Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Today in motorcycle history, December 10, 1967

 

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  Jim Morrison is arrested during a concert at New Haven, Connecticut. While Jim was backstage with a girl, a cop, not realizing who he was, told the couple to leave. Jim resisted and was maced by the cop. During the show, he began to recount the story about “the little blue man, in the little blue cap”. The police got pissed-off, stopped the show and arrested Morrison.







  Brian Hubbs', owner of Big Pimpin’ Cycles in Schenectady, New York, recent project, a 1983 Honda CB650SC Nighthawk he calls the“Lizard King” pays homage to the late Doors frontman.

  Not running and destined to be used as a boat anchor, Brian paid $250 for the Nighthawk.  After borrowing his friend and his pick-up, Hubbs cracked a beer, put on a Doors CD and grabbed a wrench. He then stripped the bike, fitted his own hardtail, re-ported the engine, polished the head, added a 6Sigma Jet Kit and new Accel ignition coils. He then fit it with custom-bent "double-barrel shotgun" exhaust pipes. 

  Hubbs designed  the stainless-steel seat and did his signature one-off leather work. He also did the leather wrapping on the speedometer and reservoir covers as well. One of the only pieces to be ordered were the Deadhorse Custom Leather handgrips. They hand-tooled “Mojo” on the left and “Rising” on the right, adding another tribute to Morrison.


  The modified Sportster tank and fender were painted Rootbeer Candy over silver nugget base with 24k gold flake and lime accents. Then he covered it all in House of Kolor Urethane Show Klear.
   A Colt .45 hollow point shifter peg and custom taillight made from a surplus hand grenade sum up the attitude of this "fuck you" bike.




  German custom bike builder Dirk Metzer, owner of  Dime Design Custom Cycles in Monchengladbach, Germany, was commissioned to start planning and fabricating a Jim Morrison-themed bike by long time Doors fan and author Jochen Maaben.


  This Jim Morrison tribute bike began life as a Suzuki Intruder. Everything was shit-canned except the 1400cc motor.  The Intruder mill was fit into an AME "old skool" frame,  using a Harley 21" front wheel and an AME 16" rear wheel. The handle bars, stretched tank, air filter, and fender were all custom designed by DIME. Pouring over old bike magazines, Maaben and Metzer tried to keep as close to the sixties chopper-style as they could. 

  The two added numerous Doors references all over the bike, like "Blue Lady", "Strange Days", "Break On Through", "The End", "Mr. Mojo Risin'", Jim's signature and, of course, Jim's airbrushed portrait on the tank.


  The coup de grace was the brake light in the sissy bar. It's a "king snake" with red LED eyes.






  Due to piracy laws I am not able to show you the DIME bike.  Arrr!


  





  Today in motorcycle history proudly supports the National Association for Bikers with a Disability (NABD). www.nabd.org.uk