REVOLUTION MOTORCYCLE MAGAZINE - English - Issue 49 Summer 2019 by RevolutionMotorcycleMag

EVENTS & SHOWS Vroom, Vroom Verona !

Loserpalooza

FEATURED BIKES 8 36

Pan Vision Old Blue

“Let’s chalk it up to shit happens”

INTERVIEW Megan Margeson

INTERNATIONAL Street Racer

COLUMNS Her Say

New Generation

56 Our Readers 88-92 Old School

Editorial

Coming Soon

Chief Editor : Pascal Richard Editor : Geneviève Fréchette Writers : Liz Leggett, Sam Pileggi, Pascal Richard, Dan Lim, Becky Goebel, Catherine David, Samuel Guertin, Lee Sipes Translation : Kathy Blais Special Collaborators : Elio Pinoni, Sean MacLennan, Eric English, Jean-Sébastien Paré, Francis Rheault, Megan Margeson, J. Shia, Gilles Raskar, Joe Roy Photographers : Liz Leggett, Keith Jollymore, Pascal Richard, Laval Gagnon, Dan Lim, Becky Goebel, Gilles Raskar, Samuel Guertin, Mitch Cayouette Model : Cholo Style Bagger : Karine Boisjoli The Gunner : Virginie Parent 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 : Suzie Gauthier 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

Double standard, it is respect that is most important. We all know that the motorcycle world has changed over the years, both for the better and for the worse. Like all other sectors, competition is more and more fierce between companies of the motorcycle world. What makes me most angry these days is the lack of respect for others. People put their pocketbook above their customers. It is only normal to be in business for profit but respect for the customers is essential if you hope to preserve them and your company over the long term. My philosophy has always been to be fair and equitable toward my customers.

still referring to this section where the vendors did not pay for their space while only 30 feet away, the vendors paid exorbitant prices !

What would an advertiser say if his competitor found out he was offered a free page of advertising in this magazine ? He would wonder why the disparity ? And legitimately so.

The promoters would likely say that they want to give the new generation a chance and attract a new, younger clientele. I agree entirely, but put yourself in the shoes of these young entrepreneurs that were not included in this section and who had to pay for their space. Young entrepreneurs who have started their own business, working 60 hours a week, putting money aside to pay for their booth at the Motorcycle Show in order to obtain visibility and they see that for vendors on the other side, everything is free, with value added and all the perks, including more sales.

This is the type of unfair promotion that I find hard to digest. I have discussed this with several people and it is not a secret that I am referring to Hangar 17 at the Montreal Motorcycle Show. Those who visited the show know what I am talking about. However, to explain the context, Hangar 17 is a large section of the show where emerging youth in the motorcycle world, motorcycle manufacturers, paint artists, seat designers, etc. display their goods. This area is animated with a DJ, a bar, and a very cool décor and ambiance,… but totally free for those who exhibit or sell on site. This is exactly my point when I say there is a lack of respect. Indeed, this is in no way the fault of the exhibitors in this section, who I otherwise know very well. However, when most of the exhibitors, including young and old, small and mediumsized companies located in the main showroom where there is no animation and the ambiance is somewhat cold having paid the full price, there are questions to be asked. The idea of creating an animated section is interesting but on the other hand, who do you think pays for this free section, and are unable to profit from it ? It is only reasonable for a vendor to question why he should pay almost $2,000 for a 10 x 10 booth when his co-vendors, who create or sell the same products, have a free space in section 17 of the show. How are these selections made ? Hmmm, a very good question ! I circulated through the aisles of the show on the Friday and Saturday evenings and I noticed very little traffic while most of the crowd was visiting Hangar 17. That is normal, I suppose, that is where the action is and the ambiance is welcoming. The exhibitors also told me that they made lots of sales as a result of all the hustle and bustle. Remember that we are

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I would understand providing free space to attract special guests, great Builders like Jesse James or the Ness family, it would be normal for their involvement and notoriety in the motorcycle industry and since they come from far, but not for the young “ordinary” vendors, the majority of the show’s exhibitors.

I have been attending the Motorcycle Show for over 30 years either for the magazine or, many years ago, as a motorcycle exhibitor and I can affirm that even if you were not rich, everyone was on equal footing and we all paid for our space because it was an honour to participate in the Show. The promoters’ approach of using this section to attract a greater number of young visitors is based on good intentions, but should they do so to the detriment of the other exhibitors who support them, pay a high price and who have done so for many years now ? I don’t think this is logical, that within the same show, many of the exhibitors must pay and some don’t ! I think this is a lack of respect. Respect for all the small and medium-sized merchants who paid for their space at the show. Once again, I do not blame the exhibitors who received these freebies, I know most of them, I respect their work and my grievance is not directed at them personally. Having organized large events myself, I know that some of them have paid for their booth during my events, without question. My grievance is aimed rather toward the decision to offer free spaces, which in my opinion is not appropriate. What I hope to emphasize here is that each exhibitor who has a space should obtain it fairly, out of a respect for all. I look forward to seeing everyone at the 2020 Montreal Motorcycle Show.

Text and photos : Liz Leggett

I was in British Columbia for the Loserpalooza Bike Show surrounded by awesome people and cool rides. As I turned around looking from bike to bike, I was slightly overwhelmed by the flash of chrome and dazzle of metalflake paint jobs. There were many great examples of mechanical imagination and old school parts. Like most bikes, these began as an idea and a dream; vintage Harley parts were painstakingly collected one after another over years, sometimes decades to create these amazing rides. Then at the end of the row was a dark green bike sporting a stance that just screamed “ride into the desert !” to me. This thing was rad, and I immediately wanted to photograph it so badly, I could see the images in my mind. The name on the panel next to the bike hinted to me how much fun this was going to be. The builder, Elio “Pepperoni” Pinoni was just over my shoulder, noticing me admiring his bike. When I looked over at him I was greeted by a purple bandana and luxurious fur coat. This guy had style and that was an understated fact. He and his friend Johno both graciously agreed to stay after the show for a photo shoot and to chat about their builds. After taking pictures we arranged to meet up for a possible cover shoot. We chatted about the bikes, and their many intriguing details. Johno also has a really cool bike that had been built around the same time for a ride to Born Free last year. Due to a wonky trailer, they never made it but the adventure sounded incredible. “We’ve known each other for probably a year and a half,” recalled Pepperoni. “We kind of met each other one day and he came over and it was starting to snow and he was just like ‘Hey let’s chop the roof off of your car and go drive around’. It didn’t take me long to realize that ‘East-Van Rambo’ knew how to have a good time.” Walking around Pepperoni’s bike, there were many noticeable details that were all wrought with stories and adventures. Sometimes nothing tells the story quite like the words from the source… “The lights were from Japan. A buddy sent them to me and was like ‘hey look at these !’ Yeah we’re on the Yahoo, it’s like the eBay of Japan and he’s like, hey these would look really good on your bike and I was like OK, ship them over then.”

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“I painted the bike,” continued Pepperoni, nearly non-stop. “I painted stuff and my dad used to always airbrush these Japanese Anime characters and flames on the walls of our apartment. He used to airbrush the whole wall and then once a year, we’d paint it white and he’d just go again. It was like a pastime, right ? I was like, you’re doing the flames, you have them all masked out and everything, and then a friend of ours was painting a car with a bunch of flake and stuff and I was like, well, I’ll bring it by, and we’ll just flake the flames. If you look, you can see we went to Value Village and found some lace, and we just clear coated with metal flake the flames. I rushed it so you can see all the mask marks and everything. I suck at painting. So, it has a lot of character, right ? Everything else is kinda unpainted and stuff. It’s how I found it; it’s kinda how it matches. Not necessarily a barn find but it gives it an older look.” There’s no limit to Pepperoni’s recycling “vision” and repurposing of parts. “The brake lever and stuff, I used to BMX and stuff, so I had an extra lever in my parts drawer so I wanted something that would work just enough but not be really noticeable. So, I used it for my front brake. It’s a BMX super short lever and I ran the wire through the handlebars. It takes me back to my roots. The front brake… I was in like this local shop that was closing down it’s off like a Honda 50. It was in a box of drums so I spent like two hours with my rim trying to find that one that would moderately fit so I could get brake shoes to fit the drum. My friends build parts for Japanese cars for a business called SerialNine. I always make my own shift knobs, but I always liked the shape.” Driving through Vancouver with Elio and his brother Stephano, the story of how this awesome bike came to be unfolded, both chiming in and adding side-splitting hilarity to the tale. “I was gonna build a shovel but this thing kinda fell into place. So, they were kind of like talking for a couple days trying to meet up and my brother went to Surrey and we were trying to get a hold of this guy and we went back and forth for a couple of days,” begins Pepperoni. “So, I’ll tell you the real story, I’m Facebook marketplace or whatever…” “It was on Craigslist !” piped in Elio laughing. “All it said was ‘Panhead ?’ So I was Elio, what’s this ? He’s like ‘Yo ! Message that guy !’

