To all the older guys fretting that the passion for custom builds and vintage platforms will die out with them, I present to you today, the answer to your prayers. Jay Donovan, of BareSteel Design, out of Victoria, BC, Canada! Jay has been earning himself a lot of success and exposure lately, largely due to his gorgeous Manta Cafe Racer, featured at the Buffalo Chips show in Sturgis last year, curated by photographer Michael Lichter, and invited to the Motor Bike Expo in Verona Italy in 2018. It's always a treat to be able to showcase some local talent and Jay qualifies in that area in a huge way. Getting his start in collision repair, before moving into the world of custom motorcycles full time, Jay has displayed a mastery of metal rare in such a young professional and just keeps on raising the bar. We missed connecting with Jay at The One Moto Show in Portland Oregon a couple of months ago, but we've been watching his work for a while, so it's our absolute pleasure to have him with us as a guest today. Another recent guest of ours, "Hoarder" Joe Allan, requested that we interview Jay and had a question for him as well. You'll find it in the Q&A down below. We're going to tell you all right now, this man Jay Donovan is a thinker. During final edits this time around our spellchecker lit up, with repeated suggestions to use more concise language. Yeah, stuff that. Let the man talk. So without further ado, bring it on Jay! Who are you and where are you from? Jay Donovan from Victoria BC Canada (shop name is BareSteel Design) What’s awesome about you and your life? Anything awesome about me comes from the wonderful life and family I was born into. My amazing parents, siblings, and friends have made me an incredibly lucky individual and given me the amazing opportunity to take my life in any direction I should choose. * I'm gonna interject right here and point out how awesome it is that Jay recognizes and proudly acknowledges the help and advantages he's derived from his friends and family. Nothing wrong with having support in what you do, we should all be so lucky, and it's pretty rare to find such genuine gratitude these days. Good on ya Jay, way to display your positive character and bring the class! What do you think you do? I like to believe I am making pieces of kinetic art. Sculptures that can be admired purely through their static form and then ridden and interacted with on a personal level. Blending art and engineering into something worth more than the sum of its parts. I hope to fulfill my own artistic ambitions by building completely one of a kind motorcycles, from as close to scratch possible, as well as enjoying the creative challenges in customizing existing platforms of many different styles and budgets. What was the best thing to happen to you due to poor life choices? Yet to be fulfilled, even though the beautiful irony is seen. Will keep you posted Why do you do what you do? I began developing my metalworking skills to pursue a higher level of quality and craftsmanship, knowing that those skill sets would allow me the creative freedom to make anything I could think up. My love for Automotive Coachbuilding and the history of the men who would build a vehicle from scratch and then drive to Le mans, or any such race, to push themselves and the car to their limit, created the seemingly perfect process for attaining the highest satisfaction in creation. While the practicality for myself to be building one of a kind vehicles is quite low, Motorcycles returned to my life as a brilliant, more interactive, and even more artistically challenging, platform where chassis, Components, Body and rider must all interact in such a visible manner . How did you wind up where you are? Wonderful circumstances of life. Beyond those, the programs and instructors at Victoria HIgh School created significant opportunities that led me to my Auto Body Repair Red Seal ticket, which led me to Metal shaping and fabrication. Bringing me full circle to using those skill sets to connect with people, through creative passions, that I can only assume are there through wonderful circumstances of life. What was your favorite glory moment? I have had a few good ones so far. Being selected have my bike shown in Italy, during Michael Lichter's show, was certainly one of the highest, but it seems no matter how great those moments feel, the memories of the process and struggle are a stronger reinforcement to my best moments than the moments themselves. * Jay was a featured builder at the Old Iron - Young blood exhibit, Curated by Michael Lichter, at the Buffalo Chip Event Center in Sturgis in 2017. This led directly to his being invited to display his Manta Cafe Racer at the 2018 Motor Bike Expo in Verona, Italy. What was your most annoying fuck up or brain fart? Too many to count. I seem to be very drawn to things seemingly out of reach, making for a constant state of discomfort with what I am trying to complete and a standard that will hopefully always remain higher than my capabilities, i.e. large scrap bin. What was the last thing you did that made you swear later? Nothing specific comes to mind, but deciding to try and make a living building customs motorcycle pretty well covers it. :) * Editor's note: Gonna go out on a limb here and just say that I think Jay's gonna do okay on that score... * We ask each guest who they'd like us to interview in the future and what they'd like us to ask them. This next question for Jay was courtesy of "Hoarder" Joe Allan, from Joe's interview with Killman Customs. "Ask him if he has considered doing a small engined custom bike, maybe based on the popular Honda C70 or C90 or even a small two stroke like a Yamaha Twin Jet 100." Yeah of course! I have actually had some vague plans to do a small cc bike for a while now. Its an engine that I absolutely love the look of, but not quite as small as a 70 or 90. As for what that engine is, I will have to make you wait and see until I actually have one in hand! * See Hoarder Joe's interview with Killman Customs by clicking here !! What’s in your shop right now that you’re thinking about? I recently picked up a sport bike that had been laid down last season, luckily leaving the rider unharmed, but allowing for a good deal on the bike. I have been discussing the idea of collaborating with a brilliant designer Tamas Jakus, of Jakusa design out of Hungary, for a concept of his I fell in love with after seeing it on Instagram. That is something I will be sharing more of soon on the socials, as well as an entirely scratch built design of my own creation, that I have been working on for some time now, which will also start taking form in the near future. Anything hanging in your shop or office that gives you joy to look at and what’s it’s story? The projects themselves are always nice to look at, but I must admit I don't form too much sentiment for the bikes themselves once completed. There are two things I keep close in the office and impactful reminders. One being a comical birthday card from my Sister which reminds me that some of the negative associations I have connected to money overlook all the good that can be done with it and what true positive value it can have. The other is a Photo of my late Uncle with his old Suzuki completely torn apart in my moms living room. Much like the origins of many great automotive companies today it reminds me of how much can be done with minimal resources. What has been your favorite client moment so far? Prior to motorcycles I completed the body and paint work on a chopped and channeled 1930 model A, owned by a local gentleman. I spent two years of evenings and weekends to get it done. My natural curiosity and hope to make an impact led me to investing all the knowledge and skill I had to offer, making the car he had thought up and put so much work into, the best it could be. Seeing the level of satisfaction from the owner as the car came to life, and enjoyment he has gotten from it and will continue to get for a long time yet, is something that is still with me today. More than likely reinforcing my own desires for building custom, individual tailored machines.
