steveb leatherworks: the blather

Saw this chop out at the Duck. Good to see someone flying the Root Beer flake with traditional flames. I am not a big fan of this kind of frame geometry, but it is obvious someone took care to make a nice looking chop. They get props for riding it when the roads are crappy and the weather , a bit sketchy. Props to the new england chop rider who busted out on a Sunday for a libation down at the Duck!!!

I saw this on the COC blog, believe it was posted by noot.  Kind of stopped me for a few reasons. The bike…a basket of a Sportster, a baby, a young wife…like this chap didnt have enough going on…right?  He took on the rebuild of this bike himself, hmmm, looks to me like he has a new house too, a  fresh basement to work on his basket case baby in the off-hours when he isn’t working to support his family…  doing it yourself is what you do when your not a rich guy, getting some help from your pals, if you’re lucky….the parts are expensive enough, forget about paying for labor!!

Looks like the wife gets it too….she knows how important this rusty-ass, grease caked wreck in boxes is to her guy… she cant begin to count the hours he has “wasted” on this junk heap, but she’d never in a million years say anything… cuz, well it wouldn’t be right… he’s had this bike since before he’d met her… they’ve shared good times on this bike and she knows one day it will be her son’s.

better than showroom, in a way

Was in Daytona some time back and ran into this beauty at an AMCA meet. Not sure how true to the original it is, but it sure is pretty. Enjoy!

Ya got to have tools when you tear into a bike, like Freddy’s Fat Boyee. an of course ya got to have a clown like me getting in the way with his camera. Ha ha!

The boss had her foot fixed today. No fun, with a capital No.
But, she manned up and went through with it like a champ,
I am not a big fan of screws and plates, thinking they belong in wood and the china cabinet, not in our bodies, but in this instance – it is a good thing.

Send her good vibes and wishes if you would- please.
I’d be most appreciative.

The Duck is an old barge-y, boat-y thing that was converted to a “local dive bar” years ago.
It is situated under an overpass, on a little unloved plot of land.
The Duck is cool, and is mine an Freddy’s favorite Sunday afternoon “shot & a beer joint”.
There aren’t too many of those left… round these parts anyway. 

I thought i’d keep it simple today and share an idyllic scene found locally.
I’ve been using this image as a screensaver and thought all of you might like it too…enjoy and right-click away!!

soothing, eh?

new england

*consider this a public service announcement or something, i want some brownie points damnit*

Freddy was tearing into the Fatboy shortly before i came over to help him. This mechanical madness and associated activity is in preparation for the bikes first major rebuild since its birth in 1990. The bike is a bit overdue for some love and so…on the lift it goes, for total strip-down.

Bike is on the lift, he hears “POP” and look at what he found…

This could have been a disaster. For real.

Those of you out there who own Handy Lifts (and i know a bunch of you that read my drivel have lifts and work on your bikes) might want to pay attention to the welds and metallurgy of your unit. I have the older style lift, it has a different type locking mechanism and I dont think is susceptible, but this looks like a problem to my untrained eye.  But then I am not a metallurgist, or a rocket scientist.

Be careful kids, really careful… 

I used to make alot of cuffs for folks. Que Pasa, my old friend, likes cuffs to support his meatloaf sized paws when he is playing bass in his band Taboo, a Santana cover band. I used to wear them when i road tripped on the FXR, along with ear plugs and a Home Depot weight lifters belt. These items insured I’d be in decent shape whenever i arrived, wherever I was going. The comfort of a bigger bike allowed me to drop the weight lifters belt and cuffs from my ensemble.

So, one day the boss lets if be known that the Cuffs are “effeminate”, kind of “happy” if you get my drift. Well that stopped me cold as you could imagine…how so asketh I? So she makes the S&M linkage, and then i proceeded to right the good ship with a reference to the true influence of this unit and its specific design…the Western Gunfighter, manliest of all men, cold-blooded, dead eyed, and not a funny bone in his body.

