The power of custom networking

At my recent local swapmeet i met a man selling hotrod dvd's. As there were mostly farming parts and old tractor engines around this stall came as a warm welcome. With a friendly G'day i soon found out this swapper helped start the now iconic Sydney Rat Rod Day. I had never been to the show but read much about it. I think after an hour of story selling i knew how it began and was honoured to meet someone with such a connection to the Sydney scene.

Just goes to show

You just never know

Respect tha cholos

Lowriding culture isn't so

big down unda. But as you all know i love culture and the true latin american lowriders live by their cars. Something that is to be admired. Check out the lifestlye car club in LA

Panel beating-a dying art?

Today a week ago i set up shop at my local annual swap meet. I was next to a guy who like myself made a small sacrifice to get there when it was still dark. This guy looked young like me so we got talking. I couldn't help but ask what he does and why he wants so much for the tools he was selling.

He was a retired panel beater at age 27. He said he left while he could and the prices he wanted for his snap on tools were actually quite reasonable. He left the proffession as it simply wasn't earning enough money to support his wife and kid in the modern day. As we talked he mouthed off all the different places he worked,(which explained how he knew all the people that came to chat with him) in search for better money. I was shocked to hear that after 3 years at trade school and as a slave apprentice plus 4 years fully qualified, i was earning more then he did and i only work friday through sunday.

He now packs boxes at a meat factory earning a third more then he did before. It was sad to see someone give up a proffession that i considered essential in the automotive culture. I missed the shot but two other local panel beaters came to talk to him and talk about their work, unlike him they were still employed panelbeaters except they were well above 60 years of age.

I hope this is not a common story.

Before bikes

I too was a skater. I was obsessed. The rebellion, the freedom and the style had me taken. Not many banks though in sydney so we had to search for hills and on summer nights we would grab or ipods and crappy speakers and hit the main roads. In between car and busses we would cool down just havin fun.

Chop triumphs!

new ones that is!

Yes we see heaps of evo chops out there but no modern bonnevilles?

why?

i don't know but i think they would be great. Like the sportser they would need much to make a cool chop. Cut the pipes short enough and it will sound awesome and they will stay up with the new harleys. These little quick works show that the bonny looks great chopped.

Reliable,

Old school looks

and they had them in 19??

Not enough

Of chopper riding stunts. Freak people out, ride no handed, put your legs in the air and watch their reactions

Inspiration

I find stuff like this inspiring. Found this ol girl on ebay and was in love. Bikes like these dont need much, a touch up and some paint work and you have one period correct chopper. You dont need a harley to have a chopper.

The seventies

Notice the jap triple? another reason for a great period. Multi-engined bikes. No not two engines on one bike but the amount of different engines that were used for showstoppers. Like today well a couple of years ago it was just harleys! but the period correct bikes are changing that!

Im different

Not that other blogs are wrong i just choose to strongly stick to anything thats only to do with the industries. Art, music, tech and show

FC classic

I posted this gasser a while ago when it was for sale. If you bought it and your out there in blog land, drop us a line with some pictures as you own a special piece of australia hotrodding.

Digged enough?

With the retro huge and the modern small whats next is a hard question to answer concerning the motorcycle industry. Why do we like new or old styles and why not? I guess im just a sheep but i like the period perfect bikes at the moment more then the cutting edge ones because i JUST do.

Do what you want!

Tattoo maybe?

I do love the roth artwork and my suzi

maybe maybe

Start your own club

You don't need to be outlaws to start a club, or have a back patch. If you have mates with the same ideals and thoughts as you start a social chopper club. Have meetings, embrace your brotherhood and practise a dieing culture.

Show bikes versus real homebuilt bikes

I think its sometimes forgotten that you dont have make a show worthy bike to have a chopper. This is my buddy glenns bike. Although he hasnt finished it yet the state it is in im sure was typical of what many people rode back in the day. Im sure there is a whole gallery full of bikes that never made it to the magazines out there and i wanna see them. To me they are my favourite types of bikes. The ones with character obviously influeneced by the ones in the rags.

Am i influenced by my bike?probably. Just i can't afford a chromed out bike yet so i made do with what i got. Glenns bike is a

'Period perfect homebuilt chopper'

The sort that was built in the 70's by the average joe!

and as if Glenns bike aint cool as it is?

Imagination

I believe society is lacking in this department. It is almost frowned upon for a grown man to use imagination and come up with an idea, instead he is labbelled 'crazy'. Hotrodders and bikers are people who are accepted and praised for their imagination. They blow peoples minds. Just look at our industrys most famous 'crazy' dudes, ed big daddy roth and Jason jesse!

Be different

Draw

Write

explore

don't conform and invent!

asitwas

If it aint uncomfortable it aint cool!

Sure you can have all the cushion in the world and be comfy but we chopper enthusiasts believe less is more, sacrifice comfort for style!

The garage is your temple

Treat them well and great things come out of it. A place for worshiping the automotive gods

Freakin out society

Reading Tom Fugles eulogy for david mann got me thinking. Using this pic of jerimiah from love cycles, Im trying to demonstrate why sissy bars rule.

1 they freak out the squares

2 they are weird aka chopper worthy

3 they are the combination of rad.

So if you get told not to add a sissy bar, dont listen they rule, the more the better. Seperates us from them, plus they had them back in 19??

asitwas

Tha dtmc

There should be more clubs like this

'The 60-70's period of motorcycle clubs should not be forgotten"

be inspired!

Life on the road

Im at an age where i still got no clue what i will do with myself. But as i could not sleep last night i threw on an old favourite. Easyrider. This movie is great to me in so many ways. It can slow my mind down and no matter how many times i watch it, the riding scenes mixed with great soundtrack takes my mind away from the many troubles in my life. It also reminds me of some great advice i once had. 'Sometimes you gotta stop fucking thinking about it and just do it' (archie if your out there) and riding is relevant to that in so many ways. We all have troubles in life but like others i know that the road and my bike will always be there.