What would you like to see more of in the custom world? The custom motorcycle world is an industry not based in necessity but rather a usually expensive means to create diversity. During the 14 and 1500's the infrastructure in Florence, Italy created a healthy and booming middle class giving rise to many of the most historically treasured artists we cherish today. I would just like to see more of the custom industry in general. To see more people able to afford the money or time to diversify themselves through creativity. What would you do with one million dollars? I would help my family, so that they all have as much help possible to pursue their passions and goals. I would like to create a platform where I could fulfill my own growth as an artist and custom builder, while helping to contribute and grow the community of people who share values as well as a love or simply an interest in motorcycles, creativity, or the social company of one another. To provide knowledge and shop resources to curious people looking to grow or learn new skills, while still having the opportunity for my own outlet would be my ideal set up. * Editor's note: Smart answer, you're still in the will. Also, where do I sign up? And somebody give this man a million dollars already! What’s your next adventure? Enjoying taking part in the events and community that go along with this craft. Next on the list Is taking my bike to Austin Texas for the "Handbuilt Motorcycle Show" this April. If anyone knows a good shipper or is heading down from the northwest with some trailer room, let me know! * If you get caught short Jay, we have a trailer hitch and are easily swayed... Tell us anything else you want us to share for you. Stay Curious! And there you have it folks. Another Killman Customs interview with a talented and promising builder. Jay's perspective on custom motorcycles as functioning pieces of art is one that is near and dear to a lot of the very best. It's absolutely a point of view that will serve him well in his future endeavours. If there's more like Jay on the way up, the future of custom building is in safe hands indeed and we look forward to meeting them all and watching the magic happen! On a side note, I made it a point to watch the movie Jay recommended earlier, "About Time". Not necessarily what I was expecting from a metal magician, but well worth a watch. Just don't let your hairier-knuckled compadres catch you and be sure to stock up on tissues first. Thank you Jay Donovan for sharing your thoughts with us today. It's been great getting to know you better and I think we can all agree that we look forward to watching what should be the long and rewarding career ahead of you!
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Today is going to be a real treat y'all, we're coming at you with Joe Allan, veteran racer and bike builder out of Lake Cowichan, on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada! Welcome back everyone and thanks for tuning in to another Killman Customs interview, where we not only take a more intimate approach to the giants of the vintage and custom scene, but we shine a little light on the unsung heroes too. *You can click on any of the pics to make 'em bigger and don't forget to check out the photo gallery of bonus shots at the end of the article ! In addition to Frankensteining up a long, long line of wonderful two wheeled toys, Joe and his lovely wife Shelley have found themselves the time to raise a beautiful family. Joe's son Kurt is now 29 and a Red Seal Motorcycle Tech and Millwright in his own right. With his two daughters Fawn and Masika and three grandkids to boot, Joe's got a lot to be proud of! He's One of those old school talents that doesn't see a lot of mainstream fanfare nowadays, but he keeps putting out solid machines year after year. When the daddy bulls like Joe start talking the smart money listens with their ears, not their mouths. He's probably been wrenching on bikes longer than many of us have been alive, and has probably forgotten more about them than a lot of folks ever knew. So sit back, relax and soak in the fun! So let's get to it and hear from the man of the hour himself, Joe Allan! * For the easily confused, (looking at you Scooby-snax): when the Q&A starts between Joe and I, text in orange are questions and italicised black text are answers from Joe. Orange Text following a * would be me flapping my gums to bring you all a little background and color commentary, in case folks need some context to the conversation. Who are you and where are you from? Joe Allan, born and raised in Northern Ontario, moved to BC in 1968. Got any nicknames and how’d you get ‘em? "The 750 Guy" as the result of a strange phone call late one night, years ago. It started with "Are you the 750 Guy? I got a 750 Honda I need to get rid of and I gotta be outta town by tomorrow!" The result was me and my seven year old son picking up a basket case 750 Chopper at a run down 4-plex that night, as the caller made sure no one saw us arrive. The Bike was completely apart, all over the kitchen, mixed in with dishes etc. It was pay the man, grab all the parts, and leave. No more than 15 minutes total... but it came with papers! Lately my family has been insisting that I am "Hoarder Joe", due to my accumulation of bike related stuff. That's what my business cards say now... I take it as a compliment. Took it home and tore the bike apart. Traded the Druin for a Suzuki Water Buffalo 4LS front wheel. Still got the motor.