Well, happy or not, the design of this cuff is a riff from an old western pattern I found in a book, I’d never seen before. Bottom line, if your wrists need support, these cuffs work great, they are lined an  once broken in provide a  tough look. The cuffs pictured, have a few miles on them.

I was at the International Motorcycle Show a few weeks back and happened upon the Star Motorcycles booth/display.This is a Yamaha company doing a Lexus/Toyota thing and i must admit, the Star bikes look very nice, if thats you’re thing. For better or for worse, there is not much of a chance of me owning a Star anytime in the future. I got H-D in my blood, as silly as that decision seemed in times of yore when i was in the midst of the trials of some mechanical distress, usually far from home…with night falling.  

I mean, I traded in a perfectly fantastic Honda Shadow 1100 all those years back for a FXR that was fraught with mechanical gremlins and problems, in all honestly, many of them my own doing… doesn’t matter though when you’ve got to “deal” and be entrepreneurial in your pursuit of enough internal combustion power to get you home.

MY favorite FXR breakdown was when the clutch actuating finger (a cast steel part)  in the early 5-speed transmissions snapped…. at the bottom of our driveway, just as the Boss was going to get on for a Fall ride up to squirrel country….oh the shame, she had to help me push it up the driveway, back into the garage….i was ready to drop a match right there, let me tell you…ugh!…she  was really cool about it as i recall  and probably commiserated with me about the injustice of it and the fact that it was probably a “union made cast part” in the tranny that  snapped… lol.. she didn’t make fun of me for trading the Shadow….which had served us faultlessly.

So even though i am an irrational H-D devotee,, it doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy a shiny thing and *ding* Yamaha for knocking off H-D. I mean, c’mon – you guys got the engineering might to do it right, like BMW, so do it…show us what innovation looks like!!

I am looking forward to communicating with Nelson and his Church of Choppers crew in more depth – but for now, enjoy what a tasty bike Nelson has – an FXR, the supreme being of HD’s lineup…

Dontya know – the very first thing I asked Nelson when we reconnected after all these years – “doya still have the FXR…?” and this is how he responded:

SteveB. Holy shit its you. I was just thinking just last month, “I wondered what happened to that one guy I met online with the black FXR, SteveB.” So much has changed in the last 12 to 15 years, that’s for sure!  I took this shot for you just this morning. I still have my FXR of course, will never sell it.

Nelson knows whats what – I knew he wouldn’t have sold this stinker

Rock out Nelson, glad we reconnected…

a mans bike, the venerable FXR

Had a chance to take my first flight in a small plane today. What a thrill! It is so freaking different than flying  on a jet, I cant tell ya. One of my oldest best friend homeboys from the NYC ‘hood Ron is a Tucson resident and a pilot. He invited me and Erl to take a spin around the desert and see some sights. It was really a cool experience and very different from what I expected.  I learned some stuff and got a good feel for how much work it takes to do it safely.

Check it out – I didn’t even yak! a testament to Ron’s skills….lol

Ron, is a diligent and skilled pilot and showed he’s got what it takes to take us up and bring us back in one piece….this was a good time for sure. We also got to take a look at a plane that Ron has built. It is sweeet and has one badass engine, that is like a VW pancake with a mega attitude….I really want a ride in that one day.

Only bummer was getting a birdseye view of the environmental devastation a copper mine is wreaking on a once beautiful part of our country’s Arizona desert…there has got to be a better way…ya think?

Thanks Ron for a memorable thrill, it was great!!

Spending time in Tucson..enjoying the Amerincan landscape.
If these views dont make you feel a bit patriotic and proud, you best check your pulse, pilgrim.
If you’ve got a pulse and this still doesn’t give you a tingel of pride…may i suggest you move…like to Uranus or something….

This week I am spending some time with the family in Tucson. It is “Big Daddy’s” 80th bird day and so the fam from far and wide flew in to pay homage to the fine gent and take advantage of a change in scenery. The weather is a bit nicer than at home (the northeast) and so, we are for the most part spending time outside…pretty cool.. since I feel like Ive been cooped up for the past 2 months.

