Mondo's Tribute To Denver

we are on this planet for such a short time it’s hard to imagine how any of us could ever have any great effect on this old world at all. Well, that is unless you’re a motorcycle person. In that case, your chances are significantly increased. For Mondo Porras, who has been such an influence for so many of us over the years, his inspiration comes from a brother he lost 30 years ago, 30 years exactly in ’22. Of course, the man I’m speaking of is Denver Mullins, and to Mondo, he was one of the great pioneers of this thing we do. Truly an originator of the cultural phenomenon that we know as choppers today. It all started back in Denver’s shop so many years ago. For this 30-year anniversary, Mondo wanted to memorialize his late brother in a manner fitting him best by building a pair of motorcycles that would have been the bikes to roll outta the front door of the California Shop that carried his name. You see, all of Denver’s bikes were pearl orange and were finished with purple flames, all except one that was dressed up like a cop bike. So that settled it, one would be the signature color scheme, and the other would be the police chopper. Of course, they both would have to be done with the same painstaking attention to detail and in the same manner that Denver would approve of.

For Mondo, motorcycles have a soul, at least the good ones do, and to get that, you can’t simply pick parts from a catalog and toss them at a build. You must start at the beginning and do it the way it was done back then. Porras believes it requires oldschool tools when it comes to an oldschool bike. He actually collects old tools and uses quite a few of them on a regular basis. When building a bike like the one pictured here, that means the parts get made by hand

on an old WWII-era lathe and mill. A hammer and an anvil are required for manipulating sheet metal. And each hour that goes by has to be treated like visiting an old friend, not going to work for a day. Mondo told me that while he was doing the molding on this build, it took him back to the time where they were doing this kind of work constantly. Back then, a whole molding job like the one you see here would cost you about $125, and if you wanted it painted after that, an additional $125 would get you your choice of a candy flake finish and pinstriping on a tan frame and fender. Crazy to think of by today’s standards, right?

The real beauty is that this tank is actually removable, unlike so many builders who end up doing the tank and frame as one piece to achieve a look like this with the molding. Other features like the built-in wire and cable holders, the sidebar/plate mounting system, and the sky-high cocktail shakers call out to a true born and bred seventies chopper from California. But Mondo says that without those stories, it is just a bunch of nuts and bolts. The parts are important, but when they are made or customized by hand, the bike starts to take on a soul of its own. He knows that every time he throws a leg over this bike, he gets to take a ride with Denver again. Porras knows that the work he continues to carry on would make Mullins proud, and for a man who changed the world in his time, what Denver thinks of what he continues to do is at the top of the list. After all, he added, “Fads come and go. I’m just building the same bikes I always have, doing the same things like they were done back when they called me Bondo Mondo, and we were pumping these things out.” Those days were special in that they were somewhat unaware of, like most young people. Things that seemed wild and crazy to the outside world had purpose, they were a family, and there were rules to conduct yourself among the group. The designs were different from the other parts of the country, like the Bay Area thing that Simms and Ness were into, the East Coast twist that Perewitz and Larry had on it, all doing their own thing but with purpose and with a common goal of doing what you love with your brothers.

In that same vein, Gerald Casey, who owns this beautiful

motorcycle, is also in the mix. In many ways, Gerald is Mondo’s right hand and is actually being groomed to take over for him someday. A day that we don’t want to think about here. But suffice it to say, like the rest of us that are too dumb to quit, Mondo will be doing this until the day he dies. And, with the things Gerald has learned at his side, there will be a solid cat to carry the torch after that. That’s about all a man can ask for in this world. Gerald has bailed us out on more than one occasion, so we know firsthand that he is more than

Owner: Gerald Casey City/State: Reno, NV Builder: Mondo/Denver’s Choppers Year: 1969 Model: FL Value: Priceless Time: 1 year ENGINE Year: 1969 Model: FL Shovelhead Builder: Shoeman’s Cycle Ignition: Joe Hunt Magneto Displacement: 96” Pistons: S&S Heads: Dual Plug Carb: S&S Super E Cam: S&S Air Cleaner: From Berdoo Exhaust: Custom W/Cocktail Shakers Primary: Tech Cycle TRANSMISSION Year: 2020 Make: Ultima Shifting: 6 speed FRAME Year: 2020 Model: Gooseneck Builder: Kyle Brewer/ Paughco Rake: 42º Stretch: 4” Down

FORKS Builder: Mondo/Denver’s Choppers Type: Narrow Wishbone Springer Triple Trees: Denver’s Extension: 20”

WHEELS Front Wheel: Black Bike Wheels Spool Size: 21” Tire: Firestone Front Brake: UNKNOWN Rear Wheel: Black Bike Wheels Size: 18” Tire: Firstone Rear Brake: Juice Drum

PAINT Painter: Lil’ Mondo Color: Pearl Orange Type: H.O.K. Custom Mix Graphics: Lil’ Mondo Chroming: ABC Plating of Reno ACCESSORIES Bars: Denver’s 6-bend Risers: Adjustable Hand Controls: RSD Hydro Clutch Foot Controls: V-Twin Gas Tank(s): Narrow’d Paughco Oil Tank: Denver’s/Paughco Front fender: None Rear Fender: Wassell 5” Seat: Range Needlework Headlight: 4.5” Taillight: Prisim Supply Speedo: None qualified to keep the tribute alive. We’ll do anything to make sure he has what he needs to do it. As for Mondo, he feels like this part of his life has been about making sure that the people that made this thing into what it is are being paid homage. So, recently, he built a bike that was a tribute to Larry, now this pair is in honor of Denver and soon a special Captain America bike project that I can’t let the cat outta of the bag on yet, but you can see it from start to finish in upcoming Classic Easyriders Magazine issue, where you can also see the Cop Bike that was part of this tribute. All we can say in closing is thank you, sir, for being an example that not all that was good about this is lost and that there are still those who know where the special part of it lives.

NO THERE ISN’T ANY REAL PRIZE, JUST SOMETHING TO DO WHILE YOU’RE IN THE CAN.

1. MIssing pinstripe from frame rail under seat. 2. Extra ignition switches under seat. 3. Extra wire loop on the down tube of the frame. 4. Shorter left handlebar grip. 5. Extra Fuel Line From Gas Tank. 6. Oversized Starter Jackshaft Housing. 7. Missing pressure plate adjutment bolts. 8. Missing timing inspection nut. 9. Added window pane to the neck gussett. 10. Spun regulator end on generator.