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“He’s delivering a Model T Ford to The Pas, Manitoba” “It’s as north of Manitoba as you can get, and when you were here, this dude had a lake in his backyard and was building ice fishing huts” “So that happened anyway. Elio sent a message to this guy : ‘I’ll send you cash right now just go buy this bike I need it.’ I was like 3500 or four grand for it so yah, OK. Message the guy, no reply and figured it probably a fake ad, ah well, that sucks. Next day, BOOM ! GUY MESSAGES ME. He’s all like “Yo I got have bike. Cool, called him, he’s like ‘Hey man’ I told him I got cash right now I’ll come pick it up now. He’s like yah man I’ll call you back in five minutes. SICK ! He ghosted me for a whole day. Elio asked ‘So man did you pick up the bike ?’ as he’s cruising across Alberta or something in November or something… “I don’t know” Laughed Elio, “It was definitely snowing there…” The guy stopped messaging me, he’s a flake. OK, I called him the next day, ‘Hey man, I made plans with you to pick up the bike. Can we pick it up ?’ The guys all ‘Oh yah sorry man my girlfriend is pregnant just trying to sort stuff out. You know how that sh*t is” Yah man I get it, can I come by right now ? Like are you at home ? He’s like yah umm I’ll be home in like two hours, gimme a call then. I’m like sure man sounds good. Two hours later, BOOM, call him… nothing again ! I was like oh f#ck man. My dad’s all like what did he say ? OK he

isn’t replying again. It’s like OK whatever. It’s probably like 5 o’clock or whatever we’re supposed to meet a noon. I’m like f#ck it. I call the guy. He picks up ‘hey bro like what’s up ?’ I’m like wtf man, we were supposed to meet. He’s like ‘oh yah f#ck uh you free right now ? I’m like, Dad let’s go like yah. Man leaving East van now, give me your address. ‘Oh OK’ gives me his address. I was like ‘K so this is you address right ? He’s like ‘yah I’m like cool leaving my house now’ f#ck f#ck. Go there, this kid got like face tattoos hand tattoos. He’s a skinny skinny white kid. He looks like machine gun Kelly or whatever that guys name is yah know ? Tattoos all over his face and stuff. He’s all like ‘yah yah know it was Dad’s and I need some cash, I’m starting a family and sh*t oh yah like do you have a ramp or anything ? I’m like yah I have a ramp… he’s like sick, come up here. So we walk up the stairs to his balcony. He’s like it’s in there. Fucking Panhead in the living room up like 12 stairs. And he’s like ‘yeah me and like 5 guys pushed it up here one night’. It’s me and my dad, and my uncles there, because my uncle lives in Surrey and that’s where this dude lived and I’m like, oh motherfucker. So we had this ramp and like so we get it out onto the balcony and stuff, and, yeah we have these two 2x12’s screwed together man it’s a solid ramp. So, it’s like, fuckin’ balcony like a bunch of stairs down and my dad’s like ‘hey man, you gotta ride it’ and I’m like Whaddya mean I gotta ride it ? So we had my buddy’s truck and we could like crank it and the tailgate was like 5 stairs up or whatever and we had this ramp that went across. So my dad’s said that if that falls, neither of us is going to be able to carry it so he’s like ‘just fucking go for it. The front brake kinda works.’

FEATURED BIKE

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I was like what do you mean go for it ?! And he’s just like ‘just fucking go for it’. So yeah like whoosh into the back of the truck ! And it’s like above stairs… “Sure dad…cool !” so we get the Panhead in and then my dad’s looking at it and he’s like to the guy “what the f#ck man, you said it had all these original parts. This is aftermarket, and this is aftermarket” and the kid’s like “ah f#ck sorry man, we could put it back up there if you want” my dad’s like [smacks finger] ‘how aboot this, I’ll give ya 2500 bucks’ and the kid’s like ‘yeah man, like, whatever to help out my kid.’ So that’s how I got a $2,500 Panhead !” So, and then like, two years later a kid had a bunch of Harley parts for sale in Surrey and Elio sends me a message : “Yo man, this kids got some Harley parts for sale” He had a wide glide front end with wheel and handlebars for like $80, and I was like OK, WTF, go get this. And Elio, you’re going to pick this up. You’re working by there, right ? And I’m like yeah. I go there; same fucking kid. Like, way more cracked out than he used to be. He had a wrecked IROC Camaro with super wide rims on it. The kid’s like ‘oh f#ck man you bought that Panhead right ? !’ I was like yeah, these parts are going on the Panhead. He’s all ‘yeah man, siiiiiiiick. I’ll take 50 bucks for you.’ I was like OK ! That’s where Elio’s handlebars on his bike come from.” Laughing, the brothers obviously were the best of buddies and had each other’s back. Being a lover of all things mechanical, I had heard of the famous ‘Steam Clock’ in Gastown, a beautiful neighbourhood. Elio graciously agreed to show me around town. We sat and admire the clock, dreaming about cars, bike adventures and everything you could imagine. After being serenaded by a friendly vagrant, we headed to a lookout where I was able to get a taste of the Vancouver skyline. The next day, we headed out to visit a friend of Elio’s named Jason. Jap Hands Kustoms was a name I had heard but could not identify personally. He smiles a knowing grin and let me know “oh, yer gonna love this !” We pulled up to his friend’s garage and were welcomed by hot rods and wide smiles. “Wanna finish off the tires ? They should be able to pop with a good burnout !” Too good to be true : a rat rod truck riding on insane suspension with a massive boat engine to boot. What a hoot it was to watch the flames pour out of the headers, and the burnout engulf the car. I was super thankful that this was on the way to No 9 Cycles, another incredible shop with great people. This was turning to be an amazing trip !

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Owner : Elio “Pepperoni” Pinoni City : Vancouver, British Colombia Make / Model / Year : 1954 Harley-Davidson FL Project Start / Finish date : May 3rd to June 16, 2018 What got you into building bikes/ the bike world ? It’s something I’ve always been interested in since I was a little kid. I remember that my dad was riding his all-original 1971 FLH every day, bringing my brothers and I around, as well as his 47 flathead chopper through the snow and rain as he didn’t have a driver’s license until a bit later in life. What was your first bike ? My dad and I built an old keystone minibike when I was 11 or 12 years old, but in all seriousness, it was a 1979 kz650 that I made into a cafe racer when I got my motorcycle licence at age 19. Who built the bike ? I did, my mom always said if we wanted a bike we had to build it ourselves haha ! Who inspires you ? The people that inspire me the most are my parents and my friend Karl that has a hotrod shop Jap Hands Kustoms. Other than my parents continuously pushing myself and say just go for it when everyone else is doubting me, Karl has always been there, answering all my questions, always willing to teach me things if I needed help, and continuously doing the unexpected and believing in himself, knowing everything will figure itself out. Aspirations / dreams / plans / future builds : I plan on building another bike after rebuilding the motor of my Panhead. I am currently building a 54 Chevy Belair to do an 8000-mile trip throughout the United States this summer.

Text and photosâ&#x20AC;&#x2030;: Dan Lim | The Moto Foto

When it comes to the world of motorcycles and enticing the senses, no one indulges quite like the Italians; speed, craftsmanship, design, art, heritage, and beauty â&#x20AC;&#x201C; there is no place quite like the Moto Bike Expo in Verona, Italy.

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Held every year in January over a period of four days, the MBE, as it is known, is a motorcycle show extravaganza that is billed as “The One Event for Real Motorcyclists.” This show caters to all aspects of life on two wheels, from novice riders, club riders, 1 % clubs, to seasoned riders traversing the globe in search of neverending roads in faraway lands, and everything else in between. Whatever your taste in the bike culture, it was at this show in spades. The vibe, energy and enormity of this show is difficult to describe. So imagine being at a massive, densely populated motorcycle rally with some

of your best homies, but you’re also at the coolest and largest bazaar with all the latest and greatest products available to see, to touch, and of course, to buy. People are there for motorcycle stuff, but it’s definitely a party atmosphere, and they were equally there for a good time. The weather was mild for January, which allowed for many to ride to the show and that only added to the rally like atmosphere. The vendors, manufacturers, and attendees were engaging and having fun, and I couldn’t tell you how many times I heard from the vendors that this is their favourite show to come to every

year. At any given time and at any given booth, wine, cheese, and snacks were available, and they were offered and shared like old friends meeting up in an afternoon cafe. I could dare to say (language barrier notwithstanding) that some exhibitors were there just for the social aspect – to have fun with their friends, colleagues and the attendees – because other than a gorgeous bike on display, or a vague poster of an event, I really wasn’t sure what some of the booths were even selling or promoting, but they were all there to celebrate two-wheel culture, and that’s what matters. I didn’t see one disagreeable face the entire time that I was there.

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The Sights HUGE venue ! The Expo was held at the Verona Fair, located 15 to 20 minutes from downtown Verona by car, depending on traffic. I had the benefit of staying at a neat little Air B&B called Luna Apartments which was only about five minutes walking distance from the fairgrounds. The Verona Fair is a massive complex consisting of ten cavernous halls (the show occupied eight of those halls) and outdoor facilities for demo rides and stunt shows that have hosted the MBE for the better part of ten years. The show has grown every year and since 2018 has gone from a three-day fair to four days with an anticipated attendance of over 167,000 people. Most will travel from within Italy and neighbouring countries within a day’s drive, such as France, Switzerland, Germany, and Austria to name a few; mix in the attendees from overseas, and it’s not hard to see why the numbers have risen each year. The show officially opens its doors at 9 a.m., but the long line-up to get in usually forms before that. Upon entering the venue, you can’t help but see

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and feel the enormity of the show with the eight halls of overflowing moto craziness beckoning you to come check it out ! There is so much to see and so much to do (seriously !) that I quickly realized that spending only one day at the show would not be enough time, especially if you’re the type who enjoys the many different niches and genres of motorcycles and everything related to that. Heck, you can spend an entire day in the customs section just browsing the goods, chatting to vendors and the custom builders. Custom bikes, choppers, cafe racers, touring, off-road, racing, street, heritage, and electric bikes make up just a part of the 700 plus exhibitors and vendors and over 20 plus significant manufacturers that come from 34 countries to show off their latest and greatest offerings. All in all, over 2000 motorcycles of all styles were on display. Halls 1, 2 and 3 were dedicated to the world of Custom Bike Culture. A fabulous array of choppers, cruisers, bobbers, vintage, and trackers from builders were representing the European custom world. Invited luminaries from the motorcycle world participated as judges for the ongoing awards competition

throughout the show. It was a treat to meet and greet such iconic celebrities such as Shinya Kimura (Chabott Engineering), Fred Kodlin (Kodlin Motorcycles) and Cory Ness (Arlen Ness Enterprises). The main stage situated in this hall was bustling with attendees and presenters and announcements filled the air making this the natural hub throughout the four days. Surprisingly, I noticed there weren’t many baggers in the custom section. The ones that were there were outstanding in their creativity and styling – so much so, that you might question if it’s even a bagger ? For example, “La Esperanza” built by Augustin Motorcycles has a beautiful deep, burnt orange paint job with tattoo-style graphics on a 2016 Harley-Davidson bagger that looks nothing like a bagger – more like a stretched breakout with an elongated customized gas tank. There was also a 1927 fully restored Indian Scout Board Tracker that was a show stopper with its finishing – burgundy and gold colour scheme and amazing attention to detail throughout the bike. There was even an exact miniature model of the bike displayed beside it.