I am not a good vacationer, I am more suited for working than for chillin’ –  a personality defect I am well aware of..and I lose my shit if I am cooped up inside with no work to do. So i wind up taking the Nikon d90 monster machine for a walk a few times a day to keep the brain busy. Not so bad. …Keeps me from getting all itchy and cranky and gives me a chance to absorb some new scenery. I love my family, but I know that if i dont keep moving and keep my hands and brain occupied, I can be a cranky bitch. The fam knows this too, and so they let me wander, knowing that its best for all of us…lol, see why I love ’em?

Well, I happened upon a new friend and subject during one of these sanity saving excursions- mr bobcat.

He was a real beautiful guy, and wholly fixated upon some critter whose future included being an appetizer for mr. fancy fur. I got pretty close…and for a NYC’er  it was cool. We don’t see alot of these cats at home…and when we do, it tends to be on some dumbasses back as a coat..and I aint so big on that…I prefer my animals live, especially when they are as handsome as this dude.

yeah yeah – and for all of you waiting on stuff from me, don’t fear, I will back in the shop soon enough…..but for now, meet my new friend.. Courageous Cat.

New Yorkers by and large know food. The city is stuffed with all manner of nationalities and these newcomers bring their indigenous (mm, good word, eh?) foods to the city making it one hell of a smorgasbord for the food savvy and culinary curious. Near every block in NYC has some food, almost always a pizza joint, a deli and a street meat vendor.

Street Meat=a delicacy served on the street from a food cart of one type or another. Street meat vendors have developed quite elaborate merchandising environments…see the Rafiqui’s set up below. This enterprising person has a few of these carts in the city, probably licensed or rented to family members..a common scenario. My man JeffT used to be a Rafiqui’s regular…man when he brought that shit back into the cube farm it absolutely reeked to high heaven…in a good way, as long as you liked onions and whatever stink leaked from the container.

Speaking of that..why is it that others people food stinks, when our own doesn’t? hmmm..clue me in, iffin ya wood.

Surprisingly, the food from most of these carts will not send you scurrying for the shitter with a raging case of ptomaine (another good word, eh?), au contraire, some of these guys really kick out the jams…my Soup dude being one of them. No shit, this guys sells the most kicking corn and lobster chowder you’ve ever had – and chili that is outstanding.  To boot he is a hard working dude that puts in the time, effort and has the skill to delight the tongue. I am a regular, or at least used to be…moving out of the area has precluded me from enjoying his fare.

So  – when visiting NYC, dig in, look for a cart that has a line and jump in. Chances are you’ll get some good stuff and if the weather is good, I encourage you to eat outside on the street..to really experience what its like to…be a savvy NYC food ho’

One more thing – if you see dirty water hot dog carts that look like this (see below)… shine them on…as that is a pretty sure fire path to finding out just how hard a toilet is to find in the city…when ya just got to have one…nuff said…a-ight?  

When perusing the offerings at the IMS show, I happened upon the booth of DAM cycles.  I’ve had these guys on my radar for some time now, as their work has always been for as long as I can recall – stunning. I don’t know the granular particulars, of the shop, or its ownership – or even philosophy –  but the brain trust behind these machines deserves major props. It is obvious when looking at the work of shops like DAM, that they simply don’t spend enough money on advertising,  honk enough bobo, or kiss enough ass to get the recognition they so richly deserve.  The lazy dim-bulbs in the motorcycle industry would rather tout the praises of folks like Sucker Punch Sally, Big Dog, Big Bear and other modestly talented folks – than consider the work of shops like DAM.

I’d bet that because they don’t spend money supporting magazines with advertising, they will never garner the favor of the “moto” know-it-alls. Ever seen DAM in American Iron? Hot Bike? Easyrider? Ironworks?  Methinks not. I read all the books religiously and i honestly dont think I’ve ever seen a DAM bike featured. Walt Siegel is another character that kicks unholy ass insofar as bike building, fab and design and only most recently has he gotten any critical acclaim from the “press”.

