have a chance to meet them in person. Check them out : Martin Carlgren from Ringo Chop Shop - Born Free 9 Best of Invited Builder. Instagram : @ringochopshop Dave Polgreen from Wretched Hive – Born Free 9 Best in Show. Instagram : @djp210 Bryan Thomson from Thomson’s Cycles.

Instagram : @thompsonscycles Damin Lupin from Loser Machine.

Instagram : @losermachine Big Scott Stopnik from Cycle Zombies.

Instagram : @cyclezombies Todd Asin from Small City Cycles.

Instagram : @smallcitycycles Oliver Jones from Cutrate. Instagram : @cutratejp Dean Micetich co-founder of Dice Magazine, riding “Matt Davis’ Bike”. Instagram : @dicemagazine

Kengo Kimura from Heiwa Motorcycle, 2016 Best of Show Motorcycle. Instagram : @heiwamc Of course, these weren’t the only bikes that were stunning at the show. This year’s motorcycle theme or spotlight was “Swinging Tradition – Traditional Choppers” paying homage to 60’s style U.S. choppers. Remember earlier I said 650 bikes ? Primarily influenced by Japan’s continued fascination with American mid-century culture and styling cues, a majority portion of the show bikes were vintage Harley Panheads, Shovelheads, Knuckleheads, along with some Ironheads and Sportsters. Not to mention an array of Triumph as well as Indian motorcycles and domestics to round out the variety of stunning machines. It was interesting to see what some of Japan’s leading custom bike builders exhibited at the show. The customization, craftsmanship, metal craft and attention to details were over the top and second to none, as you’d expected. However, what struck me most was the delicate creative balance of the builds, respecting the traditional American styling infused with Eastern Japanese aesthetics. Perhaps it’s the Eastern way of thinking, which allows them to zero in on conventional aspects of how a bike should look but recreate something that is “Japanese” in style. Case in point is a bike from Kurumazakashita Moto Cycle by Yuji Noro, a stunning 1954 Harley-Davidson Panhead with a fabricated one-piece seamless silver tank, incorporating the seat, blending into the rear fender that looks like a machine that belongs to the Silver Surfer. Creative placement of the header pipes and exhaust showcased the beautifully restored 63-year-old motor that contributed to the futuristic-looking lines of the bike, yet infused with aspects of a traditional Panhead.

A show stopper for me.

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“Moonlight” - 2017 Harley-Davidson Street Bob by Charlie Stockwell

My other favourite bike from the show was a 1953 Triumph Thunderbird chopper by Kazuto Uchida at Arrogant Lunge – @arrogant_lunge. This motorcycle perfectly illustrated the paradox of the strong, silent type. With its sleek and mean body line, ribbed exhaust pipe, and full out chrome all over, it is at once a masculine looking chopper but also exquisite in the choice of champagne paint scheme, relief tank, relief rear fender detail, and understated handlebars. Superlative craftsmanship and finish all around.

Lastly, although not a Japanese built bike, there was a candy blue metal flake bike aptly named “Moonlight.” It was specially built mainly to debut at the show that pays homage to the Japanese Chopper culture, by Charlie Stockwell – @bubble_visor, head of design and customs at Warr’s Harley-Davidson in London, England. I had a chance to briefly speak to Charlie about the build of the 2017 Harley-Davidson Street Bob (which looks nothing like a Street Bob when all was said and done). The original intent was to build an all-out drag bike, but when they found out that this year’s show theme was on traditional choppers, design changes were made to incorporate the 60’s chopper feel to it. Creatively, not willing to abandon the drag bike idea, Charlie decided to blend the two creating what he calls “a kind of performance chopper dragster, a mix of old school chopper with high-end performance products.” Highlights of Moonlight include tattoo inspired hand engraving engine covers from Roland Sand Designs and aggressive stainless two-inch pipes with exposed welds and pie cuts, and the exhaust, slashing skywards at almost 90-degrees.

Oh, by the way, all three of the bikes as mentioned above are award winners from this year’s show.

Parallel to the custom bike culture in Japan is the fashion aspect of the culture. If custom bikes are considered a form of self-expression of the rider, so are the fashion and lifestyle from the Japanese in that scene. Having been in the fashion

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industry as a fashion photographer for many years, I appreciated the fashion flair of some of the attendees. No stranger to the influence of American mid-century styling cues, the fashion is no longer considered a trend and has refined over the years. Topped off with superior workmanship, the look has transferred into mainstream Japanese fashion. Inspired by the fusion of post-war American workwear, Rockabilly, 70’s hippie vibe, cholo street style and pin-up nostalgia, it has completed the overall look and feel that goes hand in hand with the bike and custom car culture that doesn’t seem to be letting up anytime soon. Fabulous retail stores catering to this mode such as Freewheelers & Company, No name ! and Trophy General Store had their vendor booths at the show as evidence of retro “moto wear” coming into its own.