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The one thing that stood out for me with the European bikes was the elaborate paint jobs. I mean WOW ! Perhaps it’s because I was in Italy and predisposed to being biased that way, but seriously ! The ornateness, colours, artistry, and detail on some of the paint jobs were simply awe-inspiring. Two exemplary bikes come to mind. The first bike is from the owner of 70s Helmets, Fabrizio Caoduro. These 70s Helmets had a fabulous, large booth with rows and rows of customized painted helmets for sale. The bike that they chose to display really show-

cased the company’s painting skills. The paint theme was loosely based on the Mexican Day of the Dead, but there was nothing dead about this stunning Ironhead chopper. The second bike from Gaetano Sole of Sole Art Design, had a “religious style” to the paint job, reminiscent of Byzantine Art. The tank paint was incredible, with a mix of clever humour – a paint style that is almost comic-like and so different from the tank, which read “Fuck I Fell” with an image of the devil holding a pitchfork. Both bikes are extraordinarily beautiful. One of the coolest exhibitors

was The Punta Bagna booth. If you’ve never heard of Punta Bagna before (I certainly had not), check this out. It’s a three-day European bike show in June featuring a chopper show/rally and P-A-R-T-Y… in the French Alps. The invited builders must ride their bikes up the mountain path to the very top of the mountain and back down again without assistance or they risk being disqualified from the awards contests. How cool is that ?! Form and function at its best. Stay tuned for a future story on this in the upcoming issues of Revolution Magazine.

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Halls 2 and 3 were jammed packed with some of the best customizers and shops from the world scene and housed some of the best distributors of custom parts and accessories for your bike. Spain and Indonesia (the next hotbed of custom bikes and home to Suryanation Motorland in Jakarta) had a strong presence with their builds that added so much to the international flair of the show. It was no surprise Suryanation Motorland was one of the primary sponsors for a portion of the awards given out for “best of” categories with one lucky winner winning a trip to Indonesia as an invited builder for their show in Jakarta, in November. The vintage scene continues to be strong abroad, with many Knuckles, Shovels, and Panheads. I’ve always

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been partial to these bikes… maybe I’m an old soul, but dang, they look gnarly and they sounded great when some of the builders fired them up to “wow” the crowds. My favourite was a Harley-Davidson Knuckle built by Francois Creche of Mystic Mechanic Motorcycles from France. Along with mainstream manufacturers, motorcycle artisans, fashion lifestyle apparel and jewelry exhibitors, you can honestly spend an entire day just in these three pavilions. Hall 4 was the café racer hall. Populated by brands such as Ducati, Laverda, Piaggio, Moto Guzzi, BMW, Triumph, Royal Enfield, it was also host to other brands and specialized companies that I had never heard of before. The cafe racer hall is the hall to be in if your

preference leans towards the cafe racer or urban rider set. Pipeburn had a booth again this year, featuring some slick looking custom builds that looked more like future rockets than motorcycles but cool none the less. HarleyDavidson Italia had a massive booth in this hall (why it was in the cafe racer hall is a bit baffling, but whatever). The booth was packed with attendees and I enjoyed the display of their full line of motorcycles, but it also featured the continuing program known as, “Battle of the Kings” – a custom build worldwide competition amongst Harley dealers. The bikes shown on display here were the Italian editions. Halls 5 and 6 were dedicated entirely to the sport bike world if that is what turns your motor over.

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Hall 7 was dedicated to touring and to the off-road enthusiast. Touring companies, KTM and Husqvarna dominated this hall. Hall 8 was set up for indoor races throughout the day, and for the first time at the MBE show, flat track and electric bike track races were featured for the enjoyment of the racing fan enthusiast. If indoor activities weren’t enough, the outdoor designated areas included motorcycle stunt riders, a demo ride area sponsored by Royal Enfield, an off-road track obstacle course for performance and competition on Enduro type bikes, amazing car drifters performing the art of drifting, and lastly, the mini-moto section for shits and giggles. They are guaranteed to entertain, both the young and old.

The Sound This show really had the feel of a motorcycle rally because of the array of music that was continuously playing throughout many of the halls. DJs were perched on scissor lifts, scaffolding or on top of an Air Stream trailer, each of them blasting their playlist of Rock ‘n Roll, Techno, or Old School Rock all day long, which added to the cool vibe of the show. There were live bands

commanding huge crowds, especially the ones with a Rock-a-Billy feel at vintage bike booths, and tons of people dancing along the aisles and at stage front contributing to the contagious vibe. If you were close to an exit door leading to the outside performance area or at the food vendor section, you’d hear the loud revving of motorcycles and car engines and the screeching of rubber from the stunt riders or the drifters performing their shows. You would hear the frequent blaring of music coming from motorcycle audio sound companies demonstrating the power and clarity of each of their systems. All of this, and you’ve got yourself a cacophony of sounds coming from all directions. And somehow, in the chaos, it all seemed to fit. The Smell & The Taste Being immersed in motorcycles and the moto culture, it’s not uncommon to have the smell of the fumes from gasoline and burnt rubber lingering in your nasal cavities. Thank goodness for the sweet smell of food ! Now, typically at these motorcycle shows, the food options are limited to lousy fast food choices where the objective is merely to fill your stomach and not for the enjoyment of eating. This is not the case at the MBE show. Scores of

food vendors ranging from Italian cold cuts, cheese sandwiches, pizzas to BBQ meat roasted on spits, and delicious sausages abound. Every day of the show I ate something different, and there wasn’t a bad meal amongst them. The organizers of the show are strategic in the placements of the vendors (at least I think it’s by design) with the sweet aroma of food wafting through the air amidst the multiple halls while you wander in and out. The only time this is not really appealing is when it’s the smell of the smoke from burnouts combined with the aroma of roasted garlic. Ha ! But, even if you’re not hungry, you can easily find yourself munching on something. Coffee. We can’t forget the coffee. With coffee comes the sweet treats, of course. I have to say, my weakness at the show was my penchant to down several bomboloni, which are irresistibly light and delicious Italian doughnuts that are fried, coated in granulated sugar, and traditionally stuffed with pastry cream – in my case, stuffed with chocolate cream. I couldn’t help myself having them multiple times throughout the day with my meals, and in between my meals. So to say that I loved these pastries is a gross understatement. I’m pretty sure I’m drooling just thinking about them.

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verona If after four days of the fair, you have had your fill with all things motorcycles (I can’t imagine why you would, ha-ha !), getting out to wander Verona is a beautiful change of scenery. A medieval old town that is built along the meandering Adige River and may perhaps be best known as the city with the most famous petit balcony in the world, which overlooks a courtyard on Via Capello. Legend has it, that house number 23 is Casa di Giulietta, the House of Juliet, Shakespeare’s setting for the famous star-crossed love story of Romeo and Juliet. Within a 10-minute walking distance from Juliet’s house is the Piazza Bra, Verona’s largest piazza, and it is also where the Anfiteatro Arena (amphitheatre arena) is located. Hard to believe as you’re standing there looking at the arena it was erected in the first century AD and is still in use today for concerts and operas. The piazza is also brimming with countless restaurants, cafes, shops, galleries, churches, spectacular architecture throughout, and the Castelvecchio Castello Scaligero, Verona’s very own castle. One benefit of visiting during the low season, in January, is the lack of tourists, which suits me just fine, and travelling around the city by bus or by taxi is not too bad either. I do have a tip for you though. If you’re taking the bus, purchase your fare from a convenience store, a newsstand or from a tobacconist which will cost you 1.30 Euro as opposed to 2 Euros from the driver. Also, flagging a cab was no easy feat. I would say it was near impossible from my experience. The best place to get one is at taxi ranks usually located at train stations, hospitals, and piazzas throughout the city. However, trying to flag one from the road ? I had no luck. As a bonus, if you’re so inclined, take a day trip or longer to Venice. The proximity to Venice makes it a no-brainer and impossible to resist, especially if you’re travelling with your loved one.

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It’s merely a short hour and a half train ride from Verona Porta Nuova train station directly into Venezia Santa Lucia station, and it costs 27 Euros each way. Easy peasy. In contrast, I live in a country where we are severely limited to a short window of time during the year to ride and it is especially frustrating during the deep freeze months of January and February when it seems to go on and on.

Therefore, I am grateful to be able to fill my moto appetite by attending a show such as the MBE and experience all it has to offer for a moto nut like myself, and I’m sure, like many of you. It helps to break up the monotony of our Canadian winter.

invigorated, feeling ready and excited

Ciao is the word that the Italians use which means both “hello” and “goodbye”. I indeed came to Italy for the bikes, but I left Italy with all my senses

perience that I recommend you check

to lap up the kilometres that await me in the riding season ahead. So, as I reflect back on this amazing experience and say hello to thought of Spring and getting out on the open roads, I also say goodbye to another cool exout, if you ever have the chance. Ciao Verona !

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PHIL POISSON PROPRIÉTAIRE OWNER Certifié peintre-applicateur de revêtement en céramique Certified Ceramic Coating Applicator

438-873-1955 phil@xtremepc.ca xtreme powder coating qc www.xtremepc.ca

XTREME PC 99 rue Industrielle, Delson, QC, J5B 1V9 • 450-635-4000 • info@xtremepc.ca

Text : Catherine David — Photos : Mitch Cayouette

Women motorcyclists have travelled thousands of kilometres since the Van Buren sisters crossed the United States by motorcycle, from coast to coast, in 1916. 100 years later, despite the gradual rise in female motorcyclists, there are still very few female mechanics who build and restore motorcycles. Among these few, is J. Shia of Madhouse Motors. Meet a woman who pushes back the barriers. Surrounded by motorcycles in her shop in Boston’s Allston District, J. Shia juggles customer requests, questions from her team, friends dropping by for a chat, a couple of emails and me waiting for the interview. The thermometer has climbed to 17°C and you can feel the excitement of the new season all around as the city wakes up from a long winter. The air is good, the sun is shining and energy is high. “Come on, let’s get the mini bikes out !” says J. to her friend. The tone is set. They exit through the garage door riding children’s motocrosses. J. has the skill of someone who grew up on a motorcycle. She slips between cars, jumps over sidewalk chains, multiplies wheelies. “Let’s race,” she calls to her buddy who just got on the other bike. The atmosphere is electric, much like a schoolroom as the summer holidays draw near.