As I’ve heard it said  “if the dogs like the dog food, why would we/should we change?” Simply open another can and dump it in the monthly bowl.   Do you see this as contempt for you? I sure do…..Yep – this is what ya get if you don’t find your OWN bikes to look at, if you don’t seek out new and unusual and innovative builders on your own. They are out their folks, but you wont find them in the pages of the moto press…not enough of the consumer dogs want to eat that dog food….. and Publishers cater to the “biggest common denominator” and not to the interesting niches and crevices that abound everywhere in the moto world if you tale the time to look. They dish up…vanilla. Now normally i like vanilla – but not month after month after months, after month, after month. Even I get fed up and sick of it…

Do I sound pissed?  Well I am, I am sick to death of reading magazines that keep dishing up the same crap month after month. I used to save all my mags for years and years, because each issue was a must read and always had a few choice nuggets featured. You just couldn’t throw them away. Not no mo…..

If you want innovation, you want to see some shit, you got to dig..and the place to dig is ONLINE  …Church of Choppers is one stop on the “lets get real express”, Knucklebuster is another blog worth scoping….

It has been a real long time since Ive saved a magazine- they pretty much all suck these days …..except for Cycle Source. They seem to have a clue – even if they feature bikes on the cover that are old news (see Steel City Choppers bike on a recent cover). Of all the books on the newsstand right now, Cycle Source is the only one that has a chance of engaging  me. I am not crazy about some of the mediocre writing or amateurish photography –  but it is getting better.. i see the progression and I wish them luck. They are doing it on their own terms..and i am all about that..

Back to DAM – check them out, they deserve a moment of your time. 

Any of you publishers  want a clue, give me a call,  I dont know much, but I know how to not bore the ever living shit out of my customers…something you might want to consider…that is if your tired of feeding your readers… dog food

Once a piece of work leaves the shop, I generally never see it again. I’ve learned to get over it. I don’t have a problem with my “children” needing to run free with their rightful owners. LIke a parent that needs to let the kids leave the roost, so I must say “later” to my units…

Well, i think about these nuggets…and often wonder just how the hell they are doing. Are their owners carrying them everyday and taking care of them…showing some respect or are they neglected and relegated to the draw only to be be busted out when it  is “riding time”? I wonder, yes indeed i do…

Well on occasion I have cause to connect with a past customer..usually they want something else from me. I often take these opportunities to ask for a few photographs of the kids they have in their possession. I feel like a parent checking up on a guardian or a babysitter in these instances.

Well just this week Mr. Shamrock Super Squire called in for a new chain for his wallet…he wants to mix it up a bit. Not being one to let a good opp. slip by, I asked if he wouldn’t please take a pic or 10 and send ‘em on. Well he did and this is my report….

Besides needing some help in the photo composition arena, I can say this: the wallet after 3-4 years, looks rockingly good…really good as a matter of fact. Mr . Shamrock Super Squire has been a good parent and I thank him for that.

So, let me give you one piece of useful information since you’ve taken the time to read my drivel. As I look at these pics, I see Mr. Shamrock Super Squire has (unknowingly) committed the one cardinal sin of leather care….. he’s bent the leather against the fold.

Leather likes  routine and once folded, it doesn’t like being folded in any other direction – especially against the bias….well spreading the wallet out like this is not so good for the leather as your going against its “natural fold”.

so – in plain english this means  that you shouldnt coil one of my belts opposite of the way you wear it, you shouldnt turn a wallet inside out or flattens it against its folds

So….I’ve got to thank and pay props to my customers…they rock..they keep the steveb globlal freight train rolling down the highway under full steam. Without them, well i’d be putzing around making collars for Paco, my CSO (chief sleeping oficer) that he’d refuse to wear. Where the hell is the fun in that?