Winning a seat in a local gov't election, held it for 22 years. * Now that is not an answer I get everyday. Good on ya for serving your community Joe! What do you think you do and where do you do it? I think I'm a mechanical guy and I've managed to do mechanical stuff as a career as well as a hobby. Why do you do what you do? I really enjoy it, I like building and fabricating motorcycles. Almost as much as I like riding them. * We also asked Joe about a few of his other fave machines and he brought us the love in spades! The little Honda 50 I built for grandkids. It has an electric start C70 motor in it, an extended swingarm, rear tire off a rototiller and a SuperTrapp pipe. The trailing link front end I built using a batch of scooter parts, mixed with stock Honda stuff. The CB350 I built for my son when he was 11 yrs old, the frame is a piece of exhaust pipe bent 60deg. The frame is also the gas tank and the motor hung from it. The swingarm uses one Suzuki 750 front fork as a shock and the front end is a CR80. The motor was bored to accept Kawasaki 440 Pistons, head was planed to the valve seats. Colt Cams in Vancouver made the custom cam. It runs H2 Kawasaki carbs and is fired by a belt driven 90,000 volt magneto, from a Mercury outboard motor. The compression is 14 or 15 to one and it runs on 80% Alcohol and 20% Nitro. My son was really light and it went very well. * Editor's note: I'll just bet it did! What was the last thing you did that made you swear later? Waited a month to get 4' of custom cloth covered spark plug wire, rushed out to the shop and cut it into four equal pieces... Problem is the two coils took different sizes. Swear and go back and order another 4'. * Yup, brain farts can totally suck. What’s in your shop right now that you’re thinking about? Finishing the CB750 Brass Chopper, (when I get the plug wires), the 1966 HD Aermacchi 250, 1972 CL350 and a 1967 CL77 305 Honda. Got some small Honda S90's to find parts for, more long term.
Favorite motorcycle-related story? Kenny Roberts flat track win and Mike Hailwood's return to the Isle of Man. Who do you want us to interview next and what do you want us to ask them? Jay Donovan of BareSteel Design. Ask him if he has considered doing a small engined custom bike, maybe based on the popular Honda C70 or C90. Or even a small two stroke, like a Yamaha Twin Jet 100. * Jay Donovan's interview with us, and his answer to Joe's question, will be coming your way real soon! What’s your next adventure? Going to The Isle of Man TT Races 2018, got a place to stay near the track :-) Thanks for sharing your story with us Joe, it's good to know there's guys like you in the mix and we're looking forward to hearing all about your adventures at The Isle of Man TT! Over the years we've actually had the pleasure of dealing with Joe quite a bit. More than a few of the bits on one of our upcoming projects came from his private parts stash. In addition to being a hella nice guy, he's an amazing source of vintage bike lore and manages to turn up with the most frustratingly awesome finds. Hell, we even scored an old Goldwing from him recently. He's a straight shooter and if something's not right he doesn't fart around, just gets the job done, with no excuses. What we're trying to get across here is that Joe Allan is one of those solid dudes that the motorcycle world is built on and we're happy to have brought him your way. Check back in regularly here, and on our Patreon page, for more in depth interviews. You really don't want to miss this next one! Bonus round, A few more of Joe's builds from the wayback files!
In case you're unfamiliar with the gallivantings and bona fides of one Mr. Josh Allison, we have a little list of some of the awards he's brought home. This boy is SOLID!
You may have heard of some of these awards. You may also need a fortifying beverage to finish the list, without having to seriously rethink some life decisions. I recommend Booker's. One for each hand. For those of you seeing the man and his work for the first time, you're in for a real treat today. Josh really brought the love in this interview and then he followed it up with an avalanche of amazing images. So without further ado, let's hear from the man himself, Josh Allison! Who are you and where are you from? My name is Josh Allison. I’m a custom builder from Greeley Colorado. My shop is Cry Baby Cycles. I specialize in metal shaping, restorations, full builds, fabrication and design work. What's the story behind the name Cry Baby Cycles?
Got any nicknames and how’d you get 'em? My wife used to call me Chatty Cathy because I talk too much!! Lol!! What’s awesome about you and your life? Well, I think it’s pretty awesome that I get to build vintage bikes and cars for a living! I’m also very lucky to have a badass wife and son that support me and have been my biggest fans. I feel very fortunate to be able to do what I do and be a part of this industry!
