Post 5: The Other Bike

Well yes, there is already "another bike". I took the R.I.D.E. class a few week ends ago, and when I showed my new green chopper to the police instructors, one said: "I wouldn't get on that thing", and the other: "You need to put a front brake before I get on it". Finally, they both said:" You should get a cheap Honda Rebel on eBay and practice a lot before you get on that thing!".

I followed the advice, and found a wonderful "little" Honda Rebel 250 that had beed nicely chopped and repainted a dark metallic orange and black. It is the same bike I took the class on, but with more pizzaz, and the foot rests moved up so I don't feel like a frog sitting on it. It is an easy bike to ride, and the 1997 2 cylinders Honda 250cc engine on it is actually more powerful than the CB350F on the chopper...

Post 4: What Actually Happened

Things always take a life of their own, and before stripping the paint, I decided to make a spray can mock up to see how the chopper would actually looked. I borrowed the La Rosa Leather seat from the other bike( I will explain in the next post), and decided to use real brass accents instead of gold leaf or anodized aluminum.
First, I blacked out the rusted exhaust pipes with 3000 degrees paint, and swung the foot rests down and extended them with rubber and brass trim and half balls:

I mounted the Arlen Ness flame mirrors on brass balls, and made a brass ball housing with a red button from Radio Shack for the horn :

I bought cheap Chinese air horns from Harbor freight , threw away the plastic horns, and connected an old brass Model T horn I found at a flea market 20 years ago:

I used something I also had about 25 years as a very skinny "pretend rear fender", which I attached to the frame with aluminum angles and brass bolts:

I made a Hi/Lo headlight with an old potato masher and a car headlight from Auto Zone. It gets a nice amber glow though the holes when it is turned on, and is attached with lamp brass ball hardware:

I temporarily put on a pair of megaphones I had ordered for the other bike:

I fitted the hood ornament to the gas cap, angled down low so I don't impale my "cojones" by accident, and stuck brass plumb lines in the ends of the handlebars for the moment:

This is getting to look pretty good. I kind of like my coiled cell phone charger cords used as wires from the horn and the turn signal future switch instead of running wires though the handlebars :

Post 3: The Dark Angel Concept

The bike was very pretty in lime green, too pretty really, not really my look, and I didn't like the typical square 1970's headlight and short exhaust pipes. The headlight fell apart on the first run anyhow.

While the bike was in the shop getting checked and tuned up, I worked up a matte black and gold bike concept in Photoshop, and looked for reasonably priced parts and accessories . The bike will actually be named SM for "Spiritus Michaelis, in homage to my uncle Michel.

I would like to fit a disk brake on the front wheel for safety and stopping power, using a bracket matching the front suspension horizontal arm:

I want to use an old 1949 Cadillac solid brass hood ornament on the gas cap, and use a gold chain:

I ordered billet and black rubber striped pointed handles, twin 24" megaphone mufflers, and two Arlen Ness black flame mirrors:

Post 2: The Rust Bucket Concept

I absolutely love the Brown Pearl designed by Russell Mitchell for Exide Cycles( the one I use as a header for the blog).

So my first idea was to take the bike apart, sandblast the frame and pipes, acid wash it, let it rust, and put it back together as a "rust bucket" with big megaphone mufflers.

Post 1: A Long Simmering Passion Comes to Life

I have been looking at bikes for a long time, just didn't get around to playing with them. I rode small bikes in my teens, because everybody does in France until you can finally legally drive a car at 18... Then I stayed off them for 47 years... But then I just turned 65 in April and went on Medicare... Something had to be done. I had spent my Birthday week end on the Dragon at Deal's Gap with my Mini Cooper, and saw a lot of bikes. I came back with an earring, and started looking at bikes on eBay...
I found a nicely chopped orange and black 1976 Harley Sporster with the classic ironhead engine, but missed it by a hair:

Then I ran across a fabulous very unusual 1976 custom chopper built around Honda CB350F 4 cylinder engine, a pure jewel:

I drove to Saint Louis to look at it at the Saint Louis Car Museum, and came back home with it in the van. It barely fit, at a little over 8 feet with that long front end...

I was told it was built as a show bike in 1976, and put in storage in 1981.

The engine is a Honda Classic originally designed in 1972, the only 4 cylinders 350cc motor ever made, and compared to its larger successors, it looks like a piece of jewelry:

The rear end is interesting, in that it looks like a hardtail, but actually has short springs and shocks built into a vertical tube(they are not very effective):

The springer front end is outrageously long at 48", and has a rake over 45 degrees:

The chrome steel wheels are the original Invader wheel design from 1974 with the 5 square spokes.
My wife Rachel loved the paint job, her favorite color, a metallic acid green with psychedelic light turquoise swirls on the tank. Unfortunately, the paint is crazed and flaky, and there are numerous rust spots.