Revolution Motorcycle Magazine

HER SAY

BY Catherine David

HER SAY

Revolution Motorcycle Magazine

HER SAY

The Devil’s Advocate //1957 Royal Enfield Indian ‘foot throttle’ Exclusive image from Madhouse Motors // Photo by @goodwolfsessions // Stephen Canino photography

“I’ll be more focused now,” she says as she puts the mini bike back in the garage. J. invites me to cut a piece of doughnut with a pair of scissors and sit in the office area overlooking the garage. From my vantage point over this busy hive, I can see that Madhouse Motors is far from a solitary mechanic’s shop. The company name perfectly reflects the warmth and crazed energy that prevails there. “My family comes from Lebanon in Syria. They were metallurgists, tinsmiths, mechanics… When they came to the country, they brought all their tools. I grew up in a backyard full of things my father collected : motorcycles, equipment, strange tools… One day my father said to me : “If you can repair one of these motorcycles, it’s yours.” I was still in my early teens. I chose a dirt bike, a very simple bike to repair. I took my bike into town, parked beside the other bikes and attempted to act cool. People asked me where this motorcycle had been repaired. I gave my parents’ address, she says as she smiles. To my surprise, these people showed up and asked me to repair their motorcycle. I did not know what I was doing, my dad took the time to show me. That’s where it all began.” J. smiles as she recalls these memories. She is clearly still amused by her teenage audacity. More than fifteen years later, this 28-year-old woman is at the head of her own company, which has been in business for 3 years. “But you know, I never really wanted to own a shop or even be a mechanic.” J. Shia studied Fine Art and was considering a career in war photography and documentary photography, but her trajectory changed when she had a child. “I couldn’t be a waitress,

work in a shop, a café or any other student job because I couldn’t take a child there. The easiest thing I could do was to repair motorcycles. I had experience, I could have the child with me and work at the same time.” She graduated and her shop expanded. Today, 8 people work on a rotating basis at Madhouse Motors in addition to a few apprentices. The company serves a diversified clientele ranging from students and professionals to antique motorcycle enthusiasts. They work on all motorcycle models, regardless of the year or brand. What does she like best ? Restoring old pre- and post-war models. She has earned the trust of many customers. She has had the opportunity to bring some extremely rare and old motorcycles such as a Brough Superior, a few Vincents and an Ariel HS back to life. “Working on such unusual and priceless motorcycles is the ultimate reward for me. It proves that we know what we’re doing.” J. Shia takes her customers’ restorations and modifications very seriously, but she also likes to have fun and create her own bikes without having to follow any rules. She has just finished a 1957 Royal Enfield Indian 700 cc, Foot Throttle nicknamed “The Devil’s Advocate” whose footrests are made with foot measurement devices used in shoe stores. This is the first time she worked with a gas pedal. “I don’t see the bike as a machine, but rather as a character, with his own personality. From the frame, I try to dress this character and create an emotion and atmosphere.” This unusual approach to motorcycles is undoubtedly the legacy of her years spent studying Fine Art.

HER SAY

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It is this singularity that allowed J. and her team to get onto the One Motorcycle Show invitation list this year. “I was honoured to be among the builders I follow on social media and whose work I admire. These people are changing the world of motorcycling. They are among the best in the world. It was with great humility that I accepted the invitation.” That which makes Madhouse Motors successful goes far beyond mechanics. The company is actively involved in its community through charities, events and other activities. “Last year, we supported a group of women who were going to the Babes Ride Out in New York State. We wanted to give a little love to women who have supported us for years. It is important for me to maintain a strong social fabric.” In this regard, at the beginning of the season, the Madhouse Motors team organizes the Wild Rabbit Community Moto Show. “It’s a big collaboration with the different companies and organizations in the region : from the motorcycle shop, to the tattoo studio, to the artists… Let’s just say it’s an unpretentious version of the big events. Here, we don’t take

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HER SAY

ourselves too seriously. No need to submit an application or wait for an invitation. The Wild Rabbit is for everyone, it’s very inclusive.” This year, a portion of the profits from the event will go to the local organization Home for Little Wanderers. I listen to J. tell me about the Boston motorcycle community that she loves for its diversity, inclusion and participation. And also about the team that supports her and helped her build what Madhouse Motors is today. The tone is introspective and reflective. A Senegalese proverb comes to mind : “It takes a village to raise a child.” Here, the child is Madhouse Motors. In this era of emptiness, her speech touches me, because cooperation and engagement with others are no longer fashionable terms. After the interview, we go down for a smoke and chat with the few people enjoying the sunshine coming through the open garage door. As we leave through the alley, I hear J. behind me simply say : “Stop by tomorrow if you feel like it, we’ll be here all day !” Welcoming, you say ?

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FEATURED BIKE

FEATURED BIKE Text : Sean MacLennan Photos : Keith Jollymore

This is my 1964 slab-side pan head. I named it “Old Blue” after my dad’s 1975 Plymouth Fury. I remember driving around in that four-door hard top, watching my dad from the back seat, thinking it was the coolest thing ever. “Old Blue” is one of the few bikes I’ve built for myself. Most business owners will probably tell you that there just isn’t much time left at the end of the day for their own projects. I started Sean’s Non-Stock Customs Ltd in Middle Sackville, Nova Scotia almost ten years ago. It has grown into a full metal fabrication and motorcycle shop that works on just about everything. We have our own line of chopper parts and are fortunate enough to be shipping them around the world. Now getting back to the pan head. My friend Paul sent me a message one day saying he was selling his pan head engine, transmission and title, and asked me if I was interested in buying it. Of course I was ! The first thing I did when I got the pan head back to my shop, besides being really excited, was to completely take the engine apart. I tore the whole thing down so I could weld and repair the aluminum motor mounts on the lower cases. They had really taken some abuse over the years. Once the cases were sorted, I took the engine over to my buddy Ralph at Progressive Machining & Cycles (PM Cycles) in the Valley. Ralph is a true testament to the old school culture. He’s got a great shop and I always like hanging out there with him. He helped me with the engine and transmission work. After adding a few new parts, like Jim’s hydrasolid lifters, an Andrew’s cam and newer free-flowing heads, we built it back up again with modern style gaskets.

FEATURED BIKE

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FEATURED BIKE

With the motor and transmission ready to go, and looking really good, it was time to start thinking about what direction I was going to take with the build. I called Billy at Tech Cycle Performance Products Inc. and ordered one of his Paul Cox signature series chain primary drives. Billy is a nice guy and he really helped me out with my purchase. They truly build some of the best primary drives in the business. Then I went to the local metal store, Metals R Us, and picked up a sheet of 5052 aluminum and DOM tubing. I cut out my big twin motor and transmission mounts from mild steel, and loaded everything into my frame fixture. I had sketched how I wanted the frame to look, then drew it in CAD to finalize the measurements. I bent the tubing and decided I’d go with 4” up and 1.5” out with a 32degree rake and 0” rear stretch. I raised the axle plates by 1.25” to make the bike sit lower to the ground. My biggest challenge was finding time to work on my project. I built the chassis whenever I could, at the end of the day, after work, so it wouldn’t interfere with my daytime business. When I finished bending and welding all the steel tubing, I was happy with what was in front of me. With the frame done, I started building my springer frontend. I always loved the way springer forks looked and to me they just look super proper on a bike. I built a one-inch over stock to make the bike sit the way I wanted it to. Then it was on to the wheels. I decided to run a solid 18” hub in the rear and a 21” laced wheel up front, because those are what I had at the shop. With that straightened away, I started to shape the gas tank, rear fender and oil tank from the sheet of 5052 aluminum I purchased from the metal shop. I made cardboard templates for the gas tank to make sure it was all going to work out before I started building it. This was the first time I used aluminum, I had always used 18/16 gauge mild steel before this. After the bike was all mocked up and I was happy with how it looked, I tore it down. I dropped the parts off at my friend John’s shop, Magic Solutions Powder Coating in Halifax, to be powder coated. They did an awesome job and laid that beautiful blue teal paint you see on the bike today. Don’t look for it in a shop because you won’t find it. It was mixed just for “Old Blue.” As you can see, this bike was a labour of love right from the beginning. It’s not every day you get to build and ride a ’64 pan head. I know how fortunate I am to ride something nobody else has, and that I built with my own two hands. There is no better feeling or sense of freedom than riding a one-of-a-kind chopper with good friends on the open road in whatever kind of weather. Yup, “Old Blue” can handle it. Of course, I’ll never forget the folks who helped me along the way : Pat Neal, Dave Lind, Mike Herman and Jim Gavin for all of the great things they continue to teach me; the guys over at WWG Totaline in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia for letting us photograph the bike in their warehouse; Keith Jollymore for taking these awesome photos; and of course, the customers and supporters of the shop who help shape our business and make our success. Never forget the folks who help you along the way, and never lose sight of what goes into building the things people take for granted every day.

FEATURED BIKE

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OWNER CITY

Sean MacLennan Middle Sackville, NS

AccessoirIes

GENERAL Manufacturing Year / Make Model Assembly Time

SNS Customs Ltd 1964 HD Pan Head FL SNS Customs Ltd 4 months

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

1964 FL PM Cycles Mallory Unilite 1200 cc Stock Stock Stock STD Andrews Jim’s S&S SNS Customs Ltd

Transmission Type Shifting

4 speed Ratchet Top Hand Shift

painting Painter Airbrush Color / type Special

Magic Solutions — Blue Teal Custom

FRAME Year Builder Type Rake Stretch Shocks

Photographe R

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FEATURED BIKE

SPECIFICATIONS

— SNS Customs Ltd Rigid 32 degrees 0 — Keith Jollymore

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

SNS Customs Ltd GMA Mid-USA Model T — — SNS Customs Ltd SNS Customs Ltd SNS Customs Ltd SNS Customs Ltd SNS Customs Ltd Tech Cycle SNS Customs Ltd — SNS Customs Ltd SNS Customs Ltd Avon Jackhammers

forkS Type Size Builder

Springer 1” overstock SNS Customs Ltd

WHEELS FRONT Size Wheel Tire Brake

21” Mid-USA Avon Speedmaster DNA

REAR Size Wheel Tire Brake

OTHER

18” Solid Hub Avon SNS Customs Ltd —

Text and photos : Samuel Guertin

Portland Oregon, this city that I fell in love with when I first visited in 2016, releases a raw and mysterious energy that always lives up to its slogan : “Keep Portland weird” ! It is a main hub of creativity on the Western coast and in the motorcycle world. From this world of artists and enthusiasts comes Thor Drake. The man behind the creation of the One Moto Show, already 10 years old, is a pillar of the motorcycle community in Portland and across America. He is also the owner of the SEE SEE Motor Coffee, a must-visit, unique motorcycle café with its incomparable originality and ambiance that has influenced more than one of similar style to reproduce the concept in other places around the world. Needless to say, that upon my arrival in Portland one day in advance, a stop at the café was a must. At the café, you can already feel the excitement that precedes the show. It is the only thing people talk about. Many of the team members come and go, busy taking care of the final preparations for the show. In the back alley, we find the guys from Prism Motorcycle and Dice Magazine rushing to complete the assembly of their mini choppers, disassembled days earlier to send them across the continent by the postal service. Having just arrived from North Carolina, the guys prepare for their participation in the “Chopper god mini moto build off”. The ambiance is already at its best.