How did you wind up where you are? I got my first dirt bike when I was 7 years old. I stuck with it, then got into racing and eventually FMX. In my early twenties, I started to custom paint my helmets and that led to a small custom paint shop. One of my customers gave me a 1980 Honda CB750. I started to build my first café racer out of it and it was my first riding experience on the street. My building skills were very limited at the time, but I was in love with the whole thing and wanted to grow my abilities. That led me to WyoTech, a trade school in Laramie Wyoming. I took Street Rod, Advanced Street Rod, ASM, Collision and Refinishing. I learned how to TIG weld and some basic fab skills - I fell in love and knew I wanted to be a custom builder! After graduating, I worked at several hot rod shops over the years and was building bikes on my own time after hours. That led to me opening up my own shop nearly ten years later. And here we are! What was your most annoying fuck up or brain fart? On my 1969 BSA build, the oil tank tabs I made broke at Sturgis during a ride with Roland Sands and crew. I realized on our first stop and was able to hold it on. As soon as I got back to camp it fell off! LOL! No one knew but my buddy. It would have been super embarrassing. I didn’t fully weld the tabs and had no rubber washers or anything. It was a big mess up, needless to say I learned an important lesson.
What was your favorite glory moment? Boy there have been a few. I would have to say David Uhl painting the 51 Panhead I built, “The Dead Pan”. I couldn’t believe it when he called! Also, getting the call to be a Born Free Invited Builder. The TV show build off Wrench Against the Machine. That was a crazy experience! And finally, Michael Lichter shooting the Black Gypsy. * Anyone that's seen Wrench Against the Machine episode 4, (and if you haven't drop what you're doing and go find it) knows how fortunate it was that Justin Webster, of J. Webster Designs out of Gainesville Florida, brought Josh to the party. The concept behind the show was three days to build a bike with a budget of $3000. The winning teams would take home the trophy and the other team's bike. In episode 4 the surprise goal was to turn a 1977 Suzuki GS550 into an Easy Rider inspired chopper and while Justin has a ton of experience and finesse with vintage Japanese metal, making this machine into a chopper was not in his wheelhouse. Enter Josh Allison. The man literally has old school biker in his blood. Hell, even odds that's actually 50W pumping through his veins. The rest is history, but suffice it to say, there aren't a lot of people around that could hope to take a bike from a master like Craig Rodsmith. They totally did it though. Anything hanging in your shop or office that gives you joy to look at and what’s it’s story? I have an award I won a long time ago for a bike that now I look back on and think how bad it sucks! LOL. But, it reminds me to remain driven and is a reminder of how far I’ve come. Also, the David Uhl painting hung in my living room is unreal! What has been your favorite client moment so far? You know, they’re all different and awesome in their own ways! I love seeing clients excited for their builds, it makes we want to keep pushing and trying harder! Favorite motorcycle-related story? Man, there are a lot! Every show and ride has one! But my ride to Denver with a buddy for a chopper show sticks out. It was getting late and you could see some gnarly clouds moving in. We took off and my headlight on my bike went out because my over flow regulator on my BSA was broke. So, we decided no big deal I will just follow him home. It started pouring rain and then his taillight burned out! At that point in the ride we were committed. So, I rode home in a down poor in the dark with no head light and couldn’t see crap! We thought the storm will pass….it didn’t. We got back to the shop that night laughing! It was just a good friend memory and a crazy riding experience. Who do you want us to interview next and what do you want us to ask them? Interview Cristian Sosa and ask him how the hell is he so good!!! Damnit! Lol Who, or who’s work, do you have a crush on right now? Man, there are so many good builders! Cristian Sosa, Maxwell Hazan, Toshiyuki “Cheetah” Osawa, Vintage Technologies, Justin Walls. The list goes on and on! Got any heroes or role models? My Grandfather was an insanely talented artist and teacher. He showed me a lot and inspired me. Travis Pastrana for showing the world that anything is possible on two wheels and to dream big! Evil Knievel for just being bad ass! Any sources of inspiration you want to share? I think that inspiration comes from everywhere. From other builders, people, buildings, books, art. It’s all around us.
Thank you to you too, Josh. You've been a class act all the way. It's truly been a pleasure to get to know you a little better and an honor to have you aboard as the first guest in our series of interviews featuring the Born Free 10 Invited Builders. It brings a lot of light into my day to be able to introduce a hard working family man and true artist like yourself to our followers. I'm sure they've enjoyed the experience as much as I have. Good luck with the '46 Knuckle and the judging. One thing we all know for sure, your machine is going to be something special. my Born Free 10 Grass Pass is on the way from Loser Machine Company as we speak and I'm looking forward to hoisting one with you in June. First round's on me! But wait, there's more! Josh sent us so many amazeballs pics that they overflowed the article, so be sure to scroll down and feast your hungry eyeballs on more bikes, more metal and more awesome! We'll be sharing the rest of the Born Free 10 Invited Builders interviews between now and the event and we'll also be bringing you the inside scoop on other builders, event runners, artists and schwacks of just generally cool mofo's. So Don't forget to check out our online general store for merch and to stay tuned to our Patreon page, so you can keep up on the newest interviews and behind the scenes content as we roll it all out! Keep the shiny side up y'all and we'll see you back here real soon, peace!