A fair warning though : your pocketbook may suffer due to the awesome vendors at the show.

All in all, a spectacular and unforgettable first experience of Japan and the MOONEYES show. What has made this show particularly endearing for me is the fabulous hospitality and incredibly welcoming aspect from the organizers of the show, right from the top with Mr. Shige Suganuma who is the owner of MOONEYES to right down to his staff. No one personified this more than Mr. Suganuma himself who was always on site, greeting and welcoming media and attendees alike, handing out MOONEYES stickers and thanking everyone for attending. What started 26 years ago as a show to allow MOONEYES clientele a venue to show off their rad hot rods, and customs, has now become a show of international stature bridging the creative perspectives of both eastern and western custom car and motorcycle culture. It was an eye-opener for me, and an educational one at that. For all you motorcycle enthusiasts out there, this is a must do on the bucket list.

Mata condo ne. See you next time !

1953 Triumph Thunderbird by Kazuto Uchida from Arrogant Lunge

Shige Suganuma, owner of MOONEYES

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OUR READERS Text : Andy Robitaille — Photos : René Methot

I wanted a Harley-Davidson Panhead long before I had my first bike, but it’s hard to find a HarleyDavidson that’s over 65 years old here is Québec, especially at a good price.

I have been buying, trading and selling H-D Shovelhead motorcycles for three years now, but last October I finally got a great deal on a HarleyDavidson Panhead and the timing was just right.

The only small problem; the bike was in Montreal and I live in Baie-Comeau, which is eight hours away. So, I made the 16-hour round trip to Montreal and yes, I bought it.

The engine and transmission are from 1960 and the chassis is from 1957, the last year they made the rigid chassis. It had been modified, which I did not like, but it was a beautiful bike to do what I had in mind. In fact, I’m not only passionate, I’m obsessed with the 1960s lifestyle and chopper look; it’s always in my mind.

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I took the bike apart, then I started buying parts. I found a Peanut style gas tank and 4-inch over fork tubes. I also found 19-inch and 21-inch wheels and fishtail exhaust pipes. A friend of mine made the handlebars in my garage, as well as the front headlight, the taillight and several other accessories. The bike was already nicely outfitted, which was perfect because I wanted a “survivor,� as if it had been sitting in a barn for thirty or forty years.

My friend Marc did the paint. I basically described to him what I wanted and he did an amazing job. I made the seat to look like a wolf but with fake fur and I installed a big sissy bar. I also modified the exhaust to fit with everything else.

When I was done with pre-assembly, I knew it would be exactly what I wanted. The positioning was perfect for me. When the bike was finalized and ready to roll, I sat on it and felt as if everything on my chopper was made for me. When I tried it for the first time, it felt like I’d been riding it my entire life.

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OUR READERS

DATE

COMING SOON EVENT

CITY

STATE COUNTRY

Feb 2 to 4 2018

Salon de la moto de Quebec

Quebec

QC CAN

Feb 3 2018

Easyriders Bike Show - Atlantic City

Atlantic City

NJ

Feb 9 to 11 2018

The One Moto Show

Portland

Feb 10 to 11 2018

Easyriders Bike Show - Columbus Columbus

Feb 16 to 18 2018

Toronto Motorcycle Show

Toronto

ON CAN

Feb 23 to 25 2018

Salon de la moto de Montreal

Montreal

QC CAN

Feb 23 to 25 2018

World of Wheels

Calgary

AB CAN

Mar 2 to 4 2018

World of Wheels

Edmonton

AB CAN

Mar 9 to 18 2018

Daytona Beach Bike Week

Daytona Beach

FL

Mar 16 to 18 2018

World of Wheels

Winnipeg

MB CAN ON CAN

USA

OR USA OH USA

USA

Apr 7 to 8 2018

Spring Motorcycle Show

Toronto

Apr 11 to 15 2018

Arizona Bike Week

Scottsdale AZ USA

Apr 13 2018

Friday the 13th

Port Dover

ON

Apr 25 to 28 2018

Laughlin River Run

Laughlin

NV USA

Apr 27 to 29 2018

Bike & Tattoo Show

Laval

QC CAN

Apr 27 to 29 2018

Salon Auto Sport Quebec

Quebec

QC CAN

Apr 27 to 29 2018

Leesburg Bikefest

Leesburg

FL

CAN

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