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NEW GENERATION

NEW GENERATION The show starts at noon the next day, but I am up at 9 am and on my way to the show. The motorcycle “load in” is my favourite time. Motorcycles arrive from all around. The people find old friends from around the continent who meet up mainly at motorcycle shows and events. This is also the best time to take the perfect pictures. My preferred device is an old 35 mm film camera that requires extra time and patience. So, nothing better than the morning light and especially the fact that the 10 000 people have not yet begun to gather around the motorcycles !

Thor Drake

NEW GENERATION

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The One is celebrating its 10-year anniversary and it is apparent at the strike of noon when the doors open ! In my opinion, Friday is the best day : the people are excited and the ambiance is electrifying. Everyone is busy discovering the projects of the hour, the new motorcycles built especially for the occasion. The energy is at its peak all day and it ends with a big party and several musical groups playing late into the evening. Besides the hectic ambiance of the One Moto show, the show’s content is very special as well with hundreds of motorcycles that would be impossible to reunite under one roof under any other circumstance. The One shows are different than all others with the exclusive variety of motorcycles present. You can find an Indian board track racer from 1915, a 60s chopperstyle Harley Panhead, a Norton Commando mounted as a café racer or a 100 % electric flat track motorcycle. All these people, from different backgrounds and especially with different styles, are reunited in the same place to celebrate their

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passion for motorcycles, without competition or judgement, something that impresses me every time at the One moto show. The next morning, I arrive once again before the doors open and use my media pass to take a second tour of the place, this time examining each project more intensely, to appreciate the small subtle details that passed unnoticed during my first tour. Before all, I had to make a stop at the side-car Ural, the espresso machine at SEE SEE for a coffee, a welcoming aid to recover from the time difference and the party of the previous evening. With my coffee in hand, I take the time to simply admire the venue where the show is held called the Pickle Factory, an old commercial building dating back to the 50s that has preserved all of its charm and imperfections, contributing to the mythical “garage” ambiance of One. Between the old, dingy walls, we find not only custom motorcycles but all types of artists and artisans. The walls are covered with interesting works of art inspired by the motorcycle world.

NEW GENERATION

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NEW GENERATION

Throughout the various rooms are booths packed with talented people who create jewelry and clothing and items made of leather and canvas. But they are not like the salespeople of flea markets who will try to sell you a cheap biker T-shirt made in China. At One, there is a wonderful selection of artisans and small companies such as Red Clouds Collective, Ship John, Danner booths, New Church Moto, HWY LA, ATWYLD and many others. Saturday continues with wonderful encounters, old and new friends, heated discussions about the future of custom, beer at the local microbreweries, several slices of pizza, and finally in the evening, the awarding of the famous trophies followed by a presentation of the ever-funny Thor Drake. Sunday always holds a curious mix of emotions. Everyone is tired and a little sad and nostalgic that the weekend is almost over, but also excited to enjoy the last few hours. This pleasure is topped by what everyone has been waiting for, for 3 days, the mini chopper

race. On an outdoor, improvised racetrack near the food trucks and dry toilets are 6 fullsized people on 6 mini motorcycles. All the stars were aligned for things to go wrong : the track delimited by the crowd that was only a few inches away from the motorcycles, the potholes, the sidewalk curbs to be jumped and the sometimes-questionable setup of the mini choppers. As soon as the race began, the elongated girder of Ashley Mitchell’s minuscule chopper with a moulded frame decided to divorce the rest of the motorcycle to land the poor rider on his behind. Moto Galore, who thought his project was a little more in keeping with the course, passes the rest of the pack and disappears ahead of everyone. After holding my breath every time someone came speeding around the corner on their motorcycle that seemed unable to stick to the pavement any more than a poodle on ice, the race was won by Kenneth Galore having gained 2 full turns ahead of the others. Fortunately, the damages were limited to Mitchi’s coccyx.

NEW GENERATION

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This emotional moment marked the official end to the show and the time had come for everyone to try and remove their motorcycle, fatigued and a little sad that a whole year must go by before experiencing this dream weekend once again. I take a few more shots of the motorcycles passing by before saying my goodbyes to everyone. My “ride” to the airport was waiting. An 80s cube van covered in graffiti with a 1948

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NEW GENERATION

Indian Chief mounted on the back bumper. With my friend, Kenneth Galore, I cross the city one last time watching the people on the sidewalk scratching their head as they notice our multicolor, vandalized van with its precious cargo on the back bumper. Portland never disappoints and neither does the One moto show. I hope to see you again next year ! Until then, “keep Portland weird” !

Text and photosâ&#x20AC;&#x2030;: Gilles RasKar

In the land of the Rising Sun, there are so many small parts that make up real bikes that it is impossible to remember all the constructions on display during the Yokohama Hot Rod Custom Show. But this one particular creation, straight out of Hiroshima, really caught my eye. And with good reasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2030;!

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INTERNATIONAL

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On the eve of celebrating his fortieth springtime, Yusaku Sato is specialized in preparing customized Harley-Davidson bikes (more commonly known as “grey” in our country) and widely renowned in southern Japan. Yusaku is in fact from Hiroshima, a city sadly known for having been destroyed by the first atomic bomb launched on civilians by the Americans. An impassioned young man with plenty of vitality, Yusaku was often compared to an electric battery during his teenage years as he juggled school, work and repairing boats in the family business, he didn’t miss a chance to get into mischief ! His parents were at a loss for what to do with him until the day when he came face to face with a chopper. He was 16 and for him, it was mechanical and esthetical love at first sight. He had never seen such a beautiful bike ! From that moment, he knew what he wanted to do with his life, to drive motorcycles with soul, but most of all, to build the motorcycles of people’s dreams, in the image of what had just happened to him. That a simple piece of iron could have such an impact, to the point of worship, as a god…

Fuck the factory, customize ! For this 1340 cc 1981 racer-type Shovelhead, Yusaku absolutely wanted it to resemble a boardtracker from the beginning of the XXth century but with all the current technology. And of course, perfectly street legal ! Since Yusaku builds his motorcycles to his own taste, they must please him before later selling them. That is exactly what he did ! Besides the paint, Yusaku put everything together on this bike, as he did for all the others. He started by checking the motor and equipping it with a Morris magneto in a Burkhardt body. He also installed an S&S Cycle oil pump and Shorty Super E carburetor of the same brand followed by a Fork cover.

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Finally, he installed a pair of lethal-looking Throwback MC rocker arm covers. Once the motor was finished, Yusaku attached the chassis preferring a gooseneck and needed it to be perfectly proportioned for his pair of 23-inch wheels ! In order to conserve the racer spirit of that era, he installed a primary chain transmission and a brake/crown in the back. The fork was a replica of the springers of the era that he complemented with a wind deflector in keeping with the spirit of the motorcycle. As with the boardtrackers of that time, Yusaku reworked an aftermarket reservoir to make it

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INTERNATIONAL

smaller, but mostly to integrate the motor oil into the lower right side. Similarly, the battery box, including all the electrical components, was moved to the left side, just behind the clutch. Then the taillight was installed above. This freed some space between the seat and the gearbox cover to allow inserting the exhaust manifold of the rear cylinder as well as the rod end of the jockey shift, all surmounted by a splendid seat cover. This beautiful 100 % legal street racer found a buyer in less that a weekend !

Text : Lee Sipes — Photos : Joe Roy personal collection

Sometimes you get to have a conversation with someone that sparks in you that base emotion that started you down the path that you currently find yourself on. That is custom culture, the blue collar expression of cool. At the heart of this culture that seems to encompass so many even to this day is the high art of custom fabrication. Customization to some means cracking open the latest parts catalogue but to those who worship at the altar of custom this is blasphemy. For many years the skilled hands of Joe Roy have been creating, modifying, tweaking and redesigning all things metal. From custom drag cars to airplanes to high-end sports cars and radical custom motorcycles he has done it all. To condense a career like Joe’s to a few short paragraphs really cannot even begin to describe the stories he has or the things he experienced in his nearly 50 years of speed and metal manipulation. I met Joe a few years back through

Revolution Motorcycle Magazine

OLD SCHOOL

a friend of mine who is also an accomplished motorcycle fabricator and described Joe as someone he greatly respected. Joe started his journey in the early seventies, hanging around the drag track where he started meeting the big guys with the fast cars. Since he was mechanically inclined and was working at a machine shop, he knew a little welding and a little machining and started helping where he could and fixing on things. Before too long he was working full time for a pro racer, the only one to be doing that at the time, which transitioned into working at a speed shop called Action Performance, and then running a store. But Joe wanted to build drag cars and that desire came to fruition in 1977 when he became a full-time builder where he worked on pieces of most drag cars in Quebec, including some championship winning cars.

OLD SCHOOL

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During the time of having his own shop he worked with a guy named Dave Cody, a custom bike builder. Joe describes Cody as a true artist who could take a client out for a beer, sit down with him and ask “how do you see the bike in your head ?” The customer would then begin to divulge all the details, colour, style and feel that he envisioned. Cody could then go back, take out his art supplies and start revealing that vision to paper. The next time the customer would come in to see the concept their jaw would hit the floor and their wallet would open because that concept was somehow transported as if through mental telepathy onto the paper drawing. Joe really looks back on that time with happiness and feels what a gift it was to work beside someone like that every day and that maybe some of that talent rubbed off on him during that time. Into the 80’s while working at a high-end car shop he started to work on a custom exhaust for a softail that came through. That was his introduction to the world of custom motorcycle building. Since then bikes that he has worked on have been featured in magazines, bike weeks and the garages of a few lucky owners with the financial capability to fund a project of that caliber. Two notable bikes Joe has worked on, started from the inspiration of two other famous bike builders Jesse James and Indian Larry. First is the infamous Copper Bike known as “Penny Saved.” Years back world famous bike builder, Jesse James did a show called “Motorcycle Mania 3.” In this third installment of this miniseries, James built a bike with handmade copper gas tank and fender for a ride he had planned with musician “Kid Rock” to Mexico. This bike was really something special. So special in fact it caught the eye of one of Joe’s good friend and customer. Much to the dismay of Joe’s friend, the bike had sold and even with weekly phone calls, the new owner would not part with it. Joe was then tasked with recreating this wild custom. No small feet for even a seasoned fabricator but Joe got down to work. Fortunately it was a well-documented bike with books and a show and even more interesting a die cast model of the bike. With a bit of math and measuring, he was able to reverse engineer all the pieces from that die cast model right down to the rivet head size and positioning, something only a master could even begin to comprehend. He even added in a few of his own secrets to fix some of the issues that plagued the original bike like a leaky gas tank. When it was completed the finished product was unbelievable. Although a slightly more bobbed version of the original. The highest compliment