Born Free 10 Invited Builder Josh Allison - Photo GalleryYou might wanna grab some lotion and a kleenex before you start clickin' away, just sayin'...
How we met the wing-nuts from Re-Cycle Garage Santa Cruz, the same twisted minds that bring you the Motorcycles & Misfits podcast,
We recently headed on down to Portland, Oregon for The One Moto Show. It had been a long, long drive in, down the I5 the day and night before and I was desperately trying to get some sort of, "Why no, I don't want to kill you just because you spoke to me before noon" mask on. So there I was, practising my very best whack-fuckery way too early in the morning, on the hotel lobby coffee-bot.
​Suddenly, out of nowhere, I was verbally assailed from the rear. When I turned around it was to see myself, in all my naked glory, in a pic from one of our blog posts last Summer. Seems my insta-stalker had seen the logo on the patch on the back of my Kustom Baja Hoodie, (no joke, we live in those things on the road, they're like a big hug from a drunk God) and Google-ized us. To say I was unprepared would be an understatement. Hell, I wasn't even wearing real pants yet.
Didn't matter. The lady's name turned out to be Liza Miller. She was the founder, back in 2009, of Re-Cycle Garage in Santa Cruz. We started shooting the shit, like riders and wrenchers do, and it turned out that we even had a couple of the same old hunks of metal in our stables. Namely some Kawasaki KZ440's and Honda '72 CB750's. Nothing better than talking to someone that knows your joys and agonies with the same machines.
BY THE END OF IT ALL I HAD GOTTEN TO LEARN A BIT ABOUT THEIR RAD CO-OP TOO. RE-CYCLE GARAGE IS A DIY MOTORCYCLE REPAIR AND RESTORATION COOPERATIVE IN SANTA CRUZ, CA. A ONE DAY A WEEK FREE CO OP SPACE WHERE ANYONE CAN COME AND USE THE TOOLS AND GET ADVICE AND HELP, IN ADDITION TO A FREE GEAR ROOM, WHERE THEY PASS ON DONATED GEAR TO THOSE THAT NEED IT. ​
They also proudly proclaim two main products, elbow grease and bikes that run. The Re-Cycle Garage mission is simple. Keep the bikes on the road.
THEIR FIRM BELIEF IN INCLUSIVITY, ("HEY, IF THEY CAN RIDE, WE'LL LET 'EM IN." LIZA DECLARES DURING THEIR RIDE WITH NORMAN REEDUS SEGMENT) HAS HELPED THESE HAPPY HOOLIGANS GROW QUITE THE FOLLOWING.
​WHETHER YOU'RE LISTENING TO THE MOTORCYCLES & MISFITS PODCAST, WATCHING THEIR YOUTUBE CHANNEL VIDEOS, CHECKING OUT THE PICS ON THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE, OR LUCKY ENOUGH TO HANG WITH THE GANG IN PERSON, ONE THING IS ALWAYS FRONT AND CENTRE. THESE FUCKERS HAVE FUN, GODDAMNIT! We highly recommend doing all of the above. You won't regret it. Matter of fact, you just might learn some cool shit and finish up with a huge grin smeared across your kissing hole. Seriously, go check 'em out, tell 'em Killian from Killman Customs Independent Buildhouse sent you. Maybe they'll toss you a frosty one. ​ ​Re-Cycle Garage 413 Laurel St., Around Back, (not our mailing address) Santa Cruz, California recyclemotorcyclegarage@gmail.com Call +1 831-359-1311 This one's picture heavy everybody, so if you're wanting to see a ton of world class custom and vintage motorcycles, you're absolutely in the right place! We'd been wanting to see The One Moto Show, in Portland Oregon, for a while now and let me tell you, it more than lived up to our expectations, setting the bar sky high for future adventures down south.
PORTLAND IS THE PERFECT PLACE TO LOSE YOURSELF FOR A WEEKEND, OR LONGER. BLUE STAR DONUTS WERE RECOMMENDED SO HIGHLY BY EVERYONE THAT WE JUST HAD TO CHECK THEM OUT AND THEY BLEW US AWAY. WE WENT BACK AGAIN TO GRAB A BOX FOR THE RIDE HOME. THAT BLUEBERRY BOURBON DONUT WAS KILLER! The staff at The YardHouse treated us to great service as we sampled tasty snacks, (their Vampire Tacos should be required eating!) and several flights of top quality beers from their 130+ draft taps. It was the perfect way to wind down after a marathon trip through I5 traffic. Google labours under the mistaken impression that Victoria to Portland is a six and a half hour trip, but make no mistake true believers, it's more like twelve. Especially with two hour waits at the border. Finally, one of our kickass drivers from Radio Cab, (an all-veteran company that took great care of us all weekend) recommended Muu-Muu's for brunch and were we ever glad we took his advice. The food was bangin' and I finally found myself a much needed Bloody Mary that was mighty fine too. The staff were on top of their game and had us fed and watered for our epic journey back north in no time flat and with style. Yup, definitely can't wait to see a bit more of this funky town!
WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET ACROSS IS THAT YOU NEED THIS EXPERIENCE IN YOUR LIFE. IT WAS A BIG KID CANDY STORE AND WE RUBBERNECKED AND SHUTTERBUGGED THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS OUT OF IT. It was an authentic treat to see Rawhide cycles' latest offering to the gods of speed up close. I'd been eyeballing their social media posts about that machine for a while now, and it was even better in person. Just a clean, sexy and elegant build with a gorgeous stained glass sissybar and upholstery that pulled everything together perfectly. These guys brought the sweetness in a huge way! Got a chance to chat up the way knowledgeable crew from Langlitz Leathers for a bit too. It's a beautiful thing when you get to shoot the shit with a straightforward and genuine team. these dudes have one serious pedigree and the quality of the work on display was second to none. WE ALSO MET A PRETTY GROOVY MARRIED COUPLE FROM GOOSE IT GEAR. PAM WOLFF AND HER HUBBY WERE A JOY TO TALK TO. WE ACTUALLY LOVED THEIR WARMTH AND STYLE SO MUCH THAT CANDICE PROUDLY PICKED UP ONE OF THEIR AWESOME SHIRTS AS A SOUVENIR. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK YOU TWO, WE KNOW HOW HARD IT CAN BE TO BOOTSTRAP A SMALL BUSINESS, ESPECIALLY AS A COUPLE, AND WE'RE ROOTING FOR YOU! SPEAKING OF FUNKY FOLK, THE LADIES AT THE SIEGE VINTAGE MOTORCROSS SHIRTS BOOTH HAD US IN STITCHES. THE STORIES ABOUT HUBBY HAVING A COLLECTION OF BIKES AND BITS SPRAWLING EVERYWHERE TO THE HORIZON REALLY STRUCK HOME, AND WE GOT SOME GREAT LAUGHS IN. YOU ALL PUT UP A GREAT DISPLAY, THOSE SHIRT DESIGNS WERE TITS, AND WE HOPE THE EVENT WAS A SUCCESS FOR YOU. Another sexy as Hell scoot that really blew my hair back was this pinky/purple dreamboat by New Church Moto. No one with a soul could look at this bike and not want to ride it over the rainbow. Made my day just to see it and I can't wait to check out more of their work in the future! Not even kidding, a fella could've get a terminal case of whiplash scoping out all the dope metal in residence. The bar staff at this shindig were all super-friendly too, one pretty lady in particular wanted to photobomb us after her shift and we were more than happy to oblige. You rock mysterious beerslinger!. Thanks for the wicked service from everybody and all the fun. You ladies killed it and we appreciated the hospitality. There's no way to adequately describe all of the marvelous toys that we drooled over at The One, so I'm going to include a gallery below of my personal faves. Please forgive the quality of some of the pics. All I had to work with was a phone camera, so there's a bit of noise due to the low lighting. If anyone wants to chime in with info or questions about anything, feel free to weigh in, in the comments. All in all, The One Moto Show was a phenomenal experience, in a groovy town, with great people and even better machines. We can't wait to go back next year, only this time we'll be setting up and bringing a bike or two. Thanks for everything, we're so glad we went and Portland was a blast too. Everyone should definitely make the trip to check this event out next season. Keep that rubber side down ya filthy animals and we'll See you all on the flip side!
* You can catch our portion of the podcast, starting at roughly 1:09:25, or just grab a cold one, chill for a bit and listen to the whole thing. Then go back and check out some of Re-Cycle Garage's other stuff. It's worth it, these particular misfits have a pretty sweet groove.
Okay, so eight o'clock, day one. Seriously everybody, how straight up sexy is Liza's voice on that Motorcycles and Misfits Podcast? Be willing to bet that more than one lonely soul has fallen a little bit in love with it, while rolling down a rainy highway at night. Found her calling that one did, for certain and truly.
Huge thanks to the Re-Cycle Santa Cruz gang for being so chill and friendly-like. You made the whole Motorcycles and Misfits experience a lot of fun and the post-inquisition surprise game of Scooby Doo style wobblypops and rootbeer tag was a challenge worthy of our skills. hope everyone had a blast at the One Pro race flat trackery down in Salem! ​ also, I have some disclaimers. This was my first verbal media interview. I wasn't really certain what a podcast was exactly and I was nervous as balls. I actually wasn't even sure whether or not I was on camera somehow until it was all over. Turns out that being interviewed in real time is indeed a whole new dynamic and I already knew damn well that being in front of a lens makes me a bit slower than the average bear, so have mercy on a man. I made a few boo-boos and I definitely indulged in a bit of deer-in-the-headlights stammering and rambling type-stuff from time to time, but for a first attempt I think it went pretty well.
Other than that, enjoy the interview! Naked Jim was a blast to shoot the shit with during and we got a chance to chat up Bex afterwards. Not only did she approve of my desire to invade Antarctica on two wheels, but she improved on my nefarious plan, and even offered to build the tires! Girl after our own hearts, that one is. BTW Candice wants to know the story behind Naked JiM's nakedness.