So Dr. Evil, a loyal and surprising not so evil guy,  came back for a 4th time (5th? hmm) to request a special journal cover…a particularly evil cover…black with a frightening basketweave pattern applied to it…well maybe not so frightening, but indulge me, ok? I am on a roll…working the theme as weak as it is….

So, Dr. Evil placed his order and the rump kissing minions in the ordering & production department gave orders to the the stockyard division  and so they culled a particularly ornery cow and well…we turned him into a journal cover. See? Thats what happens when your a bad cow – you get turned into stuff by people like me for guys with names like Dr. Evil…let that be a warning to you bad cows out there…dont mess with leatherworking gringos. A-ight?

So this is what tuned up once i cranked the leather working handle. Basic black, with a tasty basketweave applied. There is one well hidden secret to this evil journal….there is a blast of color hidden…only to be revealed once the cover has seen some exposure to use and UV, its a deep color, but its there!

Enjoy your cover dr.evil, use it in great health and in pursuit of wealth. Come on back when i can make a new goodie for you – and as always – thanks alot for the business. It truly is appreciated, especially in these dark fiscal days….

Walked from Grand Central to the West Side in the 20’s on a cold morning.
Lots of empty stores on 5th Avenue…a little strange.
But there is still building going on…this is NYC ya know…it never, ever stops
Cops giving tickets and people scurrying to their next stop. 

Just another day in NYC..ya got to love it..c’mon take a walk with me…..

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzXzt9m0vX8[/youtube]

Jon wanted a Big X New Hampshire Fin, never having made a big X New Hampshire fin before, I asked customer Jon for some guidance and he clarified that an outline of he state of New Hampshire (Live free or Die) needed to appear behind the big X and so…here you have it….the big X fin… homage to New Hampshire – another off the chart coolaboration between yours truly and the best folks i know – my customers!

A few pertinent facts about this unit: you’ll notice that the x is a positive carving and the outline of the state of NH is a negative/inverse carving. If anyone is interested in having me go off on the difference between the two, let me know and I will have begin crafting the accompanying blather.

The carving of the state also has the county lines included to keep it “accurate” and relevant to those that crave accuracy. Brass chain, cool chain/belt keeper and a real nice interior treatment all add up to a wallet that rocks the house. The colors of this unit appear kind of nuclear in the images, but they look super sweet in person.

Customer Jon said after recieveing the piece:   Thank you VERY much for the wallet. It is amazing. I showed my dad and a friend out ours and both of them are floored by the craftsmanship. I love it Thanks again, Jon P.S. Sorry for being a pain in the balls.

Now in all fariness to Jon, he was NOT a pain the balls. He predictably asked me via email when he could expect his wallet…and I ignored him…  knowing he would get it shortly, having dropped it in the mail the day before….. following up is not a pain in the balls. Stalking me with phone  calls and email is. Big diff.

While perusing the goodies at the NYC IMS show, i happened upon Ducati, resplendent in their blood red trade show environment. The usual fare of hyper active sport bikes were there on display. Ducati really has a handle on how to turn a piece of metal into functional art. Functional with a emphasis on “fun”. I’ve ridden Marko’s Duc’s  (my fave was his white framed 900SS) and as far as I am concerned they are far better machines than my riding abilities and they are crippling to ride if you’re a “seasoned” rider..lol

Duc’s arent my cup of tea in almost every regard excep[t for their engineering beauty. Not too often something is as pretty as it is useful and utilitarian. Ducati always delivers in this regard.

So anyway, i was departing the Duc booth and happened upon this oddity. Looks like it is a rough and ready hand done Ed Hardy dress up job…and some of the shiny bits are quite fancy…   This was cool.  

If you keep your eyes open in the urban sprawl you can come upon some curious sites.

Hard to believe someone was actually playing in this sad, diesel dust covered excuse for snow on the side of a dangerously busy road……..but they were    

weird

In a word, boring.