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OLD SCHOOL

came from Jesse James himself when he found out about the bike he emailed Joe and told him that he stared at pictures of that bike for a week and thought it was his and even offered Joe a job, which he graciously declined. Not to be outdone is the bike inspired by the late chopper builder and icon Indian Larry Called “Sting Ray.” There could be a book written about this bike alone there is so much detail. Taking first place at the Toronto Motorcycle Super Show Pro builders class the last two years, featured in magazines and shows across North America, this engineering marvel of chrome and paint started its life as a panhead police bike but what it became far exceeds its original form. Sporting a custom engineered pan-knuckle motor and an endless list of custom fabricated parts this bike could reveal a new detail with every look. It has impressed professional builders and show attendees alike since its conception and continues to be a standout everywhere it goes. Of all the accolades Joe Roy has received over the years one he is very proud of is being inducted into the CDRHF (Canadian Drag Racing Hall of Fame). This was a great accomplishment since he was chosen among the first 30 ever to be inducted and only one of 10 from Quebec that first year. At 72 years old and “semi-retired,” he still works on custom motorcycles with his friend and coconspirator Steve Shuller of Schuller Cycleworks, and on other projects of all shapes and sizes ranging from gifts for his favourite grandchildren (they’re all his favourites) to a handmade Copper Gretsch guitar body. He also loves riding his custom chopper or his softail with many miles shared together. Joe is the real deal and continues to be at the top of his game into his 70’s. As I stated at the beginning of this article, it’s nearly impossible to condense this man’s life into a few short paragraphs with the shear body of work that he has amassed but it is a great honour to have been able to spend hours with him discussing some of his memorable moments and projects. It is a humbling task to describe a man like this in a way that leaves people with even a shadow but I hope that in some way I have. Joe is still active at shows both in Ontario and Quebec and I suggest given the opportunity listen to his stories and have him show you some details of the bikes he has on display you will stand baffled as he describes the inner workings. Thanks for the chat Joe, catch you at the next thing.

OLD SCHOOL

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FEATURED BIKE

Text : Sam Pileggi — Photos : Pascal Richard

“Abandon all hope ye who enter here” This saying rings true for the beginning of this build story. You see Sambo finally found his next project bike and his wheels started spinning as to what he wanted to do with this build. Now he just had to find the right shop to make his dream a reality. So, let the search commence. After discussing his thoughts with numerous people at different shops, Sambo decided on a custom car and bike shop (which will remain nameless) to take on his latest project. Well what he was promised and what happened are two very different things.

the pile of parts piece by piece and made a list of what was missing so that they could start ordering what was needed to complete the project.

“Back to the drawing board.”

Everything seemed to start off fast and fine, the tear down went well and the mods started just as quickly. Then things started to slow down, and progress seemed to reach a stand still so of course, that’s when cause for concern started to enter Sambo’s head.

As parts started to arrive and the first mock up was underway, Eric and Rafael Pan (aka Panpan the fabricator) started to notice that things just weren’t right. They noticed that the rear fender welded to the frame didn’t have enough clearance for wheel travel and the gas tank didn’t have a crossover etc. The gas tank also was missing the gas cap, and that was nearly impossible to find because it was a one-off custom cap. Plus they couldn’t even fit the tank on the backbone unless they removed the front fork. This was turning into a nightmare and there was nothing the boys could do but get busy chopping and welding to make everything work properly.

“Patience is a virtue”

“He who laughs last, laughs longest”

This saying does apply to most situations but who are we kidding. Us bikers are probably not best known for our patience. So, after two years of waiting for the delivery of his project enough was enough. Sambo walked in to the shop one day and gathered up all his parts in bins and boxes and took the project to Eric English and Peter Thomas at Highroller Kustom to complete it.

Finding the right people to do the job is crucial and five months after beginning to figure out the mess that they inherited, Highroller’s had completed the build and everything was working as it should. Sambo finally had his bike and it was everything that he expected it to be. All that time spent worried about the build and decisions made were all in the past and the project was finally complete. Halleluiah !!

The boys started right away on sorting through the pile of parts only to notice that a ton of parts were missing. One thing you need to know is that the motorcycle was a complete and ridable motorcycle when Sambo bought it and now, he didn’t even have a transmission. Eric went through

“And honourable mention goes to…” The boys asked that I give a shout out to few of the people that helped out and made this build possible especially after all the issues that delayed it for so long.

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FEATURED BIKE

Jerry Merchant from Merch motors took his 131” Evo engine back and rebuilt it so that everything was brought back to his meticulous specs. Jean-Jacques from Motocars did the clear coat and Fitto did the air brushing. Deco Chrome are the guys that did that awesome copper and chrome job all throughout the build and Luc from LD Haute Definition Inc. did all the powdercoating. Rob Whyte did the engraving on the gas tank while Panpan did the rest of the engraving on the bike. Super special thanks go out to Eddie Nebreda, the guy behind all that wiring done on the build along with helping with a few design ideas. Eddie’s been all around the custom motorcycle industry in Quebec for years. He’s truly one of this industry’s unsung heroes. Just to say, Eddie did the wiring on my first build (a 78 Shovelhead) 30 years ago and he’s as brilliant now as he was back then, and he is

not showing any signs of slowing down. Eric and Peter also really want to thank their friends and neighbours for putting up with them and all their loud toyzzz.

“All good things must come to an end.” This ends the story of Sambo’s last project which didn’t start off as expected but ended better than expected. Many times in our lives, our plans get a wrench thrown in our spokes and what defines us is the way we deal with those issues. Hats off to you Sambo for handling this project the way you did because most guys would have freaked out and given up, but you kept your cool and persevered. I guess after all is said and done you can most definitely “chalk this one up to Shit Happens.” Can’t wait to see your next project build and hopefully, it goes a lot smoother than this one.

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OWNER CITY

Sambo Châteauguay, QC

AccessoirIes

GENERAL Manufacturing Year / Make Model Assembly Time

HighRoller Kustom 2016/custom The Green Hornet HighRoller Kustom Too Long

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

Pre 99 Evolution Merch Performance Dyna 2000i 131 CI Solid as a Rock Merch Performance 4.25 Merch Performance Too Big Jims S&S Super G Loud

Transmission Type Shifting

Baker Baker

painting Painter Airbrush Color / type Special

Freskies Freskies Green / House of Color Air Brush Fitto

FRAME Year Builder Type Rake Stretch Shocks

Photographe R

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SPECIFICATIONS

Pre 99 Kendall Johnson Chopper / Softail 41 degrees 4 Legends Pascal Richard

HighRoller Kustom/ Rafael Pan Bars PM Handlebar Controls Rocker Headlight HighRoller Kustom Tail light Dakota Digital Speedo None Dash GMA Pegs Eddie Nebreda / Hot Wire Ed Electrics Rafael Pan / Panpan Gas Tank Rafael Pan / Panpan Oil Tank Eddie Nebreda / Hot Wire Ed Oil System Open Belt Drive BDL Primary Custom Seat Rafael Pan / Panpan Front Fender Rafael Pan / Panpan Rear Fender Don’t Need Mirrors Perse Performance Grips

forkS Type Size Builder

Wide Glide 10 over Perse Performance

WHEELS FRONT Size Wheel Tire Brake

21” Extreme Machine 120 PM

REAR Size Wheel Tire Brake

OTHER

18” Extreme Machine 240 HRK / Rafael Pan Engraving (gas tank panel) : Jack Whyte of Whyte Works Powder Coat : LD hault definition inc. Copper Plating : Deco-Chrome

Text : Becky Goebel @actuallyitsaxel — Photos : Becky Goebel & Megan Margeson collection

There is so much to say about Megan Margeson. Editing this article down to what it is now was almost impossible. There’s so much history with her family and their choppers, so much cool stories about their trips, questions I want to ask about her being a middle school teacher and so much interesting attributes to her being a police-bike stunt rider. Even with fewer than 10 questions, we ended up with enough information to fill this whole issue. When you first meet Megan, you would never know what she’s all about. She’s a bright-eyed beautiful little lady who you’d never suspect is such a powerful badass. She’s a middle school science teacher by day and a Panhead chopper riding biker by night – this is the shit superhero comics are made of. I met Megan through Instagram and some mutual friends she rides dirt bikes with. I wanted to know more about her so when Revolution Magazine was looking for a “cool lady” to write a story about – I thought of her instantly.

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I went over to her house and sure enough, she had so much going on I could hardly keep up. Cool bikes lined up in the garage, family history plastered all over the garage walls, 3 old boogie vans parked in the driveway, dirt bikes in the backyard and stunt riding gear laying around. I took a ton of photos and asked her for some family imagery as well. There’s no way for me to possibly sum up what all goes on with Megan and her life with bikes, so here’s some answers to questions I asked her about her life.