For anyone that's interested, here's a little bundle of background on how all of this wound up going down.
I am a bit of a weird little beastie that definitely goes bump in the night. I love my beautiful, amazing fiancee Candice, old motorcycles and critters. I am not a morning person, requiring coffee and a smoke to bump start. Which is a bit strange because I try to stick to decaf, as diesel can make me a tad exhausting and random to deal with for unfortunate and unsuspecting wayward muggles.
I also firmly believe that some words need sprucing up a bit, and that their original forms are more of a loose suggestion, kind of like motorcycles. ​All of this, along with a distinct lack of filter and more curiosity than give a damn can lead me to some odd places. I also quite like things this way.
Now, we'd had a bit of a slog to get down to Portland for The One Moto Show on Friday, so Saturday morning I was dragging ass pretty hard. Having hoovered down the in-room decaf offerings in our seriously badass hotel, The Inn @ Northrup Station, (go there, they rock) I threw on my Baja Hoodie and pinballed downstairs for a dart.
​Don't judge, cigarettes have probably kept me from killing most of you at one point in time or another. You also most assuredly do not want me anywhere near the big red button before noon, or it'll be a short week for everyone. ​Anyways, After suckling on the smokey teat I gromped back into the lobby to check out what was on offer for breakfast. Bacon and java aside, I am not a breakfast sort, preferring a Bloody Mary around afternoonish, but Candice is all about that brisk crack of Hell stuff, so it was a quest for my baby. ​While I was ooh and aahing in the general direction of the waffle maker, I remembered the super-computer-and-flux-capacitor driven, deep-thought-required, coffee device next to the front desk that I had seen a few minutes before. Bazinga! I could grab us another couple of neon mugs of warm and wonderful before heading back to the room! It's good to be a hero.
​So there I weebled, dry-humping the bejeezus out of this friggin' java monolith straight outta 2001: A Space Odyssey, desperately trying to get it to spit out some decaf. No love.
Utterly outmatched and in a weakened state, I somehow managed to persuade it to provide two cups of leaded go-juice. Fuck it. Could probably use the caffeine anyways. My honey would just have to smite me for the public good if I got out of hand. ​While I was about the brew-haw-ery, I heard a comment directed my way from the rear and turned around to see a naked pic of myself from one of last Summer's blog posts on our website. My friendly assailant had seen the logo on my back and apparently Googled the shit out of my innocent defenselessness. ​Definitely Not what I was expecting just then, but not a conversational opening gambit that one could just ignore either. Well played indeed.
And that's how I met Liza, who is one seriously cool lady and knows her old bike shit. She and her squad from Re-Cycle Santa Cruz were up to cover The One Moto Show and, while the Missus and I had headed to the local 100+ beertap Yardhouse for some reconstitutionals the night before after finally getting into town, Liza and the gang had made it down to the event. Which gave us a considerable yardage of near-and-dears to chat about.
​We wound up gabbling away like two chickens on a fence, for what must've been an hour or so, as I sucked back both cups of caffeinated joy. * (BTW, Sorry again about that Honey, def missed out on those bf points) Eventually her hooligans appeared, and we shook paws all around. Great bunch of folk they were, pretty sure my imaginary tail must've been wagging by this point and Somewhere in there she asked if I'd mind interviewing with them for their Motorcycles and Misfits podcast later that afternoon. I said "why the hell not?" and trundled along about my bizness.
When we rambled our grinning selves on down to The One Moto Show in Portland last week I had a sneaky little bucket list item in mind. Have a shot with Craig Rodsmith, of Rodsmith Motorcycles in Grayslake, Illinois. Mission accomplished, Now kindly pardon me while I fanboy it up a bit. Just gonna say right off the bat that Craig is one patient and gracious guy. When we were getting ready to head back to the hotel after a full day, and I still hadn't had a chance to say Hi, I pretty much just grabbed the poor bastard on his way past. Wouldn't have blamed him a bit if he'd told me to get stuffed, but it turns out he's a lot nicer than I am, even if he is still the only person I've met that swears more than I do. * (Full disclosure: I use the word "Fuck" like a comma.) Between displaying his new Pipeburn featured turbo Guzzi V9 at the Chicago Progressive International Motorcycle Show on Friday and participating in the Rizoma Behind the Build panel at the One Moto Show in Portland Oregon on Saturday the man had a chock-full docket, and that's before gearing up for Mama Tried in Milwaukee later this month. Doing two shows in two days, on opposite coasts, would pretty much have me in permanent, "I'm not a morning person" mode, but not Mister Craig Rodsmith. Nope, he was all friendly and personable-like.
In a perfect example of karma, my completely platonic man crush got to meet one of his own idols this weekend, when they were co-panelists. A certain Miguel Galuzzi, designer of the Ducati Monster, head of Piaggio's Advanced Design Center (PADC) and design manager of the Aprilia, Moto Guzzi, Derbi and Gilera motorcycle brands. can not freaking wait to see what kind of potential creative collaborativity-type stuff comes out of that particular friendship!
