Leaf Us Alone

One of the (true), Myths in Chopper History

I remember lores like this being told more than once in the chopper magazines of yesterdays. Then, one day while checking Kid Duece's Flicker album (linked from Nostalgia on wheels blog), I found this news clipping among the old chopper photos.

Just too far out. Did any of you notice this? The address is the first clue, then check the blacked out name carefully. Richard.... I'll let you figure out the rest.


I like that they also included a description of the vehicle.


The guy just couldn't get a break.

Random Radness

More good stuff from July 71 Choppers Magazine

BiG BiKE #1, Part 3 The Daily Trike

A lot of dudes hate trikes and I understand some of their reasons, but there was a time when they were very popular.

I was just a kid when this scene was taking place and I was really into trikes. One guy that was a big proponent of them was Ed Roth. Roth's trikes were some of my favorites and still are, but one of the my all time favorites from this period was this trike built by Jim Breo.

It's just right. Anyone into vintage choppers has to love the look of this trike.


Just before or right after this was published, I witnessed this trike tooling down the Ventura Freeway from the back seat of my parents car. I forget the exact timing, but the trike itself, was permanently etched into my young impressionable brain.


This shot really shows off how tasteful and well proportioned this trike is. Are "Indy" type tires still available today? Again, can you believe what you could build for $800 back then?


Contrary to what the upper caption says, Servi-Cars are essentially rigid, those rear springs don't do much more than cushion the rear seat.


Too many trikes had poorly executed back seats or boxes. For some reason, the wooden office chair fits nicely with the bare bones chopper look. The Ripple label reminds me of the days when Annie Green Springs and I, would go over to Boone's Farm for a good time,... but that's another story.


Super-swoopy is right. This is one nice photo of a 45 engine. I could stare at it all day.


Circa 1970. I was so jazzed by this trike that I made my own version by cutting up a Revell CHP Shovelhead model and making it a 45 flathead trike. This shot was an attempt to make it look real. I still have this model, but in it's later guise which was inspired by Roth's Mail Box.

Fike?

If a three wheeler is a trike, then what's a five wheeler? A Fike... a Pike?

Threesome

Tom McMullen aboard his Corvair powered trike. This photo was taken on the way home from the trike's second showing in '67 and was just before or right after he was pulled over by the police. It was published in AEE's Chopper catalog in '70. Other shots from this ordeal with the cops were originally published in the July 68 Cycle Guide which featured the trike's first completed photos. Tom contributed features on custom bikes to Cycle Guide before starting Street Chopper in '69.

Drag Trike?

Very cool but, ...

this is what happens when you can't decide if you want a Fuel Altered or a Drag Bike.