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1. Who are you ? How old are you ? What do you do ? My name is Megan Margeson. I am 25 years old, and I am a Middle School Science Teacher. 2. How did you get into bikes ? I was born into a motorcycle family. My parents joke that they began brain-washing me from a young age. I got my first dirt bike when I was 7 years old and took my first ride on the back of my Dad’s 1949 Harley-Davidson Pan Shovel Chopper when I was 8. Anyone who rides knows the feeling—one ride is all it took, I was hooked. I was constantly around bikes : attending bike nights, going to (family-friendly) motorcycle campouts, hanging out in motorcycle garages, etc. This was my normal and it really wasn’t until High School that I learned that my family’s hobbies weren’t quite the same as my friends’. Apparently, most Moms aren’t riding Shovelhead Choppers around the neighborhood ? My Mom got her first Harley when I was 8 years old : a Harley-Davidson Heritage Classic, right off the showroom floor. I remember a lot of men were telling her it was “too big” of a bike for her and that she “couldn’t handle it”. Not only did she “handle it” just fine, she tried riding my Dad’s chopper and decided she needed one. Shortly after, my

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Dad began building my mom her very own Shovelhead Chopper. My Mom and Dad spent years working on that build, spending hours in the garage every weekend. I’m lucky to have grown up with such a badass female as a Mother. I was raised to never think I was incapable of doing anything simply because I’m a girl. I never had a question of whether I would have my own bike when the time came; it was always just a part of the plan. 3. What is your bike ? The South Bay of Los Angeles is a Mecca for Chopper history, and I am lucky enough to call this place home. I grew up around true legends, both men and women who made incredible contributions to the motorcycle world. My bike is a true “South Bay” style bike and was built that way with intention. My bike is a 1964 Harley-Davidson Panhead Chopper. My bike doesn’t have a name, and I think I prefer it that way. The 13’ over springer front end was made by a man named Richard “Fat’s” Noriega, thus the front end is referred to as a “Fat’s” front end. Fat’s was a family friend who passed away when I was just an infant. We continue to celebrate his life each year at our annual “Fat’s Run” up in the Sequoias along the Kern River. This year will be the 25th anniversary and there will be at least 20 choppers in

attendance, all with Fat’s front ends. The front end is one of my favourite aspects of the bike. I just love the feeling of a springer as it bounces down the highway. Another tell-tale sign that my bike is a “South Bay” chopper is the auxiliary gas tank on the sissy bar. This tank is probably the thing I get the most questions about. Is it a mini beer keg ? Is it a nitrous tank ? Do you keep water in there ? All great guesses, but it is just gas. My dad made it from an old stainless steel fire extinguisher. I go on long rides and would not be able to get to the next gas station in some areas without that extra gas. Not only that, but having to stop for gas every 80 miles on a 5,000 mile trip would get pretty exhausting. With the tank, I am able to go about 130 miles comfortably. The style sissy bar has what is referred to as a “South Bay swoop”. Due to the weight of the 1.5 gallons of gas in the axillary gas tank, that “swoop” gives the sissy bar more support. The sissy bar and seat are also nods to the era. I decided to go with a King and Queen style seat to pair with the high sissy bar. I helped design the stitching pattern and placement of the buttons with Danny Grey to create my custom seat. I also had memory foam and gel put into the seat for extra comfort ! Worth every penny when you’re 500 miles into your day.

The tank, fender, and frame were painted by Dennis Babin, Chris Morrison, and Richard LaPorte (it was a group effort). Choosing the paint was definitely the most challenging aspect of the build for me. I wanted to make sure I chose something that I wouldn’t get tired of—this was key. Both of my parent’s bikes have flames. Flames are classic, never go out of style, and it would keep with the unintentional theme my family’s bikes seem to share. I started doing research and came across a picture of flames that looked almost rainbow in appearance, with : pinks, purples, blues, and yellows. It was perfect—I love black, so I went with black as the main colour and then the pink, blue, and purple flames were added. I really wanted the bike to be period correct and thought this paint did a great job of that. One little secret I have with the paint is that I had Babin paint a purple heart onto my fender, where no one can see it. My friend passed away while we were building the bike, and I wanted to make sure he was a part of it. His favourite colour was purple and now he is with me on all of my adventures. My Dad’s bike was originally my uncle’s. My uncle passed away in 2001 and my Dad got his bike shortly after. My Dick Allen two-into-one exhaust was originally on that bike. Not only is the exhaust super rad because it’s a DICK ALLEN but the fact that it was on my uncle’s bike makes it incredibly special to me.

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4. Who does most of the work on your bike ? My Dad’s philosophy is if something goes wrong with my bike (it’s old, so stuff happens), then I have to fix it. He has me troubleshoot and try to figure out on my own what is wrong, even though he usually knows right away. Once I think I have it figured out, he makes sure I learn how to fix it. He’s always there to teach me and guide me through it, which I am so grateful for. Some of the best learning experiences have taken place on the side of the road and gas station parking lots. My dad said “I could take my whole bike apart, bolt by bolt, throw it in a box, and put it all back together again.” His goal is for me to be able to do the same one day. 5. Tell us about the Summer trips you do with your family ? For years, my parents have been going on a 4,000-5,000 mile trip every summer. They take 3 weeks and have travelled across countless states and into Canada. The summer of 2018 was the first year I tagged along. We rode 5,000 miles, starting at home in Torrance, CA travelling up the coast, into Canada, down to Sturgis, south through the Four Corners Monument and back home, visiting friends along the way. My parents joke that “of course” the first time I join along, we have the most bike issues. My mom’s front wheel bearings went out while in Glacier National Park, Montana. This lead to countless strangers stopping to try and assist us. We had my mom’s bike propped up onto a curb in a gas station parking lot. We sat on a cardboard box, that used to hold containers of nacho cheese, eating ice cream cones and huckleberries (provided to us by a couple in a motorhome that wanted to give us a snack), waiting for my dad to return with the kind stranger in who offered to take him to his home to fix the wheel. Then, also in Montana, my Dad’s bike began acting up—turns out his motor needed a new rear cylinder. Thanks to our wonderful friends Phil and Lydia at Cycle Works who overnighted us a new one (WHO DOES THAT ?!). Now where do we make the repairs ? At our new friend Kevin’s house, of course ! We spent days in Kevin’s garage making the repairs. He and his wife welcomed us into their home with open arms, even letting my dad borrow his bike to get around town while we were stuck there. Then, we had some more bike issues in Sturgis where we, once again, met the most amazing humans. A man named Rick invited us into his home in Sturgis to use his garage and make the necessary repairs. If this trip taught me anything, it’s that there are some really incredible humans in this world.

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This summer, the three of us are headed to Alaska ! We’ll ride up the coast from Southern California and take a ferry from Washington into Alaska. Then from Alaska, well ride through Canada. last summer, we only spent a few days in Canada, so I am very excited to spend more time there this coming summer. I love that no matter where you are, you always seem to be riding along side a body of water—whether it be a river, stream, or lake. I also appreciate how it seems every little town we ride through has baskets of brightly coloured flowers hanging on the street lights lining the streets (America needs to get on this !). The trip will end up being somewhere between 5,000-6,000 miles over a three-week period.

enjoying it ever since. This is my third year stunting with

Last summer, I decided to count our gas stops—it started as a joke, really. Everyone always sees our bikes and says “You guys must not be able to get very far. How often do you stop for gas ?”. So I thought it would be fun to count. Well… over about 5,000 miles, we made exactly 61 gas stops. It may seem like a lot, but when you’re riding a hard tail chopper, your butt appreciates each one !

a show to tell me they want to join our team when they are

6. Tell us about your stunt riding team – how’d you get into it, where do you perform, what exactly do you do ? After my mom discovered the team and I graduated college and got a stable job, I contacted the team and asked if I could try out. I made the team and have been

the Victor McLaglen Motor Corps and the team has become family to me. We practice every Sunday and have many performances throughout the year. Though I started as only a climber (the person that climbs to the top of stunts), I have begun practicing being the “motorman” of stunts, meaning I ride the bike while the other men on the team climb. It has been such a fun challenge learning, not only how to ride an old bike with a foot clutch and jockey shift, but also how to maneuver a bike with upwards of five grown men hanging off the sides of it. Being the only female on the team is pretty empowering. Some of my favourite memories are of little girls coming up to me after old enough—it totally warms my heart ! I am so lucky to be on a team with a group of men who are incredibly supportive and believe I can do anything they can do. Even though, at times, I may not feel like I am capable of being able to do a certain stunt, they are always there to encourage me and help me become a better stuntwoman. The team has been around for over 80 years and is truly a part of history. As much as it is fun, I also really enjoy being a part of preserving history. Some of the men on the team have been members since they were teenagers and were introduced to it all by their own dads who were members of the team in the early years.

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7. Tell us about your job and how that fits into your lifestyle. Teaching wasn’t always the plan. I actually went to school to become a doctor—my degree is in Biomedical Science. After getting my bachelors degree, I went on to get my Doctorate, even made the move to Chicago to attend school there. In the first semester, I quickly realized that I actually did not want to be a doctor. Yeah, the money sounded nice, but I knew it wouldn’t make me happy in the end. I decided to quit while I was ahead and move back home. I got a job teaching Middle School Science and haven’t looked back since. The holidays and two months off every summer are really working out for me. I’m not sure if this is what I plan to do forever, but for now, its allowing me to spend my weekends doing what I love and my summers are spent on long motorcycle trips without having to request off any vacation days. I do my best to separate my personal life and my work life. I don’t show up to work on my chopper, though the kids have requested I do, nor do I wear my leather jacket and skinny jeans. Whenever parents get word that I ride, or stumble across my Instagram, they always approach me in disbelief. I think it’s a good lesson for both the kids and the parents — not all “bikers” look the same. I love how my younger female students see it and the discussions my hobbies have encouraged in class. I’ve had young girls tell me that, because of me, they want to ride a motorcycle when they’re older. It is incredibly humbling and makes my heart so happy to see a younger generation of females not afraid to step outside of the box. 8. What else are you into ? I grew up riding dirt bikes. I started when I was 7 and rode consistently until I was about 18. Once I was in college, I didn’t have the time to go riding. I ended up selling my bike when I was 20 to help pay for my college tuition. A few months ago, I decided I wanted to get back into it. For months I switched back and forth from riding my Mom’s CRF250X and my Dads CR500. One day, at a track, Husqvarna was there doing demo rides. I borrowed their 2-stroke 125 and was sold. I purchased my 2002 Suzuki RM125 a couple weeks later and have been riding almost every weekend since. While I grew up mostly riding desert and doing grand prix races, I have been loving the track lately ! I’m thinking of getting into racing, but have a bit of practicing to do first. For most of my childhood, my dad had an old Chevy Van. There weren’t any seats in the back; my sister and I each had a beanbag we would sit in. Maybe not the best example

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for safety, but it sure was fun ! I loved that van ! We ended up selling it and getting a “safer” vehicle. I always wanted a van—they are so versatile, handy, just awesome ! I’ve always loved old Econolines so my brother and I got an old 1974 Ford Econoline to fix up together, complete with a threeeyed panther mural painted on the side of it. It is currently a pile of junk… but we’ll get there… eventually. My goal is to insulate it, get some wood paneling and shag carpeting, and set it up with a fold up bed so I can use it for camping but also haul bikes.

I also want to continue to broaden my knowledge of my

9. What are your future plans with bikes ? What would you like to do more of ? Learn more of ?

rent a trailer.