Safe to say that we all really dug the cool, relaxed vibe at The One Moto Show and, with any luck, we'll all be meeting up again next year. This time though, Rodsmith Motorcycles and Killman Customs Independent Buildhouse will both be bringing bikes, and you all KNow that's going to be a good time. Thanks a ton for the courtesy Craig, It made a serious impression. if you're ever looking to chill out, head on up to our neck of the woods some time. We'll get our knees in the breeze, check out some nature and hoist a few! That's right, time to grab yourself a little something amazeballs extra, 'cause Spring is in the air and it's time to get ready to rumble !! Right now, in our online General Store, we've got some crazy cool new shit:
So zip on over to our new Badass Bling page, (see what we did there?) and make like a magpie, grabbing all those new shiny-preciouses for yourself! We meet a lot of folks throughout the year, at shows and online, and one thing that we see a lot of is people wanting a Gremlin Bell, but wanting to stick with the tradition that it works better if someone else gives it to you. We see some pretty crazy-wonderful displays of puppy dog eyes to buddies and loved ones. Doesn't always work. Some folks don't know about it, some folks don't get it and some folks are just cheap bastards. some folks flat out simply don't have anyone to get them one. That last one really chafes my pink and pretties. Nope. Not today, not no more. We can do better and we can put some grins on some faces while we do it! Starting RFN we've got a new tradition of our own down here at Killman Customs, and we're calling it Share a Little Love. We've added a couple of items to our store and Guardian & Gremlin Bells pages. We've called them the Share a Little Love Bell and the Share Some HUGE-MONGEOUS Love Bell. Now here's the good part. When you buy one of these bells you're sending it anonymously to another random lucky puppy. The Share a Little Love Bell is a regular size Guardian or Gremlin bell of the recipient's choice. The Share Some HUGE-MONGEOUS Love Bell is the same thing, but one of our HUGE-MONGEOUS bells, (Skullcrusher, Da Bomb, Da Bong) instead.
Now here's the even gooder part. When you buy the bell, you tell us under "Note to Seller" during checkout which bell you'd like to receive anonymously as a gift from some other awesome individual. You'd be amazed at how good it can feel to reach out and send, or how much it can mean to receive, an anonymous surprise gift out of the blue one day. We've set the prices at fifteen and twenty five dollars on these gift bells to reward you all for doing your part and shining a little light. Remember to send us a pic when you get your bell and we promise to add it to our Show & Shine page. Gonna feel pretty good to know you created one of those smiles yourself. So pick yourself out a bell and pay forward some joy! Always down for a new event, we headed up the highway to Cassidy Country Kitchen's second annual Car & Bike show & Shine! The lovely and charming owner of Cassidy, Christina, was a class act all day. She obviously poured an ocean of love and hard work into this event and her staff hustled with huge smiles throughout. Christina swung by and checked in on each vendor stall throughout the show, like a pro, and it didn't go unnoticed that she made a point of buying some of the coolest swag from almost every business that set up shop. We were lucky enough to find a moment of calm to chat with her and she expressed concern that the vendors weren't doing enough business to justify coming out. Unfortunately, She had a point. Now I try to keep things jocular and positive, but as a small business owner I need to shine a little light on some facts of life once in a while. It's easy to flap your gums about how everything is made in China now and that folks should shop local and support small business, but the shrewd owner of Cassidy actually walks the walk. If you don't stand up and vote to support the little guys and girls with your dollars, the independents can't operate. Which means we have to stop coming out, and you're left with just another car show. With you and your buddies standing around in matching outfits, bitching about the good old days, while staring at a bunch of overpriced, poor quality, cookie cutter factory stuff in a parking lot. It ain't custom if you can order it from a ticky-box menu like cheap chinese food folks. So thank you for showing everyone how it's done and hats off to your integrity and the badass boots you walked in on Christina! We donated some prizes, as usual, and even got to chat with one lucky lady that snagged herself one of our authentic Kustom Baja Hoodies. Always gives us a tickle to see our stuff enjoyed out in the wild, so thanks for the kind words and enjoy the swag! As always, send us your pics of you living it up in our gear and we'll be happy to throw it up on our Show & Shine page here on the website. We design our stuff to look good and stand up to some fun, so get at it and show us how it's done! There were some pretty balls-out cages at this thing and quite a few tasty two wheeled treats as well. We had some fun shooting the shit with one couple that obviously had a blast customizing their little KZ440 and managed to snag a pic of it standing still. It was a hoot catching up with friends new and old, and some of the other road show business types too. Keg Killer Customs won a well deserved bike of the day trophy with their groovy chop and it was our pleasure to give him a yell. Love that scoot! All in all it was a fun day in the sun and a nice way to close out the season. Thanks for having us Cassidy Country Kitchen, we'll be sure to stop in again for some of your sweet cookery next time we're braap-ing by! And that about wraps up the 2017 Event season for us. Not to worry though, we've got some huge projects already underway for 2018. Keep your eyes peeled to our website and social media channels True Believers, because this shit's about to get crazy. |
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