I really want to learn how to weld. It is such a useful skill in the world of motorcycles and I feel like I would be pretty good at it. While in college, I made birthday and wedding cakes as my “side gig”. The couple times I have taken welding clinics, I’ve noticed the methods for welding seem very similar to piping on a cake. Maybe I’m crazy but it seemed that way to me !

bike. With an old bike, it is pretty much inevitable that things are going to happen and repairs will need to be made. 10. Anything else you’d like to add or give shout-outs to ? I want to give a shout-out to anyone who has ever stopped to help a fellow biker on the side of the road. Without the kind souls that have helped us on our journeys, we probably wouldn’t have made it home. At least not without having to Thanks Megan, it’s been an honour talking to you about your history on bikes and your family. Readers – If you see the Margeson’s on the road during their cruise through Canada this summer, be sure to say hi ! You can keep up with Megan’s bike and rides through her Instagram : @meganmargeson

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Text and photos : Liz Leggett

I always wanted to visit Vancouver, British Columbia. The last time I was in BC, I was 3 years old. The mountains and sea lions were my faint memories of this famously beautiful province. In more recent years, I wanted to visit the Loserpalooza show. The event was one of the West Coast events put on by Becky Goebel, a fellow Revolution MM journalist. The show was going to be taking place in October. I had met Becky at the Roll the Bones show in my hometown of Montreal, and I was very excited to pack my bags and head west.

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As I took public transit from one end of town to the other, the air was crisp and cool and the sun shined brightly through autumn coloured leaves. What a beautiful city ! While attending the show preparty, I realized that I had missed many things about Canada since I had moved to New Jersey. By far, Canadians are second to none. This.saying that I hadn’t heard in months rang through the air and made me feel at home, and yet far away from my hometown of Montreal.

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The Lions MFG is an awesome shop run by Ty Collins, a truly great guy. The shop is modest but absolutely teamed with vintage cool and filled with character, which reflects Ty in a funny way with its hand-painted signage and rack of overly rad original magazines with classic rags. This is where I was warmly introduced to the BC bike scene. A small courtyard in the front served as the barbecue pit as well as the shop space at the back were filled with guests. This created a stream of people moving in and out of the front retail store where beer, tattoos and music were all taking place in that small space.

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The art/bike show was hosted at a place ironically named The Pipe Shop, not because of its heritage as a pipe fitting shop for the historical shipyard, but because of the show’s subject of course ! Becky organized the show with several of her close friends. These family members and friends created a core network of people whose presence was quite impressive as they worked as security, bar staff, door attendants and all around go-to helpers. I arrived at the show really, really early. Having arrived the previous day, I headed over with a case of jet lag working in my favour. Becky had asked me if I would display some of my works at the show and I was honoured to participate. Several people lent me tools and supplies to get my stuff on the quickly rising walls of pallets where the various artists would be hanging their work. I am still very thankful to those who helped me out ! With thirty-five awesome choppers lined up along the walls and middle of the venue, a virtual sea of vintage chrome and candy colours dazzled your eyes. The style and build quality did Vancouver and BC pride. By mid-day, 20 artists had arrived and hung their works and set up their pieces in the pallet columned hall. Tin-Type photographer Ian Azariah with his tin type trike was producing haunting portraits of guests on the spot, developing images on the spot allowing clients to experience the magic of true photography. Speaking with this artist confirmed that the world of film photography baffles me to this day. Two familiar faces that were spotted amongst the crowd were fellow Roll the Bones artists “Devil Chicken” Christopher Galley and his wife Jo. Christopher uses collage and paints to create colourful works that I just adore. Spending time with the couple was a great treat and one of the highlights of my whole trip.

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Bikes continued to roll in; the large glass panel windows allowed light to filter into the room casting great spaces of light and shadow, one by one the choppers kept arriving. The port area where the show took place created echoes as the Harley rolled up the side streets onto the sidewalks and into the entryways. Left, right and centre were hugs, greetings and more dogs than I could count. Everyone and their hound were making their way to the show, along with art, tattoo equipment, vinyl records by the case and even more of Budweiser and Steam Whistle Beer. The buzz of speakers plugging into amps and cordless drills buzzing away at a hammock stand gazebo in the middle of the room created the laid back atmosphere that was destined to be the heart of the show. Elliot C. Way spun some of the best tunes, all on vinyl nonetheless. Sounds great, and you get a great work out carrying all those retro gems ! One corner of the room was tabled off as a tattoo parlour. Attendees perused the flash art, half joking about which they may or may not get if the night went accordingly. El Patcha, a chain stitch artist, was set up with her needles armed machine next door and was also offering flash work for your favourite shirt or jacket in the spot. I couldn’t resist buying one of her beautiful pieces for myself. What a great souvenir ! There were also large mural like collages of old magazine clippings featuring some very sexy ladies by Miss Judge, as well as mushroom camping photo collages by Filth Mode featuring some ridiculous fun compositions. Hand-lettered signs were painted beforehand and lettered by AJ Mccallister of Noice Paint and Lettering, the same who had created the signage at Lions.

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Revolution Motorcycle Magazine

The two-day show left many people straggling in after a long night of drink and merry making. The bikes would be leaving soon, and I had until 3 o’clock to pull together the bikes we wanted to shoot as features for the magazine. This is where I would encounter Elio, “The East Van Rambo.” There was this one bike that was at the end of the row in the middle of the venue. It was a custom Harley with some vintage flair, and the perfect amount of style and soul to make my mind’s eye dream. Its owner was kind enough to agree to a shoot and quickly became my West Coast buddy. After our photoshoot, he graciously showed me Vancouver’s hidden gems, the look out, the steam clock and even more fun than imaginable. The rest of my trip was filled with choppers, hot rods, flames, burnouts and some really tasty food. Check out the feature on Mr Pepperoni (page 8) for more West Coast fun !

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Text : Pascal Richard — Photos : Chuck Photographe

Each year, Revolution Motorcycle Magazine participates as an exhibitor at the Super Motorcycle show that is held at the beginning of January in Toronto, which gives us the opportunity to meet our readers and Ontario friends. With its 5 exhibit halls, the Super Motorcycle show is a major event in Ontario when it comes to motorcycle events. It also gives us the chance to discover new motorcycles that are built during the down season. Several beautiful creations are on site to compete for generous grants awarded to the winners. When we talk about money, of course this encourages the builders to participate with their best creations. This year, Rheault Motorcycle from Victoriaville had an inventory of nine motorcycles, each one more beautiful than the next. In my opinion, there was one that really stood above the others with a style and paint that was out of the ordinary. This Cholo-Style Bagger, a 2015 HD FLTRX, is a wonderful success of design and colours by David Lambert from DL Custom. I have seen several of David’s creations and he amazes me every time. It is no surprise that he is so busy.

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Francis, the owner of the Rheault Motorcycle workshop, chose a 26-inch front wheel from SMT Machining mounted on a Metzeler tire to provide a radical look greatly sought after by Bagger builders. The 12-inch handlebars are made by Précision MV, a company that is in continual expansion thanks to its quality products. These young artisans of the industry have acquired much of the Canadian market. We manufacture excellent parts and high-quality products so if you have the chance, buy “Made in Canada”, you will get great quality and in addition to advancing our economy, you put Canadians to work. Let us continue with the exhausts that are from Paul Yaffe, the dials that are from Dakota Digital and several other parts that come from the Ness family in California such as the front fender, the mirrors and the handles. As for comfort, the seat is very important and many people forget about this part that is the mistress on the moto. There is the look, but also comfort, especially when you take long rides. Nothing is worse that having a sore posterior after riding a few kilometers. So, for a stylish, comfortable seat, Francis turned to Rod Alves who has designed seats adapted to motorcycles and customized for the rider’s posterior ! Now, we look forward to summer so we can ride !

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Text : Jean-Sebastien Paré — Photos : Chuck Photographe

I am a veteran, president of vétérans commandos Québec, radical in life and for what I drive ! Having inherited several injuries during the performance of my duties, I slowly moved toward the three-wheel style. Everything I found on the market was not bad ass enough for the commando that I am ! That was when I contacted an old friend, François, owner of Frank Chopper, knowing full well that he is the specialist that can

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go above and beyond any challenge. The future held many challenges indeed ! My first meeting with François was at the Frank Chopper workshop for the purpose of developing a concept. Aware of my medical restrictions and my radical taste, François presented me with a three-wheel model that I found very interesting. It was a go ! He added a special suspension

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support for the back, redone so that the bags would follow the curves, and then the choice of colours and the design was complete. It only needed to be built. I therefore present to youâ&#x20AC;&#x2030;: - THE GUNNER The real work started in December 2017 with a FLHTP 2009 reduced to parts, the motor included. The first step was to determine which parts could be recycled for the GUNNER

project. As the trike project progressed, the selection changed as the design evolved and took shape to guide the decisions for the acquisition of new parts. Then, I told FranĂ§ois that the choice of the black and orange HarleyDavidson colours was not negotiable. After several tries and samples, the workshop succeeded in obtaining an orange colour so sparkling that I immediately and enthusiastically sent all the parts to the powder coating workshop.

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We modified the motor to give the threewheeler more power and acceleration. Frank installed an S&S camshaft assembly with an oil pump kit, adjustable thumb-press levers, as well as 103’’ domed pistons. We faced new challenges at each step of building the Gunner. For example, during moulding, this complex work performed directly in the workshop generated an abundance of dust, which required a lot of cleaning and was frustrating for Frank. When moulding the cases, a Brother in Arms lent me his adjustable air Shot Gun Shock suspension so we could work faster, which was greatly appreciated. But after the final assembly of the cases with the suspension in place, it did not run as well; it needed adjustments and more adjustments ! For the choice of wheels, you have probably noticed that the guys of my era are quite nostalgic. Oh, yeah ! The big wheel look as in my youth. The front wheel was 26 inches with a 265/35R18 in the back providing the motorcycle with the desired aggressive style. The paint, especially the deep black, was applied by the painter at Rick’s Shop and we worked with Yves Thibault,

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undoubtedly the most talented painter, who added the final touch. The airbrush pattern was designed to be discreet and to represent me, with the head and the flames on the gas tank matching the orange of the motor. On the back of the bike is a skeleton in the flames shooting a machine gun. We were at the last step, the departure for my first road test to New Brunswick. I was very impressed by the results and the fact that a three-wheeler could drive like a Go-kart, an aggressive drive both in a straight line and on corners. My return to Quebec ended in a stopover at Frank Chopper to design the construction of the fenders for the rear wheels. The work was complex, the goal being to obtain a design to match the trike and that would resist the rugged Quebec roads. After several road tests and many modifications, the result was not conclusive, we pursued our search. A few more modifications to the bike and we were ready to install the hot lick exhaust. Why not a flame thrower ! So, we introduced a flame thrower to the exhaust giving the GUNNER the final touch. Then it was off to Arizona…

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